Finding Lessons in Minimalism: There’s More to Life Than the Material World

Four years ago I sat in our living room, listening to a friend of mine excitedly gush about the tiny house movement. She laid out her dreams of building her own tiny place and living a minimalist lifestyle. 

Minimalism? I thought. In my mind, the word brought up images of black and white decor with sharp edges leading into emptiness. Images that are cold and void of life. I wasn’t convinced it was any way to live. 

I shared my mental image with her, and, laughing, she painted a new picture of minimalism for me. One of living lighter with less; owning just what you love and editing your life frequently to focus on what matters most.

With any movement, the pendulum can swing to both extremes. In some “out-there” cases, maybe minimalism can look black and white and void. But after living for a year now as a minimalist family, I love to make the case that minimalism is anything but empty. Quite the opposite – minimalism is life giving. 

Simply put, minimalism is the pursuit of living with less stuff so to have more room for, well, life. If there is one thing I’ve learned over the last year of living simply, it’s that the essential is often intangible. 

The things that bring the most life, like faith, time with family, and friendships, aren’t things that come from consumerism. Rather, they grow from simple living, living with intention, and clearing the clutter of your heart and home to pursue them. 

Minimalism shows us there’s more to life than the material world. Much more. Here’s how:

1. Clear mind

The desire to live with less and own just “enough” frees your mind in many ways. When your thoughts aren’t tied up contemplating your next big purchase, your mental energy is naturally free to go elsewhere. You find it easier to focus on the people around you and your presence in the lives of others increases. You’re able to enter into prayer with less distraction as you’re less connected to the material world. Sure, you still have basic needs and will still need to make purchases, but you won’t lose sleep trying to impress anyone with your spending habits.

2. Clear counters 

When you live with just “enough” your home will feel lighter. Everything will have a place it can be returned to, eliminating overflowing countertops and the accompanying stress (for a quick decluttering tip: click here). You’ll spend less time cleaning and maintaining your stuff, which leaves more time for the nonmaterial essentials. You’ll find yourself connecting more with your spouse, children, and friends. With less stuff to care for, you have more time to devote to them. You may even find your spirituality growing as you have more time to spend with God. Of course, dedicating your extra time to faith and family can take discipline, but you’ll certainly have the time to practice with less stuff.

3. Clear values 

Removing the excess from your life helps you identify what is most important. You begin to see what matters and what does not. Again, the things that matter most usually aren’t what we buy in a store. When we begin to see this clearly, we begin prioritizing relationships, faith, and love – the things that matter. We know a 10 minute conversation with our spouse will mean more than a mindless, 10 minute Instagram scroll, so we choose our spouse instead. We know a game of Uno with our daughter will mean more than online shopping, so we choose time with her instead. We begin to see the trade offs life purposes and begin making choices that reflect our values and bring more meaning. 

This unprecedented pandemic, while not downplaying it’s hardship, has presented many people with an opportunity to live more simply. A chance to reset. To evaluate their values and look closely at what’s most important in life. 

As we eventually transition back into a more “normal” way of life, let’s look closely at what parts of life we want to return to. Has consumerism and always wanting more really been fulfilling? Or could the intangible things like faith, family, and friendships (your list may differ) be more life giving?

Life beyond the material has always been available to us – maybe we’ve just been too busy to notice. 

Let’s look past our stuff and prioritize what matters most during quarantine life and the days to come.