Six Minimalist Ideas I’ve Chosen to Ignore

I spent most of my young adult years in the 2010s. During this time, I was in college, got my first full time jobs, and moved across the country. I was naive, impressionable, and followed many trends.

This time period was an era when minimalism was on the rise. There are blogs and YouTube channels dedicated to the concept, and it felt like the idea was reflected in many forms of media. On a surface level, I thought this sounded nice. I hate clutter, and I’d love to be able to move my life from city to city in just a bag or two.

Yet I’m not a minimalist. There are times when I feel I can relate to minimalists; I get legitimately angry when I receive paper bills rather than e-mail. There are also times when I feel like the lifestyle would cause more distress than joy. I don’t want to spend my free time decluttering, and I like having some collections.

I admit that the concept of minimalism has appeal, but I can’t fully commit. Some principles are worth consideration, but there are others I actively reject.

Have a Simple, Defined Style

When people envision minimalists, they might think of Steve Jobs walking onto stage at an Apple Keynote. Every time he came out, he was in white sneakers, blue jeans, and a black turtleneck. He never had to fret about what…