Minimalism is For The Rich -5 Reasons That’s TOTALLY Wrong!
“I would love to be a minimalist but I can’t afford it. I’m always broke. Minimalism is for the rich.” I hear a lot of people say that but you can be a minimalist even if you have no money!
There is an idea out there that minimalism is expensive. People think that minimalism is for the rich. Some people think that minimalism is a fad for the rich or a luxury for those that can afford it. But are these ideas about minimalism true?
I am here to prove that idea completely wrong! I became a minimalist out of necessity and I think that’s what starts a lot of people on their minimalist journey. Let me prove to you that you can be a minimalist even if you are always broke.
Minimalism is For The Rich OR People Living in A Small Space!
There is this huge movement to live in tiny houses and vans. Images from influencers in these tiny homes and vans are inspiring and they show off creative solutions to living in an ultra-tiny space. The problem is they don’t portray reality for most people. (Don’t get me wrong, they are fun to watch!)
A huge number of people live in tiny spaces that aren’t so glamorous. Minimalism for “poor people” might look a little different.
They live in small studio apartments in the city, travel trailers, single-wides, and even rooms in their family’s house. The cost of living is always going up and people are living in small spaces because they have to.
That is how I started the minimalist lifestyle! As newlyweds, we moved into a 300 square foot studio apartment and had one mission. To make the best of it! I learned to love my small space and we lived there for almost 10 years! Why? Because I realized that just because I didn’t have much didn’t mean I couldn’t appreciate and take care of what I had.
Sometimes I would pray for a bigger place and then I realized that it wasn’t God’s fault I had too much junk so I got to work decluttering.
That’s why, for me, the idea that minimalism is for the rich is crazy! Look at me and know that you can definitely be a minimalist if you’re always broke!
The minimalist lifestyle is for all the people who are tired of feeling like they don’t have enough in this bigger and better rate race of a consumer society we live in. Minimalism is for the rich, the poor, and the in between.
Just think! The minimalist lifestyle could actually be a way to give dignity to the millions who are living in small spaces cause they have to! Minimalism is a fancy word for what a lot of us have been doing all along. Living with less and being happy with it!
Minimalism is For The Rich Who Can Buy Fancy Furniture
Ironically, advertisers make minimalism into an opportunity to shop! They make you think that you need to have a certain look to be a minimalist. They make you think that you can’t be a minimalist unless you can afford to buy new high-quality Scandinavian furniture that isn’t even comfortable anyway!
Learn this now: There is a difference between the minimalist aesthetic and the minimalist lifestyle.
The only piece of furniture I have that’s even remotely “minimalist” is a bookcase we bought at Target. Everything else I own was given to me by family. Most of it is actually Early-American. It was my grandma’s furniture and it is such good quality that it’s not going anywhere soon. (Like it or not.)
Minimalism is about not giving material things a higher place than they should have so if it’s not broke don’t fix it! If what you have works then appreciate that it’s serving you as it should and don’t worry about the perfect look!
That’s minimalist budgeting at it’s finest. Don’t buy a certain type of furniture. You can enjoy all the benefits of minimalism without buying a thing!
PS: You don’t have to paint all your walls white either! (Eye-roll) You can make minimalism your own! For some tips on how you can make your home look a little more minimalist without buying all new stuff check out this article: Minimalist Home Decor For Everyone
Minimalism is for the Rich Who Can Buy New Clothes
So you typed “Minimalist Capsule Wardrobe” into Pinterest and you saw tons of cute seasonal clothing collections in complementary colors from super nice stores. Now you’re thinking: “I can’t afford all new clothes! I can’t be a minimalist. I have to use the clothes I own.”
This is just another example of STORES (who are trying to make money) selling you the idea that minimalism is for the rich! They want you to feel like your minimalist budgeting (AKA normal person budgeting) is going to keep you out of the minimalist club. Don’t buy it!
You don’t have to buy any new clothes. Use the clothes you own. Rich or broke, most of us have lots of clothes! If you want a minimalist capsule wardrobe or even just a smaller better wardrobe shop your own closet.
Pick out all the clothes that fit you well, are in good shape, and make you feel amazing. Declutter clothes that don’t fit, are worn out, are not useful, or make you feel weird.
When you do this you will find your minimalist capsule wardrobe for free and you will find getting dressed each morning is so much easier! You will also feel more confident because you are wearing clothes that truly complement you!
To make you feel better I have never ever bought a whole new wardrobe for a season.
I still don’t have a capsule wardrobe per se but I have clothing that I love and clothing that I need for my work and hobbies and it’s slowly getting better and better as I replace things when needed.
Do I buy high end clothing? I’m always broke, or too broke for that anyway. My minimalist budgeting sense won’t allow me to spend $70 on a T-shirt. But I do occasionally score something nice on Poshmark or at my local consignment shop!
Always Broke but Living In Clutter?
When we started out in that little studio apartment we had a lot of childhood mementos and wedding presents but we lacked some real and useful tools, like a mop. We had to weed through a lot of stuff that was no longer useful but sentimental and find a happy balance of necessity and enjoyment in our belongings.
Maybe you are a wanta-be minimalist with a lot of clutter and you feel like it would be wasteful or unwise to let go of things you are going to need later. Minimalism for poor people is hard in this respect and this respect only…that feeling of scarcity and wastefulness.
When you are always broke or used to being tight on funds that is a very real struggle. The world around us ties security to owning lots of stuff. If you never had much but you do now it may feel like a safety net, even if that stuff isn’t valuable at all.
Being a minimalist should never force you to get rid of things you really will need later or use regularly now.
However, did you know you could make some extra cash by selling stuff you really don’t need? Sell a bag of clothes for $5 and a little decoration for $10. You will be surprised how much stuff you have that you do not need at all.
If you feel overwhelmed by clutter and need help to get through the process check out the FEARLESS DECLUTTERING E-Book!
Minimalism is For the Rich Who Like That Modern Look
Maybe you just feel like minimalism is for the rich because you have a certain picture of them in your head.
Minimalists are snooty elitists, like skinny girls who are always bragging about only eating lettuce! They live in almost empty houses and hate color!
I get it! Even though I am a minimalist, some other minimalists make me feel that way.
I don’t fit the minimalist mold in many ways. My home and wardrobe are full of vibrant colors. I like funky boho styles and costume jewelry. I have lots of hobbies to do them with. And probably, to be honest, I keep a little more stuff than I probably need.
That doesn’t mean I’m not a minimalist! I still highly value having less, buying less, and working less for material things! The benefits of minimalism are still very important to me and the reason I consistently choose the simple life!
You don’t have to fit the minimalist aesthetic to be a minimalist! You just have to value simple living more than buying and keeping junk. Anyone can do that. In fact, us normal people are the best at it!
Minimalism is For The Rich AND Normal People Too!
When you think of minimalism don’t exclude yourself because you’re always broke or just never rich! Don’t believe that lie that minimalism is for the rich. It’s just not true.
Minimalism was made and perfected by normal people trying to make the best of what they have. It’s an effort to return to a balanced perspective on the need for material possessions.
For me, minimalism is about honestly examining what I need and what is being forced on me by the consumer society around me. It’s about putting material possessions back in their proper place.
Minimalism is not about spending a ton of money to buy the right look and throwing away perfectly useful items I already have. Minimalism budgeting is about cultivating contentment in what already works.
I pursue minimalism because it makes life simple. If minimalism ever makes life harder then you aren’t doing it right. Minimalism is about making the best of what you have and learning to love and grow where you’re planted. That’s why you can be a minimalist even if you’re always broke! That’s why minimalism is perfect for normal people like me and you!
Did you ever think that minimalism was only for rich people? Can you see how it could benefit you in your normal life? Please share in the comments below!
Start Enjoying the Benefits of Minimalism Today!
There is really no reason not to start embracing minimalism! Now is the time to try the minimalist lifestyle! Learn why minimalism is good for your mental health and relationships, how it can transform your finances, so you can start having more energy and time for the things that matter!
But what if simplifying your life sounds like an overwhelming task?
If you want to simplify your life but the big bad word MINIMALISM scares you let me help! I wrote Doable Simplicity (Minimalism For Normal People) to help you get the inspiration you need to simplify your life and then take solid steps that make simple living doable for you!
