Let go of material possessions and invite simplicity in your life. This is what Japan’s minimalistic living is all about! Imagine that your bedroom is so stripped down that there aren’t any beds. Or imagine there is only a knife and fork to put on your kitchen counter? Sounds difficult living with so less? Well, this is the new craze in Japan and people are obsessed with it!
Minimalism has become more of a movement in Japan. Throwing out unnecessary things and keeping just what you need is beneficial to the emotional health and Zen Buddhism has always focused on this kind of living- Less is more.
Apart from the emotional benefit, being a minimalist will save your money as well- because it is practical and it is cheaper too.
What made this so popular is Marie Kondo’s “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up” which was released in 2011. Since then, this has become more of a bible than just a book and people are following it religiously to tidy up their home and workplace.
Apart from that “Goodbye, Things” by Fumio Sasaki (Japanese title: “Bokutachini Mo Monowa Hitsuyo Nai”) has made the trend more popular, since its release in 2015.
People posses too much unnecessary stuff and they are not even aware of it. Kondo asks people to keep only those things that “spark joy”. The more your house is clutter-free, the more happiness you invite in. It makes life way less complicated. This also helps you to become self-sufficient and stable, which can become a source of great ideas.
This is also helpful in times of natural disaster when most people get hurt due to things falling on them while they are moving. Therefore this way of living makes your living space much safer in times of emergency.
There is a very deep myth. People think the more they have, the happier they will be. Here’s the catch! It is just the opposite and this is where the idea of minimalist living comes handy.
Adapting to minimalistic living doesn’t mean that you won’t have anything beautiful in your room. Simplicity is the key to this. Create your own living space and grow your own food. Nothing will make you feel better.
This is not just about discarding things; it is also about cultivating ideas and learning the art of living in best possible manner.
What’s your thought on minimalist living?