There’s no doubting that life is busy, and that material possessions and constant stimulation fuel the need for more possessions and stimulation. Downtime isn’t seen as it once was, but as life gets busier, and more demands are placed on us, many are finding themselves attempting to get back to a simpler lifestyle.
Minimalism, a lifestyle philosophy that is centred around living more simply, has gained traction in recent years, with shows like Tidying Up with Marie Kondo, Hack My Life, Tiny House Nation and The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning becoming more popular.
While we often associate minimalism with the physical act of decluttering, that is just one of the steps. Living a more minimalist lifestyle offers several emotional benefits and can provide you with the sense of tranquillity and contentment you are looking for.
Understanding Minimalism
For many, minimalist living looks like a trend, but it is far more than that. Minimalism is about living intentionally, focussing on what truly matters and eliminating excess. This way of living encourages you to evaluate your possessions, and even your relationships and commitments, finding out what adds value and what detracts from your overall wellbeing.
While minimalism is different for every person, it generally involves decluttering physical spaces, simplifying your day-to-day routines, and making experiences a priority over possessions.
When you understand what the minimalist lifestyle is all about, you can start to see the connections between this lifestyle and tiny home living.
Emotional Benefits of Minimalism
If you’ve been tossing up whether to try the minimalist lifestyle, there’s a good chance you’ve likely realised how difficult it is to make the switch – decluttering your home is particularly difficult. But there are plenty of emotional benefits to minimalism, making the effort worth it.
Reduced Stress and Anxiety
Far too many of our days are spent in a stressful state, so the opportunity to come home to a clutter-free environment can be enticing. Minimalism can significantly reduce stress and anxiety levels through the reduced clutter in your home. Clutter can overwhelm the brain, and lead to heightened cortisone levels and feelings of agitation.
When you take the time to minimise possessions and create more organised spaces, you can cultivate a sense of calm and clarity, which in turn, can help you manage your stress better.
Enhanced Clarity and Focus
Because minimalism puts an emphasis on simplicity, this can help to foster mental clarity and improve your focus. When you remove the distractions from your life, and streamline your surroundings, you can direct your energy towards other activities that align with your values and goals.
This allows you to not only enhance your productivity, whether at home or work, but can also promote a sense of fulfilment and purpose in your life.
Increased Gratitude and Contentment
It is hard to be grateful for what you have when you are constantly surrounded by “stuff”. A minimalist lifestyle encourages you to be more grateful for what you have, rather than striving to buy more “stuff” to fill any gaps in your life. Once you take on a mindset of gratefulness and sufficiently, you’ll find more contentment in your life, opening you to appreciating the simple things that bring you joy, and new experiences that enrich your life.
Tiny Home Living – Embracing Minimalism on a Larger Scale
Many people are content to live a minimalist lifestyle in their current home and that could be for various reasons – family size and location are two of the biggest factors. But if you have been thinking of fully immersing yourself in minimalism, living in a tiny home offers you the perfect blend of simplicity and sustainability.
Benefits of Living in a Tiny Home
There are plenty of benefits to living in a tiny home, but when we think about it with regards to minimalism, there are four main benefits.
Simplified Living: Due to the limited space, tiny homeowners are forced to prioritise essentials, leading to a clutter-free and streamlined lifestyle.
Financial Freedom: Because tiny homes tend to be more affordable than a traditional home, owners can minimise their expenses and have more opportunities for experiences than enrich their lives.
Environmental Sustainability: One of the big benefits of tiny home living is the smaller ecological footprint as these homes consume fewer resources, and their smaller size lends easily to sustainable living practices.
Flexibility and Mobility: If the ability to relocate easily or live a more nomadic lifestyle is high on your list, tiny homes are a great way to take your home wherever you want to live – and are the perfect option for when you want to minimise city living and head closer to nature.
Minimalism is the Way of the Future
With prices increasing on the daily, and many starting to step away from having excess complexity in their lives, minimalism is starting to become the way of the future for those looking for a life of emotional serenity and fulfilment.
Embracing minimalism allows you to reduce stress, cultivate gratitude and leads to a more meaningful and balanced life.
When taking on tiny home living, the journey towards minimalist living is forced upon you, but in a way that empowers you to prioritise what really matters in your life.
If you’ve been considering downsizing, and living more simply, we’d love to show you our range of tiny homes.