For many, minimalism was little more than a popular trend that made its way across social media. For others, it was something that helped them declutter their homes, helping their mental state, their finances, and giving them more time. And for some, minimalism became a way of life that has permeated into everything that they own or do.
Like most popular ways of living, minimalism has gathered plenty of criticism over the years, and while many of those criticisms are perfectly valid, some turned into misconceptions that would go on to become widely believed, and many still doubt whether minimalism is right for them because of these misconceptions.
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Throwing Everything Away
This is perhaps the most prevalent myth among those thinking about adopting a more minimalistic approach to their lives and feeling some trepidation about it. It’s the belief that the only way to really adopt minimalism is by throwing away just about everything that you own and living in an empty house with nothing but a bed.
Of course, this couldn’t be further from the truth – minimalism is not so much about throwing everything away, but rather keeping the belongings that actually bring value to your life. Everyone has a box of stuff hidden away somewhere in their home that they haven’t looked at in a year or more; a minimalistic approach would be to take this box and donate rather than have it take up space that could otherwise be used for something useful.
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Everyone Has To Own Small Homes
Another common myth is that all minimalists must shun the chance of owning a large home and instead only own a tiny house that’s just enough for them to survive. Of course, this is a myth that is not based in any kind of reality, and minimalism should not dictate the kind of home that a person wants to own.
While owning a tiny home has certainly become a lot more popular in recent years, it’s by no means a prerequisite to being a minimalist. Some people might need more than a single bedroom house for work reasons or for a hobby like keeping track of horse racing betting odds, building cool Lego sets; or even to start a family.
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All Minimalists Are Vegans
This myth makes sense in that veganism and minimalism are often set together, but that doesn’t mean that a minimalist always needs to be a vegan or vice versa. There are plenty of minimalists that follow a conventional diet, eating both meat and plants, just as there are lots of minimalists that follow a low-plant diet, preferring to focus on animal products.
Minimalism is an extremely broad spectrum that encompasses people from all walks of life and eating patterns.
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Minimalists Are Condescending
It’s easy to understand why this misconception perpetuates as it does. There are lots of people in the world that have adopted minimalism and feel that they are better than those around them. Minimalism does not, by any means, make you better than your peers, and does not give anyone the right to feel that their choices of consumption are superior to everyone else’s.