What Is Minimalism, and Is It Worth Your Time?

I recently watched a documentary on Netflix about minimalism and how great it is. It's called Minimalism: A Documentary About the Important Things. I was really inspired and felt like jumping out of bed right then and there to throw out half the stuff I own. Of course, when I moved two years ago into a much smaller home, I had already done that.

I think minimalism appeals to so many of us because we don’t want the focus of our life to be on stuff. Instead of caring about all the crap we can buy, we would rather focus on things that can really make a positive impact on our lives and our world. Of course, most of us are too busy living our lives to develop a whole philosophy centered around how many items we own.

My Family’s Experience With Minimalism and Frugality

As I’ve pondered this over the past few days, I’ve been thinking a lot about my grandmother, who turned 100 in 2016. When she was in her 80s, she lived with my parents.  And when I was in my early 20s, I got to spend quite a bit of time with her — usually when we cleaned the kitchen together after a family meal.

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While I would wash the dishes, she would put away the food. It didn’t matter if there was just a tablespoon of mashed potatoes left; she was going to put them in a container and save them for the next meal.

We didn’t have fancy Tupperware containers then. Why in the world would she spend money on those when she could save margarine tubs as she used them up?

I watched her wash out ziplock bags to be reused. I have even seen her wash off aluminum foil and use it over and over again to cover baking dishes in the oven. And I will admit that 24-year-old me could get pretty annoyed over aluminum foil being washed.

The Difference Between Minimalism and Frugality

This incredibly frugal woman was no minimalist. She and my grandfather saved everything because you never know when you might need something.

They didn’t throw anything out on their farm. Instead, they fixed their belongings and kept them for years.

They bought quality items that would last longer than they would. When you are poor, you can’t afford to be a minimalist. Think about it.

My grandmother had an inside freezer and an outside freezer. She had a large utility room where she kept all of the vegetables she had canned and her fruit preserves.

They had to have all of that space to keep their food because there was no other way to get the food they needed. It wasn't like they had a lot of money to spend at the grocery store or anywhere else.

Minimalists today own six shirts. If one gets a hole in it, they just throw it out and go buy a new one. My grandmother? She had to have thread and needles, a sewing machine, and old shirts in case a patch was needed. Oh, and a place to keep all of this “unimportant stuff.”

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When you don’t have wealth to rely on, you have to plan and save and stock up. When my grandparents’ neighbor needed a spare part or some old aluminum foil? Chances are that my grandparents were able to help because they saved everything.

The Pros and Cons of Minimalism

It doesn't make sense to throw away items that are in good, usable shape — especially if there’s a solid chance that you’ll need to use it again sometime. It particularly doesn't make sense for your budget to keep buying something over and over when you don't have to.

At the same time, I'm not advocating you go out and buy a sewing machine for one project when you are unlikely to ever use a sewing machine in the course of your life. This is when having a community “library of things” comes in handy.

In Sacramento, for example, you can visit their library of things and borrow items that you don't want to purchase. These include a wide variety of things like video games, sewing machines, board games, and musical instruments. Why buy something when you can borrow it?

If you don't have one of these in your community, starting one might be a great way to spend your extra time and save everyone in the area a ton of cash.

Rejecting the notion that having a lot of stuff will bring you happiness isn't for minimalists. You can save needed items without being a sellout. Normal people who have enough sense not to throw good stuff out with the garbage probably understand that.