NAVIGATION
Rise in popularity
Why it’s popular
Common Questions
Is It Here to Stay?Minimalism has really exploded in popularity, particularly over the past few years. As someone who’s been practicing a minimalist lifestyle for the better part of a decade, I can’t help but wonder what has taken everyone so long to catch on.
Hi, I’m Ryan
Living in only 150 square feet, I found myself becoming a minimalist by necessity. Since then, I’ve really grown to embrace the movement and what it stands for. It helps me enjoy life to the fullest, with fewer possessions, less clutter and more time for what matters.
Other people worldwide are taking notice of minimalism and changing their own lives to embrace the simplistic, stress-free life. Over the last several decades, the popularity of minimalism has been on the rise, especially within the tiny living community.
Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about the foundations of minimalism, leading me to dig further into what has led to the movement’s rise in popularity and what it means for us today.
When Did Minimalism Become Popular?
Minimalism has been a popular lifestyle as far back as the Ancient Greek and Roman eras. The reason behind the movement was the same then as it is now — to live a simple and more purposeful life with the belief that possessions have no social importance.
In the 1960s and 1970s, minimalism made a comeback among young artists, musicians, and their consorts as they wanted for less in a post-World War II environment. The adaptation of simple, slow living evolved in small circles for decades after that, until it became the mainstream movement we see today.
Minimalism may have roots from hundreds of years ago, but its popularity has climbed well into modern times, thanks to factors like the rising cost of living, cultural changes, and lifestyle influences like the tiny house movement.
Reasons Why Minimalism Is So Popular
I’ve noticed that minimalism blends into so many parts of life, from necessities like food and clothing down to design and time management. Thanks to factors like modern entertainment, social media, environmental concerns, and the tiny living movement, the minimalist lifestyle has reached a much wider audience.
Tiny House Living
There’s no denying that tiny house living has gained major traction over the last couple of decades. With the popularity of tiny house television shows, websites, and documentaries, it’s safe to say that people love the simplicity that tiny living offers, and I’m not here to argue with them.
Because of limited space and storage options, I found minimalism was the best way to live my tiny house dreams comfortably. Once I downsized and decluttered, I actually found I had more space to really live than ever before. Suddenly, the hype made sense.
When I wrote my first book, Tiny House Living, I never expected it would become the No. 1 best-selling tiny house book of all time. But thanks to the explosive movement of tiny house living, many people like myself began searching for ways to make tiny living more convenient and cozier.
Lifestyle Changes
I feel like the debt-to-income ratio is always running in the wrong direction. More and more people are finding themselves in considerable debt than ever before. Oftentimes, minimalism offers an opportunity to reduce the cost of living, allowing us to save more money and focus resources on what’s important like resolving debt or covering other living expenses.
By becoming a minimalist, I reduced my monthly costs from $1,500 to just $15 — seriously. Because of minimalism, I was able to make a lifestyle change that allowed me to knock out my debt, travel, spend more time with friends and family, and actually contribute to my savings and retirement funds.
Decluttering was one of the first steps I took toward minimalism. It seems small, but is really one of those things that takes on a life of its own once you get going and make it a habit. Reducing the number of unnecessary items I owned allowed for less waste, less chaos, and a more peaceful home environment.
Environmental Concerns
The changing environment is a huge reason why some people feel compelled to turn to minimalism. By having less stuff, we naturally produce less waste and make a smaller impact on the planet. In the same vein, buying fewer material items generates less of a demand for those things to be created, which ultimately reduces energy and resource consumption.
Choosing to purchase and own only the things we need seems difficult at first, particularly in a world run by consumerism. But I’ve honestly found that the fewer possessions I have, the less I need them. I’m finding fulfillment in my passions, hobbies, and time spent with loved ones instead of new toys.
Design and Aesthetic Preferences
The minimalist design is as simple and pleasing to the eye as it is practical. Just a quick look at Pinterest proves that minimalism is trending when it comes to aesthetics. The neutral colors, clutter-free designs, and affordability are gaining popularity worldwide, with more and more turning to the clean, easy designs.
Minimalism is all about returning to the basics. By opting for a timeless, clean look using warm colors and earthy tones, any space can be comforting, inviting, and simplified without the need to clutter it up with purposeless stuff.
Desire for Experience Over Things
While there’s nothing wrong with saving money to make a necessary purchase — like buying a car or a home — there’s nothing quite like the reward of an experience.
Many people today are more interested in investing their time and money in experiences that will enrich their lives, things like traveling the world or even just riding a roller coaster or visiting family. I can confirm without a doubt that memories last a lot longer than things.
Popular Media And Television
In 2015, a documentary called Minimalism: A Docuseries about the Important Things asked the question, “how might your life be better with less?” Not long after, Marie Kondo rocked our world by making decluttering and minimalism household terms overnight with her shows Tidying Up and Sparking Joy (based on her best-selling books).
The popularity of these works sparked the creation of many other minimalist documentaries, television shows, and books that dove deeper into the process and meaning of minimalism.
Minimalism’s Most Popular Questions
I feel like the minimalist lifestyle, and everything it has to offer, is constantly trending — a change that I’m more than happy to embrace. And while the movement grows every single day, there is still so much we have to learn about what it teaches us.
Where Is Minimalism The Most Popular?
Many of the cities where minimalism is common are densely populated, spurring the need for residents to condense their belongings and lifestyle into small domiciles and spaces.
Who Are The Modern-Day Parents Of Minimalism?
If you ask me, the real father of minimalism is yours truly, but I’d happily share my crown with the queen herself, Marie Kondo, who coined her own wildly popular method for minimalism called the KonMari Method. While we obviously wield much different levels of notoriety, I think we stand together in simplistic solidarity.
What Are The Types Of Minimalists?
There are many types of minimalists and motivations from eco-friendly and homesteading, to boho and extreme. Their individual approaches range depending on style, financial needs, diet, and other factors that influence daily life.
What Are The Most Popular Aspects Of Minimalism?
The most popular aspects of minimalism are easily the environmental benefits, the stress-free simplicity, and the potential to save money.
For me, matching my lifestyle to my tiny home surroundings just made sense, and all the added benefits were perks I soon grew to love. My minimalist habits save me time, money, and sanity on a daily basis.
Is Minimalism Here To Stay?
As the environment and our lifestyles continue to change, I honestly believe the minimalist lifestyle will only continue to grow in popularity and practicality.
Honestly, I never thought I’d be able to slash my cost of living so drastically while promoting a cleaner environment and more effective way of living. Yet here I am, up to my eyeballs in, well, nothing, because I’m a habitual decluttering machine.
No matter what’s calling you to explore minimalism, there’s never a wrong time to declutter and see where it takes you.
Your Turn!
- Where would minimalism make the biggest difference in your life?
- What can you do today to take a step towards a more minimalist lifestyle?
Minimalism is just an invented term. As you correctly pointed out the concept can be expressed in one sense as a deliberate lack of possessions as a way to emphasize alternatives to the insanity of materialism in western societies. But it is also firmly rooted in spiritual life. The lives of saints in the Eastern Orthodox traditions clearly shows that desire…lack of man made goods gets one closer to the divine world.
I always wanted to be minimalist but dont know where to start. I live in one bedroom with my child and husband. My house is clutter….