Minimalism is a simple concept that can help many people. But there is a lot of confusion about it. Some people believe that you should deprive yourself of things. Some believe that you have to be rich. Still, others think that you should have white furniture with a potted plant as garnish. We will look at these confusing beliefs and why they are confusing. We will also look at what contributes to the confusion. We will then try to clear them up with the truth. So, here are some reasons why minimalism is confusing:
The name is confusing.
Here is why it is confusing:
It sounds like it promotes having the fewest things possible.
Here is what contributes to the confusion:
The term “minimalism” can be deceiving. It gives the impression that you should minimize everything.
Here is the truth:
Minimalism is about keeping useless things out of your life. In fact, every long-term minimalist knows that. After all, if you remove everything that is of little or no value, whatever you have left is very valuable. For example, if you got rid of shirts that you liked the least, whichever ones remain are your favorites. So, you should not confuse having the fewest things with having your favorite things. Minimalism is about having your favorite things.
Some people confuse minimalism and asceticism.
Here is why it is confusing:
People often think that minimalism means depriving yourself (asceticism).
Here is what contributes to the confusion:
Many misguided people promote deprivation as part of minimalism. They often talk about getting rid of their furniture and other prized possessions. Many people who listen to them carry on their message.
Here is the truth:
Minimalism promotes excluding things you don’t need. So you save the resources that you would have wasted on them. The most common of these resources are space, time, money, and effort. So saving these will make your life simpler and easier.
Asceticism promotes excluding some things that you need. This is deprivation. Depriving yourself on things you need makes your life more complicated. For example, not having a place to sleep will make your life unpleasant.
Minimalism makes your life easier and simpler. But asceticism will make your life more complicated. These concepts are very different.
Some people see minimalism as a goal.
Here is why it is confusing:
Many people fail to see minimalism for the tool which it is. They see it as something they try to achieve. Many also believe that “achieving minimalism” will bring happiness and fulfillment.
Here is what contributes to the confusion:
Many people talk about “achieving minimalism”. You can see them on websites and videos. Talking about achieving something implies that it is some kind of goal.
Here is the truth:
Minimalism is a system that works as a tool to simplify your life. It works by removing anything useless to you. Simplifying your life allows you to do things that fulfill you. So you should use minimalism to achieve a goal, and not treat it as the goal itself. Also, you shouldn’t expect minimalism by itself to bring fulfillment. That’s like expecting a table saw (or any other tool) by itself to bring fulfillment.
Some people think that it is about strict rules.
Here is why it is confusing:
Many believe there is a specific number of possessions that define a minimalist. Many also believe that you need a certain color scheme or style to be a minimalist. They also believe these “rules” to be universal.
Here is what contributes to the confusion:
Minimalism is a very useful tool. But some people treat it like an interior design trend. So they will follow a certain style and color scheme. They also show off their interiors on social media. This leads others to believe that there are strict rules to minimalism. Some people even criticize others for “not being minimalist enough”. This treats minimalism like a belief system which it is not.
Here is the truth:
There is only one rule in using minimalism. That is to remove or minimize whatever is useless. And what someone finds useless will depend on a host of factors that are too many to name. Also, there is no standard style or color scheme for minimalism. As stated before, minimalism is a tool. So, it is no more of a belief system than a chisel is. This all means that minimalism will look different from one person to the next.
Some think that it’s only for a privileged few.
Here is why it is confusing:
Some believe that minimalism is only for rich people. Some believe that it is only for single people. Some even believe that minimalism is only for certain demographics. Still, others believe that minimalists need to be a combination of the above.
Here is what contributes to the confusion:
Many people assume that beautiful minimalist decors need expensive furniture. Now some minimalist decors use expensive furniture, but many don’t. But many people still get the impression that minimalism is for people who have a lot of money. Some entities even use this as propaganda to attack minimalism and minimalists. But this is no surprise. That’s because the message behind minimalism scares merchants.
Here is the truth:
Minimalism can be good for anyone. It helps to not waste money regardless of your income. It will save time regardless of your schedule. Also, you will have more space regardless of the size of your home. People of all demographics can reap these benefits. Also, you can create beautiful decor (even with cheap furniture) by removing clutter. A tidy room with cheap furniture looks better than a cluttered room with expensive stuff. You don’t need to be in any privileged group to exclude useless things from your life and to enjoy the results.
Some see it as only decluttering.
Here is why it is confusing:
Many people believe that it is only about physical objects. They don’t realize that it goes well beyond clutter and home decor.
Here is what contributes to the confusion:
Decluttering is the most visible aspect of minimalism. It shows people turning messy homes into tranquil havens. The results are easy to see, and they attract many people to minimalism.
Here is the truth:
Minimalism is certainly good for removing and keeping out clutter. But it is also good for much more. You can use it to screen out causes that you don’t care about. You can remove commitments that waste your time. It even helps you to end toxic relationships. Also, it helps you to focus on the things in your life that you value most.
In summary, minimalism can be confusing for many reasons. But much of this confusion comes from assuming certain rules exist when they don’t. Sometimes the assumed rules contradict minimalism. People often confuse minimalism for a goal instead of the tool which it is. And many think minimalism is only about decluttering when it includes much more. The best cure for this confusion is to see minimalism in its most basic form. That is keeping out useless things, whether tangible or not.