Modern minimalism originated around the Second World War in the twentieth century. In the beginning, it presented a different kind of expression in arts, such as music, painting, and literature, by advocating simplicity using basic elements or patterns. The products call for interaction with the viewer and/or the listener to create a unique emotion. In architecture and interior design, the minimalist style is influenced greatly by the Japanese Zen philosophy. Simple designs utilize natural materials, and attention is given to the subjective experience of the users, rather than the objective interpretation based on the shapes and sizes of the materials.
With minimalism in the backdrop, some people adopt a minimalist lifestyle aiming to remove all distractions at home so that they can focus on what really matters. For example, a single person only needs a unit under 500 square feet, a bed, a chair, a set of tableware, a wardrobe of five tops and five pairs of trousers or skirts that can be mixed and matched. The furniture is simple and practical, like those sold by Ikea. The rest of the time can be spent on vocation, socializing, hobbies, and spirituality. As long as you know what is important, anything that is not related to that goal can be eliminated.
This lifestyle sounds quite attractive to young people. As they strive for financial independence, they cannot own too many things anyway. This lifestyle still works for a young couple if both share the same value. However, the minimalist lifestyle becomes more challenging after children arrive. With kids, you need to add more things. For example, you will need to stock up on baby diapers, which require more storage space.
If a family already owns a lot of things and wants to live a minimalist lifestyle, should they get rid of everything and start over? This doesn’t seem practical. It is more realistic to gradually reduce our possessions. People who used to own a lot of materials can testify that owning more things does not guarantee happiness. From time to time, we should make an inventory of what we have and get rid of the stuff we no longer need. This practice is especially important when we enter retirement. Downsizing and decluttering are ways to reduce our burden.
Before we decide to adopt the minimalist lifestyle, we must first figure out who is the master of our lives. Otherwise, the time and energy saved will not bring fulfillment to life.
Pastor Ken
