Omg, that cash vs card thing is so true! Honestly I was at my university campus and some food options didn't even take cash. I wasn't able to eat. It was such a shock like.... im sorry isn't it illegal not to take cash?
I use cash for in person payments, I don't want my debit card statements full of trivial, pissy transactions, it is only used for online and at the Food Bank truck (they don't accept cash) @@ArtingFromScratch
Just so you know. I don't think I'll ever get tired of hearing "in Germany..." As Americans we're so used to thinking that this is the only way people live.
I'm German and can tell you the more minimalist attitude is only true for about a third of the population - people living in the big cities. Rural Germany is so much more similar than the US in almost every aspect!
@@eaglenoimotoonly number 5 of what she listed at the beginning resonates with your statement. Do you know all german rural areas? 😂 wo kommst du denn her?
We live in NC and sadly, we are the only minimalists we know. When our kids went to college, we sold our bigger home and custom built a smaller, more energy efficient one. No one could understand why, but now that we are nearly debt free and have simplified our lifestyle by decluttering 95% of our belongings, they are now asking how to do this in their own lives. Our stress levels have gone down tremendously, and we are glad to say we will never go back to consumerist ways!
... and I am sure that's not only about "minimalism made you (almost) debt free. I don't know you, but I am almost positive you are not missing anything from your previous lifestyle and don't suffer from feelings of deprivation either. It's really a matter of values, and Americans too much value possessing everything that occurs in their angle of view up to the point their eyes can reach. Even when they don't need the thing and will never use it.
It's the "buy buy buy" lifestyle. We are just as guilty in Canada. And to "opt out" of consumerism is considered a strange and rebellious act. 🤔 But LESS stuff makes more time and energy for such a meaningful life.
@@AtoZenLifeand I hear you on the credit card use. It's no longer very convenient to use cash where I live and you do stick out when you do. Credit card use and debt is normalized to the point we are no longer taught to question our purchases or save up for anything. If we aren't intentional with our purchases... It doesn't take long for debt and clutter to take over.
@@AtoZenLife instead of cash, is there the option to have a debit card, or a prepaid card? That money is "easier to spend", but it doesn't make next people in line anxious...
Agreed! You stick out if you don't live on a smart phone as well. I went to a restaurant and the waitress kept leaving not understanding that I didn't have a smart phone with me to scan their code and read their menu, After the third time she returned to my table she finally got it. I must be a freak. 🤣@@simply.clutterfree
I lived in Germany myself and one of the things I miss is that gift giving was about small and heartfelt and nobody expected to get a huge amount of expensive presents.
I live in Poland, in medium city with 200 000 people. Minimalism becoming more popular in Poland. There are many vlogs on YT about it, also inflation made people more thinking about saving money and becoming minimalists. We are 30 years after transformation from communism to democrasy and many people are tired of having much, working much, spending much, they prefer simple life and more time for themselves ;)
I came from a cluttered home so i gained the lifestyle however after i got married in 2020 my husband and i cleared out all the stuff i wasn't using. we moved from Wisconsin to Texas at the end of May 2023. in both Wisconsin and Texas our families do not understand why we are choosing minimalism. they keep trying to give us things we don't need, when my mother saw my closet she asked if i wanted her to buy me more clothes the same happened when my husband's sister came to visit. so it is really hard to stay minimal when everyone wants us to have everything. having less is giving us so much more in life i am praying eveyone will see why we have chosen this lifestyle one day
I feel like a part of it is this notion of more stuff= wealth, so when someone sees you don't have much, they assume you're poor and going through hard times. Especially when the middle class is shrinking and practically dead, you have so many folks who insist they are middle class and scramble to find things to fit the lifestyle, getting into debt in the process most often to help sell the illusion that they're doing well. I see it far too often. In my case, it was mostly just being lonely with neglectful parents and needing something to feel good. Stuff replaced people in my life, but it was fleeting happiness most of the time (except for books, make me happy no matter what). I still have so much stuff and also being impulsive means I get really into an idea, invest, and it peters out and I have all this stuff. Because I don't want to throw it out, my goals are not to see what I can do with what I already have. The "reuse" part of the equation. And when it's gone, it's gone (mostly hobbies--i went nuts on sales and have totes full of yarn that would take decades to use up).
Minimalist started for me when I heard a saying many years ago. "There are two ways to be rich, one is to seek and gain riches, the other is not to need it." I apply this in every area of my life. Sometimes it's hard when friends or neighbors are buying new things. But in reality I have everything I want and need. Most people have so many things they are unable to take care of them. But it goes both ways, sometimes they are amazed I have more time to relax and do what I want. Enjoying your words of wisdom here in Northwest Ohio.
Dad always told us, “If you cannot pay cash you cannot afford it.” This motto is part of my DNA and has kept me financially healthy even when my income was pretty minimal. Kind of hate to admit it now but I made part of my working-actress living acting in tv commercials. I remember getting a residual check from a certain ad agency and on the envelope was their slogan, “It’s not creative unless it sells.” UGH.
I am the only "essentialist" I know. I have too much to be considered minimalist, but I don't have lots of stuff and I am very careful about bringing anything new in, it is usually only to replace an item I use regularly that is no longer functional. But here in the Pacific Northwest where I live, I am considered a "weirdo" by my co-workers. But I am also the only one of my co-workers who will have their home paid off 20 years early on the 30 year mortgage, and who hasn't had a car payment in 12 years, so I will gladly be that weirdo. I love your videos. You are very real, and I admire that.
As an American who went to uni in berlin, coming back to the usa is sooo hard! Germany defiantly spoiled me with good cheep food, super accessible public transport, and amazing access to cultural and educational venues! It all made the midwest look even more like a big, constant, impossibly frustrating family thanksgiving
I have done a huge clear out in the past year and Ive gotten rid of over 75% of my things. I have become much more aware of my spending, the result? Less debt, more savings and peace in my home. This lifestyle may seem so impossible for some, but it does really require a mindset change. Im grateful for the positive impact its had for me. Oh and now my apartment has a slight echo which was a little exciting lol.
Wonderful! 75% is pretty big already. Truly, simplifying anything and everything can absolutely lift a massive weight off on our shoulders and is genuinely liberating and relaxing. I wouldn't mind scarcity because it will teach us resourcefulness, creativity and innovation. Moreover, in Hebrews 13:5, it conveys the message of contentment for God will provide our needs. On the other hand, engaging into wastage and frivolities anger me because it will build up various types of deficits in our lives, not just financially.
Minimalism (or as I like to think of it, voluntary simplicity), is practically a radical act in the U.S. We have been conditioned from birth to be a materialistic, wasteful society, valuing convenience over sustainability. To be mindful, taking the long view, and acting in alignment with those values is difficult for Americans because of the prevailing culture of busy-ness and immediate gratification, which keeps people blind and controllable. This is why I think your channel is so important. I don't know what it will take to wake people up, but if we want our country to remain viable in the larger world, not to mention save the planet, it has to happen, and soon.
Although minimalism was not a term at the time, we have been minimalists most of our lives. We called it "living like graduate students". For the first 15 years of our marriage, one or both of us were in school (we were married when we were both undergraduates). We moved house every year or two, and we had to move ourselves so everything we owned had to fit into a medium sized rental truck -- not quite 2 suitcases each, but not much stuff. By the time we had money, our pattern was set. Another advantage we had was that our parents grew up during the Depression, so frugality was ingrained at an early age. Also, we were 'hippies' -- seeking alternative lifestyles. Experience was much more valuable than possessions. Today, we don't have cable, we don't visit big box stores and 90% of our monthly expenses are for food. We are appalled when we see the endless stream of ads on TV, or the not-so-subtle marketing techniques when we do visit a store. We are looking to move into a smaller place, but the only attractive property seems to be in Europe.
I live in Estonia - a small country in Northern Europe and I’m currently trying hard to arrange my home to a more minimalistic lifestyle. The thing is, I feel that the obatacles in our culture are really different from the ones in the US and mainly root from our past. My grandparents generation lived through war in their childhood after which there was a 50-year-long soviet repression which meant that mostly everything was a deficiency - there was food on the table, but everything else - clothes, fabrics, cosmetic products, footwear etc was only available in a limited and not very good selection and to get anything actually good you had to have connections (preferably abroad). I personally have never lived through those times as I was born 30 years ago when my country was already free again but my grandparents and parents have experienced it for a good proportion of their lives so it is so rooted in them to hold on to anything they have and to stock up on things they might not even need or don’t need any more as things have been hard to come by in the past even if it has been more than 30 years. I myself try not to buy anything I don’t need but I still feel the struggle of getting rid of things I don’t need anymore as I feel guilty, like I didn’t appreciate what I have. The worst is getting rid of things that have been gifted to me by someone, it feels rude to throw out but I don’t use it either… I once commented under a video about reusing baby clothes that I have never accepted anyones old clothes as everyone always seem to want to give them away in a bulk and wouldn’t accept you to only take a few pieces you see use for and people were furious - it seemed that no one had a problem of throwing or giving away the excess after picking out their favourites and no one seemed to understand the feelings of ungratefulness and guilt it would make me experience if I’d put myself in a position of doing that and that I’d rather spend some money for a small capsule wardrobe for my baby than put myself through stress of sorting someone else’s old stuff and dealing with it as I have enough on my plate trying to sort through and get rid of my own old things. I feel that Americans might buy a lot more on a daily bases but they also have a lot less attachment to the stuff they own and therefore don’t find it so difficult to get rid of things as everything has always been quite easy to acquire so there isn’t any cultural trauma around it that people in my country (or at least my family, other families might have overcome it better) seem to have.
I am American, but also live in Eastern Europe now. I am older & would compare your elders to my parents who grew up during the Great Depression. They saved everything from tin foil to old string. Clothes were mended and food preserved. Their deprivation was not nearly as long lasting as the Soviet era, but it left habits that passed on to me - some good, some not so helpful. My father who experienced starvation as a child, was something of a hoarder in his older years. He was also artistic, so hung onto anything with creative potential. My mom kept it under control but was very tight with money. I’ve worked to find a comfortable balance, avoiding extremes & trying to be relaxed about my belongings, focusing on comfort, beauty, & manageability. Life is too short to be overly worried about stuff.
I’m an American and We experience the same feelings of guilt and are afraid of being ungrateful for items given to us. I can relate and understand your parents and grandparents keeping things. My step grandparents were the same way and saved every bag and box and whatever they thought they would need at some point. My stepfather who was born in the 1940’s grew up poor and his parents went thru hard times. They were afraid to get rid of simple things. I also have a family member who really struggles to get rid of things. Their parents died when they were young and also their grandparents. So I think getting rid of things for this person is very difficult and is wrapped up in childhood trauma. There may be some Americans who it’s easy to declutter but I think for most it’s a difficult process. I’m trying to declutter again after letting things creep back in over the last two years. 😬
Thank you, Marissa! Americans are led like sheep! I am an American and I'm sick and tired of it! It's buy, buy, buy, more, more, more. Our advertising is like the programming of circus animals. Our society is ruining itself. I knew this would be obvious to you as soon as you got back here! I love all you do, it's my sanity in this craziness! ❤ to you and your beautiful family!😊
I had a mother who had a tendency to spend and hoard on small stuff all the time but balk at big home improvement projects. Then I married a guy just like her! Lol Unfortunately he passed young and I slowly sold all his collection and put a new roof on, new furnace, a/c water heater. I live comfortably on less than half of what I could and retired at 58 to enjoy life instead of dreading going to work. 60 now and no regrets at all!
I live in London, I would say it’s just as hard to simplify. It’s so easy to shop. Also it’s just as easy to over eat in London. There are food places in every corner and Uber is very common. That’s where a lot of money can go. So I feel it’s just as important to watch what you ‘consume’ in terms of food.
I truly enjoy your channel. We have so much “stuff” that no one is using. I am slowly decluttering. I actually almost get more of a dopamine hit when I take boxes to Goodwill then when I go shopping anymore.
I’m from Russia, moved to USA almost 7 years ago. In 7 years I got sick of “abundance” of junk. It’s vulgar and gross. And now I’m becoming even more minimalistic, conscious and frugal than I was in Russia. You need to buy this, you must have that - no, thank you, I have enough, I’m good.
My partner and I are elders living on a very low income. We have always lived simply and in a thrifty manner. We consider ourselves to be environmentalists. For us, these choices are positive. We don't feel at all deprived. Surprisingly, we don't know anyone in our local community living as we do! We live in Indiana, by the way.
I live in the Southwest US and don't know many other minimalists around me. I truly wish I didn't need to own a car but the infrastructure as you pointed out is terribly lacking for a person without a car, whether it's the non-existent bus system or sidewalks. I lived in Israel for several years and found that single use plastic was a very highly used item there, so I felt a bit offended that America gets all the flack for plastic waste. Not to say the US isn't wasteful, but there are other countries that can also do SO much better too. For me, a regular grocery store is more than enough for shopping for food, but then I'm only one person and don't need to buy in high quantities like a family might. What helps is ANY store I shop in, I have a list of what I really need. The rest is ignored. Just like the commercials, I tune it out. Actually, I don't even watch mainstream TV, so I see no commercials at all.
Sometimes its worth it to me to spend a little more and go to a normal sized grocery store. It takes so much time and energy to shop at the superstores and on top of it they expect us to check ourselves out as well. I am striving to be more minimal and have been purging boxes of things each time I am near a donation center. You inspire me and are helping so much! 💕
Me too! Any time I tried to shop at Walmart I ended up frustrated and worn out. It's like walking around a football field. Also I always pay cash, and they actively discourage that. There will be 2 or 3 cashier lines open with long lines, and only 2 of the self-checkout registers take cash. I now do my grocery shopping only at grocery stores; no Walmart, Target, or membership-type stores. I really like Aldi's but they have two isles of cool non-grocery stuff to buy and they pull me like a magnet 🥺
There is something wrong with it when a person is in chronic pain and our government cut us off of our pain medications we never abused and besides that they keep making the stores the size of a few football fields. Yeah. It hurts and we are paying higher prices plus having to work for them for free too. Nope. fml That is what is wrong with it! 😒 P.S. If you don't like being a cashier or appreciate your job then quit. People like myself appreciate a cashier waiting on us more than you know.@@Madamoizillion
I live in Silesia (Poland) and here hoarding is something that my generation inherited from our parents and grandparents who lived during the time of communism, when it was very difficult to obtain anything, from household appliances, to most food items, to toilet paper (sic!). So basically when you got something, no matter what it was, it was very valuable and you would never get rid of it. Now, when we can get whatever we want in a matter of hours, we still keep things just in case, because that's what our parents used to do. As for paying method, in Poland paying in cash is less and less popular, not like in Germany. In fact we have one of the most advanced banking system in the EU. Most of people pay with their debit cards, phones or by BLIK (I think it's a Polish invention 😉)
My polish host family had an apartment block they lived in together. The first floor was grandma and grandpas, the second floor was the family/kids, and the 3rd floor was completely taken over by storage. To be fair, there were some amazing antiques, but also the recycling...
A similar phenomenon happened in the US because of the Great Depression in the 1920’s. People had hardly anything and so they held onto anything and everything they had or received. Flour companies would sell their bags of flour in printed fabric with flowers or other patterns so that families could make decent clothing out of them. I think there’s still a lot of “scarcity mindset” passed down from generation to generation as well as people dealing with trauma or just a bad day with retail therapy. It’s definitely not a healthy solution to hard times but we all have our vices that we use to cope and we need to find healthier ways to overcome them.
@@katiesoderling3596 yes, my grandparents grew up during the depression and my mom and grandma are always looking for deals, always holding onto things just in case. I really fight it at times since I grew up with that mindset as well, but have done my best to recognize how little all the stuff I have really matters. It can be really tough, especially as a sentimental person, but I know if Marissa can do it, I can get there too!
I think the video was unique to my findings in Europe, I think cash is far more common in the US than Europe. However, in Central America cash is the most common.
I live in the US but lived in Germany for 3 years. It is harder in the US than many countries to be a minimalist because of the societal pressure and associated marketing and media pushing it. I started my minimalist journey in the late 90s to get spending and money under control and made it to a level of minimalism and organization I felt comfortable with. I have taken it much further after traveling overseas for months at a time with just carry on luggage and realizing how little I actually needed to function in every environment and condition and be happy and healthy. Now I have even less than before and it still works great for everything life comes up. Other countries that are smaller often have more minimalist mindset because they have to where the US, Canada, Australia and other large or sparsely populated countries can spread out easily and thus have more space, stuff and larger homes and cars.
Not to mention how faaaarrrr apart everything is. I'm Canadian. We live in a bigger center now than we used to, but it's not sustainable to be a 'true minimalist' when the nearest city is 2 hours away. We don't have reliable public transit(or any at all in a lot of places), things cost too much to replace so you keep everything to make do. I feel like a lot of us that have kids *need to have a lot of really bulky expensive outdoor gear for the approx. 8-9 months of winter, and storage space for them, or it gets pretty dull and depressing. Also on that note, it IS possible most of the time to drive smaller vehicles in the winter, but over the years we have just moved up to bigger 4 wheel drives all the time or we would be 'stuck' for far too much of the time. Bigger is definitely better in the snow and ice. We have freezers and large pantries that we keep stocked because you can't ride a bike to the store and shop. Also its way cheaper to buy in bulk, and then I make everything from scratch at home. Healthier than prepackaged. Here's a strange one...I have wanted to hire someone to build us a house and it takes so long with the red tape and regulations here and you basically can't build a plain modest house. So no one can afford housing anyway and if you build one, it might as well be huge and fancy so at least you can have better options to rent out to wealthy people or sell for a premium eventually. These are a few things I have noticed that have kept me from being very minimalist, but the concepts are still wonderful imo! I love the intentionality of minimalism, and I have been able to pare down my 'perceived' survival stashes with a little more intentional thinking. ❤
I live in New Zealand, and living in a retirement village apartment, although a good sized apartment have had to reduce my belongings by about 70%. Now I love it and intend to reduce further, eg dishes, glasses and books. Also to try to keep clothes buying to a minimum. The one thing USA has that I envy is well stocked charity shops, as I believe that using what is already in the world is best. I use my credit card for almost everything and pay it in full at the end of the month, but don’t use it more than what is my bank balance. It is quicker and cleaner than cash. Just need a disciplined attitude to not get into debt. Congratulations on sharing your lack of consumerism in today’s world. It isrefreshing
I am not a minimalist but definitely headed in that direction. Friends and family don't understand my donating so many good quality items. I have finally grasped that you have to maintain anything you have and it takes a lot of time. Since I downsized, my life is so much better. Still getting more stuff together for donation. Never missed any of it.
Thanks Marissa! I really appreciate your reflection. Coming from a developing country, minimalists are mostly in middle and high income groups, who have the possibility to decide to be a "minimalist", while a large portion of the population is "minimalistic" in their ways because they don't have another choice. They live frugally because its they're way to stretch they're income for their needs. I think it is important to recognize the privilege of choice and possibly use minimalism to be more conscious of the effect excessive consumption has on others and the environment.
You talked about people who are minimalists and those who are not. I live Pennsylvania, in a senior apartment in a building of 120 units. I’ve been on the minimalist journey for 8 years, having downsized from a house. My thoughts regarding shopping, is “why would I want it, and where would I store it”. Actually it’s automatic, I’m just not interested in more things. I also visit my neighbors, sometimes, there is so much “stuff “ that you couldn’t ever set down a glass of water. Others who have lived here just as long, still have boxes and complain they don’t have enough space. Then there is the person with half utilized cabinets and stuff covering every surface who doesn’t want to put things away for fear of not being able to find it when needed, this person frequently complains she can’t find anything! Knowing the people in these examples, the first one just loves stuff, never gets rid if anything, and buys home decor items, especially things that light up or make sounds. She absolutely delights in these things. The second person, I have actually tried to help, she has needle work hobbies, and ‘needs’ everything. Her dining table is covered with random stuff, she sets down and forgets where she left it. The third is a widower, who just does not know how to put things back. I’ve tried to help him, to put things in a point of use method so things would be right where he would look for them, just in the cabinet above. Put the table clutter in a basket or bowl to consolidate. He also has exercise stuff that are positioned around the room, in his mind this would be point of use’. My personal philosophy is , never put anything down, put it away. If something new does come in, get rid of something. I love your channel, you have given me so much inspiration and understanding of what motivates those who are not on this minimal journey.
Housing crisis in Europe means that the majority of people 30yo or younger have to become minimalist. We just cannot afford normal size flats. And our parents say „just buy bigger apartment” and just don’t understand that it’s just not possible for us. Meanwhile here on YT I still hear about craft rooms, playrooms… - it’s so weird for me every time!
I understand you. I live in Poland, my and my husband flat is 55m2 and my sister only 35m2. Obviously we want more space and our familys think that temporaty, that in few years we buy bigger flats. But for most of us its not realistic. I also have cognitive dissonance seeing on YT big houses with wardrobes, playrooms, two living rooms, separate dining room. It made me think that my life isnt enough and lead me against minimalism 😢
@@shyandshameI’m sorry you feel that way. Try considering this: many Americans are overworked, and in debt. And a big health issue could send them to financial insecurity. Sure, they have more rooms than they need… But is it what truly matters in life?
You are lucky if you can afford any kind of flat at age of 30. At that age you have at most 12 years of work, which is 144 months. The cheapest flats currently start at about 300 000PLN. So in order to buy one at 30 you need to save more than 2000PLN a month for 12 years (and more per month if you worked less than 12 years) which is more than a half of an average wage. And getting a credit is not easy - I heard you need to be earning at least average wage to get a bank permission for a credit. Most young people are renting flats or rooms (which makes saving 2000PLN a month nearly impossible since the rent itself can easily reach more than 2000 for a 25m2 flat). And you naturally can't have too much stuff when you are just renting because it would be a struggle when you are moving to another place (you will be moving a lot since you don't own the place and the owners make weird decisions sometimes, for example they suddenly decide to sell the flat so you are out).
Thank you for the validation, Marissa! I live in the PNW, in a suburban area that has experienced so much growth in the last 5 years alone. My apartment, like so many homes in my area, was built in 2017 and is very "builder grade" (boring!). I've had to acquire new furniture since moving in because my old furniture did not maximize the space, as well as to increase privacy (window coverings, patio screens). I also have health issues and a service dog. I found that, as I return to being the in office 4 days out of the week, I needed to add to my work wardrobe. Additionally, I found that having 1 set of items was difficult when I wasn't able to do the laundry due to my health issues, so now I have 2 sets of linens, casual and house clothes and work clothes. I also have 2 sets of linens and car protection for my service dog. And finally, I would like to add that, in terms of marketing, another area to contend with is the pressure to "upgrade" items, as if things expire. And in a lot of ways, fast fashion and stuff that are easily acquired do fall apart easily. Average Americans are pressured with time, so finding good quality items, whether they are new items meant to be passed down or stuff from vintage shops, would take a lot of time and coordination. The pressure also comes as "lifestyle creep," when Americans feel pressured to "upgrade" when they get a raise or expand their families. Minimalism is most definitely counter cultural here! Thanks for the discourse and helpful ideas, this needs to be a college course! 💖
I am in India, Our friend just built a 4000 sq ft home for just 4 people ( I don't know why) , and many people follow this trend and build 3000 to 4000 sq ft (with debt for 20 years). I am sure 95 percent people don't know the word "minimalism" in India. Consumption, Indians buy all kinds of dresses, plastic items, gadgets just because it's on Sale (in offer).
All I can think of when I see a 3000 or 4000 square-foot house is all the vacuuming, dusting, window washing, etc., that needs to be done. Unless one has cleaning staff, no thank you!
can it be an overreaction to previous poverty? here in russia, people are still thirsty for consumerism 30 years after the ussr. my family had an experience of living in 130 sq ft, 6 of them. now my parents sleep in different rooms just to enjoy the space and freedom :D
I understand that…we are from Middle East and my husband and his family just can’t agree with minimalism idea. And now living in USA make it even harder not to buy stuff, just because it’s new, shiny and cheap…
Yep! Russians in the US are so flashy brand new luxury cars and designer clothes but zero savings or actual equity. I know so many of them and my parents are kind of like that too. Some of my friends with $ 60,000 cars and two boats were living on welfare in California in luxury government subsidized apartments.
@@anastasiya8314 they actually believed that the US was everyone living like in a Hollywood movie (giant house, cars, large fridge full of food, nice clothes etc...) It's what they compared their (very minimalist by enforcement) soviet lifestyle, why they were dissatisfied with it that much they moved to America.
Interesting video. Living in Australia I was shocked recently when I was watching a US grocery haul and the person had recyclable bags but lined them with plastic bags (free plastic bags are banned where I live and there’s a huge push to limit single use consumption). Fruit and vegetables were minimal but also wrapped or put in plastic bags AND plastic single use juice cups and paper plates, that I’ve only ever seen people over here buy for picnics, was bought for everyday use. And kitchen cloths don’t seem to be used, but paper towels for everything. I just couldn’t believe the amount of wrapping and waste to throw out for one grocery shop. It seems insane that this would just repeat over and over, week after week. And I’m sure there was no ill intention, it was obviously just what was normalised behaviour reflected in what family, friends and others in society were doing. Great topic Marissa ❤x
I do the net bags and have reusable produce bags for my stuff when I go to the store. I hate doing self-checkout, but if I don't, I'll bring my bags to be used and most of the time the bagger will look at me funny like "you really expect me to use these?", put my bags in a plastic bag and proceed to bag up everything in plastic. Since I mostly get produce and coffee now, it's easier just for me to check myself out than deal with that (and I just recently had to cancel garbage pickup because I can't afford it--been looking for another paying job for months, so extra plastic means I would have to use city garbage because I'm not burning plastic in my burn pile if I can help it).
I'm in Arizona and I am the only minimalist that I know. Judging by the inside of most of my neighbors garages, driveways and the stuff in the front of some of the houses it's safe to say that none of them are minimalists. Everyone I know buys everything that they see. I moved away from shopping so much back in 2019 when I started to really pay attention to what marketing was doing to my finances. Starting this lifestyle was challenging in the beginning but I noticed how much of my belongings were just not being worn/used. Now I only buy what I actually need and from a wish list. When I go into these superstores I already know exactly what I intend to get and I am never manipulated into overspending. I was never one to buy end caps or things at the cash wrap no matter what the perks were. When talking to someone, no matter who it is, whenever it comes up that I am decluttering the response is always, "Why are you getting rid of more things? What if you need it later?" "You won't have anything left in your house if you keep doing that". As if having less would really be so bad.
I'm from Italy and minimalism is SO unusual here! People love to have a ton of stuff (especially clothes), and most of my friends were weirded out when they found out I was decluttering …
I agree, and it's so hard to donate unwanted items here as charity shops are virtually non-existent and thrift stores rarely take donations. There is also a culture of giving out small gifts at christenings, confirmations etc which are often things you wouldn't really have chosen but feel guilty binning because they aren't recyclable
Hi, Marissa!! :) I live in Southern California, about 20 miles northeast of Disneyland. Minimalism is not a thing in my region, except for the Chinese community. I get a lot of comments on my home from my mother, who is astonished that we can live with so few possessions. I’m a teacher and my classroom is minimalist. My colleagues are always impressed with how clean my room is. I just don’t like to have a lot of stuff. I find it’s easier for me if I just keep my minimalism to myself. :)
So true! I’m an OT and used to work with teachers to try and help them understand “less is more” especially when students are feeling overwhelmed in the classroom. Not too many were like you, but everyone always wanted to have their team meetings in the more minimalist classrooms as “it’s just so nice in here!” ❤
Kids clean so much better when there is less clutter to put away!!! "You got that one thing out? okay, put it back in its home and then you can get another" is soo much easier than, "oh my gosh look at this mess now we have to stop playing to clean!"
I live on the coast of Maine, where there are many contradictory cultural habits and desires. Mainers are famously thrifty, reusing, recycling, sharing resources. But also holding on to a LOT of stuff just in case, or because it’s been handed down in the family. Fashion and retail therapy are not big in rural, small town areas, but when one of the few places to buy clothes is Walmart… And Maine should be a walking, bicycling paradise, but walking paths and bike lanes are extremely rare and cars are necessary. There’s a real interesting in minimalism and Swedish Death Cleaning especially in the very large and growing elder population, but the infrastructure doesn’t make it easy.
Hi from 🇯🇵 Appreciation for simple life runs deeply in my culture, and yet people are still drowning in materialism just like the US. So, not too sure if half of us are living minimally😅 but our houses are much much smaller for sure. I think the biggest hurdle with decluttering for the Japanese is complicated ways to dispose things. Depending on the districts, categories and ways to trash is so detailed. So some people hoard just because they don’t know how to get rid of stuff. It also cost extra money to get rid of big trash like electronics and furnitures. In my city, anything bigger than 50cm is considered big trash. I have to apply online in advance, pay the fee and then put it out on a curb on the specified day. We can’t just donate everything like US, either. Second hand stores are VERY picky with what they take. So if things can’t be donated, you have to sell it yourself, or trash. My mom thinks “mottainai” (wastefull) about anything trashed☹️ Those kinds of technical stuff prevents some people from decluttering. But for me, knowing how hard it is to discard, prevents me from acquiring☺️
Living in the US, I am constantly finding myself getting sucked into consumerism. But watching minimalism videos like this once in a while brings me back to reality and reminds me what's really important. Thank you for this!
I think many of us who are middle age have grandparents/parents who lived in and after the depression era. So the mindset was to keep everything because it might be useful and you won’t be able to get it again. I can tell the clutter in family member’s home gives me anxiety just to be there. I’m not fully minimal but really trying to simplify and donate anything that I don’t like, need or use. I haven’t missed anything so far. I don’t feel like I’m constantly stuff-shifting.
I feel this too, also that feeling in the back of your mind that everything could just disappear one day since the state of the country seems to be so tenuous these days, no one wants to be caught without necessities when it hits the fan so we buy more to compensate.
I do agree with this mindset being a part of it, but that doesn’t explain why Europe, which also went through the depression, and THEN got blown up when the war here was a time of prosperity, does not seem to be affected as much.
@@Meinvt I live in the UK. My parents were born in the 20s, and lived through the depression AND wartime rationing. Whilst they had the mentality of not throwing things away, they also weren't drawn into consumerism. Purchases, for the most part, were saved for and not on credit.
My husband and I went to a restaurant and he ordered something that sounded amazing but somehow I hadn’t seen it on the menu. I asked him where it was and he pointed to a big red box on the menu. My brain has gotten so used to ignoring the thing that is screaming for my attention because it is almost always an advertisement that I had ignored it completely.
I’m in England and noticed when we visited US over the years even decades ago that everything seems bigger, portions of food, snacks etc Cars, beds etc
I live in the Upper mid west of the US. I grew up with valuing people over things and parents who lived simply (even though they could afford more); this has helped me avoid materialism because of my core values. I currently just have a debit card (no credit debt), but car debt/expenses are huge (even though I drive an older car). It is hard to walk into a Target without "wanting", so now I just do "order pick-up" for most of my shopping. It helps with impulse spending. I avoid the malls and "big box" stores. In my case, It also helps if you just don't make enough money for most "wants".
Hi Marissa, I'm in the UK 🇬🇧 and we live rurally which I'm very grateful for on my journey towards living more consciously with less because its easier to avoid the shops! We've got rid of about 70%, maybe more, and we dont miss any of it. I'd like to go further to be honest but we'll hold here for a bit and see how it is for our family to maintain at this level. One of your other subscribers commented above who lives in London, hi fellow Brit! 👋 Houses are generally smaller in London than in rural parts which I would imagine probably helps with staying more minimal?
I live just far enough out in the country that it’s an inconvenience to run back to town. I’ve made it a weekly habit to shop my pantry first and only grocery shop every Friday. This saves me a lot of mindless wondering through the store. I’ve also implemented the ‘waitlist’ as I call it. When I want something I list it in my notes and wait 1 month or 1 season depending on the item. I love when you mentioned this method! I’ve found there are a lot of things I really don’t want after the waiting period is over. This also makes the items I do buy even more rewarding. Thank you for always creating useful content. I hope your family continues to get settled! I love Chicago! I live an hour outside Indianapolis.
I live in a small apartment in a building with only stairs near Boulder, CO and that has made it easier for me to reduce my consumption. Less space means I need to be conscientious of what I bring into that space. I’ve also found that being tighter on cash has made me more careful of what I obtain 😅 Colorado has also made it so you have to pay for bags at the grocery store! That means I’ve brought my own bags and had to think about how much space those bags allow me to fill. Basically, living smaller and slightly less “convenient” has made choosing minimalism an easier thing to do. It was a good move! PS: it’s nice to feel validated! I’ve been saying for years just how difficult it is to resist consumerism in the US and I’m crying from relief that a certified minimalist is sharing that message
I live in Germany. I really appreciate our cheap food, public transport (in the cities), our health care system... I'm also thankful for peace, democracy, drinkable water from the faucet, my warm home, my family, friends... But for me a step towards Minimalism is a huge struggle with every item I have to give up. My dad is born in 1948, only 3 years after the end of the 2. world war. Everything was valuable, every rosty nail and every candle stump. For me its hard not to think: "This item could be reused or repaired." Wich I never do honestly.
The same in Russia with the older generation. I'm 45 but still think, I can use this and this later. And can't throw it away. My grandparents were born before the war and remembered the hunger and deprivation
I e been on a mission this week to be more minimal, mindful and simplified. I must say it feels liberating. I’ve made several donation trips, trash runs and selling stuff. My house is feeling so fresh and freeing. I’ve also said no to many things I would normally jump at the chance to get.
I live in the Philippines and it's really hard to apply minimalism. I've been a follower for more than a year now. I'm 18, and Simplifying our home often makes me stressed out because of the inflow of clutter. Our culture is usually about keeping and collecting so much things to the point that we already filled up every corner of our house and most of the time, we don't really need those things and it just keeps on filling up. As a newbie minimalist, i tried stoping the inflow of clutter through doing "one in one out rules" but then when my grandma for example who is a non minimalist, bought so much kitchen utensils, it'll be hard for me to maintain it. Today, I'm still figuring out and practicing how to declutter and simplify our home in a non stressful way. Thanks to your videos marissa, it eases the stress i feel sometimes and it actually helps me improve my life a lot.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and experiences, I have several friends from the Philippines and have heard similar. Remember, you are the curator of you own life 🙏
I love the comparison between Germany and America. I live in the Netherlands (right next door) and I know that a lot of stuff around the marketing and branding of products is heavily regulated in Europe especially marketing towards kids is very restricted. If you take those restrictions away combined with the super size me mindset sets people up for failure.
I’m a German who recently went to the US for 4 weeks, visiting friends and relatives (and doing a lot of sightseeing bc DAMN there’s some magnificent nature where I went!). What shocked me was when I visited my cousin who lived in a new development. The area where she lived in wasn’t even two years old - and so many people had to park their (ridiculously large) cars outside because their NEW garages were already full of junk. Apart from the fact that I hate large cars (you can pry my pocket sized Seat Mii from my cold, dead claws), it was just mind boggling that they couldn’t fit their cars into the /designated car space/ because it was already full of junk after not even 1 to 2 years.
I am looking form Lithuania, North East Europe region. We haven't great trains as Germany do, every household has a car, because traveling outside the cities is difficult (1-3 time sper day). but in the cities, people a very similar to Germans- we use reusable bags, go to the center by foot or public transport. however the minimalism is hard, because we have 4 seasons, so many clothes to change through the year, keeping in mind that you need to put in a storage a lot of clothes, you can't bye a lot of new, so this is situational circumstance influenced natural minimalism :) many differences with Germany we have, but going towards this great country, and still enjoy our nature, hikes, natural lakes, picking mushrooms in a forest. thank you with all the insights, we definitely to get "lighter" from our stuff and your vlogs really helps. Thanks Marisa
My family taught us to be happy having the essentials, I realized they were minimalists without knowing it😂!I think that was because they were born after the second world war and they grew up having for example only one pair of shoes or only one coat. What you consider as minimalism is normal to me. Unfortunately not for most of the people as long as marketing exists. Love from Greece❤
We were struck by minimalist style and lifestyle when we moved to Switzerland, even many many years ago. While we were beginning to want to use credit cards in the 80s, this was still really frowned upon, people carried a lot of cash in those days!! This has changed somewhat with the rise in foreign nationals here (currently 25%, many southern Europeans) that has naturally affected the general culture (it's a good mix!)), but Swiss people are still often pretty minimalist in mindset. Up to a few decades ago, the majority were in farming communities and not wealthy, which has shifted with the emphasis on services that is usual nowadays, but the mindset is often still there. I find that southern Europeans, in particular, seem to like a lot of shiny and new stuff, perhaps as some sort of compensation for the low income that is common there and their comparative success in arriving in a "richer" country. That behaviour has influenced everyone else, of course. It takes all sorts, I guess, it's not right/wrong, just different, and of course more nuanced than fits in a YT comment.
In other places I feel like government focuses on what is good for people. In USA our government focuses on what is good for business at the expense of people. For example, there are ingredients in American cereal that are banned in Europe so Kellogg’s has one recipe for American cereal and another for what it sells in Europe.
Omg I felt like I was going nuts trying to do a no-buy. It’s impossible to escape spending in the US. I would have to even stop going physically to the grocery store.
I'm glad that you're making a video comparing how easy/hard/different it is to live minimalisticly in different place/countries/cultures. I'm from Taiwan, and sadly, I can't really say much about how easy or hard it is to be a minimalist because ever since I've graduated from college and started working, I've realized the importance of organization and the lack of clutter in all aspects of life to do your job (and enjoy your weekends) well. Since then, I've kept this minimalisti livestyle and it was very easy for me to resist impulse purchases. If I really want something and I'm not sure, I hold that item while in the store, walk around while imagining me having and using that object for a bit; taking my time to think of all the scenarios I'd use it for and how happy I would be. Eventually, it will get boring, the "wow, new thing!" phase will calm down and I can easily put things back on the shelf and leave the store without that purchase. I can't control what my family brings home and stuffs around the corners of our house, but at least I can control my own room and what comes in and out of it. And I'm pretty satisfied with it so far, even though I'm hoping for even less stuff in the future. _ When it come to items I want to share with other people. I take a photo of it, message them about it, and they can decide if they want to try the item out or not. I don't just purchase it, just to share it. ^^; _ Side topic, I personally don't feel comfortable using a credit card all the time. I don't like the idea of borrowing wealth from the future that may or may not exist. I'd rather use what I have now to pay and not have any debt at all. I feel rather uncomfortable needing to use a credit card each month for something (even if it's a small amount of money) in order to maintain a "good credit score", but it's just how the system works. ):
I'm American but have lived nearly my whole adult life (16+ yrs) in Germany and honestly, I've really struggled with all of the wastefulness and excessiveness during the few times I've gotten to visit back home - plus I struggle to watch American UA-camrs who talk about their homes and belongings like "Yeah, we struggle to fit all of this into our tiny kitchen / home / etc." and they're showing what would be considered large and / or ridiculous in the rest of the world. So I'm really glad to have found you - someone who's had all these experiences and perspectives!
I started mine and my family of 5 minimalist lifestyle about 4 years ago and as an American who lives in the city, going to the store can be hard at times so I try to really only go to the grocery store. And when I go to the grocery store I only buy what’s on my premade list and I plan our meals around the sale items we already eat and enjoy. Depending on the sales I may buy more so I can go to the store less often in the future. When we need household items, I make a list too and try to buy more again so we go to the store less often. It works for us. Awesome video, thanks for sharing it! 👍🏻🩷
I have a few friends who are becoming increasingly minimal, many starting since COVID. I've finally trained family members to give us only consumables as gifts, and to stop questioning why we don't have end tables or more towels etc.
I definitely think there is some consumerism that is culturally accepted. Two things that I am ready to let go of are buying my kids' school pictures (I already have a thousand pictures of each this year that look better than the ones they take at school) and personalized Christmas cards.
Most stores in the US discouraged cash payments during Covid as it was more risk to employees. I am in Illinois like you are and every time I have moved it was further south. Even though I am still in the state there is a big difference. People live a simpler life in the south and do more nature or family things . We don't have all the stores or designer clothes and not many really big houses. I find it much easier to live a debt free simpler lifestyle down here than when I was in the Chicago suburbs. I grow my own food, buy some from the Amish and the rest I buy from a community garden coop and buy meat from a local butcher. We don't have big grocery stores but I do have an Aldi and buy my staples there.
Very thought-inspiring video! I think in Hungary it's easier for us to be minimalist simply because we have less money so we have to be frugal. Credit cards are uncommon, the average Hungarians live in homes which would be considered "tiny" in the US, most people use the public transport because families can only afford to have 1 car, children stay at home for much longer (people stay close for uni and only move out when they can afford rent), the older generations have lived through the Second World War and have passed on the idea of making the most of no money and no food. Plus many of the regulations of the EU for environmental protection also support a minimalist- no waste lifestyle.
I enjoyed this video. I enjoy all of them. I live in Australia. I’ve been a minimalist about 10 years when the first minimalism documentary came out. I’m still obsessed with decluttering. I have a family of 5. We have a small house and I love it. Take care. 🇦🇺👍
I moved from Japan to the US years ago and I remember vividly how big everything felt (from houses to cereal boxes) and how nobody recycled stuff the way I did in Japan. Later I came to learn that much of recycling I did in Japan (e g. plastic recycling) was largely pointless and while I still mildly dislike the wastefulness of single use cups etc I admire the infra to handle all the waste produced in the US. I'm now much more worried about sugary soda consumption leading to sickness than their containers. Another point is I felt that people in the US - both young and old - are very willing to adopt new IT systems, negating the need for physical processes, aligned with our minimalist philosophy. Kindle and Spotify were popular in the US long before Japanese people started giving up their favorite paper books and CDs (they are still popular among many to this day, although hoarding those physical objects feels a bit antithetical to minimalism).
I from Germany 😊 there popped a question into my head: how many if these 54% minimalists in Japan are minimalists by choice and how many are poor? I would love a video about this topic.
I am pretty sure they are minimalists by choice. I've visited Japan many times and it's part of their culture to keep things very clean, organized and tidy. Also if people are poor, would they describe themselves as minimalists? The poverty rate in Japan is around 15%, the poverty rate in Germany is 20%. I think poor people have other worries than being minimalists, but I could be wrong of course.
I do believe that in the US, these things vary state by state, whether you are living in a city vs. a rural area. I never go grocery shopping in those large stores, I only buy groceries at a grocery store. All the stores in my area (State) do not have plastic bags you need to bring your own reusable bags. I am working my way to minimalism but it definitely is a challenge.
Well, I don't know about Americans, but we just moved out 2 days ago (we live in France). While watching your video of your family moving out with a few suitcases and boxes, I was feeling so stressed and overwhelmed by my stuff... I would no longer dare call myself a minimalist. In fact, I was just organised, with all my things so well stored in the dressers and cabinets that I had not realised how much I posessed ! Decluttering seems to be just around the corner ;)
I live in Finland and I'd say it's definitely easier to be a minimalist here. We do have approximately the same great European features as Germany does. Our public transport may be little less efficient but e. g. our internet coverage way better than there. It's ridiculously easy to recycle every single thing. And the EU regulations make good choices quite unavoidable. However, we're quite indulgent. 😅 Not everyone wants to be a minimalist. I'd say age group is the biggest factor in that. The well-off people in my parents' generation (born in 1960-1970s) tend to be very consumerist. It's mostly trauma based, though, because of our history. Then again, young and old people with low income are more open to frugal living and minimalism. QUESTION: Are credit cards and physical cash the main options in the US? I noticed you didn't mention debit cards as an option. I think most Finns use a debit+credit card as their main payment method. Physical cash is getting really rare here.
Well, in most German areas the problem is not consumerism. Or not for most people. It’s that you KEEP everything. Throwing away books is a major crime (even handbooks on Windows 95) and everybody has at least a few items from the grandparents at home (I have knitted skirts from my husbands grandmother and legos from her for my kids). We hate making trash and avoid it but because there are no poor cousins anymore to shop from your basement on a regular basis you actually end up as a „just in case“ or „I might need it“ store if you have enough space. Especially if you have relatives in Eastern Europe ;) So decluttering is really hard if you don’t stop buying all together and live of hand-me-downs alone. But yes: transportation, education, health care is really simplified here, at least if you don’t live in a very rural area. And living in a flat for rent is just the normal thing so most people do not have enough space for two cars, three wardrobes and a whole Playmobil castle.
I do enjoy the content that you put out and I like the idea of minimalism. I'm just trying to decide if I can really follow this strategy. My biggest want at this stage in my life is quality not so much quantity. Thank you for sharing your insight.
My son is deployed to Poland . We video chat , he went to the grocery store while we were talking. It's true that the stores are very different and you don't have the added distractions while shopping. I usually shop most of the store while in Walmart , rarely buy stuff but it can be tempting while looking.
This makes me feel a little better. I actually feel almost attacked when going into store. It’s like we are constantly being told to spend out money. This is a major struggle too as I have ADHD and I’m easily distracted. I tend to be a maximalist and it’s SO hard to switch to be a minimalist as I feel would be better for my mind and family. 😵💫
I love your POVs! It’s refreshing to see that you’re one of the few minimalists from the US. I think I am blessed with my American husband who shares the same principles as I do - we both are into limiting what we own to only what we need. It really is difficult to do that here in the US but having a partner who shares the same ideals makes it easier for me and our family. Following your videos! ❤
Thank you for ALL of your UA-cams. In this UA-cam post, your comment about using cash SUPER reminded me of the long past time of check writing in the cashier line. The impatient response was the same as the experience you are illustrating NOW for paying cash. AND, I strongly feel that staying tangible with our payments will help us all maintain wellness perspective. So, THANK YOU for your youtubes!
Being a minimalist is hard everywhere. I'm pretty sure I'm the only one, or one of the very few minimalists in my hometown or even my region in Italy. Italian people are addicted to shopping, and are obsessed with fashion and technology, so they change their smartphones, TV's and computers very often. The number of huge shops like in the US is increasing here and this leads to compulsion buying, which doesn't affect me though. I'm not attracted to anything and I actually find very boring going to shopping malls or huge shops 'cause I don't need anything and don't wanna spend my money on useless stuff I know I'm gonna get rid of one day. Also, ads don't work with me as I haven't watched TV for 21 years, so I don't even know what products are advertised. It's heaven 😊
Love your content as someone who lives in small town southern USA I can go show you multiple extreme hoarders but other than my family I don't know a single other family that practices minimalism.
I live in Berlin. It's the perfect city to be a minimalist. A lot of people give away their stuff for free. The frequent amount of moving during your life is conducive to being a minimalist. In addition, we currently have an economic crisis, which makes people not so often look at quantity, but only at quality. We want things to serve us longer, and fewer things provide an easier way to relocate in search of a better job or a better apartment.
Now that cute holiday decor is coming out in stores, I would love it if you would make a video on how to stay on track with minimalism during the holidays with tips on how to avoid buying seasonal decor. Thanks for today's video! ❤️
Thank you for this, Marissa. Our generation of plastic waste is through the roof. And keep in mind that the global overproduction of polyester clothing (i.e. plastic) is also a huge part of the plastic problem. On another note, as an athlete, I am constantly bombarded with ads for branded clothing and gear on social media, and not just from the brands themselves...it also comes in the form of an athlete you admire wearing a particular brand, and the next thing you know you're typing in your credit card number to try "just one" of the shorts or shirts. and this loops back into our overproduction of clothing, as MANY of these big brand items can be found in excess on online and brick and mortar thrift stores. This has been one of my hardest struggles...trying to navigate social media without falling for this. How many tech shorts and shirts does one athlete really need?
I can relate. I am extremely active: hiking, running, pickleball and racquet sports, and paddleboarding. Each activity seems to 'need' different clothing. Except for running and pickleball, lol. I share your pain and am in the process of decluttering my stash, working to get down the gear I wear the most.
I think it's the fact that our country is so much bigger than European contries and we have more free space to use. The 2nd thing is more emphasis on capitalism which operates through competition. Restaurants start offering bigger portions and free refills to compete with similar restaurants. Target and Walmart were not in the beginning grocery stores. They were department stores that added groceries in later.
Thanks Marissa for your insights. Your channel is one of my top three minimalism channels. I am journeying more and more into minalism and have made great reductions of “stuff”. My friends comment how peaceful my home is and one friend said her house feels so cluttered and overwhelming. I offered to help her but she just keeps talking about all of her stuff. I live in Central california in a farming community but we are currently being inundated with people from SFO and LA who can buy a house for a third of the cost. It’s interesting that after letting items sit in my Amazon cart for up to a week how many I delete.🥹thank you for an inspiring channel. Keep up the good work.
Great video 🇨🇦 here. I live in Kamloops in the interior of BC in a mid sized Canadian city. We have dreadful public transportation but Dh & I purposely bought a small apartment nearby grocery stores, pharmacies and our dr, dentist etc to keep taxi costs low when we’re no longer able to drive. We do online groceries with pickup except for Costco which doesn’t do that in our area. Not going into the grocery stores really helps. We do a debit card for Costco but online shopping requires a credit card which we pay off immediately after pickup. Stores here don’t use plastic bags - when we get pickup it’s put into our cloth bags or shopping bins which are sturdy plastic crates. It is hard to avoid the plastic trays and wrap that meat & produce is sold in. I’ve taken to online shopping for other things because again- out of the stores is safest. And online orders from Amazon are usually in paper or cardboard which is easy to recycle. We have recycling bins in our city to reduce landfills. We don’t watch TV any more, except for the news. We don’t get magazines or newspapers anymore. No other media beyond YT & the I one. Reducing ad exposure sure helps. Regular declutters are easy because the charity is nearby so tossing it in the car is easy for drop off on the way to grocery pick up or an appointment. Our family is used to us downsizing over the years and they are following us in that. Our son and dil live in a 940 sq foot single wide trailer, our apartment is 900 sq feet, and daughter and son in law and their 5 kids live in 1100 square feet house with a basement that is partially finished. I’d say the biggest challenge here is transportation and transitioning out of physical stores and shopping in person. It’s not always easy to do returns with online shopping.
Way to go! It sounds like you are thoughtful about what you consume. We live in northern BC and live similar lives except we live in a rural area and need a truck due to weather. We have to go to town to buy groceries and other supplies but stick with a list. We have no big box stores nearby and only visit a bigger city a couple of times a year. Living as a minimalist and close to nature really insulates us against consumerism. Also we don’t watch TV or have any streaming services or use Amazon.
I can’t consider myself a minimalist but I constantly work at simplifying my home and life. Some areas I have dramatically simplified but other areas I struggle with. We are an older couple but our home is paid for, we carry no credit card debt and have money in savings and investments. We don’t live a flashy life but we are so content with what we have
I'm from Russia. And there are two opposite ways of life here. I belong to a generation who was born in the Soviet Union (though as a teenager but still I rememder much). We were raised to save money, to reuse as much as possible, to fix things not to buy new ones to sew, to knit. I prefer to cook at home, once a week we can go to a cafe. And there is another way of living-kids of "oligarchs" who never work, they can spend millions on clothes, they do not count their money. And of course the younger generation lives in debt just like in the US. Using credit cards. I cannot say I'm a minimalist. But it depends.😅 what and who we compare. I can wear the same jeans for several years, the same pair of shoes. As for the transport, in big cities it is very well-organized. I don't have a car and a driving license. I don't need it
I'm not a real minimalist, but i try to keep my stuff and Clothes as long as possible so i don't have to buy new Stuff because I'm bad at letting go and i hate Shopping ^^ I still have some Shirts and Hoodies from over 10 Years ago. When something needs to be replaced, i try to get less of it. For Example i had to get rid of some Pants, but just bought 1 instead of the same amount i just threw away. In the Future i would like to own less Clothes and less Decoration-Objects, but that is still a long way to go. Also Greetings from Germany to you Marissa and Family :)
As I write this Christmas is coming up in a few months. We decided to not give each other gifts of things we don't need. We did this last year and it was liberating. Now, this can be a tough one for a lot of people, especially people with families. For us, a lot of clutter used to come into our house because of gift giving. There was also significant expenses that came up each year at Christmas with the gifts and the tree, and outdoor lights, and wreaths and on and on. So we really simplified it, and we loved it. We did have a very nice candle we lit in the evenings, and we made some wonderful day trips, exploring country roads, and we had a nice dinner together. Here in the US there are lot of expectations on what Christmas is supposed to be andto look like. Our experience was that having a "minimalist Christmas" made us closer, and much happier.
Other than a few decorations I already have and am going to put out, I've given up on christmas years ago and christmas shopping. I just don't need anything else (I'm Halloween crazy, so I went overboard this year--the good thing is I have enough DIY stuff that I can manipulate and change what I've got to make completely different costumes for the next several years or let someone borrow if need be). My neighbor actually had a family member who lost all their stuff in an apartment fire and that became the perfect time to give appliances and gifted stuff that I never really used or needed anymore. Gave them some stuff to at least get them started as they got on their feet and got more. That's probably the biggest reason I've saved a few things over the years, but eventually, I still have to clean things out.
@@tallyp.7643 that is wonderful that you were able to help them. I found that when i donated things I imagined the happiness and usefulness of the item that would give others, and that made it easy for me to part with it -i was passing it on. Fun that you make costumes. Very creative!
Kansas City, Missouri. All of the things you’ve mentioned in the video make minimalism harder. In my experience, there is also the factor of how insecure life is for many of us. Food insecurity is a well known example, but I think it affects the rest of life, too. It feels safer to have the things. There’s also the social pressures of late stage capitalism - the way people look at you, judge you, and treat you, when you don’t have the thing, aren’t doing the thing, aren’t fitting in with all the people with the thing, doing the thing. And, well, you know how bad this country is with mental healthcare. It’s bleak, because we are a social species, and we should have fulfilling and happy lives =\ On a more positive note, also, there are just so many good books ! Tbh, my apartment, while, very not minimalist, is mostly two things, personal history, and things I need. And all my cat’s stuff, and rather a lot of dried flowers. It’s also a ongoing conversation with myself, about what can I get rid of, so cleaning, tidying, and life are easier, more free. And a lot of work put into my mental health. I find having less stuff around, and a simpler, tidier, cleaner apartment, contributes to my mental health, but it’s hard to get there, without the mental health. Luckily, I’ve gotten my late diagnosis of ADHD, and will soon be cleared for treatment and medicine… anyway, this has gone off a tangent. I am going to go do some housework, thank you very much for the video ❤
hi there, marissa (i hope i spelled that right), i just want to say how much i appreciate your account!! i’m a 20 year old who (as most 20 year olds could say) has no idea who i am, or what i truly WANT in life. I know i’m slowly figuring it out obviously, but it’s this constant learning and unlearning of certain beliefs, perspectives, opinions, and PHYSICAL needs/wants. I was able to strip myself of about 12 bags of stuff i didn’t need, furniture, and even two beloved kittens to a loving home because of your videos, and although i’m still learning so much about myself and although i’m not as minimalist as one could be, where I’m at because of your videos is so much lighter, freeing, and EASY compared to where i’d be if I still had all those items that served no purpose in my life. i’m finding a deeper sense of peace the more i’m able to let go of too! i just thought i’d share how your videos helped jump start the life of a random stranger :)
I agree. I sometimes wonder how or why I have accumulated so much stuff and I have worked hard to changed my consumer behaviors. I now think about where I will put the item, maintenance, how will it endure two boys or our habits, or put it on a list as a maybe - most of those never get purchased. I also shop for fun way less and remind myself that I have a lot and can shop my house for decorations, outfits (many clothes bought from thrift stores over the years), crafts, etc. It's such a satisfying feeling to use what we have.
So true, when I've lived in the US it was so hard not be sucked in into the consumerism, and wanting more/bigger stuff... And sometimes when I see some American minimalists on UA-cam I feel like they'd be normal people in Europe 😅 (not you specifically)
I was always a minimalist for many reasons. I love the quote “live simply so others may simply live”. I interpret it to mean if I have a smaller and more intentional impact then there will be less unforeseen impact on others as well as if I simplify my life I have more to give to others. Now that I have children, and a husband who love their things. It is really challenging for me to feel comfortable in our home but I feel bad trying to get them to get rid of items.
My husband and I are serial expats going from the US to expat assignments and back. After you do this a few times you’re a minimalist in order to keep your sanity. Luckily I’m an engineer and have always not had that much stuff but all of the moves have made me really understand what we really need and what we don’t. We actually moved over the weekend and I found myself looking at items and wondering whether to keep or not and your voice was in my head helping me decide. Thanks!
A tip for sticking to shopping list: we order our main weekly groceries online and it gets delivered. This way we never impulse buy in the store. 😊 plus having 1 car driving around delivering groceries for dozens of families straight from distribution centers is better for the environment.
We do that too! But, I sometimes feel guilty because I could go to the grocerystore myself by bike, which is more sustainable. But then again, if I go myself, I end up with more than my grocery list…
Its pretty similar here in the UK..... our tiny country is bursting at the seams, and our tiny houses too!! Yet we still start stocking Xmas stuff in the stores during end of June, to start filling our homes with Gifts we dnt need at Christmas time!!!
Please like + comment with any stories or examples YOU have about why minimalism is easier or harder in your area. 🙏 Cheers and good luck simplifying!
Omg, that cash vs card thing is so true!
Honestly I was at my university campus and some food options didn't even take cash. I wasn't able to eat. It was such a shock like.... im sorry isn't it illegal not to take cash?
I use cash for in person payments, I don't want my debit card statements full of trivial, pissy transactions, it is only used for online and at the Food Bank truck (they don't accept cash) @@ArtingFromScratch
Why on earth would you move back too this shit country I will never understand this
Just so you know. I don't think I'll ever get tired of hearing "in Germany..." As Americans we're so used to thinking that this is the only way people live.
Yeah. Other cultures are both interesting and sometimes have things to teach us.
I feel exactly the same way! I love learning about other cultures and how they live! ❤️
❤
I'm German and can tell you the more minimalist attitude is only true for about a third of the population - people living in the big cities. Rural Germany is so much more similar than the US in almost every aspect!
@@eaglenoimotoonly number 5 of what she listed at the beginning resonates with your statement. Do you know all german rural areas? 😂 wo kommst du denn her?
We live in NC and sadly, we are the only minimalists we know. When our kids went to college, we sold our bigger home and custom built a smaller, more energy efficient one. No one could understand why, but now that we are nearly debt free and have simplified our lifestyle by decluttering 95% of our belongings, they are now asking how to do this in their own lives. Our stress levels have gone down tremendously, and we are glad to say we will never go back to consumerist ways!
I’m also a minimalist in NC!
@@SkylarWhitmire no way!!! That's awesome 😃
Me too in Charlotte N.C.
I'm right by Raleigh 🙂
... and I am sure that's not only about "minimalism made you (almost) debt free.
I don't know you, but I am almost positive you are not missing anything from your previous lifestyle and don't suffer from feelings of deprivation either.
It's really a matter of values, and Americans too much value possessing everything that occurs in their angle of view up to the point their eyes can reach.
Even when they don't need the thing and will never use it.
It's the "buy buy buy" lifestyle. We are just as guilty in Canada. And to "opt out" of consumerism is considered a strange and rebellious act. 🤔 But LESS stuff makes more time and energy for such a meaningful life.
This is spot on 👏
@@AtoZenLifeand I hear you on the credit card use. It's no longer very convenient to use cash where I live and you do stick out when you do. Credit card use and debt is normalized to the point we are no longer taught to question our purchases or save up for anything. If we aren't intentional with our purchases... It doesn't take long for debt and clutter to take over.
@@AtoZenLife instead of cash, is there the option to have a debit card, or a prepaid card? That money is "easier to spend", but it doesn't make next people in line anxious...
@@melaniezoe09 I mostly use a mix of cash and debit. They do have debit in the US.
Agreed! You stick out if you don't live on a smart phone as well. I went to a restaurant and the waitress kept leaving not understanding that I didn't have a smart phone with me to scan their code and read their menu, After the third time she returned to my table she finally got it. I must be a freak. 🤣@@simply.clutterfree
I lived in Germany myself and one of the things I miss is that gift giving was about small and heartfelt and nobody expected to get a huge amount of expensive presents.
I live in Poland, in medium city with 200 000 people. Minimalism becoming more popular in Poland. There are many vlogs on YT about it, also inflation made people more thinking about saving money and becoming minimalists. We are 30 years after transformation from communism to democrasy and many people are tired of having much, working much, spending much, they prefer simple life and more time for themselves ;)
I came from a cluttered home so i gained the lifestyle however after i got married in 2020 my husband and i cleared out all the stuff i wasn't using. we moved from Wisconsin to Texas at the end of May 2023. in both Wisconsin and Texas our families do not understand why we are choosing minimalism. they keep trying to give us things we don't need, when my mother saw my closet she asked if i wanted her to buy me more clothes the same happened when my husband's sister came to visit. so it is really hard to stay minimal when everyone wants us to have everything. having less is giving us so much more in life i am praying eveyone will see why we have chosen this lifestyle one day
I feel like a part of it is this notion of more stuff= wealth, so when someone sees you don't have much, they assume you're poor and going through hard times. Especially when the middle class is shrinking and practically dead, you have so many folks who insist they are middle class and scramble to find things to fit the lifestyle, getting into debt in the process most often to help sell the illusion that they're doing well. I see it far too often.
In my case, it was mostly just being lonely with neglectful parents and needing something to feel good. Stuff replaced people in my life, but it was fleeting happiness most of the time (except for books, make me happy no matter what). I still have so much stuff and also being impulsive means I get really into an idea, invest, and it peters out and I have all this stuff. Because I don't want to throw it out, my goals are not to see what I can do with what I already have. The "reuse" part of the equation. And when it's gone, it's gone (mostly hobbies--i went nuts on sales and have totes full of yarn that would take decades to use up).
Minimalist started for me when I heard a saying many years ago. "There are two ways to be rich, one is to seek and gain riches, the other is not to need it." I apply this in every area of my life. Sometimes it's hard when friends or neighbors are buying new things. But in reality I have everything I want and need. Most people have so many things they are unable to take care of them. But it goes both ways, sometimes they are amazed I have more time to relax and do what I want. Enjoying your words of wisdom here in Northwest Ohio.
Dad always told us, “If you cannot pay cash you cannot afford it.” This motto is part of my DNA and has kept me financially healthy even when my income was pretty minimal. Kind of hate to admit it now but I made part of my working-actress living acting in tv commercials. I remember getting a residual check from a certain ad agency and on the envelope was their slogan, “It’s not creative unless it sells.” UGH.
one of the best advices. keeps you safe. great advice, dad ❤
Damn that is terrible slogan. Sick..
You mean - not buy on credit or literary to not buy using bank cards?
Same here! That’s what my dad taught me as well. That’s why I’ve never been in debt in 51 years
I am the only "essentialist" I know. I have too much to be considered minimalist, but I don't have lots of stuff and I am very careful about bringing anything new in, it is usually only to replace an item I use regularly that is no longer functional. But here in the Pacific Northwest where I live, I am considered a "weirdo" by my co-workers. But I am also the only one of my co-workers who will have their home paid off 20 years early on the 30 year mortgage, and who hasn't had a car payment in 12 years, so I will gladly be that weirdo. I love your videos. You are very real, and I admire that.
As an American who went to uni in berlin, coming back to the usa is sooo hard! Germany defiantly spoiled me with good cheep food, super accessible public transport, and amazing access to cultural and educational venues! It all made the midwest look even more like a big, constant, impossibly frustrating family thanksgiving
Such a great analogy! 😂
Good farmer's markets in Europe.
@@fallinginthed33p We have excellent farmer's markets in California in my area. All of our produce and meats are produced locally.
I have done a huge clear out in the past year and Ive gotten rid of over 75% of my things. I have become much more aware of my spending, the result? Less debt, more savings and peace in my home. This lifestyle may seem so impossible for some, but it does really require a mindset change. Im grateful for the positive impact its had for me. Oh and now my apartment has a slight echo which was a little exciting lol.
SO PROUD of you! 🙌
Wonderful! 75% is pretty big already. Truly, simplifying anything and everything can absolutely lift a massive weight off on our shoulders and is genuinely liberating and relaxing. I wouldn't mind scarcity because it will teach us resourcefulness, creativity and innovation. Moreover, in Hebrews 13:5, it conveys the message of contentment for God will provide our needs. On the other hand, engaging into wastage and frivolities anger me because it will build up various types of deficits in our lives, not just financially.
Minimalism (or as I like to think of it, voluntary simplicity), is practically a radical act in the U.S. We have been conditioned from birth to be a materialistic, wasteful society, valuing convenience over sustainability. To be mindful, taking the long view, and acting in alignment with those values is difficult for Americans because of the prevailing culture of busy-ness and immediate gratification, which keeps people blind and controllable. This is why I think your channel is so important. I don't know what it will take to wake people up, but if we want our country to remain viable in the larger world, not to mention save the planet, it has to happen, and soon.
Well said!
As a teacher we can’t reduce waste at school. Unfortunately.
"Voluntary simplicity" is good, so is "Essentialism." And "divesting" rather than "downsizing" also sounds more positive. 😊😊
Although minimalism was not a term at the time, we have been minimalists most of our lives. We called it "living like graduate students". For the first 15 years of our marriage, one or both of us were in school (we were married when we were both undergraduates). We moved house every year or two, and we had to move ourselves so everything we owned had to fit into a medium sized rental truck -- not quite 2 suitcases each, but not much stuff. By the time we had money, our pattern was set.
Another advantage we had was that our parents grew up during the Depression, so frugality was ingrained at an early age.
Also, we were 'hippies' -- seeking alternative lifestyles. Experience was much more valuable than possessions.
Today, we don't have cable, we don't visit big box stores and 90% of our monthly expenses are for food. We are appalled when we see the endless stream of ads on TV, or the not-so-subtle marketing techniques when we do visit a store. We are looking to move into a smaller place, but the only attractive property seems to be in Europe.
I live in Estonia - a small country in Northern Europe and I’m currently trying hard to arrange my home to a more minimalistic lifestyle. The thing is, I feel that the obatacles in our culture are really different from the ones in the US and mainly root from our past. My grandparents generation lived through war in their childhood after which there was a 50-year-long soviet repression which meant that mostly everything was a deficiency - there was food on the table, but everything else - clothes, fabrics, cosmetic products, footwear etc was only available in a limited and not very good selection and to get anything actually good you had to have connections (preferably abroad). I personally have never lived through those times as I was born 30 years ago when my country was already free again but my grandparents and parents have experienced it for a good proportion of their lives so it is so rooted in them to hold on to anything they have and to stock up on things they might not even need or don’t need any more as things have been hard to come by in the past even if it has been more than 30 years. I myself try not to buy anything I don’t need but I still feel the struggle of getting rid of things I don’t need anymore as I feel guilty, like I didn’t appreciate what I have. The worst is getting rid of things that have been gifted to me by someone, it feels rude to throw out but I don’t use it either…
I once commented under a video about reusing baby clothes that I have never accepted anyones old clothes as everyone always seem to want to give them away in a bulk and wouldn’t accept you to only take a few pieces you see use for and people were furious - it seemed that no one had a problem of throwing or giving away the excess after picking out their favourites and no one seemed to understand the feelings of ungratefulness and guilt it would make me experience if I’d put myself in a position of doing that and that I’d rather spend some money for a small capsule wardrobe for my baby than put myself through stress of sorting someone else’s old stuff and dealing with it as I have enough on my plate trying to sort through and get rid of my own old things.
I feel that Americans might buy a lot more on a daily bases but they also have a lot less attachment to the stuff they own and therefore don’t find it so difficult to get rid of things as everything has always been quite easy to acquire so there isn’t any cultural trauma around it that people in my country (or at least my family, other families might have overcome it better) seem to have.
I am American, but also live in Eastern Europe now. I am older & would compare your elders to my parents who grew up during the Great Depression. They saved everything from tin foil to old string. Clothes were mended and food preserved. Their deprivation was not nearly as long lasting as the Soviet era, but it left habits that passed on to me - some good, some not so helpful. My father who experienced starvation as a child, was something of a hoarder in his older years. He was also artistic, so hung onto anything with creative potential. My mom kept it under control but was very tight with money. I’ve worked to find a comfortable balance, avoiding extremes & trying to be relaxed about my belongings, focusing on comfort, beauty, & manageability. Life is too short to be overly worried about stuff.
I’m an American and We experience the same feelings of guilt and are afraid of being ungrateful for items given to us. I can relate and understand your parents and grandparents keeping things. My step grandparents were the same way and saved every bag and box and whatever they thought they would need at some point. My stepfather who was born in the 1940’s grew up poor and his parents went thru hard times. They were afraid to get rid of simple things. I also have a family member who really struggles to get rid of things. Their parents died when they were young and also their grandparents. So I think getting rid of things for this person is very difficult and is wrapped up in childhood trauma.
There may be some Americans who it’s easy to declutter but I think for most it’s a difficult process.
I’m trying to declutter again after letting things creep back in over the last two years. 😬
Thank you, Marissa! Americans are led like sheep! I am an American and I'm sick and tired of it! It's buy, buy, buy, more, more, more. Our advertising is like the programming of circus animals. Our society is ruining itself. I knew this would be obvious to you as soon as you got back here! I love all you do, it's my sanity in this craziness! ❤ to you and your beautiful family!😊
I had a mother who had a tendency to spend and hoard on small stuff all the time but balk at big home improvement projects. Then I married a guy just like her! Lol
Unfortunately he passed young and I slowly sold all his collection and put a new roof on, new furnace, a/c water heater. I live comfortably on less than half of what I could and retired at 58 to enjoy life instead of dreading going to work. 60 now and no regrets at all!
I live in London, I would say it’s just as hard to simplify. It’s so easy to shop. Also it’s just as easy to over eat in London. There are food places in every corner and Uber is very common. That’s where a lot of money can go. So I feel it’s just as important to watch what you ‘consume’ in terms of food.
I truly enjoy your channel. We have so much “stuff” that no one is using. I am slowly decluttering. I actually almost get more of a dopamine hit when I take boxes to Goodwill then when I go shopping anymore.
I’m from Russia, moved to USA almost 7 years ago. In 7 years I got sick of “abundance” of junk. It’s vulgar and gross. And now I’m becoming even more minimalistic, conscious and frugal than I was in Russia. You need to buy this, you must have that - no, thank you, I have enough, I’m good.
My partner and I are elders living on a very low income. We have always lived simply and in a thrifty manner. We consider ourselves to be environmentalists. For us, these choices are positive. We don't feel at all deprived. Surprisingly, we don't know anyone in our local community living as we do! We live in Indiana, by the way.
I live in the Southwest US and don't know many other minimalists around me. I truly wish I didn't need to own a car but the infrastructure as you pointed out is terribly lacking for a person without a car, whether it's the non-existent bus system or sidewalks.
I lived in Israel for several years and found that single use plastic was a very highly used item there, so I felt a bit offended that America gets all the flack for plastic waste. Not to say the US isn't wasteful, but there are other countries that can also do SO much better too.
For me, a regular grocery store is more than enough for shopping for food, but then I'm only one person and don't need to buy in high quantities like a family might. What helps is ANY store I shop in, I have a list of what I really need. The rest is ignored. Just like the commercials, I tune it out. Actually, I don't even watch mainstream TV, so I see no commercials at all.
Sometimes its worth it to me to spend a little more and go to a normal sized grocery store. It takes so much time and energy to shop at the superstores and on top of it they expect us to check ourselves out as well. I am striving to be more minimal and have been purging boxes of things each time I am near a donation center. You inspire me and are helping so much! 💕
Me too! Any time I tried to shop at Walmart I ended up frustrated and worn out. It's like walking around a football field. Also I always pay cash, and they actively discourage that. There will be 2 or 3 cashier lines open with long lines, and only 2 of the self-checkout registers take cash.
I now do my grocery shopping only at grocery stores; no Walmart, Target, or membership-type stores.
I really like Aldi's but they have two isles of cool non-grocery stuff to buy and they pull me like a magnet 🥺
Gosh I miss Aldi and Gordon Food service too. They don't have them where I live now.
There is something wrong with it when a person is in chronic pain and our government cut us off of our pain medications we never abused and besides that they keep making the stores the size of a few football fields. Yeah. It hurts and we are paying higher prices plus having to work for them for free too. Nope. fml That is what is wrong with it! 😒 P.S. If you don't like being a cashier or appreciate your job then quit. People like myself appreciate a cashier waiting on us more than you know.@@Madamoizillion
I live in Silesia (Poland) and here hoarding is something that my generation inherited from our parents and grandparents who lived during the time of communism, when it was very difficult to obtain anything, from household appliances, to most food items, to toilet paper (sic!). So basically when you got something, no matter what it was, it was very valuable and you would never get rid of it. Now, when we can get whatever we want in a matter of hours, we still keep things just in case, because that's what our parents used to do.
As for paying method, in Poland paying in cash is less and less popular, not like in Germany. In fact we have one of the most advanced banking system in the EU. Most of people pay with their debit cards, phones or by BLIK (I think it's a Polish invention 😉)
My polish host family had an apartment block they lived in together. The first floor was grandma and grandpas, the second floor was the family/kids, and the 3rd floor was completely taken over by storage. To be fair, there were some amazing antiques, but also the recycling...
A similar phenomenon happened in the US because of the Great Depression in the 1920’s. People had hardly anything and so they held onto anything and everything they had or received. Flour companies would sell their bags of flour in printed fabric with flowers or other patterns so that families could make decent clothing out of them. I think there’s still a lot of “scarcity mindset” passed down from generation to generation as well as people dealing with trauma or just a bad day with retail therapy. It’s definitely not a healthy solution to hard times but we all have our vices that we use to cope and we need to find healthier ways to overcome them.
Same here in Serbia❤❤❤
@@katiesoderling3596 yes, my grandparents grew up during the depression and my mom and grandma are always looking for deals, always holding onto things just in case. I really fight it at times since I grew up with that mindset as well, but have done my best to recognize how little all the stuff I have really matters. It can be really tough, especially as a sentimental person, but I know if Marissa can do it, I can get there too!
I think the video was unique to my findings in Europe, I think cash is far more common in the US than Europe. However, in Central America cash is the most common.
I live in the US but lived in Germany for 3 years. It is harder in the US than many countries to be a minimalist because of the societal pressure and associated marketing and media pushing it. I started my minimalist journey in the late 90s to get spending and money under control and made it to a level of minimalism and organization I felt comfortable with. I have taken it much further after traveling overseas for months at a time with just carry on luggage and realizing how little I actually needed to function in every environment and condition and be happy and healthy. Now I have even less than before and it still works great for everything life comes up. Other countries that are smaller often have more minimalist mindset because they have to where the US, Canada, Australia and other large or sparsely populated countries can spread out easily and thus have more space, stuff and larger homes and cars.
Not to mention how faaaarrrr apart everything is. I'm Canadian. We live in a bigger center now than we used to, but it's not sustainable to be a 'true minimalist' when the nearest city is 2 hours away. We don't have reliable public transit(or any at all in a lot of places), things cost too much to replace so you keep everything to make do. I feel like a lot of us that have kids *need to have a lot of really bulky expensive outdoor gear for the approx. 8-9 months of winter, and storage space for them, or it gets pretty dull and depressing. Also on that note, it IS possible most of the time to drive smaller vehicles in the winter, but over the years we have just moved up to bigger 4 wheel drives all the time or we would be 'stuck' for far too much of the time. Bigger is definitely better in the snow and ice. We have freezers and large pantries that we keep stocked because you can't ride a bike to the store and shop. Also its way cheaper to buy in bulk, and then I make everything from scratch at home. Healthier than prepackaged. Here's a strange one...I have wanted to hire someone to build us a house and it takes so long with the red tape and regulations here and you basically can't build a plain modest house. So no one can afford housing anyway and if you build one, it might as well be huge and fancy so at least you can have better options to rent out to wealthy people or sell for a premium eventually. These are a few things I have noticed that have kept me from being very minimalist, but the concepts are still wonderful imo! I love the intentionality of minimalism, and I have been able to pare down my 'perceived' survival stashes with a little more intentional thinking. ❤
Knowing the difference between needs and wants is a game changer.
I live in New Zealand, and living in a retirement village apartment, although a good sized apartment have had to reduce my belongings by about 70%. Now I love it and intend to reduce further, eg dishes, glasses and books. Also to try to keep clothes buying to a minimum. The one thing USA has that I envy is well stocked charity shops, as I believe that using what is already in the world is best. I use my credit card for almost everything and pay it in full at the end of the month, but don’t use it more than what is my bank balance. It is quicker and cleaner than cash. Just need a disciplined attitude to not get into debt. Congratulations on sharing your lack of consumerism in today’s world. It isrefreshing
I am not a minimalist but definitely headed in that direction. Friends and family don't understand my donating so many good quality items. I have finally grasped that you have to maintain anything you have and it takes a lot of time. Since I downsized, my life is so much better. Still getting more stuff together for donation. Never missed any of it.
Thanks Marissa! I really appreciate your reflection. Coming from a developing country, minimalists are mostly in middle and high income groups, who have the possibility to decide to be a "minimalist", while a large portion of the population is "minimalistic" in their ways because they don't have another choice. They live frugally because its they're way to stretch they're income for their needs. I think it is important to recognize the privilege of choice and possibly use minimalism to be more conscious of the effect excessive consumption has on others and the environment.
You talked about people who are minimalists and those who are not. I live Pennsylvania, in a senior apartment in a building of 120 units. I’ve been on the minimalist journey for 8 years, having downsized from a house. My thoughts regarding shopping, is “why would I want it, and where would I store it”. Actually it’s automatic, I’m just not interested in more things. I also visit my neighbors, sometimes, there is so much “stuff “ that you couldn’t ever set down a glass of water. Others who have lived here just as long, still have boxes and complain they don’t have enough space. Then there is the person with half utilized cabinets and stuff covering every surface who doesn’t want to put things away for fear of not being able to find it when needed, this person frequently complains she can’t find anything! Knowing the people in these examples, the first one just loves stuff, never gets rid if anything, and buys home decor items, especially things that light up or make sounds. She absolutely delights in these things. The second person, I have actually tried to help, she has needle work hobbies, and ‘needs’ everything. Her dining table is covered with random stuff, she sets down and forgets where she left it. The third is a widower, who just does not know how to put things back. I’ve tried to help him, to put things in a point of use method so things would be right where he would look for them, just in the cabinet above. Put the table clutter in a basket or bowl to consolidate. He also has exercise stuff that are positioned around the room, in his mind this would be point of use’.
My personal philosophy is , never put anything down, put it away. If something new does come in, get rid of something. I love your channel, you have given me so much inspiration and understanding of what motivates those who are not on this minimal journey.
Housing crisis in Europe means that the majority of people 30yo or younger have to become minimalist. We just cannot afford normal size flats. And our parents say „just buy bigger apartment” and just don’t understand that it’s just not possible for us. Meanwhile here on YT I still hear about craft rooms, playrooms… - it’s so weird for me every time!
Lucky if you get a room to yourself, much less a bathroom or kitchen! Playroom? Office? You must mean a park or cafe!!!
I understand you. I live in Poland, my and my husband flat is 55m2 and my sister only 35m2. Obviously we want more space and our familys think that temporaty, that in few years we buy bigger flats. But for most of us its not realistic. I also have cognitive dissonance seeing on YT big houses with wardrobes, playrooms, two living rooms, separate dining room. It made me think that my life isnt enough and lead me against minimalism 😢
@@shyandshameYour life is fine. I too, have cognitive dissonance over what I see on media and I am in the US.
@@shyandshameI’m sorry you feel that way. Try considering this: many Americans are overworked, and in debt. And a big health issue could send them to financial insecurity. Sure, they have more rooms than they need… But is it what truly matters in life?
You are lucky if you can afford any kind of flat at age of 30. At that age you have at most 12 years of work, which is 144 months. The cheapest flats currently start at about 300 000PLN. So in order to buy one at 30 you need to save more than 2000PLN a month for 12 years (and more per month if you worked less than 12 years) which is more than a half of an average wage. And getting a credit is not easy - I heard you need to be earning at least average wage to get a bank permission for a credit. Most young people are renting flats or rooms (which makes saving 2000PLN a month nearly impossible since the rent itself can easily reach more than 2000 for a 25m2 flat). And you naturally can't have too much stuff when you are just renting because it would be a struggle when you are moving to another place (you will be moving a lot since you don't own the place and the owners make weird decisions sometimes, for example they suddenly decide to sell the flat so you are out).
Thank you for the validation, Marissa! I live in the PNW, in a suburban area that has experienced so much growth in the last 5 years alone. My apartment, like so many homes in my area, was built in 2017 and is very "builder grade" (boring!). I've had to acquire new furniture since moving in because my old furniture did not maximize the space, as well as to increase privacy (window coverings, patio screens). I also have health issues and a service dog. I found that, as I return to being the in office 4 days out of the week, I needed to add to my work wardrobe. Additionally, I found that having 1 set of items was difficult when I wasn't able to do the laundry due to my health issues, so now I have 2 sets of linens, casual and house clothes and work clothes. I also have 2 sets of linens and car protection for my service dog. And finally, I would like to add that, in terms of marketing, another area to contend with is the pressure to "upgrade" items, as if things expire. And in a lot of ways, fast fashion and stuff that are easily acquired do fall apart easily. Average Americans are pressured with time, so finding good quality items, whether they are new items meant to be passed down or stuff from vintage shops, would take a lot of time and coordination. The pressure also comes as "lifestyle creep," when Americans feel pressured to "upgrade" when they get a raise or expand their families. Minimalism is most definitely counter cultural here! Thanks for the discourse and helpful ideas, this needs to be a college course! 💖
I am in India, Our friend just built a 4000 sq ft home for just 4 people ( I don't know why) , and many people follow this trend and build 3000 to 4000 sq ft (with debt for 20 years). I am sure 95 percent people don't know the word "minimalism" in India. Consumption, Indians buy all kinds of dresses, plastic items, gadgets just because it's on Sale (in offer).
All I can think of when I see a 3000 or 4000 square-foot house is all the vacuuming, dusting, window washing, etc., that needs to be done. Unless one has cleaning staff, no thank you!
can it be an overreaction to previous poverty? here in russia, people are still thirsty for consumerism 30 years after the ussr. my family had an experience of living in 130 sq ft, 6 of them. now my parents sleep in different rooms just to enjoy the space and freedom :D
I understand that…we are from Middle East and my husband and his family just can’t agree with minimalism idea. And now living in USA make it even harder not to buy stuff, just because it’s new, shiny and cheap…
Yep! Russians in the US are so flashy brand new luxury cars and designer clothes but zero savings or actual equity. I know so many of them and my parents are kind of like that too. Some of my friends with $ 60,000 cars and two boats were living on welfare in California in luxury government subsidized apartments.
@@anastasiya8314 they actually believed that the US was everyone living like in a Hollywood movie (giant house, cars, large fridge full of food, nice clothes etc...)
It's what they compared their (very minimalist by enforcement) soviet lifestyle, why they were dissatisfied with it that much they moved to America.
Interesting video. Living in Australia I was shocked recently when I was watching a US grocery haul and the person had recyclable bags but lined them with plastic bags (free plastic bags are banned where I live and there’s a huge push to limit single use consumption). Fruit and vegetables were minimal but also wrapped or put in plastic bags AND plastic single use juice cups and paper plates, that I’ve only ever seen people over here buy for picnics, was bought for everyday use. And kitchen cloths don’t seem to be used, but paper towels for everything. I just couldn’t believe the amount of wrapping and waste to throw out for one grocery shop. It seems insane that this would just repeat over and over, week after week. And I’m sure there was no ill intention, it was obviously just what was normalised behaviour reflected in what family, friends and others in society were doing. Great topic Marissa ❤x
I do the net bags and have reusable produce bags for my stuff when I go to the store. I hate doing self-checkout, but if I don't, I'll bring my bags to be used and most of the time the bagger will look at me funny like "you really expect me to use these?", put my bags in a plastic bag and proceed to bag up everything in plastic. Since I mostly get produce and coffee now, it's easier just for me to check myself out than deal with that (and I just recently had to cancel garbage pickup because I can't afford it--been looking for another paying job for months, so extra plastic means I would have to use city garbage because I'm not burning plastic in my burn pile if I can help it).
I'm in Arizona and I am the only minimalist that I know. Judging by the inside of most of my neighbors garages, driveways and the stuff in the front of some of the houses it's safe to say that none of them are minimalists.
Everyone I know buys everything that they see. I moved away from shopping so much back in 2019 when I started to really pay attention to what marketing was doing to my finances.
Starting this lifestyle was challenging in the beginning but I noticed how much of my belongings were just not being worn/used. Now I only buy what I actually need and from a wish list. When I go into these superstores I already know exactly what I intend to get and I am never manipulated into overspending. I was never one to buy end caps or things at the cash wrap no matter what the perks were.
When talking to someone, no matter who it is, whenever it comes up that I am decluttering the response is always, "Why are you getting rid of more things? What if you need it later?" "You won't have anything left in your house if you keep doing that". As if having less would really be so bad.
I'm from Italy and minimalism is SO unusual here! People love to have a ton of stuff (especially clothes), and most of my friends were weirded out when they found out I was decluttering …
I agree, and it's so hard to donate unwanted items here as charity shops are virtually non-existent and thrift stores rarely take donations. There is also a culture of giving out small gifts at christenings, confirmations etc which are often things you wouldn't really have chosen but feel guilty binning because they aren't recyclable
I’ve been downsizing to minimalist for 4 years and it is great! Feel so free and independent from consumerism. Australia 🇦🇺
Hi, Marissa!! :) I live in Southern California, about 20 miles northeast of Disneyland. Minimalism is not a thing in my region, except for the Chinese community. I get a lot of comments on my home from my mother, who is astonished that we can live with so few possessions. I’m a teacher and my classroom is minimalist. My colleagues are always impressed with how clean my room is. I just don’t like to have a lot of stuff. I find it’s easier for me if I just keep my minimalism to myself. :)
What a diverse experience, thank you for sharing 🙏
So true! I’m an OT and used to work with teachers to try and help them understand “less is more” especially when students are feeling overwhelmed in the classroom. Not too many were like you, but everyone always wanted to have their team meetings in the more minimalist classrooms as “it’s just so nice in here!” ❤
Kids clean so much better when there is less clutter to put away!!! "You got that one thing out? okay, put it back in its home and then you can get another" is soo much easier than, "oh my gosh look at this mess now we have to stop playing to clean!"
Minimalist teacher here!🙋🏼♀️
I live on the coast of Maine, where there are many contradictory cultural habits and desires. Mainers are famously thrifty, reusing, recycling, sharing resources. But also holding on to a LOT of stuff just in case, or because it’s been handed down in the family. Fashion and retail therapy are not big in rural, small town areas, but when one of the few places to buy clothes is Walmart… And Maine should be a walking, bicycling paradise, but walking paths and bike lanes are extremely rare and cars are necessary. There’s a real interesting in minimalism and Swedish Death Cleaning especially in the very large and growing elder population, but the infrastructure doesn’t make it easy.
Hi from 🇯🇵 Appreciation for simple life runs deeply in my culture, and yet people are still drowning in materialism just like the US. So, not too sure if half of us are living minimally😅 but our houses are much much smaller for sure.
I think the biggest hurdle with decluttering for the Japanese is complicated ways to dispose things.
Depending on the districts, categories and ways to trash is so detailed. So some people hoard just because they don’t know how to get rid of stuff.
It also cost extra money to get rid of big trash like electronics and furnitures. In my city, anything bigger than 50cm is considered big trash. I have to apply online in advance, pay the fee and then put it out on a curb on the specified day.
We can’t just donate everything like US, either. Second hand stores are VERY picky with what they take. So if things can’t be donated, you have to sell it yourself, or trash. My mom thinks “mottainai” (wastefull) about anything trashed☹️
Those kinds of technical stuff prevents some people from decluttering. But for me, knowing how hard it is to discard, prevents me from acquiring☺️
Living in the US, I am constantly finding myself getting sucked into consumerism. But watching minimalism videos like this once in a while brings me back to reality and reminds me what's really important. Thank you for this!
I think many of us who are middle age have grandparents/parents who lived in and after the depression era. So the mindset was to keep everything because it might be useful and you won’t be able to get it again. I can tell the clutter in family member’s home gives me anxiety just to be there. I’m not fully minimal but really trying to simplify and donate anything that I don’t like, need or use. I haven’t missed anything so far. I don’t feel like I’m constantly stuff-shifting.
I feel this too, also that feeling in the back of your mind that everything could just disappear one day since the state of the country seems to be so tenuous these days, no one wants to be caught without necessities when it hits the fan so we buy more to compensate.
I do agree with this mindset being a part of it, but that doesn’t explain why Europe, which also went through the depression, and THEN got blown up when the war here was a time of prosperity, does not seem to be affected as much.
@@Meinvt I live in the UK. My parents were born in the 20s, and lived through the depression AND wartime rationing. Whilst they had the mentality of not throwing things away, they also weren't drawn into consumerism. Purchases, for the most part, were saved for and not on credit.
@@supergran1000 thank you for this perspective! I wondered if it was more of a US mindset.
My husband and I went to a restaurant and he ordered something that sounded amazing but somehow I hadn’t seen it on the menu. I asked him where it was and he pointed to a big red box on the menu. My brain has gotten so used to ignoring the thing that is screaming for my attention because it is almost always an advertisement that I had ignored it completely.
Same here!
That’s so awesome 😎
I’m in England and noticed when we visited US over the years even decades ago that everything seems bigger, portions of food, snacks etc Cars, beds etc
Here in Finland, we are by default minimalists.
We went to finland 2 years ago, and we loved the minimalist style of the houses. It felt really calming
I live in the Upper mid west of the US. I grew up with valuing people over things and parents who lived simply (even though they could afford more); this has helped me avoid materialism because of my core values. I currently just have a debit card (no credit debt), but car debt/expenses are huge (even though I drive an older car). It is hard to walk into a Target without "wanting", so now I just do "order pick-up" for most of my shopping. It helps with impulse spending. I avoid the malls and "big box" stores. In my case, It also helps if you just don't make enough money for most "wants".
Hi Marissa, I'm in the UK 🇬🇧 and we live rurally which I'm very grateful for on my journey towards living more consciously with less because its easier to avoid the shops! We've got rid of about 70%, maybe more, and we dont miss any of it. I'd like to go further to be honest but we'll hold here for a bit and see how it is for our family to maintain at this level.
One of your other subscribers commented above who lives in London, hi fellow Brit! 👋 Houses are generally smaller in London than in rural parts which I would imagine probably helps with staying more minimal?
I live just far enough out in the country that it’s an inconvenience to run back to town. I’ve made it a weekly habit to shop my pantry first and only grocery shop every Friday. This saves me a lot of mindless wondering through the store. I’ve also implemented the ‘waitlist’ as I call it. When I want something I list it in my notes and wait 1 month or 1 season depending on the item. I love when you mentioned this method! I’ve found there are a lot of things I really don’t want after the waiting period is over. This also makes the items I do buy even more rewarding. Thank you for always creating useful content. I hope your family continues to get settled! I love Chicago!
I live an hour outside Indianapolis.
I live in a small apartment in a building with only stairs near Boulder, CO and that has made it easier for me to reduce my consumption. Less space means I need to be conscientious of what I bring into that space. I’ve also found that being tighter on cash has made me more careful of what I obtain 😅 Colorado has also made it so you have to pay for bags at the grocery store! That means I’ve brought my own bags and had to think about how much space those bags allow me to fill.
Basically, living smaller and slightly less “convenient” has made choosing minimalism an easier thing to do.
It was a good move!
PS: it’s nice to feel validated! I’ve been saying for years just how difficult it is to resist consumerism in the US and I’m crying from relief that a certified minimalist is sharing that message
I live in Germany. I really appreciate our cheap food, public transport (in the cities), our health care system... I'm also thankful for peace, democracy, drinkable water from the faucet, my warm home, my family, friends...
But for me a step towards Minimalism is a huge struggle with every item I have to give up. My dad is born in 1948, only 3 years after the end of the 2. world war. Everything was valuable, every rosty nail and every candle stump. For me its hard not to think: "This item could be reused or repaired." Wich I never do honestly.
The same in Russia with the older generation. I'm 45 but still think, I can use this and this later. And can't throw it away. My grandparents were born before the war and remembered the hunger and deprivation
I e been on a mission this week to be more minimal, mindful and simplified. I must say it feels liberating. I’ve made several donation trips, trash runs and selling stuff.
My house is feeling so fresh and freeing.
I’ve also said no to many things I would normally jump at the chance to get.
I live in the Philippines and it's really hard to apply minimalism. I've been a follower for more than a year now. I'm 18, and Simplifying our home often makes me stressed out because of the inflow of clutter. Our culture is usually about keeping and collecting so much things to the point that we already filled up every corner of our house and most of the time, we don't really need those things and it just keeps on filling up. As a newbie minimalist, i tried stoping the inflow of clutter through doing "one in one out rules" but then when my grandma for example who is a non minimalist, bought so much kitchen utensils, it'll be hard for me to maintain it. Today, I'm still figuring out and practicing how to declutter and simplify our home in a non stressful way. Thanks to your videos marissa, it eases the stress i feel sometimes and it actually helps me improve my life a lot.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and experiences, I have several friends from the Philippines and have heard similar. Remember, you are the curator of you own life 🙏
@@AtoZenLife agreed to that, thank you marissa! 🤍
Best of luck to you. It must be terribly difficult for you but, keep at it!
I feel you on your journey, sister.
I love the comparison between Germany and America. I live in the Netherlands (right next door) and I know that a lot of stuff around the marketing and branding of products is heavily regulated in Europe especially marketing towards kids is very restricted. If you take those restrictions away combined with the super size me mindset sets people up for failure.
I’m watching from Maui, Hawaii & I’m so inspired
I’m a German who recently went to the US for 4 weeks, visiting friends and relatives (and doing a lot of sightseeing bc DAMN there’s some magnificent nature where I went!).
What shocked me was when I visited my cousin who lived in a new development.
The area where she lived in wasn’t even two years old - and so many people had to park their (ridiculously large) cars outside because their NEW garages were already full of junk.
Apart from the fact that I hate large cars (you can pry my pocket sized Seat Mii from my cold, dead claws), it was just mind boggling that they couldn’t fit their cars into the /designated car space/ because it was already full of junk after not even 1 to 2 years.
Sounds about right 😅 Glad you enjoyed the sightseeing!
I am looking form Lithuania, North East Europe region. We haven't great trains as Germany do, every household has a car, because traveling outside the cities is difficult (1-3 time sper day). but in the cities, people a very similar to Germans- we use reusable bags, go to the center by foot or public transport. however the minimalism is hard, because we have 4 seasons, so many clothes to change through the year, keeping in mind that you need to put in a storage a lot of clothes, you can't bye a lot of new, so this is situational circumstance influenced natural minimalism :) many differences with Germany we have, but going towards this great country, and still enjoy our nature, hikes, natural lakes, picking mushrooms in a forest. thank you with all the insights, we definitely to get "lighter" from our stuff and your vlogs really helps. Thanks Marisa
My family taught us to be happy having the essentials, I realized they were minimalists without knowing it😂!I think that was because they were born after the second world war and they grew up having for example only one pair of shoes or only one coat. What you consider as minimalism is normal to me. Unfortunately not for most of the people as long as marketing exists. Love from Greece❤
Thanks so much for sharing your experience, cheers! ❤️
We were struck by minimalist style and lifestyle when we moved to Switzerland, even many many years ago. While we were beginning to want to use credit cards in the 80s, this was still really frowned upon, people carried a lot of cash in those days!!
This has changed somewhat with the rise in foreign nationals here (currently 25%, many southern Europeans) that has naturally affected the general culture (it's a good mix!)), but Swiss people are still often pretty minimalist in mindset. Up to a few decades ago, the majority were in farming communities and not wealthy, which has shifted with the emphasis on services that is usual nowadays, but the mindset is often still there. I find that southern Europeans, in particular, seem to like a lot of shiny and new stuff, perhaps as some sort of compensation for the low income that is common there and their comparative success in arriving in a "richer" country. That behaviour has influenced everyone else, of course. It takes all sorts, I guess, it's not right/wrong, just different, and of course more nuanced than fits in a YT comment.
In other places I feel like government focuses on what is good for people. In USA our government focuses on what is good for business at the expense of people. For example, there are ingredients in American cereal that are banned in Europe so Kellogg’s has one recipe for American cereal and another for what it sells in Europe.
Omg I felt like I was going nuts trying to do a no-buy. It’s impossible to escape spending in the US. I would have to even stop going physically to the grocery store.
I'm glad that you're making a video comparing how easy/hard/different it is to live minimalisticly in different place/countries/cultures.
I'm from Taiwan, and sadly, I can't really say much about how easy or hard it is to be a minimalist because ever since I've graduated from college and started working, I've realized the importance of organization and the lack of clutter in all aspects of life to do your job (and enjoy your weekends) well. Since then, I've kept this minimalisti livestyle and it was very easy for me to resist impulse purchases.
If I really want something and I'm not sure, I hold that item while in the store, walk around while imagining me having and using that object for a bit; taking my time to think of all the scenarios I'd use it for and how happy I would be. Eventually, it will get boring, the "wow, new thing!" phase will calm down and I can easily put things back on the shelf and leave the store without that purchase.
I can't control what my family brings home and stuffs around the corners of our house, but at least I can control my own room and what comes in and out of it. And I'm pretty satisfied with it so far, even though I'm hoping for even less stuff in the future.
_
When it come to items I want to share with other people. I take a photo of it, message them about it, and they can decide if they want to try the item out or not. I don't just purchase it, just to share it. ^^;
_
Side topic, I personally don't feel comfortable using a credit card all the time. I don't like the idea of borrowing wealth from the future that may or may not exist. I'd rather use what I have now to pay and not have any debt at all. I feel rather uncomfortable needing to use a credit card each month for something (even if it's a small amount of money) in order to maintain a "good credit score", but it's just how the system works. ):
You are 💯 correct. I try to not to overconsume. Since I’m going through a menopausal decluttering rage / purge 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
I'm American but have lived nearly my whole adult life (16+ yrs) in Germany and honestly, I've really struggled with all of the wastefulness and excessiveness during the few times I've gotten to visit back home - plus I struggle to watch American UA-camrs who talk about their homes and belongings like "Yeah, we struggle to fit all of this into our tiny kitchen / home / etc." and they're showing what would be considered large and / or ridiculous in the rest of the world. So I'm really glad to have found you - someone who's had all these experiences and perspectives!
I started mine and my family of 5 minimalist lifestyle about 4 years ago and as an American who lives in the city, going to the store can be hard at times so I try to really only go to the grocery store. And when I go to the grocery store I only buy what’s on my premade list and I plan our meals around the sale items we already eat and enjoy. Depending on the sales I may buy more so I can go to the store less often in the future. When we need household items, I make a list too and try to buy more again so we go to the store less often. It works for us.
Awesome video, thanks for sharing it! 👍🏻🩷
I have a few friends who are becoming increasingly minimal, many starting since COVID. I've finally trained family members to give us only consumables as gifts, and to stop questioning why we don't have end tables or more towels etc.
I definitely think there is some consumerism that is culturally accepted. Two things that I am ready to let go of are buying my kids' school pictures (I already have a thousand pictures of each this year that look better than the ones they take at school) and personalized Christmas cards.
Most stores in the US discouraged cash payments during Covid as it was more risk to employees. I am in Illinois like you are and every time I have moved it was further south. Even though I am still in the state there is a big difference. People live a simpler life in the south and do more nature or family things . We don't have all the stores or designer clothes and not many really big houses. I find it much easier to live a debt free simpler lifestyle down here than when I was in the Chicago suburbs. I grow my own food, buy some from the Amish and the rest I buy from a community garden coop and buy meat from a local butcher. We don't have big grocery stores but I do have an Aldi and buy my staples there.
Very thought-inspiring video! I think in Hungary it's easier for us to be minimalist simply because we have less money so we have to be frugal. Credit cards are uncommon, the average Hungarians live in homes which would be considered "tiny" in the US, most people use the public transport because families can only afford to have 1 car, children stay at home for much longer (people stay close for uni and only move out when they can afford rent), the older generations have lived through the Second World War and have passed on the idea of making the most of no money and no food. Plus many of the regulations of the EU for environmental protection also support a minimalist- no waste lifestyle.
I enjoyed this video. I enjoy all of them. I live in Australia. I’ve been a minimalist about 10 years when the first minimalism documentary came out. I’m still obsessed with decluttering. I have a family of 5. We have a small house and I love it. Take care. 🇦🇺👍
I have never spent so much time reading comments! So interesting! 🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦
I moved from Japan to the US years ago and I remember vividly how big everything felt (from houses to cereal boxes) and how nobody recycled stuff the way I did in Japan.
Later I came to learn that much of recycling I did in Japan (e g. plastic recycling) was largely pointless and while I still mildly dislike the wastefulness of single use cups etc I admire the infra to handle all the waste produced in the US. I'm now much more worried about sugary soda consumption leading to sickness than their containers.
Another point is I felt that people in the US - both young and old - are very willing to adopt new IT systems, negating the need for physical processes, aligned with our minimalist philosophy. Kindle and Spotify were popular in the US long before Japanese people started giving up their favorite paper books and CDs (they are still popular among many to this day, although hoarding those physical objects feels a bit antithetical to minimalism).
I discovered that grocery shopping on line, then picking up, has saved me lots of money in avoiding impulse shopping of stuff I don’t need.
I from Germany 😊 there popped a question into my head: how many if these 54% minimalists in Japan are minimalists by choice and how many are poor? I would love a video about this topic.
I am pretty sure they are minimalists by choice. I've visited Japan many times and it's part of their culture to keep things very clean, organized and tidy. Also if people are poor, would they describe themselves as minimalists? The poverty rate in Japan is around 15%, the poverty rate in Germany is 20%. I think poor people have other worries than being minimalists, but I could be wrong of course.
I do believe that in the US, these things vary state by state, whether you are living in a city vs. a rural area. I never go grocery shopping in those large stores, I only buy groceries at a grocery store. All the stores in my area (State) do not have plastic bags you need to bring your own reusable bags. I am working my way to minimalism but it definitely is a challenge.
Well, I don't know about Americans, but we just moved out 2 days ago (we live in France). While watching your video of your family moving out with a few suitcases and boxes, I was feeling so stressed and overwhelmed by my stuff... I would no longer dare call myself a minimalist. In fact, I was just organised, with all my things so well stored in the dressers and cabinets that I had not realised how much I posessed ! Decluttering seems to be just around the corner ;)
I live in Finland and I'd say it's definitely easier to be a minimalist here. We do have approximately the same great European features as Germany does. Our public transport may be little less efficient but e. g. our internet coverage way better than there. It's ridiculously easy to recycle every single thing. And the EU regulations make good choices quite unavoidable.
However, we're quite indulgent. 😅 Not everyone wants to be a minimalist. I'd say age group is the biggest factor in that. The well-off people in my parents' generation (born in 1960-1970s) tend to be very consumerist. It's mostly trauma based, though, because of our history. Then again, young and old people with low income are more open to frugal living and minimalism.
QUESTION: Are credit cards and physical cash the main options in the US? I noticed you didn't mention debit cards as an option.
I think most Finns use a debit+credit card as their main payment method. Physical cash is getting really rare here.
Here in Spain debit cards are also more common than credit cards
We use debit cards in the U.S. I rarely carry cash, I use my debit card at local stores and restaurants.
Debit cards are also quite common in the US!
Good to know, thank you for the answers! 😊
Well, in most German areas the problem is not consumerism. Or not for most people. It’s that you KEEP everything. Throwing away books is a major crime (even handbooks on Windows 95) and everybody has at least a few items from the grandparents at home (I have knitted skirts from my husbands grandmother and legos from her for my kids). We hate making trash and avoid it but because there are no poor cousins anymore to shop from your basement on a regular basis you actually end up as a „just in case“ or „I might need it“ store if you have enough space. Especially if you have relatives in Eastern Europe ;) So decluttering is really hard if you don’t stop buying all together and live of hand-me-downs alone. But yes: transportation, education, health care is really simplified here, at least if you don’t live in a very rural area. And living in a flat for rent is just the normal thing so most people do not have enough space for two cars, three wardrobes and a whole Playmobil castle.
Good points, and I’ve also found getting rid of stuff was harder in Germany for donatables or sellables.
I do enjoy the content that you put out and I like the idea of minimalism. I'm just trying to decide if I can really follow this strategy. My biggest want at this stage in my life is quality not so much quantity. Thank you for sharing your insight.
Quality over quantity is an excellent start! You can do it.
My son is deployed to Poland . We video chat , he went to the grocery store while we were talking. It's true that the stores are very different and you don't have the added distractions while shopping. I usually shop most of the store while in Walmart , rarely buy stuff but it can be tempting while looking.
This makes me feel a little better. I actually feel almost attacked when going into store. It’s like we are constantly being told to spend out money. This is a major struggle too as I have ADHD and I’m easily distracted. I tend to be a maximalist and it’s SO hard to switch to be a minimalist as I feel would be better for my mind and family. 😵💫
I love your POVs! It’s refreshing to see that you’re one of the few minimalists from the US. I think I am blessed with my American husband who shares the same principles as I do - we both are into limiting what we own to only what we need. It really is difficult to do that here in the US but having a partner who shares the same ideals makes it easier for me and our family. Following your videos! ❤
Happy to have you here!
Thank you for ALL of your UA-cams. In this UA-cam post, your comment about using cash SUPER reminded me of the long past time of check writing in the cashier line. The impatient response was the same as the experience you are illustrating NOW for paying cash. AND, I strongly feel that staying tangible with our payments will help us all maintain wellness perspective. So, THANK YOU for your youtubes!
Being a minimalist is hard everywhere. I'm pretty sure I'm the only one, or one of the very few minimalists in my hometown or even my region in Italy. Italian people are addicted to shopping, and are obsessed with fashion and technology, so they change their smartphones, TV's and computers very often.
The number of huge shops like in the US is increasing here and this leads to compulsion buying, which doesn't affect me though.
I'm not attracted to anything and I actually find very boring going to shopping malls or huge shops 'cause I don't need anything and don't wanna spend my money on useless stuff I know I'm gonna get rid of one day.
Also, ads don't work with me as I haven't watched TV for 21 years, so I don't even know what products are advertised. It's heaven 😊
Love your content as someone who lives in small town southern USA I can go show you multiple extreme hoarders but other than my family I don't know a single other family that practices minimalism.
I live in Berlin. It's the perfect city to be a minimalist. A lot of people give away their stuff for free. The frequent amount of moving during your life is conducive to being a minimalist. In addition, we currently have an economic crisis, which makes people not so often look at quantity, but only at quality. We want things to serve us longer, and fewer things provide an easier way to relocate in search of a better job or a better apartment.
Now that cute holiday decor is coming out in stores, I would love it if you would make a video on how to stay on track with minimalism during the holidays with tips on how to avoid buying seasonal decor. Thanks for today's video! ❤️
Pick it up. Admire its cuteness. Replace on display shelf. Repeat. You'll get the hang of it.
Thank you for this, Marissa. Our generation of plastic waste is through the roof. And keep in mind that the global overproduction of polyester clothing (i.e. plastic) is also a huge part of the plastic problem. On another note, as an athlete, I am constantly bombarded with ads for branded clothing and gear on social media, and not just from the brands themselves...it also comes in the form of an athlete you admire wearing a particular brand, and the next thing you know you're typing in your credit card number to try "just one" of the shorts or shirts. and this loops back into our overproduction of clothing, as MANY of these big brand items can be found in excess on online and brick and mortar thrift stores. This has been one of my hardest struggles...trying to navigate social media without falling for this. How many tech shorts and shirts does one athlete really need?
I can relate. I am extremely active: hiking, running, pickleball and racquet sports, and paddleboarding. Each activity seems to 'need' different clothing. Except for running and pickleball, lol. I share your pain and am in the process of decluttering my stash, working to get down the gear I wear the most.
I think it's the fact that our country is so much bigger than European contries and we have more free space to use. The 2nd thing is more emphasis on capitalism which operates through competition. Restaurants start offering bigger portions and free refills to compete with similar restaurants.
Target and Walmart were not in the beginning grocery stores. They were department stores that added groceries in later.
Thanks Marissa for your insights. Your channel is one of my top three minimalism channels. I am journeying more and more into minalism and have made great reductions of “stuff”. My friends comment how peaceful my home is and one friend said her house feels so cluttered and overwhelming. I offered to help her but she just keeps talking about all of her stuff. I live in Central california in a farming community but we are currently being inundated with people from SFO and LA who can buy a house for a third of the cost. It’s interesting that after letting items sit in my Amazon cart for up to a week how many I delete.🥹thank you for an inspiring channel. Keep up the good work.
Thanks so much for being here and sharing your thoughts ❤️
Great video 🇨🇦 here. I live in Kamloops in the interior of BC in a mid sized Canadian city. We have dreadful public transportation but Dh & I purposely bought a small apartment nearby grocery stores, pharmacies and our dr, dentist etc to keep taxi costs low when we’re no longer able to drive.
We do online groceries with pickup except for Costco which doesn’t do that in our area. Not going into the grocery stores really helps. We do a debit card for Costco but online shopping requires a credit card which we pay off immediately after pickup.
Stores here don’t use plastic bags - when we get pickup it’s put into our cloth bags or shopping bins which are sturdy plastic crates.
It is hard to avoid the plastic trays and wrap that meat & produce is sold in.
I’ve taken to online shopping for other things because again- out of the stores is safest. And online orders from Amazon are usually in paper or cardboard which is easy to recycle. We have recycling bins in our city to reduce landfills.
We don’t watch TV any more, except for the news. We don’t get magazines or newspapers anymore. No other media beyond YT & the I one. Reducing ad exposure sure helps.
Regular declutters are easy because the charity is nearby so tossing it in the car is easy for drop off on the way to grocery pick up or an appointment.
Our family is used to us downsizing over the years and they are following us in that. Our son and dil live in a 940 sq foot single wide trailer, our apartment is 900 sq feet, and daughter and son in law and their 5 kids live in 1100 square feet house with a basement that is partially finished.
I’d say the biggest challenge here is transportation and transitioning out of physical stores and shopping in person. It’s not always easy to do returns with online shopping.
Way to go! It sounds like you are thoughtful about what you consume. We live in northern BC and live similar lives except we live in a rural area and need a truck due to weather. We have to go to town to buy groceries and other supplies but stick with a list. We have no big box stores nearby and only visit a bigger city a couple of times a year. Living as a minimalist and close to nature really insulates us against consumerism. Also we don’t watch TV or have any streaming services or use Amazon.
I can’t consider myself a minimalist but I constantly work at simplifying my home and life. Some areas I have dramatically simplified but other areas I struggle with. We are an older couple but our home is paid for, we carry no credit card debt and have money in savings and investments. We don’t live a flashy life but we are so content with what we have
I'm from Russia. And there are two opposite ways of life here. I belong to a generation who was born in the Soviet Union (though as a teenager but still I rememder much). We were raised to save money, to reuse as much as possible, to fix things not to buy new ones to sew, to knit. I prefer to cook at home, once a week we can go to a cafe. And there is another way of living-kids of "oligarchs" who never work, they can spend millions on clothes, they do not count their money. And of course the younger generation lives in debt just like in the US. Using credit cards. I cannot say I'm a minimalist. But it depends.😅 what and who we compare. I can wear the same jeans for several years, the same pair of shoes.
As for the transport, in big cities it is very well-organized. I don't have a car and a driving license. I don't need it
I'm not a real minimalist, but i try to keep my stuff and Clothes as long as possible so i don't have to buy new Stuff because I'm bad at letting go and i hate Shopping ^^ I still have some Shirts and Hoodies from over 10 Years ago. When something needs to be replaced, i try to get less of it. For Example i had to get rid of some Pants, but just bought 1 instead of the same amount i just threw away.
In the Future i would like to own less Clothes and less Decoration-Objects, but that is still a long way to go.
Also Greetings from Germany to you Marissa and Family :)
As I write this Christmas is coming up in a few months. We decided to not give each other gifts of things we don't need. We did this last year and it was liberating. Now, this can be a tough one for a lot of people, especially people with families. For us, a lot of clutter used to come into our house because of gift giving. There was also significant expenses that came up each year at Christmas with the gifts and the tree, and outdoor lights, and wreaths and on and on. So we really simplified it, and we loved it. We did have a very nice candle we lit in the evenings, and we made some wonderful day trips, exploring country roads, and we had a nice dinner together. Here in the US there are lot of expectations on what Christmas is supposed to be andto look like. Our experience was that having a "minimalist Christmas" made us closer, and much happier.
Other than a few decorations I already have and am going to put out, I've given up on christmas years ago and christmas shopping. I just don't need anything else (I'm Halloween crazy, so I went overboard this year--the good thing is I have enough DIY stuff that I can manipulate and change what I've got to make completely different costumes for the next several years or let someone borrow if need be).
My neighbor actually had a family member who lost all their stuff in an apartment fire and that became the perfect time to give appliances and gifted stuff that I never really used or needed anymore. Gave them some stuff to at least get them started as they got on their feet and got more. That's probably the biggest reason I've saved a few things over the years, but eventually, I still have to clean things out.
@@tallyp.7643 that is wonderful that you were able to help them. I found that when i donated things I imagined the happiness and usefulness of the item that would give others, and that made it easy for me to part with it -i was passing it on. Fun that you make costumes. Very creative!
Kansas City, Missouri.
All of the things you’ve mentioned in the video make minimalism harder. In my experience, there is also the factor of how insecure life is for many of us. Food insecurity is a well known example, but I think it affects the rest of life, too. It feels safer to have the things.
There’s also the social pressures of late stage capitalism - the way people look at you, judge you, and treat you, when you don’t have the thing, aren’t doing the thing, aren’t fitting in with all the people with the thing, doing the thing.
And, well, you know how bad this country is with mental healthcare.
It’s bleak, because we are a social species, and we should have fulfilling and happy lives =\
On a more positive note, also, there are just so many good books !
Tbh, my apartment, while, very not minimalist, is mostly two things, personal history, and things I need. And all my cat’s stuff, and rather a lot of dried flowers.
It’s also a ongoing conversation with myself, about what can I get rid of, so cleaning, tidying, and life are easier, more free.
And a lot of work put into my mental health. I find having less stuff around, and a simpler, tidier, cleaner apartment, contributes to my mental health, but it’s hard to get there, without the mental health.
Luckily, I’ve gotten my late diagnosis of ADHD, and will soon be cleared for treatment and medicine… anyway, this has gone off a tangent. I am going to go do some housework, thank you very much for the video ❤
hi there, marissa (i hope i spelled that right), i just want to say how much i appreciate your account!! i’m a 20 year old who (as most 20 year olds could say) has no idea who i am, or what i truly WANT in life. I know i’m slowly figuring it out obviously, but it’s this constant learning and unlearning of certain beliefs, perspectives, opinions, and PHYSICAL needs/wants. I was able to strip myself of about 12 bags of stuff i didn’t need, furniture, and even two beloved kittens to a loving home because of your videos, and although i’m still learning so much about myself and although i’m not as minimalist as one could be, where I’m at because of your videos is so much lighter, freeing, and EASY compared to where i’d be if I still had all those items that served no purpose in my life. i’m finding a deeper sense of peace the more i’m able to let go of too! i just thought i’d share how your videos helped jump start the life of a random stranger :)
I agree. I sometimes wonder how or why I have accumulated so much stuff and I have worked hard to changed my consumer behaviors. I now think about where I will put the item, maintenance, how will it endure two boys or our habits, or put it on a list as a maybe - most of those never get purchased. I also shop for fun way less and remind myself that I have a lot and can shop my house for decorations, outfits (many clothes bought from thrift stores over the years), crafts, etc. It's such a satisfying feeling to use what we have.
So true, when I've lived in the US it was so hard not be sucked in into the consumerism, and wanting more/bigger stuff... And sometimes when I see some American minimalists on UA-cam I feel like they'd be normal people in Europe 😅 (not you specifically)
I was always a minimalist for many reasons. I love the quote “live simply so others may simply live”. I interpret it to mean if I have a smaller and more intentional impact then there will be less unforeseen impact on others as well as if I simplify my life I have more to give to others.
Now that I have children, and a husband who love their things. It is really challenging for me to feel comfortable in our home but I feel bad trying to get them to get rid of items.
My husband and I are serial expats going from the US to expat assignments and back. After you do this a few times you’re a minimalist in order to keep your sanity. Luckily I’m an engineer and have always not had that much stuff but all of the moves have made me really understand what we really need and what we don’t. We actually moved over the weekend and I found myself looking at items and wondering whether to keep or not and your voice was in my head helping me decide. Thanks!
A tip for sticking to shopping list: we order our main weekly groceries online and it gets delivered. This way we never impulse buy in the store. 😊 plus having 1 car driving around delivering groceries for dozens of families straight from distribution centers is better for the environment.
We do that too! But, I sometimes feel guilty because I could go to the grocerystore myself by bike, which is more sustainable. But then again, if I go myself, I end up with more than my grocery list…
Its pretty similar here in the UK..... our tiny country is bursting at the seams, and our tiny houses too!! Yet we still start stocking Xmas stuff in the stores during end of June, to start filling our homes with Gifts we dnt need at Christmas time!!!