Minimalism, a counter-culture to American consumerism, has exponentially grown in popularity in recent years. As a practice, minimalism has some amazing mental and physical health benefits. Check out 11 reasons why you should be a minimalist below.

Purpose

The less you have, the more you can focus on what matters to you. Minimalism gives you the ability to think about what you own and why you own it.

Environmental concern

Less stuff means less waste which means less harm to our planet. Less stuff also means you’re more invested in what you buy and own and increases the likelihood that you’ll buy products that are good for our planet.

Stuff ≠ Happiness

Minimalism allows you to relinquish the association many of us have with stuff and fulfillment. Your material goods aren’t always a reflection of your status or happiness.

Less clutter

Less stuff means more room to breathe — quite literally, according to Dr. Alpen Patel, less clutter can relieve allergy symptoms.

Weight loss

In his book, Lose the Clutter, Lose the Weight, Peter Walsh argues that there’s a link between weight loss and clutter.

More time

Our stuff demands a lot of time and energy, and the maintenance that comes with cleaning, re-organizing, repairing etc, can eat up a lot of our time. Getting rid of our stuff will inevitably free up our time.

Healthy habits

Creating a consciousness around what you own will ultimately lead to developing a consciousness around what you buy, leading to healthier habits around spending.

More minimalism is better for your brain

According to researchers at Princeton University, your brain is less likely to focus in a cluttered environment.

Less stress

Bothersome clutter can eventually lead to a build-up of stress, but getting rid of your stuff can eventually create more peace of mind.

Cultivating mindfulness

The intentionality you develop from having less stuff spills over into other aspects of your life, cultivating the habit of increased mindfulness.

Focusing on yourself

Adopting a new philosophy like minimalism shows that you are worth focusing on and that you’re capable of developing healthy habits that lead to a better and more improved version of yourself.

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