7 Items That Not Every Minimalist Needs to Buy
Minimalism is a lifestyle, not a fashion trend and not a competition. The line between creating the aesthetic versus living the life gets blurred a lot. Don’t get sucked into living the image of minimalism. Live something that represents you. There are “best minimalist items” you might be encouraged to buy that you have absolutely no need for. Here’s 7 minimalist items that not every minimalist needs to buy.
1. Wall Beds
I’d never even heard of these beds until I saw the minimalist documentary. Looks interesting, but is that extra space really worth it? Ask yourself why you need the extra space you get from putting up the bed besides, “Hey look, I’m being a minimalist” You might be sacrificing more than you realize.
Wall beds don’t have traditional springs. That could be less comfortable for sleeping at night. A lot of them don’t have headboards, foot-boards, or bed-rails. Additionally, you have to always pull it down and put it back up. You really feel like doing that everyday? Your back might answer that question before you do.
I need my sleep to be comfortable, and I don’t want to always have to be lifting my bed everyday. Minimalism isn’t just about minimizing your stuff, but minimizing your time and energy used. It’s okay to keep your regular bed as a part of your minimalism lifestyle. Healthy rest is more of a life essential than extra space.
2. Tiny Houses
To an extent I get the appeal. It’s different, it’s unique, and it’s a hell of a lot less to clean. But is this what you really want, or are you jumping on the fad? For a couple maybe it sounds nice. We like being near our partners most of the time anyway, why not live in a space where you’re always close.
Romantic, huh? Until you get pissed at them and you just wanna get as far the hell away from them as possible. We’re human, it happens. You have to really consider if you and your partner can handle living in tight quarters like that all the time. To determine a strategy for and when you guys inevitably get mad at each other.
And for a family, maybe some kids might like it, but I wouldn’t have. Even as an adult if I had kids, I wouldn’t like it. How do you get it on with your partner when your kid is just a few feet below you in another bed?
Helpful minimalist life hack. At least try a tiny house for a week before you go buy it as a part of your minimalist lifestyle. You can find plenty of them on Airbnb. But definitely not every minimalist needs a tiny house.
3. Minimalist Wallet
Easier way to store your cards and money, cool. But how much easier is it for that minimalist wallet to get lost? That’s what keeps me sticking with my normal sized wallet. I don’t want it to be so small it could fall through a tight space where I can’t get it out. Or easily disappear under something and be unable to find it. Having a small wallet might be cool for some, but I don’t think you’ll miss out on much if you just have a normal sized wallet.
4. Minimal Rack
If you already have a closet, it’s really not necessary to buy a minimal rack. It’s just a stylish way of hanging your clothes. The same logic can apply to a minimal shoe rack. If there’s space in your closet to organize them, you don’t need it.
5. Minimalist Travel Bag
This was another item I saw in the minimalism documentary. There’s a whole craze with being able to fit all you own in one small bag, That’s fine if you can, but if you need a small suitcase or a larger travel bag, it’s okay as well. The important thing is that you have as much of what you need with you for your travels.
6. Minimalist Furniture
With furniture, it’s the same question you had to ask with the bed. Is the extra space worth potentially less comfort? Some of those minimalist chairs and tables you may think you need to buy aren’t good for your posture. It may look nice, but it won’t feel nice over time. And feeling good should be a necessity. Maybe you can find a comfortable minimalist furniture, but just remember you can still get just as much space with regular furniture for a lesser cost.
7. All White Everything
As much as I enjoy the minimalism lifestyle, some of it can come off boring to me. Case in point, all white everything. Minimalism can come in all kinds of different colors. Green, blue, yellow… heck, splash pink around if you want. If you dig black and white that’s cool, but me, I like some color in my life to liven things up. So not every minimalist needs to have their home look like the picture above.
Style or Meaning?
Are you going for style, or are you going for meaning? Does it improve your minimalist image, or your self-image? Ask these questions before you buy something that you’ve seen advertised as a minimalist item.
Some of you may want the fancy décor and white walls, that’s fine. But if you don’t, that’s fine too. These aren’t things every minimalist needs. Even the minimalists say that.
You should only buy what makes you feel like you’re living in the best space you’ve ever lived in. That’s what every minimalist needs.
You might also like:
Minimalism Without Throwing Away One Single Thing: In this post, I discuss how you can be a minimalist without having to do any decluttering. (audio recording inside)
Digital Minimalism: Cutting Down on News and Social Media: Technology has us more addicted than ever. We need to reconnect with ourselves by disconnecting from our machines. You’ll read some great tips on how to do that.
HSP Leadership: 9 Ways HSP’s Are Natural Born Leaders: Are you a highly sensitive person? Read how your uniquely sensitive traits make you a natural born leader. (audio recording inside)
Autogenic Training: A Helpful Guide On A Surprisingly Effective Relaxation Technique: It’s important to relax your mind and body in order to be healthy and happy in life. Read about this little known technique that can help you let go of your anxiety and pain. (audio recording inside)
How to Be More Positive: 30 Unique Lifestyle Choices: It can be tough to be positive in a world that seems to get more negative by the day. In this article, you’ll learn 30 unique lifestyle choices that can help you be more positive. (audio recording inside)
Sources:
Advantages and Disadvantages of Murphy Bed | Home Adorable
25 Incredible Tiny Houses Available on Airbnb | Shareable
What Is Minimalism? | The Minimalists
