The idea of living a simpler, minimalistic life with less clutter and stuff is undoubtedly an attractive one for many people. You, like many others, may have already considered the benefits of having less physical possessions, frequently getting rid of things that you don’t need, and generally having more space around your home.
However, it’s not unusual to feel a little overwhelmed or even anxious about the idea of decluttering your home. If you have a lot of things to sort through, it can be difficult to figure out where to start, or determine how long it’s going to take you to get things sorted out. However, the good news is that decluttering your home doesn’t have to be as difficult as it can sound. Once you get started, it’s often easier than you first thought it would be – plus the benefits will keep mounting up, encouraging you to keep going and embrace your new minimal lifestyle. To make it easier for yourself, it’s a good idea to declutter your home one room at a time – this will give you a smaller area to focus on at any given time and generally make it more manageable for you.
So, now we’ve established that achieving a minimal lifestyle is easier than it seems – but what are the main benefits of doing so? We’ve explored some of the best reasons to go minimal.
Reason #1. Less Allergies:
Did you know that the things in your home could actually be causing allergies? The more clutter that you have around your home, the more dust it will generate, which creates allergens that you will breathe in leading to symptoms such as coughing and sneezing, shortness of breath, and hay-fever like symptoms such as puffy, swollen eyes and a runny nose.
If you already suffer from allergies or have a sensitive respiratory system, then decluttering your home and embarking on a new minimalistic lifestyle is one of the best decisions that you can make. Contact Saltaire House Cleaning for more information on the services that they offer to help clean allergens from your home and create a cleaner place to live.
Reason #2. More Money:
Nobody said that when decluttering your home, you have to throw everything away! Although there are probably things lying around such as old letters and papers that you no longer need, many items around your home that you barely use any longer could actually be a great way to earn some more money. Thanks to online selling sites such as eBay, it’s now easier than ever before to make an extra income from selling your own things, and there’s no limit to the items that people are willing to buy, from old clothes and shoes to electrical items and general household goods.
Reason #3. More Time:
Do you find that your free time has become increasingly consumed with constantly trying to declutter your home, tidying up, and cleaning? Whilst living a minimal lifestyle at home certainly won’t eliminate the need for housework, you’ll definitely find that much less of it is needed. When you have less items to care for and keep clean – and less things to move out of the way when you’re vacuuming or wiping down – you can get your household chores done in half the time, giving you more time to relax, go out, or dedicate to your hobbies and passions.
Reason #4. Less Stress:
‘Clear space, clear mind’ is a popular saying amongst minimalists, and there’s no denying that when you’re not consumed by physical clutter, your risk of giving in to heightened stress levels and anxiety is a lot lower. The less things that you have, the less you’ll have to stress about – for example, there’s no need to worry about items being lost or stolen if you simply don’t own them! In addition, learning to live with less material possessions at home will make it easier for you to adjust your shopping habits and make better decisions about what you do and don’t need. In turn, you may find that you are spending less money, giving you less to worry about in terms of affording your priority bills and putting away savings.
Reason #5. More Space:
For people with families in particular, having more space at home is an attractive prospect. But, before you up and move your family into a larger property, why not consider getting rid of some clutter and striving for a more minimalist lifestyle? The less things that you have, the more space you’ll have at home – you may not even have realized just how big your home actually is, if every free corner is filled up with various items, some of which you may not have used for a while. Be ruthless in your clearing out – if it’s taking up valuable space and you don’t have a valid use for it, then it’s time to sell it on or donate it to a thrift shop. In turn, you’ll be able to do more of the things that make you happy, such as inviting friends around and throwing dinner parties, or letting your little ones have friends over for sleepovers more often, since there’s more room to accommodate everyone.
Reason #6. Be Eco-friendlier:
The less possessions that you own, the kinder to the environment you will become. Manufacturing of many items is harmful to the environment, and although many manufacturers today have taken vital steps to be as eco-friendly as possible, the higher the demand for an item, the more of an impact its manufacture will have on the natural world and resources available. When you keep your possessions and purchasing down to a minimum, you’ll have a positive impact on helping manufacturers be more environmentally friendly. In addition, getting rid of items that use up natural resources and contribute to your own carbon footprint can help you to become eco-friendlier as an individual, which could even result in reduced utility bills.
Would you like to add any further reasons to be more minimalistic? We’d love to hear from you in the comments.
Maggie Hammond is a retired nurse and freelance writer, exploring and writing in the U.S. in retirement. An advocate for public health and nursing qualifications, she feels passionate about raising awareness of the current strain on public health organisations.
