Please like + comment with any stories or examples YOU have about why minimalism is easier or harder in your area. 🙏 Cheers and good luck simplifying!

Just so you know. I don't think I'll ever get tired of hearing "in Germany..." As Americans we're so used to thinking that this is the only way people live.

We live in NC and sadly, we are the only minimalists we know. When our kids went to college, we sold our bigger home and custom built a smaller, more energy efficient one. No one could understand why, but now that we are nearly debt free and have simplified our lifestyle by decluttering 95% of our belongings, they are now asking how to do this in their own lives. Our stress levels have gone down tremendously, and we are glad to say we will never go back to consumerist ways!

It's the "buy buy buy" lifestyle. We are just as guilty in Canada. And to "opt out" of consumerism is considered a strange and rebellious act. 🤔 But LESS stuff makes more time and energy for such a meaningful life.

I lived in Germany myself and one of the things I miss is that gift giving was about small and heartfelt and nobody expected to get a huge amount of expensive presents.

I live in Poland, in medium city with 200 000 people. Minimalism becoming more popular in Poland. There are many vlogs on YT about it, also inflation made people more thinking about saving money and becoming minimalists. We are 30 years after transformation from communism to democrasy and many people are tired of having much, working much, spending much, they prefer simple life and more time for themselves ;)

I came from a cluttered home so i gained the lifestyle however after i got married in 2020 my husband and i cleared out all the stuff i wasn't using. we moved from Wisconsin to Texas at the end of May 2023. in both Wisconsin and Texas our families do not understand why we are choosing minimalism. they keep trying to give us things we don't need, when my mother saw my closet she asked if i wanted her to buy me more clothes the same happened when my husband's sister came to visit. so it is really hard to stay minimal when everyone wants us to have everything. having less is giving us so much more in life i am praying eveyone will see why we have chosen this lifestyle one day

Knowing the difference between needs and wants is a game changer.

Housing crisis in Europe means that the majority of people 30yo or younger have to become minimalist. We just cannot afford normal size flats. And our parents say „just buy bigger apartment” and just don’t understand that it’s just not possible for us. Meanwhile here on YT I still hear about craft rooms, playrooms… - it’s so weird for me every time!

Dad always told us, “If you cannot pay cash you cannot afford it.” This motto is part of my DNA and has kept me financially healthy even when my income was pretty minimal. Kind of hate to admit it now but I made part of my working-actress living acting in tv commercials. I remember getting a residual check from a certain ad agency and on the envelope was their slogan, “It’s not creative unless it sells.” UGH.

Minimalist started for me when I heard a saying many years ago. "There are two ways to be rich, one is to seek and gain riches, the other is not to need it." I apply this in every area of my life. Sometimes it's hard when friends or neighbors are buying new things. But in reality I have everything I want and need. Most people have so many things they are unable to take care of them. But it goes both ways, sometimes they are amazed I have more time to relax and do what I want. Enjoying your words of wisdom here in Northwest Ohio.

Thank you, Marissa! Americans are led like sheep! I am an American and I'm sick and tired of it! It's buy, buy, buy, more, more, more. Our advertising is like the programming of circus animals. Our society is ruining itself. I knew this would be obvious to you as soon as you got back here! I love all you do, it's my sanity in this craziness! ❤ to you and your beautiful family!😊

I am the only "essentialist" I know. I have too much to be considered minimalist, but I don't have lots of stuff and I am very careful about bringing anything new in, it is usually only to replace an item I use regularly that is no longer functional. But here in the Pacific Northwest where I live, I am considered a "weirdo" by my co-workers. But I am also the only one of my co-workers who will have their home paid off 20 years early on the 30 year mortgage, and who hasn't had a car payment in 12 years, so I will gladly be that weirdo. I love your videos. You are very real, and I admire that.

I had a mother who had a tendency to spend and hoard on small stuff all the time but balk at big home improvement projects. Then I married a guy just like her! Lol Unfortunately he passed young and I slowly sold all his collection and put a new roof on, new furnace, a/c water heater. I live comfortably on less than half of what I could and retired at 58 to enjoy life instead of dreading going to work. 60 now and no regrets at all!

Minimalism (or as I like to think of it, voluntary simplicity), is practically a radical act in the U.S. We have been conditioned from birth to be a materialistic, wasteful society, valuing convenience over sustainability. To be mindful, taking the long view, and acting in alignment with those values is difficult for Americans because of the prevailing culture of busy-ness and immediate gratification, which keeps people blind and controllable. This is why I think your channel is so important. I don't know what it will take to wake people up, but if we want our country to remain viable in the larger world, not to mention save the planet, it has to happen, and soon.

Here in Finland, we are by default minimalists.

I’m from Russia, moved to USA almost 7 years ago. In 7 years I got sick of “abundance” of junk. It’s vulgar and gross. And now I’m becoming even more minimalistic, conscious and frugal than I was in Russia. You need to buy this, you must have that - no, thank you, I have enough, I’m good.

As an American who went to uni in berlin, coming back to the usa is sooo hard! Germany defiantly spoiled me with good cheep food, super accessible public transport, and amazing access to cultural and educational venues! It all made the midwest look even more like a big, constant, impossibly frustrating family thanksgiving

I live in Estonia - a small country in Northern Europe and I’m currently trying hard to arrange my home to a more minimalistic lifestyle. The thing is, I feel that the obatacles in our culture are really different from the ones in the US and mainly root from our past. My grandparents generation lived through war in their childhood after which there was a 50-year-long soviet repression which meant that mostly everything was a deficiency - there was food on the table, but everything else - clothes, fabrics, cosmetic products, footwear etc was only available in a limited and not very good selection and to get anything actually good you had to have connections (preferably abroad). I personally have never lived through those times as I was born 30 years ago when my country was already free again but my grandparents and parents have experienced it for a good proportion of their lives so it is so rooted in them to hold on to anything they have and to stock up on things they might not even need or don’t need any more as things have been hard to come by in the past even if it has been more than 30 years. I myself try not to buy anything I don’t need but I still feel the struggle of getting rid of things I don’t need anymore as I feel guilty, like I didn’t appreciate what I have. The worst is getting rid of things that have been gifted to me by someone, it feels rude to throw out but I don’t use it either… I once commented under a video about reusing baby clothes that I have never accepted anyones old clothes as everyone always seem to want to give them away in a bulk and wouldn’t accept you to only take a few pieces you see use for and people were furious - it seemed that no one had a problem of throwing or giving away the excess after picking out their favourites and no one seemed to understand the feelings of ungratefulness and guilt it would make me experience if I’d put myself in a position of doing that and that I’d rather spend some money for a small capsule wardrobe for my baby than put myself through stress of sorting someone else’s old stuff and dealing with it as I have enough on my plate trying to sort through and get rid of my own old things. I feel that Americans might buy a lot more on a daily bases but they also have a lot less attachment to the stuff they own and therefore don’t find it so difficult to get rid of things as everything has always been quite easy to acquire so there isn’t any cultural trauma around it that people in my country (or at least my family, other families might have overcome it better) seem to have.

I live in Silesia (Poland) and here hoarding is something that my generation inherited from our parents and grandparents who lived during the time of communism, when it was very difficult to obtain anything, from household appliances, to most food items, to toilet paper (sic!). So basically when you got something, no matter what it was, it was very valuable and you would never get rid of it. Now, when we can get whatever we want in a matter of hours, we still keep things just in case, because that's what our parents used to do. As for paying method, in Poland paying in cash is less and less popular, not like in Germany. In fact we have one of the most advanced banking system in the EU. Most of people pay with their debit cards, phones or by BLIK (I think it's a Polish invention 😉)

I have done a huge clear out in the past year and Ive gotten rid of over 75% of my things. I have become much more aware of my spending, the result? Less debt, more savings and peace in my home. This lifestyle may seem so impossible for some, but it does really require a mindset change. Im grateful for the positive impact its had for me. Oh and now my apartment has a slight echo which was a little exciting lol.

I'm from Italy and minimalism is SO unusual here! People love to have a ton of stuff (especially clothes), and most of my friends were weirded out when they found out I was decluttering …

My partner and I are elders living on a very low income. We have always lived simply and in a thrifty manner. We consider ourselves to be environmentalists. For us, these choices are positive. We don't feel at all deprived. Surprisingly, we don't know anyone in our local community living as we do! We live in Indiana, by the way.

My husband and I went to a restaurant and he ordered something that sounded amazing but somehow I hadn’t seen it on the menu. I asked him where it was and he pointed to a big red box on the menu. My brain has gotten so used to ignoring the thing that is screaming for my attention because it is almost always an advertisement that I had ignored it completely.

I live in London, I would say it’s just as hard to simplify. It’s so easy to shop. Also it’s just as easy to over eat in London. There are food places in every corner and Uber is very common. That’s where a lot of money can go. So I feel it’s just as important to watch what you ‘consume’ in terms of food.

I truly enjoy your channel. We have so much “stuff” that no one is using. I am slowly decluttering. I actually almost get more of a dopamine hit when I take boxes to Goodwill then when I go shopping anymore.

Hi, Marissa!! :) I live in Southern California, about 20 miles northeast of Disneyland. Minimalism is not a thing in my region, except for the Chinese community. I get a lot of comments on my home from my mother, who is astonished that we can live with so few possessions. I’m a teacher and my classroom is minimalist. My colleagues are always impressed with how clean my room is. I just don’t like to have a lot of stuff. I find it’s easier for me if I just keep my minimalism to myself. :)

I live in New Zealand, and living in a retirement village apartment, although a good sized apartment have had to reduce my belongings by about 70%. Now I love it and intend to reduce further, eg dishes, glasses and books. Also to try to keep clothes buying to a minimum. The one thing USA has that I envy is well stocked charity shops, as I believe that using what is already in the world is best. I use my credit card for almost everything and pay it in full at the end of the month, but don’t use it more than what is my bank balance. It is quicker and cleaner than cash. Just need a disciplined attitude to not get into debt. Congratulations on sharing your lack of consumerism in today’s world. It isrefreshing

I’m a German who recently went to the US for 4 weeks, visiting friends and relatives (and doing a lot of sightseeing bc DAMN there’s some magnificent nature where I went!). What shocked me was when I visited my cousin who lived in a new development. The area where she lived in wasn’t even two years old - and so many people had to park their (ridiculously large) cars outside because their NEW garages were already full of junk. Apart from the fact that I hate large cars (you can pry my pocket sized Seat Mii from my cold, dead claws), it was just mind boggling that they couldn’t fit their cars into the /designated car space/ because it was already full of junk after not even 1 to 2 years.

Although minimalism was not a term at the time, we have been minimalists most of our lives. We called it "living like graduate students". For the first 15 years of our marriage, one or both of us were in school (we were married when we were both undergraduates). We moved house every year or two, and we had to move ourselves so everything we owned had to fit into a medium sized rental truck -- not quite 2 suitcases each, but not much stuff. By the time we had money, our pattern was set. Another advantage we had was that our parents grew up during the Depression, so frugality was ingrained at an early age. Also, we were 'hippies' -- seeking alternative lifestyles. Experience was much more valuable than possessions. Today, we don't have cable, we don't visit big box stores and 90% of our monthly expenses are for food. We are appalled when we see the endless stream of ads on TV, or the not-so-subtle marketing techniques when we do visit a store. We are looking to move into a smaller place, but the only attractive property seems to be in Europe.

I am in India, Our friend just built a 4000 sq ft home for just 4 people ( I don't know why) , and many people follow this trend and build 3000 to 4000 sq ft (with debt for 20 years). I am sure 95 percent people don't know the word "minimalism" in India. Consumption, Indians buy all kinds of dresses, plastic items, gadgets just because it's on Sale (in offer).

I live in the Southwest US and don't know many other minimalists around me. I truly wish I didn't need to own a car but the infrastructure as you pointed out is terribly lacking for a person without a car, whether it's the non-existent bus system or sidewalks. I lived in Israel for several years and found that single use plastic was a very highly used item there, so I felt a bit offended that America gets all the flack for plastic waste. Not to say the US isn't wasteful, but there are other countries that can also do SO much better too. For me, a regular grocery store is more than enough for shopping for food, but then I'm only one person and don't need to buy in high quantities like a family might. What helps is ANY store I shop in, I have a list of what I really need. The rest is ignored. Just like the commercials, I tune it out. Actually, I don't even watch mainstream TV, so I see no commercials at all.

I think many of us who are middle age have grandparents/parents who lived in and after the depression era. So the mindset was to keep everything because it might be useful and you won’t be able to get it again. I can tell the clutter in family member’s home gives me anxiety just to be there. I’m not fully minimal but really trying to simplify and donate anything that I don’t like, need or use. I haven’t missed anything so far. I don’t feel like I’m constantly stuff-shifting.

I have never spent so much time reading comments! So interesting! 🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦

You are 💯 correct. I try to not to overconsume. Since I’m going through a menopausal decluttering rage / purge 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

I’m in England and noticed when we visited US over the years even decades ago that everything seems bigger, portions of food, snacks etc Cars, beds etc

Sometimes its worth it to me to spend a little more and go to a normal sized grocery store. It takes so much time and energy to shop at the superstores and on top of it they expect us to check ourselves out as well. I am striving to be more minimal and have been purging boxes of things each time I am near a donation center. You inspire me and are helping so much! 💕

You talked about people who are minimalists and those who are not. I live Pennsylvania, in a senior apartment in a building of 120 units. I’ve been on the minimalist journey for 8 years, having downsized from a house. My thoughts regarding shopping, is “why would I want it, and where would I store it”. Actually it’s automatic, I’m just not interested in more things. I also visit my neighbors, sometimes, there is so much “stuff “ that you couldn’t ever set down a glass of water. Others who have lived here just as long, still have boxes and complain they don’t have enough space. Then there is the person with half utilized cabinets and stuff covering every surface who doesn’t want to put things away for fear of not being able to find it when needed, this person frequently complains she can’t find anything! Knowing the people in these examples, the first one just loves stuff, never gets rid if anything, and buys home decor items, especially things that light up or make sounds. She absolutely delights in these things. The second person, I have actually tried to help, she has needle work hobbies, and ‘needs’ everything. Her dining table is covered with random stuff, she sets down and forgets where she left it. The third is a widower, who just does not know how to put things back. I’ve tried to help him, to put things in a point of use method so things would be right where he would look for them, just in the cabinet above. Put the table clutter in a basket or bowl to consolidate. He also has exercise stuff that are positioned around the room, in his mind this would be point of use’. My personal philosophy is , never put anything down, put it away. If something new does come in, get rid of something. I love your channel, you have given me so much inspiration and understanding of what motivates those who are not on this minimal journey.

I live in the US but lived in Germany for 3 years. It is harder in the US than many countries to be a minimalist because of the societal pressure and associated marketing and media pushing it. I started my minimalist journey in the late 90s to get spending and money under control and made it to a level of minimalism and organization I felt comfortable with. I have taken it much further after traveling overseas for months at a time with just carry on luggage and realizing how little I actually needed to function in every environment and condition and be happy and healthy. Now I have even less than before and it still works great for everything life comes up. Other countries that are smaller often have more minimalist mindset because they have to where the US, Canada, Australia and other large or sparsely populated countries can spread out easily and thus have more space, stuff and larger homes and cars.

I live in Germany. I really appreciate our cheap food, public transport (in the cities), our health care system... I'm also thankful for peace, democracy, drinkable water from the faucet, my warm home, my family, friends... But for me a step towards Minimalism is a huge struggle with every item I have to give up. My dad is born in 1948, only 3 years after the end of the 2. world war. Everything was valuable, every rosty nail and every candle stump. For me its hard not to think: "This item could be reused or repaired." Wich I never do honestly.

Thanks Marissa! I really appreciate your reflection. Coming from a developing country, minimalists are mostly in middle and high income groups, who have the possibility to decide to be a "minimalist", while a large portion of the population is "minimalistic" in their ways because they don't have another choice. They live frugally because its they're way to stretch they're income for their needs. I think it is important to recognize the privilege of choice and possibly use minimalism to be more conscious of the effect excessive consumption has on others and the environment.

Well, in most German areas the problem is not consumerism. Or not for most people. It’s that you KEEP everything. Throwing away books is a major crime (even handbooks on Windows 95) and everybody has at least a few items from the grandparents at home (I have knitted skirts from my husbands grandmother and legos from her for my kids). We hate making trash and avoid it but because there are no poor cousins anymore to shop from your basement on a regular basis you actually end up as a „just in case“ or „I might need it“ store if you have enough space. Especially if you have relatives in Eastern Europe ;) So decluttering is really hard if you don’t stop buying all together and live of hand-me-downs alone. But yes: transportation, education, health care is really simplified here, at least if you don’t live in a very rural area. And living in a flat for rent is just the normal thing so most people do not have enough space for two cars, three wardrobes and a whole Playmobil castle.

I from Germany 😊 there popped a question into my head: how many if these 54% minimalists in Japan are minimalists by choice and how many are poor? I would love a video about this topic.

Interesting video. Living in Australia I was shocked recently when I was watching a US grocery haul and the person had recyclable bags but lined them with plastic bags (free plastic bags are banned where I live and there’s a huge push to limit single use consumption). Fruit and vegetables were minimal but also wrapped or put in plastic bags AND plastic single use juice cups and paper plates, that I’ve only ever seen people over here buy for picnics, was bought for everyday use. And kitchen cloths don’t seem to be used, but paper towels for everything. I just couldn’t believe the amount of wrapping and waste to throw out for one grocery shop. It seems insane that this would just repeat over and over, week after week. And I’m sure there was no ill intention, it was obviously just what was normalised behaviour reflected in what family, friends and others in society were doing. Great topic Marissa ❤x

We have a local whole food plant-based group who does monthly potlucks, and one of the things required if you attend is that everyone must provide their own plates, utensils, and cups for the event. And everyone always brings reusable items, which I think is super cool. Meanwhile, my mom hosts a family get together (at her house where there is definitely a sink and dishwasher available) and no matter how small the group is, out come the paper plates. The contrast is never lost on me.

Hi from 🇯🇵 Appreciation for simple life runs deeply in my culture, and yet people are still drowning in materialism just like the US. So, not too sure if half of us are living minimally😅 but our houses are much much smaller for sure. I think the biggest hurdle with decluttering for the Japanese is complicated ways to dispose things. Depending on the districts, categories and ways to trash is so detailed. So some people hoard just because they don’t know how to get rid of stuff. It also cost extra money to get rid of big trash like electronics and furnitures. In my city, anything bigger than 50cm is considered big trash. I have to apply online in advance, pay the fee and then put it out on a curb on the specified day. We can’t just donate everything like US, either. Second hand stores are VERY picky with what they take. So if things can’t be donated, you have to sell it yourself, or trash. My mom thinks “mottainai” (wastefull) about anything trashed☹️ Those kinds of technical stuff prevents some people from decluttering. But for me, knowing how hard it is to discard, prevents me from acquiring☺️

I’ve been downsizing to minimalist for 4 years and it is great! Feel so free and independent from consumerism. Australia 🇦🇺

I'm in Arizona and I am the only minimalist that I know. Judging by the inside of most of my neighbors garages, driveways and the stuff in the front of some of the houses it's safe to say that none of them are minimalists. Everyone I know buys everything that they see. I moved away from shopping so much back in 2019 when I started to really pay attention to what marketing was doing to my finances. Starting this lifestyle was challenging in the beginning but I noticed how much of my belongings were just not being worn/used. Now I only buy what I actually need and from a wish list. When I go into these superstores I already know exactly what I intend to get and I am never manipulated into overspending. I was never one to buy end caps or things at the cash wrap no matter what the perks were. When talking to someone, no matter who it is, whenever it comes up that I am decluttering the response is always, "Why are you getting rid of more things? What if you need it later?" "You won't have anything left in your house if you keep doing that". As if having less would really be so bad.

I live in the Philippines and it's really hard to apply minimalism. I've been a follower for more than a year now. I'm 18, and Simplifying our home often makes me stressed out because of the inflow of clutter. Our culture is usually about keeping and collecting so much things to the point that we already filled up every corner of our house and most of the time, we don't really need those things and it just keeps on filling up. As a newbie minimalist, i tried stoping the inflow of clutter through doing "one in one out rules" but then when my grandma for example who is a non minimalist, bought so much kitchen utensils, it'll be hard for me to maintain it. Today, I'm still figuring out and practicing how to declutter and simplify our home in a non stressful way. Thanks to your videos marissa, it eases the stress i feel sometimes and it actually helps me improve my life a lot.

I'm in a small rural town in goldendale WA. I used to clean people's homes. I think we are all hoarders here because we have to travel so far to buy anything and gas prices in Washington are the highest in the nation. Also, we all live in the country and frequently get snowed in so we need a lot more different things to survive for a week without getting out. The last thing is we live in a poor community, so we tend to hang on to everything.

Thank you for the validation, Marissa! I live in the PNW, in a suburban area that has experienced so much growth in the last 5 years alone. My apartment, like so many homes in my area, was built in 2017 and is very "builder grade" (boring!). I've had to acquire new furniture since moving in because my old furniture did not maximize the space, as well as to increase privacy (window coverings, patio screens). I also have health issues and a service dog. I found that, as I return to being the in office 4 days out of the week, I needed to add to my work wardrobe. Additionally, I found that having 1 set of items was difficult when I wasn't able to do the laundry due to my health issues, so now I have 2 sets of linens, casual and house clothes and work clothes. I also have 2 sets of linens and car protection for my service dog. And finally, I would like to add that, in terms of marketing, another area to contend with is the pressure to "upgrade" items, as if things expire. And in a lot of ways, fast fashion and stuff that are easily acquired do fall apart easily. Average Americans are pressured with time, so finding good quality items, whether they are new items meant to be passed down or stuff from vintage shops, would take a lot of time and coordination. The pressure also comes as "lifestyle creep," when Americans feel pressured to "upgrade" when they get a raise or expand their families. Minimalism is most definitely counter cultural here! Thanks for the discourse and helpful ideas, this needs to be a college course! 💖

In other places I feel like government focuses on what is good for people. In USA our government focuses on what is good for business at the expense of people. For example, there are ingredients in American cereal that are banned in Europe so Kellogg’s has one recipe for American cereal and another for what it sells in Europe.

Omg I felt like I was going nuts trying to do a no-buy. It’s impossible to escape spending in the US. I would have to even stop going physically to the grocery store.

I love the comparison between Germany and America. I live in the Netherlands (right next door) and I know that a lot of stuff around the marketing and branding of products is heavily regulated in Europe especially marketing towards kids is very restricted. If you take those restrictions away combined with the super size me mindset sets people up for failure.

My family taught us to be happy having the essentials, I realized they were minimalists without knowing it😂!I think that was because they were born after the second world war and they grew up having for example only one pair of shoes or only one coat. What you consider as minimalism is normal to me. Unfortunately not for most of the people as long as marketing exists. Love from Greece❤

Living in the US, I am constantly finding myself getting sucked into consumerism. But watching minimalism videos like this once in a while brings me back to reality and reminds me what's really important. Thank you for this!

Being a minimalist is hard everywhere. I'm pretty sure I'm the only one, or one of the very few minimalists in my hometown or even my region in Italy. Italian people are addicted to shopping, and are obsessed with fashion and technology, so they change their smartphones, TV's and computers very often. The number of huge shops like in the US is increasing here and this leads to compulsion buying, which doesn't affect me though. I'm not attracted to anything and I actually find very boring going to shopping malls or huge shops 'cause I don't need anything and don't wanna spend my money on useless stuff I know I'm gonna get rid of one day. Also, ads don't work with me as I haven't watched TV for 21 years, so I don't even know what products are advertised. It's heaven 😊

I e been on a mission this week to be more minimal, mindful and simplified. I must say it feels liberating. I’ve made several donation trips, trash runs and selling stuff. My house is feeling so fresh and freeing. I’ve also said no to many things I would normally jump at the chance to get.

Hi Marissa, I'm in the UK 🇬🇧 and we live rurally which I'm very grateful for on my journey towards living more consciously with less because its easier to avoid the shops! We've got rid of about 70%, maybe more, and we dont miss any of it. I'd like to go further to be honest but we'll hold here for a bit and see how it is for our family to maintain at this level. One of your other subscribers commented above who lives in London, hi fellow Brit! 👋 Houses are generally smaller in London than in rural parts which I would imagine probably helps with staying more minimal?

I definitely think there is some consumerism that is culturally accepted. Two things that I am ready to let go of are buying my kids' school pictures (I already have a thousand pictures of each this year that look better than the ones they take at school) and personalized Christmas cards.

I live in the Upper mid west of the US. I grew up with valuing people over things and parents who lived simply (even though they could afford more); this has helped me avoid materialism because of my core values. I currently just have a debit card (no credit debt), but car debt/expenses are huge (even though I drive an older car). It is hard to walk into a Target without "wanting", so now I just do "order pick-up" for most of my shopping. It helps with impulse spending. I avoid the malls and "big box" stores. In my case, It also helps if you just don't make enough money for most "wants".

I live in a small apartment in a building with only stairs near Boulder, CO and that has made it easier for me to reduce my consumption. Less space means I need to be conscientious of what I bring into that space. I’ve also found that being tighter on cash has made me more careful of what I obtain 😅 Colorado has also made it so you have to pay for bags at the grocery store! That means I’ve brought my own bags and had to think about how much space those bags allow me to fill. Basically, living smaller and slightly less “convenient” has made choosing minimalism an easier thing to do. It was a good move! PS: it’s nice to feel validated! I’ve been saying for years just how difficult it is to resist consumerism in the US and I’m crying from relief that a certified minimalist is sharing that message

You think that's bad, try living in rural Minnesota. Now that will further blow your mind. Having to travel 15 minutes to the nearest grocery store and to find decent health care having to travel 1 hr! It's actually depressing and isolating 😢

I live in Finland and I'd say it's definitely easier to be a minimalist here. We do have approximately the same great European features as Germany does. Our public transport may be little less efficient but e. g. our internet coverage way better than there. It's ridiculously easy to recycle every single thing. And the EU regulations make good choices quite unavoidable. However, we're quite indulgent. 😅 Not everyone wants to be a minimalist. I'd say age group is the biggest factor in that. The well-off people in my parents' generation (born in 1960-1970s) tend to be very consumerist. It's mostly trauma based, though, because of our history. Then again, young and old people with low income are more open to frugal living and minimalism. QUESTION: Are credit cards and physical cash the main options in the US? I noticed you didn't mention debit cards as an option. I think most Finns use a debit+credit card as their main payment method. Physical cash is getting really rare here.

This summer I spend couple of weeks in US, we live in Czechia. It was not our first time to US and it was interesting to compare the speed of change towards sustainabibily and green mindset. In Europe when I buy sandwich or coffee, I might be offered a napkin. If I ask for another one, I am sometimes being given a look (what do you need it for?). In US I was ALWAYS provided with 10-15-20 pieces together with paper bag. When I said: oh, thanks, I need just one. … The response was: oh, but it is for free. … and my response: Thanks, but I do not want it, even if it is for free because it is not free for our planet…usually shocked the servicing personel. It is just one small fragment. But from my point of view describes my general feeling that not only frugality but also environmental impact of our consumption is not percieved identically in different cultures.

We were struck by minimalist style and lifestyle when we moved to Switzerland, even many many years ago. While we were beginning to want to use credit cards in the 80s, this was still really frowned upon, people carried a lot of cash in those days!! This has changed somewhat with the rise in foreign nationals here (currently 25%, many southern Europeans) that has naturally affected the general culture (it's a good mix!)), but Swiss people are still often pretty minimalist in mindset. Up to a few decades ago, the majority were in farming communities and not wealthy, which has shifted with the emphasis on services that is usual nowadays, but the mindset is often still there. I find that southern Europeans, in particular, seem to like a lot of shiny and new stuff, perhaps as some sort of compensation for the low income that is common there and their comparative success in arriving in a "richer" country. That behaviour has influenced everyone else, of course. It takes all sorts, I guess, it's not right/wrong, just different, and of course more nuanced than fits in a YT comment.

Most stores in the US discouraged cash payments during Covid as it was more risk to employees. I am in Illinois like you are and every time I have moved it was further south. Even though I am still in the state there is a big difference. People live a simpler life in the south and do more nature or family things . We don't have all the stores or designer clothes and not many really big houses. I find it much easier to live a debt free simpler lifestyle down here than when I was in the Chicago suburbs. I grow my own food, buy some from the Amish and the rest I buy from a community garden coop and buy meat from a local butcher. We don't have big grocery stores but I do have an Aldi and buy my staples there.

This makes me feel a little better. I actually feel almost attacked when going into store. It’s like we are constantly being told to spend out money. This is a major struggle too as I have ADHD and I’m easily distracted. I tend to be a maximalist and it’s SO hard to switch to be a minimalist as I feel would be better for my mind and family. 😵‍💫

Very thought-inspiring video! I think in Hungary it's easier for us to be minimalist simply because we have less money so we have to be frugal. Credit cards are uncommon, the average Hungarians live in homes which would be considered "tiny" in the US, most people use the public transport because families can only afford to have 1 car, children stay at home for much longer (people stay close for uni and only move out when they can afford rent), the older generations have lived through the Second World War and have passed on the idea of making the most of no money and no food. Plus many of the regulations of the EU for environmental protection also support a minimalist- no waste lifestyle.

I live in the Scottish islands and we here have a living memory of having to go without, so many households will keep stuff 'just in case'. I didn't think this mindset was relevant now a days, until we had a week long power outage last December, and, guess what, it still is! I missed out on the super cosy coat i thought i no longer needed. The xamping stove i didn't use any more! Live and learn folks!😂😂😊

In the US the sheer number of options available makes it hard to stick to the basics. Every store has so many different brands and products. In EU I felt I often had to just pick whatever the store had.

I want to buy all the fall foods right now. You should make a video about free fall things to do. ❤

I live in FL and I feel like we have a very strong consumerist culture here and huge gift giving culture around the holidays so having a lot of stuff in homes is the norm. I personally want to clear my home of clutter this year to focus better in 2024🤞

I use my credit card, but I use it like a debit card. So I make purchases only if I have the money in my checking to pay it off immediately. The reason is I get a percentage money back and points.

As I write this Christmas is coming up in a few months. We decided to not give each other gifts of things we don't need. We did this last year and it was liberating. Now, this can be a tough one for a lot of people, especially people with families. For us, a lot of clutter used to come into our house because of gift giving. There was also significant expenses that came up each year at Christmas with the gifts and the tree, and outdoor lights, and wreaths and on and on. So we really simplified it, and we loved it. We did have a very nice candle we lit in the evenings, and we made some wonderful day trips, exploring country roads, and we had a nice dinner together. Here in the US there are lot of expectations on what Christmas is supposed to be andto look like. Our experience was that having a "minimalist Christmas" made us closer, and much happier.

I have gotten rid of a lot, but still have a lot more to go. I love Seasonal home decor, but not planning on purchasing any as I just brought out all my fall things and they made me 😅Happy ! I keep saying I want to start a budget, but it overwhelms me. I also want to work on a capsule wardrobe for the fall. I would love muted colors, tans, whites etc, but I know I look better in corals and turquoise…

I live just far enough out in the country that it’s an inconvenience to run back to town. I’ve made it a weekly habit to shop my pantry first and only grocery shop every Friday. This saves me a lot of mindless wondering through the store. I’ve also implemented the ‘waitlist’ as I call it. When I want something I list it in my notes and wait 1 month or 1 season depending on the item. I love when you mentioned this method! I’ve found there are a lot of things I really don’t want after the waiting period is over. This also makes the items I do buy even more rewarding. Thank you for always creating useful content. I hope your family continues to get settled! I love Chicago! I live an hour outside Indianapolis.

I enjoyed this video. I enjoy all of them. I live in Australia. I’ve been a minimalist about 10 years when the first minimalism documentary came out. I’m still obsessed with decluttering. I have a family of 5. We have a small house and I love it. Take care. 🇦🇺👍

I do enjoy the content that you put out and I like the idea of minimalism. I'm just trying to decide if I can really follow this strategy. My biggest want at this stage in my life is quality not so much quantity. Thank you for sharing your insight.

I'm not a real minimalist, but i try to keep my stuff and Clothes as long as possible so i don't have to buy new Stuff because I'm bad at letting go and i hate Shopping ^^ I still have some Shirts and Hoodies from over 10 Years ago. When something needs to be replaced, i try to get less of it. For Example i had to get rid of some Pants, but just bought 1 instead of the same amount i just threw away. In the Future i would like to own less Clothes and less Decoration-Objects, but that is still a long way to go. Also Greetings from Germany to you Marissa and Family :)

I am looking form Lithuania, North East Europe region. We haven't great trains as Germany do, every household has a car, because traveling outside the cities is difficult (1-3 time sper day). but in the cities, people a very similar to Germans- we use reusable bags, go to the center by foot or public transport. however the minimalism is hard, because we have 4 seasons, so many clothes to change through the year, keeping in mind that you need to put in a storage a lot of clothes, you can't bye a lot of new, so this is situational circumstance influenced natural minimalism :) many differences with Germany we have, but going towards this great country, and still enjoy our nature, hikes, natural lakes, picking mushrooms in a forest. thank you with all the insights, we definitely to get "lighter" from our stuff and your vlogs really helps. Thanks Marisa

THIS IS HOW I do Target grocery shopping now and it's saved me so much time, money, and clutter: I order everything online for drive-up pickup. I don't even set FOOT in the store. And if I need non-grocery items, I just add 'em to my order! DONE. Yeah, I do kinda miss wandering the aisles and being wooed and inspired at every turn, but not as much as I would miss the hours and dollars wasted.

I love your POVs! It’s refreshing to see that you’re one of the few minimalists from the US. I think I am blessed with my American husband who shares the same principles as I do - we both are into limiting what we own to only what we need. It really is difficult to do that here in the US but having a partner who shares the same ideals makes it easier for me and our family. Following your videos! ❤

Well, I don't know about Americans, but we just moved out 2 days ago (we live in France). While watching your video of your family moving out with a few suitcases and boxes, I was feeling so stressed and overwhelmed by my stuff... I would no longer dare call myself a minimalist. In fact, I was just organised, with all my things so well stored in the dressers and cabinets that I had not realised how much I posessed ! Decluttering seems to be just around the corner ;)

Regarding ads, I am an American in England. I find the ads here easier to ignore as well, and there is little language barrier. Also, video aps and tv that have ads show fewer over here, so I am less inundated with ads.

How do the children in Germany pack up their dirty plate, cup and utensils to take home after their parties at school? Just curious.

Great video!! Realizing I didn’t need to buy everything I liked was a big eye opener for me. It sounds so obvious but it really is a knee jerk reaction…I like it so I must have it…now I tell myself you can like it and someone else will enjoy it. I don’t think I’ll ever totally get to the point where I’ll question if I need something cause we really don’t need much, however I now keep it all in check and only indulge when I know it’s something I’ll enjoy if not for a very long time, a lifetime

Texas seems to be among the worst about having sidewalks and crosswalks. Having those would encourage and enable walking to accomplish errands.

I have a buying and shopping addiction. Been on a year long " buy nothing ", i can now go in a store and browse and not buy anything, but i don't do it very often because i don't fully trust myself yet. My home, basement, and 850 square foot garage is hoarded, even though i get rid of stuff every day.

If you don't/can't drive AND your community has lousy public transportation and shops are not easy to walk to, and especially when your income is precarious, those cute rules about getting rid of things you could replace for less than $10, or not keeping multiples of things, etc. become harder to adopt. If you really can't go buy the things you need when you need them, you do need to think ahead more and acquire those things when they are available and while you are able to get them. The minimalist MINDSET is still hugely helpful, but the amount of stuff you wind up keeping may be more items than if you really can just own what you are using right now and easily buy/get additional items as needed..

Very interesting video, thank you. I’m travelling to the US soon, and expect a big culture shock haha 😳 I’m originally from France, and was shocked by the maximalist culture in Australia where I currently live, which is unfortunately inspired by the US just like many traits of the Aussie culture. I see people shopping mindlessly, not considering how durable something is, where it was made (local brands increasingly write “PRC” instead of China to try and trick consumers), if they can afford it, and if / for how long they’ll actually use it. When I moved here in 2015, colleagues thought I was silly when I asked where the special bin for batteries was, or when I argued against excessive plastic in product packaging (I’m in marketing / product development). Thankfully, things have started to change, in part thanks to a series of documentaries called “War on Waste” which opened the eyes of Aussies on their wasteful habits, and I’m now starting to feel a little bit less at odds with the local culture. More and more people are starting to realise that experiences may bring more, and lasting joy, than “stuff”… At last 🙏 Side notes - It was funny seeing you were so attracted by those Halloween trinkets… perhaps you haven’t spent enough time in Germany 😅 My personal reaction was: “what’s even the point of these?” 🤪 And when I see those huge boxes of excessively sweet cereals, I can’t help but to recommend you check out Glucose Goddess: you’ll save money and increase the quality of life of your kids 💡

I live in the UK, and our homes are small, generally. I have no garage, no basement, no attic (apart from a small loft space accessed by ladder), no pantry, no laundry room, etc. We have to be minimalist of necessity, or our homes are overwhelming.

One reason why I opt for grocery pickup is so I can avoid the impulse grocery purchases.

I have a few friends who are becoming increasingly minimal, many starting since COVID. I've finally trained family members to give us only consumables as gifts, and to stop questioning why we don't have end tables or more towels etc.

Now that cute holiday decor is coming out in stores, I would love it if you would make a video on how to stay on track with minimalism during the holidays with tips on how to avoid buying seasonal decor. Thanks for today's video! ❤️

Its pretty similar here in the UK..... our tiny country is bursting at the seams, and our tiny houses too!! Yet we still start stocking Xmas stuff in the stores during end of June, to start filling our homes with Gifts we dnt need at Christmas time!!!

I think it's the fact that our country is so much bigger than European contries and we have more free space to use. The 2nd thing is more emphasis on capitalism which operates through competition. Restaurants start offering bigger portions and free refills to compete with similar restaurants. Target and Walmart were not in the beginning grocery stores. They were department stores that added groceries in later.

I discovered that grocery shopping on line, then picking up, has saved me lots of money in avoiding impulse shopping of stuff I don’t need.

Oh my gosh the Halloween cereal is THE BEST. Agree that it’s pure nostalgia!

I agree. I sometimes wonder how or why I have accumulated so much stuff and I have worked hard to changed my consumer behaviors. I now think about where I will put the item, maintenance, how will it endure two boys or our habits, or put it on a list as a maybe - most of those never get purchased. I also shop for fun way less and remind myself that I have a lot and can shop my house for decorations, outfits (many clothes bought from thrift stores over the years), crafts, etc. It's such a satisfying feeling to use what we have.