January 26, 2022
There is a very thin line between the two. Although some people see essentialism as a subcategory of minimalism, there is still a difference and that difference is very important. Minimalism focuses on reducing the quantity (the amount) of things in our life. While essentialism focuses more on increasing our quality of life; not just getting rid of stuff and owing less. And that is my reason for leaning more towards essentialism.
Minimalism cannot work for everyone. Some of us need more and some of us need less. We are in different stages of our lives and we don’t all respond the same to our environments. Living with just one plate, one cup and one chair is great if it works for you, but it is not going to work for everyone. Now I know minimalism is much more than that and it can mean something different for everyone. And the core of getting back to the basics of enjoying experiences rather than things I do support wholeheartedly.
But most people are turned off from minimalism because living with a capsule wardrobe is just too daunting and they are not inspired by empty walls. Minimalism can also cause anxiety and depression. It can be plain stressful to give up the things that you have worked so hard for. The things that give you comfort, or that have been a part of your life for a long time. It is also possible to give up too much and not feel freedom but instead loneliness, depression, and regret.
But interesting though … both minimalism and essentialism start with decluttering.
Let's look at essentialism at home. Essentialism helps us to eliminate the non-essential. That which we don’t need, which is not important, the noise … so that we can create the perfect environment in which we can thrive and flourish. And to create that environment we obviously have to declutter. But we also have to learn to stop saying yes to everything and everyone. We have to stop trying to do it all. Against all popular belief, women are not superhumans. We also get tired and at times just had enough.
It is only when you learn to say no and make the decision on what is truly important for you and your family, that you can start to make the changes you so desire in your home. Let's be honest most of us feel stretched fin, overworked, and overwhelmed most of the time. Where are we supposed to find the time or energy to declutter in all of that? We are bombarded with so many choices we have lost sight of what is the most important. When we eliminate the non-essential, all the noise, we get back to the core of who we are and of what is truly important to us. Then we can start to declutter to take back control of our home, our lives, our relationships, and our health again.
Greg McKeown says in his book, Essentialism, “If you don’t prioritize your life (that what is important to you) someone else will.” The same can also be said that if you don’t prioritize decluttering, then the clutter will control your life. If we have less stuff around us we can better hear our internal voice. Decluttering allows our minds to be less busy with constant decision-making and distraction so that we can enjoy more of the stillness and the good things that come out of it ... And focuses on what is truly important to us.
Our environments, the way our homes look like, all the clutter surrounding us really do affect our mental, emotional, and physical states. So we must set them up with the essentials we need to thrive. And as mentioned … that starts with choosing to declutter.
