How Needing Less Actually Gives You More

The story of how minimizing is changing my life.

Sit down and picture your life. Like, really picture it. Think about your family, your friends, your job, your daily routine and habits and the material items you possess.

Now think about it again. This time, take notice of which of these thoughts bring you the most joy.

My guess, and hope, is that thoughts of your friends, family, routine and maybe even your job brought you the most joy. If not, it’s time to make some changes.

Right off the bat I will say that I do not claim to have all the answers. Everyone is different as well as our needs and wants. However, I am confident that I have found one small trick to improve my own quality of life and manage my stress. Hopefully it does the same for you.

I started on my quest to minimalism not long ago when I was doing some spring cleaning. I decided that it was time to declutter my room. It didn’t take me very long to discover that I had way too much stuff. I had over 120 books even though I had just gotten rid of some a few months ago, I had countless items that had been forgotten about… and don’t even get me started on the clothes. Personally, I don’t think I have grown in size since I was 15 or 16 years old, now, at almost 25 you can only imagine how many articles of clothing I had accumulated. Clothes I never wore, clothes I forgot I had, some that still had tags on them and had never been worn. I was so ashamed. So on that day I decided ALL THINGS MUST GO (well, most). I started by taking everything I owned and piling it on my bed. Hangers and all. I like to do it this way because once I start a task I don’t like to stop until I’ve completed it… and it’s pretty hard to go to bed with a million pieces of clothing in a pile on your bed. So, I laid out a box for clothing donations and I went through every individual piece I owned. Anything that didn’t immediately make me happy or caused even slight hesitation, (you know that little thing us women do when we tilt our head to the side and stare blankly thinking, “I might wear this someday” and then sigh a little…) those things were gone. Into the box and never to be seen again! Anything I had not worn in the last year was gone. Anything that didn’t completely exude my style and my individuality… gone.

Once I completed my closet purge I figured, why stop there, and I moved onto the next task. I got rid of all the skincare products that society has managed to convince me I needed over the years, I donated over half of my books, and I properly discarded all of my useless junk. I got rid of enough clothes that I was even able to get rid of my dresser. I have one clothing rack in my room to hang things up and a fabric organizer in my closet for things I can’t hang up. Not only has this freed up so much space in my room but it has freed up so much space in my mind. I am a firm believer that a tidy space is a tidy mind. Not to mention it is so much easier to decide what to wear when you have less options to dig through and everything matches! Now my room truly is my sanctuary. Having less stuff makes it so much easier to keep my space clean, much less laundry to do and much less stress plagues my mind when I am not surrounded by things. I definitely still have things that are hanging around that I really don’t need. I have not yet reached my goal, but taking it day by day is the easiest way to get to where you want to be.

We all know how good we feel after cleaning our house, our rooms, our cars, etc. Minimalism is a good way to keep that easy breezy feeling of accomplishment hanging around indefinitely. Less physical possessions clears up space in your mind to really focus on the things that matter the most. Since having less things around the house, and in my room especially, I am much more comfortable and calm when I am home. Not to say I wasn’t before, but now I get excited to go home and to relax in my clean, stress-free environment. I sleep better knowing the space around me is clean and tidy, and I wake up feeling much more refreshed and eager to start the day. When you adapt a minimalist approach to life, everything else follows.

After getting rid of over half, if not more, of the things I own, I naturally started being more conscious of the clutter everywhere else (internal and external) and the things I would allow myself to own. Not only am I now able to manage and cope with my anxiety and stress a lot more, I have become much more intentional and aware of the foods I put in my body, I deeply value the books I chose to keep, I am more attentive to taking pristine care of the things I own, and I am dutifully conscious of the materials I buy. If I do buy new clothing, I make sure I am buying things made from recycled or natural and environmentally-friendly materials and buying second hand (‘cause who doesn’t love a good day of thrifting). If it won’t last me for a very long time, I won’t buy it. And that feels so damn good. I have also noticed a major boost in my self confidence after getting rid of 99% of the skincare products I owned. I very quickly developed a deep appreciation for natural beauty and I now prefer the way my face looks without makeup instead of with. When you set boundaries and clear intentions for yourself it is so much easier to gain control over everything else.

One obstacle minimalism is helping me overcome is depression. I have struggled with depression and anxiety for the better portion of my life. One of the side effects of my depression that I am learning to manage is overspending. I would constantly buy things I wanted, but definitely did not need, hoping that it would fill the void. Hoping that the excitement that accompanied coming home to a package in the mail would somehow become eternal and stick around forever. This has proven to be false. Every. Single. Time. Since delving into minimalism, I am able to see clearly the lack of need for material items and determine the line between need and want. I am able to find comfort in not wanting or needing new things. Instead I try hard to only buy what I need and not much more. I feel much more aware of the world around me and I trust myself to make mature and sound decisions based on my needs alone. I was able to determine that depression was the underlying cause for my overspending and need for material items and that the only thing that can really fill that void inside of you, is you. A shift in mindset shifts your entire life.

Now, I’m not saying that getting up right now and throwing away all of your things or vowing to never buy something you want ever again is going to immediately change your life or cure your mental illness. Because chances are good that it won’t. But for me, it was a major step. Once I detached my mind from things and was able to see clearly that no material item will ever do the inner work for me, an entire other window opened up. I still allow myself the freedom to buy something I want here and there, but being mindful about the things you purchase is the key in doing so. Doing this teaches you to truly value everything around you and make the best use of the things you buy.

Deciding what to keep and what to get rid of can be a major challenge. Some items you pick up and contemplate may trigger happy memories or hold sentimental value. Keep those things. If you pick something up and feel nothing, toss it. I kept the things that meant the most to me, like books, records, pictures, and my favourite pieces of clothing, and got rid of the things that meant nothing to me. Doing this has allowed me to appreciate even deeper all of the items and materials that I use on a day to day basis. It has reminded me just how fortunate I am to have access to all of the things I need, and even to have access to things I don’t need. I am now actively donating clothing, books and useful materials on a regular basis. One box of clothing and one box of miscellaneous items per week. This may sound a little extreme for some people, but everyone functions at their own pace. I now feel that I have full control of how much I give and take from the world. Giving more and taking less will always feel like the best option for me and my life. It has also made me even more conscious of my impact on the planet. Anyone who knows me well knows that this is imperative. It has always been so important to me that I am doing everything within my power to reduce my carbon footprint and take care of the planet. And I can’t think of a better lifestyle to help any modern day man or woman accomplish that.

So, if you’ve made it this far and you’re wondering what you’ve actually learned here, allow me to recap and conclude. Less is more, simple. Taking only what you need and nothing more is the perfect way to create a healthy lifestyle that is not only fuel for mental health, but it is also good for those around you. You will come to appreciate the little things in life, have more time and mental capacity to focus on your loved ones, and you will create a sturdy foundation of values. A tidy space is a tidy mind.

You can start small. Start by putting small, insignificant things in a box. I guarantee that in a few days you won’t even notice that they’re gone. And when you feel that spark to keep going, jump on it.