

If you’re thinking of becoming a minimalist, here’s our guide to getting the most out of this purposeful lifestyle and how to make it work for your needs: 1. Becoming a minimalist is worth it if you stay true to your own intentions and aspirations. The continued popularity of tiny living, Marie Kondo and downsizing even points to the fact that minimalism is now a pursuit explored by a variety of people from a variety of backgrounds. However, what each of these approaches seems to ignore is that minimalism can mean a variety of things to a variety of people. It’s also true that new minimalism is often embraced by Americans as a means to rid themselves of excessive purchases and improve their relationship with the world they live in. It’s true that minimalism is rooted in the artistic movements of the 1960s as well as distant philosophies of Shinto, Buddhism, and others. Here are some birdhouse-buying tips from the National Wildlife Federation if you’re in the market for an avian dwelling.

*The link included here is so you can see the irony for yourself. Why is someone who defines minimalism as “less is more” trying to get you to buy a $220 Copper Birdhouse?*Īfter this whirlwind of different perspectives, you probably find yourself asking (at least) one question. Watch Marie Kondo in her Netflix show, Tidying Up, and you might find yourself even more confused. For example, her article concludes that new minimalism is simply an attractive distraction en route to a more necessary societal correction rooted in sustainable practices.

The pair may explain to you how the term refers to “a tool to rid yourself of life’s excess in favor of focusing on what’s important.”Īsk Jia Tolentino, a staff writer for The New Yorker and the author of “The Pitfalls and the Potential of the New Minimalism,” and she, too, will define the term differently. Brush off your dusty encyclopedia, flip to “M” and entries surrounding artistic movements of the 1960s will likely be revealed.Īsk Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus, co-founders of The Minimalists, and you will get a completely different answer.
