I love the minimalist movement. The way it encourages intentional living and a shift away from the consumerism that’s been pushed onto us by the bombardment of marketing and commercialisation. It is a way to take back control of our desires, find appreciation for our possessions, and be conscious of our impact on the environment.

However, like all things, there is the ability for some people to take it to extremes. If it works for them, that’s great! But I don’t feel it is a healthy way for me to live. Below are some of the more controversial methods of minimalism I won’t be living by.

Counting possessions
Minimalism shouldn’t be trying to hit a number. There are some that boast about being able to live out of a suitcase, owning as little as possible, or trying to whittle down their possessions to a particular figure. Instead of focusing on a number, I try to own as many (or as few) items that maintain my standard of living without feeling stressed or cluttered. I also don’t see the need to get rid of perfectly usable possessions for the sake of minimalism. For instance, I have about 6 mugs right now from pre-minimalism days, but until they break, I’m not planning to get rid of them. However, I don’t intend to add more mugs just because there’s a design I like, or they’re a different size or shape, until I’ve gone through my existing ones.

Depriving yourself of things to the point of restricting enjoyment
I feel that minimalism is as much a mental purge as it is a way of life. While there’s an emphasis on the whole ‘spark joy’ philosophy (a la Marie Kondo), there are many items that are practical, without necessarily sparking any joy. Especially now that I’m venturing into motherhood, there’s a variety of items I’ve introduced to make my life easier (and will need to keep for a period of time). If I were to get rid of a majority of possessions in order to minimise what I own, it could restrict my enjoyment of life. Despite this, I’m always assessing and re-assessing both the benefit and usability of things I own to ensure that whatever I have does not end up being forgotten or stashed away.

I used to do the exact opposite – saving all the best things for a ‘special occasion’. The truth is, these occasions either never came, or were few and far between. In the end, I grew out of many of these items (either they not longer fit me or suit my lifestyle anymore), and sadly, some of them have never even been used or enjoyed.

Decluttering by only throwing things away
So many minimalists talk about throwing things away as a method of decluttering. I’m specifically referring to only discarding things. Whether because they’re looking for an easy way to get rid of possessions, or just not bothered with other methods. There are many ways to get rid of things without merely discarding or donating. My preference is always to Repurpose or Repair, Sell, Giveaway, and Donate, before considering Discarding.

The world doesn’t need more trash, so I’ll always try to find ways to use what I already own to the end of its useful life, before turning to other methods. For items that are perfectly functional, but no longer needed, I try to sell them on somewhere like Facebook Marketplace to recoup some costs and redirect funds. I also love to pass things on to family and friends if they are able to put it to better use. 

Sacrificing convenience for minimalism
Similar to the restriction point above, I don’t agree with whittling down possessions until they are detrimental to my convenience. For instance, I would probably never sell our car just because I am able to take public transport (even if there’s a bus and train station just down the road). To me, sacrificing the value of time and convenience merely for the benefit of owning less seems counterproductive.

Especially now with a baby, I am more happy to pay a little bit extra for the convenience to save me time. These are things that I never previously liked to pay for, such as meal prep services and takeaway delivery fees. But with lifestyle changes and a shift in priorities, I’m starting to see the benefit of these and how they can, on occasion, make my life easier.