Most people that have heard about minimalism have probably brushed it off as nothing more than a modern trend, soon to be replaced with something else, but minimalism isn’t just a fad, it has become a central aspect of many people’s lives across the world.

The idea is to go through life only using what we need to get by comfortably, while reducing the amount of material items that we own or consume.

There are numerous benefits to adopting a minimalist lifestyle, and it can be helpful to a person that wants to cut back on their consumption as well as their monthly expenses. Despite how popular minimalism has become in recent years, there are still plenty of myths and misconceptions that surround the movement. Here we will look at some of those myths and why they paint an unfair portrait of minimalist living.

Giving Away Everything You Own

An extremely common misconception about minimalism is that it’s about giving away all of your personal belongings and living with just enough to survive. This couldn’t be further from the truth; minimalism is about creating a comfortable environment for yourself that doesn’t rely on the cycle of overconsumption that has become so prevalent in the modern age.

A minimalist may, for example, but a second-hand coffee machine rather than go out and buy Starbucks every day. They might learn to make bread for themselves at home, significantly cutting down on their waste and their reliance on store-made bread. Like any movement, there are extremists, and some people will live with very little, but this doesn’t represent the majority.

You’re Not Allowed To Go Shopping

Nice things make life nicer, and it should be every person’s right to live as comfortably as possible. And this belief is not at ends with minimalism; in fact, the two go hand-in-hand. Minimalists strive to create a comfortable life for themselves by focusing on quality over quantity, relying on simpler ways of achieving their desired of comfort.

People need to go out and buy groceries in order to eat, but they don’t have to use disposable plastic every time they want to buy loose fruit. Instead, investing in a small reusable bag for loose fruit means cutting down enormously on waste. It’s about forgoing the things that we could easily do without, but often buy on impulse or because we think we need the item in our home.

You Can’t Keep Sentimental Items

Another misconception that people have about minimalism is that you are forced to get rid of your most important sentimental items, whether that’s a necklace or a tablet for playing online bingo NZ.

Of course, there are no set rules for minimalism, and people need to introduce it into their lives in a way that suits them. Sentimental items not only invoke powerful memories, but they might be the last fragments we have of a lost one. It’s important to treasure the past, and no true minimalist would ever endorse the removal of sentimental items.