Six Minimalism Concepts I Reject

I spent most of my young adult years in the 2010s. During this time, I was in college, got my first full time jobs, and moved across the country. I was naive, impressionable, and followed many trends.

This time period was an era when minimalism was on the rise. There are blogs and YouTube channels dedicated to the concept, and it felt like the idea was reflected in many forms of media. On a surface level, I thought this sounded nice. I hate clutter, and I’d love to be able to move my life from city to city in just a bag or two.

Yet I’m not a minimalist. There are times when I feel I can relate to minimalists; I get legitimately angry when I receive paper bills rather than e-mail. There are also times when I feel like the lifestyle would cause more distress than joy. I don’t want to spend my free time decluttering, and I like having some collections.

I admit that the concept of minimalism has appeal, but I can’t fully commit. Some principles are worth consideration, but there are others I actively reject.

Have a Simple, Defined Style

When people envision minimalists, they might think of Steve Jobs walking onto stage at an Apple Keynote. Every time he came out, he was in white sneakers, blue jeans, and a black turtleneck. He never had to fret about what to wear, so he never had to worry about clothes consuming his time. I spent years wearing a uniforms at private school. I know how efficient it can be, but I’ll never do it again.

Truthfully, my closet is full of clothes. Some pieces are worn regularly while others haven’t been worn in years. While I do routinely donate clothing, I will keep items that might be worn again in the future. I love having the options, and I love being able to fall back in love with an old favorite. In fact, this has prevented me from buying new clothing. When I know I have additional items in the closet, I will browse my old wardrobe before I browse the mall.

Keep a Slim, Lean Wallet

Money is a necessary evil, and it has the power to cause a lot of stress. I certainly understand why some people would want to reduce its ability to impact their mental wellbeing, and this means simplifying the items that go into their wallets. In some cases, people have forgone the wallet altogether and opted for a simple money clip. Of course, this means they have few financial burdens, but it also means they’re missing out on a lot of potential.

I may be overzealous when it comes to money, but I would never limit myself to simply cash. Credit cards have the ability to generate rewards, and I’ll sign up for additional cards if I see the value. Then, there are brands that have reward programs that don’t require you to get a new credit card, just a loyalty card. If that’s the case, I’ll sign up for anything. While I don’t want to be overly stressed by money, I can’t ignore the potential to earn more. If anything, I try to simplify the process by automating payments.

Avoid or Limit Social Media

There’s no denying that social media is a time-suck. When you’re on a social site, you will get bombarded with notifications, calls to action, and advertisements. This can clutter your mind, but I have a hard time limiting myself. Maybe I’m just addicted, but I also see the potential for most sites to serve a purpose in my life.

I’m a person who writes online and has acquired a fascination with content development. Sites like YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok have the ability to expose me to new ideas and trending topics while bringing joy into my life. I know this welcomes additional notifications (which I do try to limit), but I don’t see myself leaving social media.

Keep a Simple Color Palette

When it comes to design, minimalists try to keep things simple. There’s no doubt there is beauty in this aesthetic, but it doesn’t really work for me. This can be true in your household, or it can translate to a digital presence. In fact, the site Medium takes a very minimalist approach to design. That’s part of its appeal, but I can’t commit to this.

I like colors, and there are times when I want to add items because of their individual appeal. In my house, I don’t need every room to have its own theme. This is why my living room has stripes, geometric patterns, and monochromatic pieces. I admit to adopting the minimalist mentality a little more closely in digital settings because I don’t want a vibrant design to overshadow functionality. Still, this can be quite limiting. Sometimes a design can be too simple and it prevents the seamless integration of new features.

Only Maintain a Few Deep Relationships

I’ll be honest; the idea of having a small, intimate social circle seems really appealing. I like being social, but having too many trivial interactions can exhaust me quickly. However, I can’t bring myself to cut most people out of my life. Sure, I can limit my interactions with them, but the door is never closed when they need me.

We live in a world where networking is important, and I don’t want to close a line of communication. I’m willing to help people who need support, and I know there are many people who would extend the same assistance to me. I might be overly anxious, but we never know when someone will need to rely on others. I want my non-close friends to be able to reach me in case I am able to help them through tough times.

Only Keep Items that Spark Joy

Somehow, the name Marie Kondo has become associated with the idea of minimalism. Most notably, her catchphrase and book title is “Spark Joy,” a concept meaning you should only keep items that avoid clutter and bring positivity into your life. While this often results in a minimalist aesthetic, it also has some financial implications.

I can’t replace every item because the old version didn’t bring enough joy into my life. In terms of my household, I could declutter and remove some items that aren’t necessary. This isn’t my priority, and I’ve found myself adding small items around the house for the sake of convenience. Could I get by with only one phone charger? Yes, but it’s so much easier to have one by my desk, one next to my bed, and one on my side table. This means I have a few extra wires in my house, but it’s so nice to have what you want when you need it.

Modest Minimalism

As much as I want to declutter my life, I’ve embraced the fact that I’ll never be a full-fledged minimalist. There are too many times when I benefit from having more, and I don’t want to waste my energy by reducing the items I own.

Minimalism isn’t just about physical items. It can pertain to other parts of life such as relationships, money, or beliefs. In many ways, this can reduce stress. That is a goal I can certainly get behind, but I don’t want my pursuit of minimalism to be the cause of stress. At times, it felt like I got to that point. So, I just accepted the fact that I am not a minimals.

It seems like the minimalism trend is dying, but there are some good concepts within the ideology. There’s no need to let small things in life consume too much time or energy. If you’re displeased with an object, let it go. It can be replaced. If you’re getting anxiety about throwing out an item, then it’s probably not worth the effort. This is counterintuitive, and it’s OK to reject the minimalist lifestyle if it doesn’t work for you.