What is Minimalism & How It Can Change Your Life
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- Опубликовано: 3 авг 2024
- What is minimalism? In this video we're digging into what it means to be a minimalist, how can it change your life, and how it has allowed many people we've met to out of debt, or travel long term, or explore alternative lifestyles like tiny house living, van life, and more.
We became minimalists in 2012 when we sold our house and downsized our stuff so that we could travel, and have more freedom to explore other ways of living.
Since then, we've met so many people who have also embraced living with less in order to help them achieve their life goals. We feel that simplifying your life and reducing the clutter in your physical space, in your day-to-day life, and spending less money can have a positive impact on your life.
Thanks for watching!
Mat & Danielle
PS thank you to all of our Patrons who support us so generously and a very special thank you to our backbone supporters: The Burgess Family!
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VIDEO CREDITS
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Music & Song Credits:
All music in this video was composed, performed, and recorded by Mat of Exploring Alternatives.
Editing Credits:
Mat and Danielle of Exploring Alternatives
Filming Credits:
Mat of Exploring Alternatives 
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For me, minimalism is a tool to find a place for the things that truly fill my soul.
CoolCat Carolena yes. True. You feel lighter. Have you started implementing it?
CoolCat Carolena this is such a beautiful statement & it rings true to me.
CoolCat Carolena HU Carolina, this is Marie, I agree
That was a very wise statement. Completely agree. This lifestyle will directly lead us to better lives and more fulfilling experiences. 🤗
I love this! I feel the same too!
When I was 18 I started a job and spent twenty five years and two hours working the same job at 43 I retired. I went from a 3800 sq/ft home in the city to a 800 sq/ft house and a 2100 sq/ft shop in a small town for $9000 .00 The stuff person collects over the years, unreal. Six T.V.s I never watch T.V. 21 fishing rods some with price tags still on them. I'm working on a van now and leaving in the spring destination unknown. The down sizing WOW!
I have been a minimalist all these years without even realizing it until I discovered these videos on RUclips. All this time I was thinking I was an oddball living this way. But I;m not. Glad to see that I'm in good company. Thank you.
Saving very little money is definitly better than spending far too much.
YA!
I love being a minimalist. It’s harder with a young child, but the fluidity it brings has allowed us to survive me losing a good paying job and living off a new RUclips channel income.
Animal Facts When our daughter was young, we did not allow all toys out at once. she asked for box 1,2 etc.Only one box at a time., and stuff must be put up, before the next box, even if her friends are over. She is 38 now and teaches overseas, and is now currently in Spain.
My minimalism = Clarity of mind 🦋
yes, if you have enough space to see that you got space! 490 sq feet for me..I'd have to get rid of my small couch in my 6 by 8 living room. I'm not getting rid of my small couch. I use it to study my accounting books and do my homework. I did get rid of my 6 foot book shelf. Don't need it. I own 75 books down from 600 between me and my mom in 2009.
YAS! I agree!
I thought I was just poor, but it turns out that I'm a minimalist. Awesome! That sounds much better.
Minimalist to me is owning the things only that i need and bring me happiness also spending money on experiences and life events that will make memories
Exactly
Yaaaaaaaaas! Break the consumer cycle! Great video!
I feel that minimalism is just the extreme opposite of hoarding. I think it's hard to figure out how to get out of the weight of things physically and mentally and for some emotionally, without sometimes going too far with minimalism. Because let's face it it's really hard to know what you would regret tossing. Even with the money thing it's hard to know what you should do exactly. You shouldn't deprive yourself too much, but unneeded emotional spending is hard to break free from for some people. What I am seeing is that people who go hardcore minimalist need a tool to change what's inside so they get hardcore about ridding themselves of things which takes away distractions and allows you to go deep within. Which is exactly what's needed to begin with. You don't need to toss everything and live in a van and travel all over the place. There's nothing wrong with that though, but for those who are bound by a variety of reasons to one place just know that you don't even have to be a minimalist to free yourself. What you need to do is find yourself and know what you want in life and that takes a lot of focus on your inner most being, you have to get away from distractions for many days. But you dont need to throw everything away to do that. You can pack it all up and put it out of sight if you have no control over it. Before you try any major lifestyle change you should get really honest with yourself and figure out what's the real cause of your pain, discomfort, unhappiness, ect... Instead of over correcting and throwing all your stuff out. You can do the inner work without needing to play all of this out with things outside yourself, the problem usually isn't really too much stuff but the inability to control yourself and do what is in your best interest. But if you really need to throw it all away to feel fresh and free and you know for sure you won't regret it there's really nothing too bad about it, just thought I would add my 2 cents.
I was thinking of a 4th type to add to his 3 types. All of his types had to do with material things. But, there is an aspect of minimalism that is mental. For some, could be spiritual. I think many see being minimal as having less material things. It's much deeper than that.
The stuff I get rid of I for get it even had it. Stuff weighs me down. Less stuff more freedom. A good rule is if I didn't use it in a 6 months time I get rid of it.
It’s really not that hard to figure out what to get rid of. For example, if you haven’t used something in many years, and you don’t expect to use it in the foreseeable future, then it’s time to get rid of it. Things with sentimental value would be an exception though.
beautifully said.
It will be a huge cliche...You will know when you are truly ready to minimalism. I found out when tragedy occurs in ones life a person changes. Sometimes a person never reaches this point and dies in a hoard. Life can be sad.
Yes! Please continue to create content about minimalism. I'm on my own minimalist journey and can always use the inspiration. 😀
Minimalism is a tool to rid yourself of life’s excess in favor of
focusing on what’s important-so you can find happiness, fulfillment, and
freedom. Because living sensibly now needs a new LABEL.
R L Sadly sensibility is not the norm anymore..
Totally agree! I think living with intention is a lot harder than people think, but life is SO much more rewarding!
I love how she directly listens in when he speaks.
I love you guys going back to your old-school video ways with the format of this video! (the two of you sitting side by side and talking to your viewers.) I'm so glad to see that as your channel has grown, the two of you have stayed awesome, and so down to earth. And I cant' wait to see this guide you have put together. I'm sure it will be great! I don't have a lot of disposable income on my new salary, but knowing that if I want to move into a tiny house or a van someday with all my pets really does help keep me from buying stuff I would just get rid of later on. I can't believe the money I used to waste on stuff!
my largest gripe with this road is.... you just don't throw out grandma's quilt she made or grandpa's gold pocket watch... I think the point here is obvious ... most have many dozens of these kind of items....
My Minimalism = living in the present, decluttering the thoughts of past and future 🌸
I've been decluttering for about 8 months, I am finding that I am embracing hidden areas of my life such as anxiety, I am being more open and real about the real me.
This is awesome, never thought like this before. Not only de-clutter your life, but gain a whole new perspective of how I view material things in my life. Thank you so much for the video!
It is a road that I am trying to travel down right now!! I get rid of soooo much junk.....then two days later realise......I have soooo much more to get rid of!!! Hopefully a van life for me coming soon.......in the UK. Great job you're doing.
I have been a minimalist my entire life before I knew what it was called, so over 40 yrs. Friends and family thought it was strange that I don't have furnitures in the living room. I think a true minimalist isn't motivated by financial savings, a true minimalist is motivated by the pleasure of having few essential things. Having few things allows us to get up and move to a new destination easily, like nomads. This allows us to be more independent and free, ultimately more happy.
I want to adopt this lifestyle, excellent video. Thanks for sharing
A classic Mat & Danielle video! Love it! While I love seeing the lives of other minimalists or tiny home dwellers, it's nice to be back to an informative, "talking to the camera" video :)
I'm looking forward to the beginners guide. I'm moving house so perfect time to scale down the amount of stuff I have as its so overwhelming! Thank you 💗💗
I was having a conversation about this with a friend when this posted. Such timing!
Another great video! Love hearing your guys' thoughts on life :-)
I remember going from basically living in my room (dorm or in shared appt) to small lofts to... a house. I remember every time I got something bigger, I'd fill it. There is this perception that a room needs a specific amount of furniture, etc. But I remember the simpler life I had when I didn't have so much because I just couldn't. And now, after almost 10 years in my (little) house, I'm tired of managing possessions. I'm kind of constantly spring cleaning lol - I'll get there someday :)
As someone who aspires to build a tiny house in the near future and who tries to lead a minimalist lifestyle, I really enjoy these videos. Keep them coming!
Just Love your channel. Especially like the videos that the two of you are in. Always checking back to see if I missed one. I am a subscriber and receive notifications as well. Just started my journey toward Minimalism roughly 6 weeks ago. It's gonna take time. Thanks Mat and Danielle. Florida, USA.
My tip #1 for minimalism. Outside of work I do what I want, when I want. It gives me a lot more spare time.
I really enjoyed this video. I'm a minimalist in progress lol. I'll be looking out for the guide. Thanx 4 sharing
Thanks Chris, happy you enjoyed the video!
Love this video....Ive been minimizing for A while now and I love the concept. It is so freeing!!!
Thank you for being the chill relaxed kind of minimalists not the hyper vigilant counter of possessions kind!
Amanda H I just said the same thing. Most minimalist videos on you tube come from young American girls in their early 20s who just shout at the camera, in-between showing off their latest minimalist 'haul'
Lovely video 💕 I started with minimalism a couples of years ago but since I have my daughter I find it more difficult, because I keep on buying stuff for her. 80% of the toys I buy secondhand. For me it's really in the small things now. But I still find minimalism very rewarding and its definitly about the balance like you said. Not being too strict and also staying aware of the behaviour of buying and collecting stuff. Looking forward to see more video's like this 💕
I always enjoy your videos. Thanks for sharing!
Me and my husband had to start minimalism. There was one time he was like I DONT HAVE SHIRTS TO WEAR! I counted all his shirts that night and counted 74 shirts and 8 pants. I told him afterwards, he was very disappointed with himself. We started to sort out his clothes, sold some and then donated most. Now he has 15 shirts and is very happy with it. He gets to wear all of them in 2 weeks (just in time for laundry) and we have so much closet space! IT is the way to go
You both are the cutest couple on You tube! Love your channel !
I love it! For me, I am happy to have a small 3 bedroom home, as I work from home too. What I do is make sure I only have what I need and nothing more. For example 2 pairs of shoes, not many clothes and minimal furniture. We love to keep life simple and stress free. leaving more time for travel and fun! We do the same, we do a big clear out every 6 months and we stick to a really cool budget. I love what being a minimalist brings into our lives. Thank you for sharing with us! Love Kat xx
Angel Soul Healing Is 3 bedrooms home small? Compared to what? :D I was raised in a 3 bedroom home and I've always thought it's too big. Two stories, large hall and bathroom, separate kitchen and living room - too much cleaning and too much space to hide stuff. Perhaps if you have a larger family or smaller rooms, it's not so large...
Thank you for sharing these tips. I really needed this. I also really appreciate the fact that you guys say it’s an ongoing process. For me, I purged a bunch of stuff and then shortly after gained some more stuff that was unnecessary. I now want to get back to it and find a way that can slowly help me minimize my life and maintain it.
I’m excited to see more of your videos.
Love and light,
-Vince
Love this, made me think, started selling some things on eBay, and even though it’s just a few bits so far, old toys, trains, cars etc from when I was a lad, it makes you feel good. So thanks.
Minimalism is adding so much focus and richness to all areas of my life. It definitely has been a journey of many small decluttering sessions. One trip to the charity thrift store at a time. These layers of decluttering sessions to what is needed to do my life purpose are adding up and gaining momentum making it easier to make decisions. : )
I cheer you on whoever you are. I know it seems overwhelming to start. But just start, one drawer or category at a time. Trust the process and the results will come.
Thank you so much for this video!!!! You guys keep inspiring me to live simple=)
My minimalism is what I need to function daily. I'm a big "priority and intentional person". Simple with multiple purposes. I love your videos.
I really like this video, because for the first time I'm looking at things that I don't really need. Thank you guys!
You're a lovely couple and true to your journey. I really appreciate you two. Peace.
I recently found your channel. Thank you for the hard work lovely videos. Well done! :)
These videos are super professional now - really enjoyed seeing them evolve over time!
I'm going to move in to my own apartment next year, I want to start being a minimalist at the same time :) thanks guys, love your videos :)
So nice I love minimalist lifestyle I am doing it from Vietnam 🇻🇳
Its a constant struggle for me to maintain minimalism. I only want to keep what's useful or beautiful, but its an uphill battle as my husband and daughter are always bringing junk home and not getting rid of old stuff or putting things back where they belong. Maybe someday.
I knew about the other 2 kinds of minimalism, but I didn't really ever think of time as another opportunity for a minimalistic approach. And why not? I think that might actually be the most important for our health! Merci encore for another informative and inspiring video. :)
I'am in love with the concept❤
It really is amazing!
Sounds great..look forward to it.
I've decided to save $37 @ft..which in 12 months = $888.
Also I won't be renewing/upgrading my phone either so another $700 saved. This is the time to save.
🤙🚴😁
Its a start.
Excellent information. We definitely have that back and forth of what we need. The sailboat life only has so much room on board so we have to swap things out in our storage unit. Man this can be difficult sometimes. I envy the people who have their whole life in one suitcase. I cant imagine taking that kind of leap.
This was very interesting and I picked up a few tips from watching this video!
excellent! Trying to do the same for the last 4 years. Looking forward to your beginner's guide!
Subscribed. I've seen a few of your videos over the past year or so. You seem like lovely people and I really like the way you calmly communicate rather than shout at the camera trying to be hip and craaaaazy
Thanks, that's good feedback :) Happy you're enjoying our videos :) :)
Wow, congratulations on 350K subs!!! Your hard work has paid off and it shows. I'm working towards minimalism or to be more exact simplifying my life. Good to have a more personal update from you both. All the best in 2018!
Tina
Thanks so much for the encouraging words Tina and best of luck with your minimalist journey :) :)
i just bought an about with 500 subs for 100$ what steal lol. and i watch these guys and see all the hard work they are doing.
I think I’ve been a minimalist for while. I’ve always been organised and kept my attachments to things small to make organising easier. Only having a few clothes, no financial debt and no demands on my time. I’m 36 now and have so few things. But I haven’t gone as far as getting rid of my phone lol or the few items I keep for the memories. I definitely agree that it’s a very good way to have more money.
Looking forward to more of you Vid's.
Thank you for sharing.....
Looking forward to your guide!! 😊
I always look forward to your video each week.
Really shows you what is important in life! Good content guys!
Thank you :) :)
I think a lot of people would easily trade a large house for more travel. This is a great lifestyle to increase not only money but happiness. Being a consumer isnt working for most people.
For me, minimalism also comes down to how many responsibilities do I want in my life. For example, I used to keep up a fish tank hobby. However, it was more mentally challenging to keep the tank clean and the fish healthy. I don't do this anymore, saving money on electricity (pump/light/filter etc.), saving money on my water bill and wastewater (whenever I had to do water changes) and space used up in my apt. It is a tradeoff like everything else.
i became a minimalist around a year ago and honestly it’s the best decision I’ve ever made. I stress a lot less and im probably the happiest I’ve ever been. Of course i do face problems but i think it’s helped a lot with coping with them. I 100% recommend going minimalist
Pretty cool, I’ll give it a try and start slowly
Great video guys. Someone I spoke to said that minimalism to them was less about getting rid of stuff they no longer gained any value from and more about rediscovering the things they own that bring them great joy. I think it's a lovely sentiment. In my own place, everything has a story behind it and shows my personality and experiences in some way. I don't think the saying that physical things don't bring happiness is true; I think they can, you just have to be selective and, as you say, careful about what you bring into your life! Looking forward to your upcoming series :)
Emily Rawling Yeah. Somehow minimalism got twisted into this ideology that says material objects are bad and that you have to live with next to nothing. Couldn’t be further from the truth.
It’s about getting rid of the clutter so that you can focus more on the things you enjoy. Less clutter = more space to expand your hobbies or display objects of sentimental value.
I've been a minimalist by nature throughout my life, but I didn't know such thing existed till recently. I'm happy and proud of it. It often made me feel I'm behind and I should catch up to others' lifestyles by hoarding.👌😃
I would LOVE new minimalism videos!!!
Maybe a video on how you’re incorporating minimalism into your current living space? Thanks for the videos!
i just figured out that...i been practicing ...this lifestyle for a while now...and didnt know it was a lifestyle called minimalism...im glad too to know that ...i just tough i was odd ...thanks for the vid.
Moving away to go to college and being the proverbial starving student taught me how to be a minimalist :)
I just mentioned this video in my last vlog ❤ thank you for sharing your thoughts
Thanks so much for sharing this video with your audience :) :)
Very informative. Thanks!
I been struggling on what to get rid of what to keep as I am doing a van build too, Good luck with your project
i don't have enough money to be a minimalist
Hi ! Great Vid ! A fan from India :-)
Good vibes. Also minimalism rocks. Needful life.
Minimalism does rock!
thanks for this. starting my small way towards downsizing
Thanks!
Amazing explanation 💙👍
What a great video!!!!!!
0:42 That's my kind of living room: just a lamp and a chair.
Great video!!
U are awesome. Thank u. Minimalism is my future.
Well in art and music minimalism is a transparent axiomatic process creating an artifact or piece of music while you watch/listen.
I've missed seeing you guys. Thanks for making a video with you in it lol. Why not do a second channel with day to day vlogs from you guys? That's a really popular thing. Would like to see more of you two.
The best feeling ever
Thank you
That video clip at 2:30 is my hometown and where I have lived for 30 years!
Great video! :-)
I love how the girl is nodding constantly :))
Just getting into this and learning.. how to change myself as I want this nomadic lifestyle also Have some things [ debt ] to get rid of while saving here and there on a low income.... BUT... determined...I gave myself a year to do this changing to be ready
You're such sweet people.
Hey, great sharing..
awesome
Black Friday ad before a minimalism video. Lol
Love you channel
Excellent just what I needed to hear.
Love Love Love