Purge. Oust. Eradicate. Dispose. You’ve heard the stress-inducing rhetoric of professed minimalists, arguing that non-essential items are wasteful and should be removed. You’ve heard the crazy stories of libertarian minimalists who own exactly one hundred things and live in remote locations. Minimalism might bring to mind a modest lifestyle, a beige interior, and an empty home.
But minimalism has nothing to do with modesty. According to the Minimalists, a group of three popular filmmakers and authors dedicated to sharing the true minimalist lifestyle, the concept simply applies to the act of limiting excess in one’s life in order to focus on individual values, finding “happiness, fulfillment, and freedom.” True minimalism can accommodate any amount of wealth, style, and expression and can greatly improve our quality of life.
The notion of the indirect relationship between happiness and material possessions stems from extensive research. The American Psychological Association suggests that a reduction of materialism can garner freedom and satisfaction in our everyday lives and that consumerism “can promote unhappiness because it takes time away from the things that can nurture happiness, including relationships with family and friends.” Conversely, minimalists let go of excessive consumption in favor of intangible values. Typically correlated with a reduction in avarice, minimalism allows us to focus on the immaterial aspects of our lives that are truly fulfilling.
If there’s someone who proves that anybody can be a minimalist, it’s Kim Kardashian. In a 2022 interview with Vogue, the reality TV star showed off her multi-million dollar minimalist home, a beige mansion complete with multiple kitchens and her three favorite cars. Kardashian told interviewers that the calmness and lack of clutter in her home helps her wind down from the chaos of the outside world. In ridding herself of a colorful, cluttered home, she feels at peace amidst a crazy public life.
It’s easy to reject Kardashian’s self-proclaimed minimalism due to her life of extreme luxury, which does not fit with the common understanding of minimalism’s modesty. Despite this dichotomy, houses like Kardashian’s, which are free from excessive clutter but inclusive of luxury, exemplify the myriad of ways in which the values of minimalism can be implemented and enjoyed. A home can be outrageously expensive or have a unique interior and still allow inhabitants freedom from the aspects of unfulfilling materialism. Anyone who makes a conscious effort to remove excess and prioritize their values is practicing minimalism.
People can still reap the benefits of minimalist lifestyles with an appreciation for material goods such as clothes, shoes, and elaborate decor. Intentional care in specific enterprises, such as careful decoration in interior design, while engaging in simple and versatile clothes; or conversely embracing an extravagant wardrobe while living in a simple home can rid people of consumption that does not hold value to them. Shifting the priority of minimalist lifestyles to fit the spaces we value can allow us to simplify our lives while still embracing the artistic expressions that bring us joy.
Minimalism can be extremely beneficial to college students. U.S. News & World Report reveals that nearly half of American young adults aged 18-25 feel stress to the point where “they can’t function” on a daily basis and that amongst college students, nearly 70% experience daily stress. Embracing minimalism in college life—such as simplifying dorm decor, building a capsule wardrobe, or being generally selective about how to fill one’s schedule—can allow students to maximize their personal goals and reduce stress in other areas that do not align with their values.
Regardless of your lifestyle, there is space for minimalism. It’s about honing in on your values and taking the pressure off everything else. Minimalism lets us dive deeply into what we care about, what makes us individual and gives our mind a break from all the clutter. Focus on what’s important, and let go of the rest.
Emmie Palfrey ’27 (epalfrey@college.harvard.edu) is a minimalist with a bright, colorful room.