20 Reasons to Own Less Stuff: Less Stuff, Less Work

Gabe Bult
by Gabe Bult

I've set up my life to do less: less stuff, less work, and fewer decisions. Less is truly more, and having less stuff has completely changed my life. Here are my 20 reasons to own less stuff.

1. Less stress

This has been one of the first benefits of owning less stuff for me. Having a bunch of things around stresses me out. As I continue to let go of more and more stuff that clutters up my home, I feel less stressed on a day-to-day basis.


2. Spending less money

Obviously, the less consumerist you are, the less you go out shopping, and the less money you spend. This means you save money to buy back some freedom in your life and spend on the things that are important to you.


3. No wasting time looking for stuff

My entire life I would constantly lose things: wallets, phones, keys, cords, and cameras. Since I've found a home for everything, I don't lose stuff as much and it's a pretty big time saver.

Owning less stuff

4. Easier cleaning

I absolutely deplore cleaning and I do anything I can to spend as little time cleaning as I possibly can. The less junk you have floating around your house, the faster cleaning is. I've gotten it from several hours each Saturday down to a couple of minutes a week.


5. Enjoying what you have more

I used to have a favorite T-shirt and a favorite pair of jeans that I would wear all the time, except for when they were in the wash. Since then, I've spent a little more money, gotten a couple of pairs of my favorite things, and gotten rid of everything else. This means that every day I get to wear, eat and use my favorite stuff.


6. More space

Our apartment used to feel crowded because we were constantly filling it with stuff: extra furniture, decorations, dishes, and clothes. We had too many things for that amount of space. Since I've decluttered and downsized, my house has felt bigger, brighter, and more open.


7. You can be lazy

As an extremely lazy person, I don't want to work a ton and spend a ton. A minimalistic approach means less housing, less car, less food, and less clutter, which in turn saves me money, so I can work less.


8. More peace

Having lots of stuff all around me would stress me out: clothes on the floor, dishes on the counters, and things thrown around. I have created habits and systems that have fixed many of these problems. Now when I walk in the door, it's calm, it's peaceful, and everything is in its place.

Benefits of owning less stuff

9. Helps in other areas of your life

My minimalist process started with decluttering and rethinking my buying habits. Then, I started to look at other areas of my life, like work or health, and try to apply the same principles. I became more intentional and focused on what is really important for me in all areas of my life.


10. More freedom to help people

As you save money and time by owning less crap, you can actually help people with it. You can donate your time and volunteer, or alternatively, just donate money so you are not weighed down by responsibilities.


11. Not worrying about others’ opinions

This was always a problem for me, and I still struggle with it occasionally, but I have improved significantly. I do not care if people think I am crazy or cheap, because I've spent a lot of time curating the right things for me and my family.


12. Not comparing yourself to others

What is right for me does not have to be right for others, and vice versa. I would rather spend less money and therefore have to earn less money, so I do not care about a big house or a fancy car and new flashy clothes. I’m just doing what is right for me.

How to own less stuff

13. More time

Shopping used to be a recreation for me. I would spend time walking through the mall or shopping online. Now this is a part of my life that I don't have to think about. If I need something, I'll just go out and get it, but I never impulse buy or recreational shop anymore.


14. Good for the environment.

The average American throws away £81 of clothing per year. It takes a lot of resources to produce all this junk that we're just throwing away. You can be greener just by not purchasing unnecessary items.


15. Being ready for visitors.

In the past, when visitors would come by, I'd spend a couple of hours organizing the house. When you have less stuff around and everything has a home, people can just randomly stop by and you don't have to stress about it. This has been a life changer and a huge reason to own less stuff for me.


16. No need for a storage unit

The average storage unit costs between $90 and $300 a month – to store stuff that can’t even fit into our homes anymore. Mostly, you'd be better off getting rid of it and then buying brand-new stuff than you would be paying to store it.

Reasons to own less stuff

17. Boosting productivity

Having a clean and organized space can free up your mind to be way more productive. In addition, having your paperwork and your computer spaces in order can save you a ton of time while working.


18. Increasing mental clarity

Everything that you own has a space in your mind and weighs you down mentally. As I got rid of stuff, it actually freed up space in my mind, I felt lighter and started thinking clearer.


19. Focusing on other people.

Once you stop thinking about buying new stuff for yourself, despite all the marketing, you can think about more important things. You start to care more about your relationships and helping other people and even help yourself.


20. Being a good example for your kids.

Being obsessed with stuff and your appearance can be crippling to your kids. Kids of hoarders can either become hoarders themselves or go the exact opposite way and maybe become extreme minimalists.


20 Reasons to own less stuff

I hope these ideas will inspire you on your minimalist journey. What are your personal reasons to own less stuff? Share in the comments!

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  • Beth Beth on Aug 22, 2023

    You really made me start to thank, I like what you are saving. I am going to start purging

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