Draven Jackson
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Moving and organizing a new home can be both a stressful and exciting experience, but without fail, these activities always make us realize just how much stuff we really own. As someone about to move, I’ve definitely spent one too many nights recently looking at all the things that have accumulated in my current apartment and thought to myself, “I really should try being a minimalist, I have way too many things.”

Minimalism is a popular lifestyle and aesthetic that encourages people to avoid unnecessary clutter and spending in order to create an environment that is simple, elegant, and chic. Minimalism promotes utility above all else and allows you to live without worrying about having too much stuff to handle.

And while I do admit that minimalism is a wonderful lifestyle and works really well for some people, I’ve also come to the conclusion that it really just isn’t for me. As much as moving my things annoys me, I know nothing could convince me to downsize my life for the minimalist approach. Why is that? Well…

I enjoy buying things

Shopping is one of my favorite pastimes, which doesn’t always fit well with the minimalist agenda of “less is more.” That’s not to say you can’t love to shop and still be a minimalist – there are plenty of ways to shop without creating clutter. However, I’m the type of person who feels a lot of happiness from the things I buy later on, so by default, I tend to fill my space quickly with my shopping purchases.

Shopping is a huge therapeutic stress relief for me – retail therapy is definitely one of my go-to ways to improve my mood quickly. Not only does it feel nice to treat myself and buy little gifts for myself and others just because I can, but it’s also a great way for me to spend time with my friends and gain happiness from being around them. Shopping is a bonding activity, and I’ve always enjoyed going out with the girls just to look around in different stores and see if there’s anything worth buying.

As much as I appreciate the clean, simple aesthetic that minimalism promotes, I can’t find it in myself to give up the joy I experience from buying something I really like. Maybe I shop and spend too often, or maybe not – either way, life’s too short to limit my own happiness!

Having things makes me happy

At the end of the day, minimalism is all about “less is more.” The idea of minimalism is to make the most out of fewer things, creating clean spaces and capsule closets that utilize what you have rather than simply adding more to your personal inventory. It’s about quality over quantity and finding happiness in experiences over material items. And while I absolutely love these ideas and completely agree that true happiness in life should come from making memories and not simply buying things, I also know that I really do just enjoy having things.

The main reason for this is that I am a collector. For me, I have a hobby that creates a lot of material products and merchandise, and buying these things makes me really happy. Do I need any of them? No, probably not. Do I get as much joy out of the experiences I have through this hobby, like going to events or concerts, as I do from buying merch? Absolutely. But as much as I do enjoy those experiences and memories, I also just really enjoy adding more to my collection. It’s relieving for me in a weird, financially-irresponsible way, and it brings me happiness when there are no events to go to.

Plus, as we said before – shopping is a bonding experience. When I am able to go buy things with my friends, I create new memories with them. Those memories are carried with us, and then whenever we use those items or wear those clothes in the future we’re able to remember that experience. You don’t necessarily have to buy anything to make a shopping trip fun, but personally, it does always improve my mood.

Why limit today for an unknown tomorrow

One of the benefits of minimalism is that when you are moving or trying to downsize, it’s incredibly easy to pack up what you need and leave. There’s less hassle to consider whether your new space can fit everything you own or if anything should be thrown out so you don’t have to stress about moving it. Minimalism is about making the most out of what you own today while also thinking about how to make life easier in the future.

For me, trying to be minimalist would require a lot of limiting on my part. In order to consider how to move easily, I would have to stop buying the things I like and limit my collection and personal items so that it’s easier to transport. But as I said before, I feel a lot of joy when buying merch or clothes, and I don’t want to force myself to limit now for a tomorrow I know nothing about. There’s always a chance that my shopping habits and maximalist aesthetic will come back to haunt me in a few years, but there’s always time to figure that out in the future! (Is this the best mentality to have? Probably not, but to each their own, right?).

I can’t take it with me, but I can enjoy it now

One thing that a lot of people tell me when it’s time to downsize or when I’m discussing the sheer amount of things I own (I’m not hoarding anything, I swear – my house is cleaned and organized regularly!) is that I should consider what I buy because I can’t take it with me. This is sound advice – it’s true, I can’t take my things with me to whatever comes after this life when I die. The things I own now are useless to me when I leave this earth.

However, I can still enjoy these things now. I can find happiness in the art I put on my walls and the fun decorations I set up around my home. I love my collection and am excited every time I add to it. There’s no guarantee about tomorrow, so while I know that all the things I own are useless to me when I’m gone, I definitely believe that we have to make the most of the time we have now. It’s okay if you like to collect or you enjoy being big, bold, and busy in your home. As long as it makes you happy, that’s all that really matters.

Maximalism is a valid aesthetic choice

While minimalism is an amazing lifestyle and aesthetic path, maximalism is also a valid choice. Considered the aesthetic of “excess,” maximalism is all about “more is more” and creating comfortable spaces that blend together colors, patterns, textures, and objects. Maximalism is the aesthetic choice for those who want a home that is big, bold, and a colorful representation of themselves.

Your home is an extension of who you are and what your mind looks like. For me, my brain is a busy place that always needs some sort of visual stimulation so that I don’t get too wrapped up in my thoughts. I don’t enjoy white walls or minimalist décor because it just isn’t me, and I want my home to represent who I am. It should have all the things I love on display and let anyone who comes in know exactly what to expect when they talk to me.

At the end of the day, if you’re a minimalist, then that is absolutely amazing. And if you’re like me – someone who has tried, and failed, being a minimalist and instead is leaning into the maximalist agenda – then that’s also amazing. The most important thing in life is to live true to who you are and build a home that makes you happy, content, and comfortable.

About Draven Jackson

Draven is an avid writer and reader who enjoys sharing her opinions on movies, books, and music with the rest of the world. She will soon be working as a teacher in Japan and hopes to use her experience to connect with other teachers and students around the globe. Draven spends most of her time at home with her family, her dogs, and her ferret.

To see more, view all posts by Draven Jackson here.

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