Minimalism, for art lovers, was an art movement in the 1960s. Today, when we talk about minimalism, we also think of a lifestyle that advocates for material simplicity and the Marie Kondo method. Between home decor, tiny houses, and ecology, we can say that the concept is becoming mainstream. But what exactly is minimalism? Is it truly a trend, or does it go further? We explain.
Definition of minimalism
“Less is more”, “live better with less”, are phrases that may be familiar to you. They perfectly characterize the concept of minimalism: getting rid of the superfluous to live only with the essentials.
Thanks to different methods, such as the 5Rs from zero waste for example, this lifestyle helps you to deconstruct your relationship with objects. As you may have guessed, this movement that advocates material simplicity goes against the consumer society and the clutter in which we live.
With the successive lockdowns we have experienced, the echo of minimalism resonated in many homes: when you are at home most of the time, you quickly realize the accumulation of useless objects and the narrowness of our living space.
Adopting a minimalist lifestyle means, first of all, decluttering your living space and then thinking about the usefulness of each of your possessions. Described so simply, this change may seem superficial and easy to implement.
But, minimalism is also a philosophy of life, which must be built little by little so that the changes put in place have a real impact on our lives.
Minimalism: a philosophy or a fad?
Minimalism, a philosophy that has its roots in antiquity
Behind minimalism as a lifestyle is also a philosophical aspect that echoes the happy simplicity popularized by Pierre Rabhi.
If for him it was about freeing oneself from the negative aspects of modernity through working the land and the awareness of the present moment, minimalism, on the other hand, focuses on objects.
The idea behind these material changes is to find a healthier relationship with consumption and our possessions to focus on what matters: happiness, relationships, activities that make us feel good...
Freeing oneself from the desire to possess more and more is also a philosophical concept that dates back to antiquity.
We think of Diogenes of Sinope, this Greek philosopher who lived in the street with only a cloak, a bowl, a bag, and a stick as possessions. He advocated a simple lifestyle, more close to nature and outside social conventions.
If Diogenes was not a minimalist but a cynic and criticized society as a whole, we can clearly see the parallel with minimalist philosophy, taken to the extreme.
In Japan, we also find the concept of Danshari, inspired by Zen Buddhist philosophy, a true minimalist lifestyle.
Hideko Yamashita, who has written many books on the subject, proposes 3 rules for a minimalist lifestyle:
- refuse bulky and useless objects (gifts, compulsive purchases…)
- detach yourself from your possessions (sort your objects, reorganize your interior, forget the useless)
- work on your desire to possess
As you may have guessed: minimalism can take different forms but it is above all at the level of its way of thinking that you must act to adopt this lifestyle in the long term.
Minimalism is a fashionable aesthetic
Minimalism also has its paradoxes: buying less but better is still buying. The codes of minimalist philosophy are adopted by many decor, object, or fashion brands as a marketing argument.
In the fact of being minimalist, there is the fact of buying thoughtfully, asking questions about usefulness, size, and durability. Many products have thus been born based on these concepts.
Questions of minimalist consumption also converge towards ecological, sustainable, and ethical values. Minimalist brands therefore often have this double selling point.
But the minimalist aesthetic codes are also adopted by large retailers and older brands to capture new market shares.
Whether for decor or the design of a cheap and poor-quality product, it is easy to appropriate the aesthetic of minimalism without conveying the deep values of this lifestyle.
Minimalism has expanded to tattoos, decor, fashion, as evidenced by the more than 20 million Instagram posts under the hashtag #minimalism.
If we rely solely on the image, it is therefore easy to associate minimalism with a fad or an aesthetic trend, closer to an art movement than a true lifestyle.
As this video from the Marketing Mania channel summarizes well: minimalism is also a business that may seem paradoxical but which also makes sense when you understand the very essence of this lifestyle.
Why be minimalist?
After these explanations, you have surely understood that minimalism is more than an aesthetic but a full-fledged lifestyle, work on oneself. The changes it implies are therefore significant and affect daily life as a whole.
Are you interested in this lifestyle? If you are a documentary fan, Minimalism also has its own in 3rd in our selection. Here are also some approaches to get started:
Minimalism and zero waste
Zero waste is the fact of wanting to produce as little waste as possible daily. It is often a gateway to minimalism, especially in the bathroom and the kitchen.
Indeed, these are rooms where we often accumulate many objects that we end up using very little. Multiple robots with multiple functions, shampoo reserves for 10 years or endless makeup...
These objects are also waste that can be avoided. Consuming less therefore allows here to pollute less while gaining space and maybe even saving money.
Minimalism and zero waste are therefore closely linked. You have surely noticed it if you have read the book by Béa Jonhson on zero waste.
She adopts a method quite similar to that of minimalism enthusiasts: going into each room to sort and understand what is useful to us or not.
A beautiful way to put minimalism at the service of the environment.
Minimalism and happiness
An aspect that also falls into the minimalist philosophy: happiness.
This is the case in Marie Kondo's method in particular: when you sort your objects you only keep those that bring you joy, which cause a positive feeling in us.
Emptying your apartment or house of bulky objects would also be psychologically liberating.
Just like clearing your mind to relax, sorting your things would promote a positive state of mind to move forward.
When you are interested in ecology, adopting a minimalist lifestyle can help to align with your values: consume less, buy better.
Minimalism and money
Many seek to make financial savings and find the solution in the minimalist lifestyle.
In some cities and some countries it is sometimes difficult to find housing, either due to lack of space, or because prices are too high.
Some therefore turn to Tiny Houses not only to avoid debt but also to have a functional space, designed to get to the essentials.
Above, we were talking about Danshari, a Japanese minimalist concept. In a city like Tokyo, where a lot of Japanese live in very small spaces, minimalism becomes necessary.
We could draw a parallel with people who live in small Parisian apartments: to make savings of space and money, minimalism can be a good solution.
And you, are you a minimalist? Feel free to share your experience or your opinion in the comments.
If you want to start a minimalist lifestyle for ecological, economic reasons or to make room at home, discover our selection of zero waste products:
