A parent pondering a potential lifestyle change has taken to Reddit to ask for advice after craving a little more energy during their day.
They asked the r/minimalism community whether decluttering and simplifying their living space can have benefits apart from a more tidy home and a reduction in consumer spending.
"I so want to declutter and be more minimalist but I'm exhausted and don't have the energy to take on minimizing my home," they said. "I feel that doing it will be energizing though, and I'll feel better in my home so it's worth just 'pushing through' For those that have really decluttered and simplified their living, do you feel that your energy levels have changed?"
They also noted that they have a one-and-a-half-year-old child, so any extra energy boost would be welcome.
The comments section was full of affirmation that this is a beneficial way to live, with some people telling their own stories of clearing out their homes and being more mindful about what they buy.
"I find a clean minimalist space very energizing," one user said. "When I am constantly distracted by clutter, it drains my energy. I may not even notice it, but every time I walk over or past something, it grabs my attention and distracts me. … It's well worth doing."
"A cluttered space is just a to-do list staring me in the face," another added. "Especially items that have a home but have not been put away. I have so much more clarity of mind and freedom of thought in a neat, orderly, spartan environment."
The pros go beyond a clean and tidy home and mind, though. Adhering to a minimalist lifestyle makes you much more selective about what you buy, which saves you space, money, and time on cleaning, and it reduces waste.
With mountains of unwanted items finding their way to landfills, not adding to the pile means you are doing your part to reduce the production of planet-warming pollution. Landfills create methane, a potent gas that traps heat in the atmosphere at 28 times the potency of carbon dioxide, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
Meanwhile, if we decrease what we buy, companies will be less encouraged to produce more stuff, which is a drain on resources, energy, and materials. With many household items made of plastic, we can reduce the production of this harmful substance that causes damage to the planet all the way through its lifecycle — from the petrochemicals used to produce it to the fact it will take centuries to degrade naturally, causing human health risks and putting animals in danger the whole time.
"You just have to get started," one user said. "Once you're actually doing it, it becomes much easier to keep going. And by the end of the day you'll be satisfied with the results."
"Absolutely, evening me will be very pleased," the original poster said.
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