One of my favorite quotes for minimalism is "own nothing you dont find to be useful or believe to be beautiful." I like it because if you truly believe all the art in your home is beautiful you can keep it. The version of minimalism that I support is simply asking yourself if you actually find value in your art or are just hanging it up because you should. I also find unaesthetic stuff to be useful so I keep owning it.

i never understood the people who went minimalistic and threw out perfectly fine t-shirts because they just wanted to have 3 (which were visibly worn) and it never crossed their mind that the additional ones could be a replacement to the ones they already have. this is so wasteful.

I think about things like this when I see people who label themselves as minimalists and constantly replace the little decor they have because they are bored of it or they want something that is more on trend. Or they are frequently decluttering items they don't love.... but then don't practice thoughtful purchasing habits going forward.

Im happy eco-maximalism is gaining traction. I think it has the potential to be more acessable for the average person.

I enjoyed this video. I, personally, resonate with the concept of eco-minimalism that Shelbizleee often talks about. It allows me the simplicity I crave while not being as stifling as regular minimalism as I still own things like a closet full of secondhand sustainable clothes and a pantry full of jars. I love your commentary, Gittemary! 💖

I find it so sad to see extreme milimalist who have just basics and no sentimental items. Sentimental stuff is not bad if we dont own a garage full of it! You dont have to get rid of anything personal and become a blanc wall of pastels.

Generally, I’ve always appreciated how your channel isn’t about the *aesthetic* of what people think sustainability should look like. And as someone in the US with an entirely Swedish side of my family, I’ve always felt a way about how Swedish design in pop culture here is thought of as this ikea minimalism when there is so much beautiful folk art.

this is so true, also having three tshirts just makes you do way more washing and therefore ins't sustainable than doing one when you need

To me, minimalism means not spending money or resources on what doesn’t really make me happy. This is why I consider myself on a minimalist journey even though I do have hundreds of books for instance. It’s not really about aesthetics and colours. You can be both minimalist and environmentalist.

I think there's a difference between a minimalist aesthetic and a minimalist philosophy. Minimalist philosophies are more about making do with what you have (even if it's ugly), getting rid of stuff to have less time spent on cleaning, organising and maintaining objects, and really thinking about each purchase before making it. There's a real issue with the aesthetic and the lifestyle having the exact same name: I consider myself somewhat of a minimalist and I buy huge bulk packages of nice noodles that don't fit into the cupboards, so it's ugly as hell but I save time, money and energy (and plastic!) not having to constantly be buying noodles lol. I also don't believe it fits into the philosophy of minimalism to renovate your home to look like a Swedish design magazine, as you're consuming just the same, and spending money, time, and mental energy on acquiring new objects in the name of a philosophy that says the objects shouldn't burden you. I never knew about the culture erasure behind minimalism, it was fascinating to learn about! I find that a lot of minimalist philosophies are found in buddhist and other religious and cultural communities and their texts, but then again they are about the mindset, not the aesthetic.

Minimalism means diffrent for people and has no roules. For me, it's about keep things I use and love, memories... easy to clean and so on. Gives me peace and harmoni, not stress. I dont care what other people means of it. 😊😁 I have things an want to see and use things I've got and gives me memories. ❤

I tried minimalism before the birth of my first child and a little into his infancy and it just stressed me out more than anything. I wanted to make my daily life easier because I was in a new place, with no support other than my husband and it made me incredibly unhappy. It's not who I am, at all. I was the kid that would see furniture on the side of the road and carry it home. I held onto things for years because I could find a function for them. I'm a maximalist through and through. An eclectic one at that! I love things and color and it's what makes me happy. I get my things secondhand or from the side of the road and it's working out great for me and my family.

I'm a minimalist but I agree with everything you said. For me minimalism has nothing to do with the aesthetic (maybe I should make up a new word so it's less confusing haha) and everything to do with focusing less on material objects so that I have the money and mental space to focus on the things that are truely important to me. I'm also starting to get into Buddhism so I'm learning to become more detached and rather find happiness within instead of in possessions and status symbols. I don't think minimalism is the goal, I rather see it as a tool and it makes me feel more free. But I don't think it's about getting rid of as much as possible, I think it's about letting go (physically as well as emotionally and mentally) of the things/beliefs/thought etc. that you have no use for and that just take up space in your home and mind for no reason. This also allows me to focus more on the things i consciously choose to keep in my life. So I think you can still have a maximalist style and live by that definition of the word minimalism. What is often forgotten is what comes after decluttering I think. It doesn't make sense to keep buying a ton of stuff and to keep getting rid of things so that you don't own too much. I think it's about becoming a more conscious consumers and buying the things that truely add value to our lives instead of impulse-buying, which eventually leads to less waste as well. Of course a lot of minimalist don't live that way, but I think minimalism CAN be combined very well with also being more sustainable. I am slowly trying to live more sustainably and for example I buy things used whenever possible. A channel that combines both minimalism and sustainability that I find very inspiring (and non-judgemental) is "heal your living"

• Kate I love this!! I'm slavic and when I see how complex and embellished ethno-heritage clothes of my grand grandmother were and compare that to todays clothing sooo much female craftsmanship and art is lost in 20th century europe due to fascism and communism (colonialism did the same thing by diminishing culture in occupied places in the world)

Thank you for this video, it contains a lot of carefully curated information I did not know about and I think you got your point across very well and totally agree with it. What I would like to add is that mental health can also be a reason to choose minimalism. Many people feel overwhelmed by large amounts of things, busy rooms, patterns and intense colours while reduced and muted enviroments can contribute amazingly to calming the mind and relaxing a person: the general atmosphere of such a space, having to make fewer choices, being able to keep things tidy easily, finding everything fast etc. I strongly disagree with the racist statements by Adolf Loos, they're absolutely ridiculous, but I wonder whether a longing for a calming simplicity might have also been part of the zeitgeist back then?

This was so interesting to watch. I didn’t know the origin of Minimalism. I can say that I don’t live minimalistic for the aesthetic and I don’t buy items to be a minimalist. For me, it was about letting things go so that I have the freedom to express who I am currently. I don’t have a closet full of neutrals or eight shirts. In facts I own 32 tops and I love each and everyone of them. 😁 I’m not a minimalist based on what I own, I’m a minimalist because I’ve chosen to make room for what I love by not owning what I don’t 😊 Thank you for this video Gittemary! It was really grounding. 😆

I really see your point but I don't understand what is the relationship between minimalism and fascism. I studied political science at uni and I don't really see it (yes with white supremacy and culture erasure, 100% agree with what you say). For me, having suffered fascism in Spain for 40 years under a dictature, using the word "fascism" in such a context is too strong and it is something to be really careful. I feel that today we use it very easily and it may lose its significance as a word if we call fascism every racist/far right movement (they are factors that interact but one doesn't correlate exactly with the other). Also, from a political science point of view, I don't understand why the minimalist movement is to blame with many of the points you say, when we could just called capitalism, racism or white supremacy (among others). Minimalism could be identified as a trend or movement (idk like neoclassicism or futurism) and it is important to point out its dangers like you do. But people trying to sell "minimalistic" pieces at the price of gold is capitalist and classist, we should blame our consumption model and the people/companies who try to make benefits of it. For me it is very clear that, when street people try to create a movement (like minimalism, feminism, ecology...), the status quo integrates its discurse to turn it into their favour (greenwashing, purplewashing..). Also, we should take into consideration the economic situation of many people who promote pure minimalism, who also are privileged enough to not care about this capitalist white supremacy in their movement. I think that not minimalist people just judge from the outside and identifies the guru of minimalism as the only advocate of the movement, when we should diversify its narrative and make it more inclusive (like zero waste). Not everybody has the luck to be able to make these choices... Maybe we could just extract the lesson that minimalism could help people to have a better relationship with their belongings and desire to own things, without any pressure to get rid of stuff just for the aesthetic. Idk, I identify myself as a ecominimalist for trying to have a healthy relationship with consumption and being mindful of the things I own (avoiding overconsumption, thirfting, shopping low waste...). However, I still own many things but because I made the choice to keep it, I'm not just acumulating junk without sense.

I like this. Minimalism doesn't mean sustainable. I'm moving to a more minimalist lifestyle because it calms my anxiety to have fewer things and thus more control over my environment. It's less about the aesthetic and more about purging & being at peace in my space. I can still have cool, quirky things. I still thrift & very rarely buy anything new. It's like veganism. Just because you won't eat xyz that doesn't mean you're not a fulfilled human. Just because I don't own xyz doesn't mean I'm not a fulfilled person. That being said, I still keep old jars and regrow my veggies. 🤷🏼‍♀️

I kind of wish we would not mix all these "things" with other "things" LOL like zero waste is one thing, minimalism is another etc I dont think they "have" to be tied together as a rule.. however I do see how they could be. it just drives me nuts when people say stuff like "to be truly zero waste".. man dude were doing the best we can.

I love your perspective. I consider myself zero waste in the heart. I try, I don’t always succeed. I consider myself environmentally friendly. I try, I don’t always succeed. I consider myself more minimalist than I used to be.But I live with someone who absolutely loves his stuff. I consider myself vegan in progress. I think you can be on things if your goal is to just live more intentionally. I will always be a work in progress.

Yesssss Art Historian here and I'm thrilled to see this history lesson

Adopting a minimalist lifestyle and mindset has actually been the thing that lead me to become environmentally aware. Minimalism made me see how I've been wasting so many resources. Eco-minimalism is the lifestyle I live by.

I feel minimalism has morphed into something different than the idea of just removing stuff and keeping things plain. Today Minimalism is more about being intentional over your possessions. You can have thousands of jars and be a minimalist (if you were intentional over that decision). Minimalism is about only keeping what ads value to your life, removing excess, and being intentional.

The part of minimalism that I like is the reduction of the silent to do list: this includes the amount of to-dos you HAVE to to, or NEED to tend to, or make you feel GUILTY for not doing such. In my life for example, I felt guilty for never having time to dust a whole room at one time, because I had too much stuff around everywhere. I would come home and look around my shelves of beautiful gizmos and gadgets, and become instantly overwhelmed and fatigued at the idea of having and needing to clean them all up. So I purged(minimized). I don't necessarily like the looks of bare walls, and I'm sad to not habe all my knick knacks on the shelves, but I feel relieved to not have them all silently screaming at me for the necessary attention to keep them properly... Minimalizing my inventory=happy mind.

This has made me feel so much better! I'm a baby environmentalist and have been trying to reduce my impact for the last 8 months. And I constantly feel guilty for the amount of possessions I have collected over the years all because I thought it wasn't eco to have so much stuff. But when I actually look at what I've got I realised that loads of the stuff I felt guilty about was boxes full of memories from when I was a kid and pictures I've collected from different people and places over the years. My boyfriend is super into the idea of having a really decorated house with loads of art on the walls and I like that too but part of me felt like even If I was supporting an artist by purchasing their work that art itself wasn't eco enough to be part of this community. So thanks! This has been really helpful

You are one of the few youtubers who stayed faithful to zero waste 💛

This totally resonated with me. I'll never be a minimalist because I'm a natural magpie. But all my 'stuff' is thrifted, found, repaired or otherwise scrounged. I do like the minimalist aesthetic in theory- but I need visual stimulus and interest in most areas in my life, and I collect. So maximalism all the way!

As someone who identifies as a minimalist (and a student of anthropology), I absolutely love this video. There is room in the eco movement for individuality, beauty, and culture

Thank you for explaining the origins of Minimalism. I didn't know anything about it. I would usually define myself as an ecominimalist from Shelbizlee's definition. Interestingly, only after practicing it I realized that what I own doesn't represent my culture and I was shocked by the fact that although my parents have a small hoarding problem, they didn't include their culture in the stuff we have. It was only passed through experiences and music. So, my new objective regards personal development is to find things that I need and like that has my culture in it. No, I won't become a maximalist, I love the idea of less things because it helps me enjoy my things and time, and to save money. To me, ecominimalism has given me the tools to be myself. Also, I don't follow the minimalist aesthetic, is too plain for me.

Swede here: im also so sick of the scandinavian look and hate it haha. I am for sure a sustainable maximalist. But I’ll admit I’m struggling with consuming too much second hand stuff 🙈

This is one of your best vlogs ever. I live as sustainably as possible, practice imperfect zero waste, but I am an unapologetic maximalist. I love my art and books and plants. My space looks like a large cabinet of curiosities and it brings me peace and happiness.

Thank you for this video. I was born in Mexico, and I always felt torn between the minimalist aesthetic and the colors and items that come with my culture. I also love thrift shopping. I love to collect unique pots for my plants. On top of that, I'm also an artist, and I'm a sucker for art supplies (like most of us are lol). The guilt that came with all that, trying to live a sustainable lifestyle, and being "expected" to live more minimal was giving me a lot of anxiety. Maybe all those things are just part of my personality, and I don't need to live a minimalistic live style if I'm trying to live more sustainably. Thank you Gittemary!

For me minimalism is not about the aesthetic but about the less consumerist lifestyle

I think that today's minimalism is a response to the availability of abundance. In olden times people connected bright colours and fancy cuts with prosperity because common folk could not afford or was directly banned from wearing such stuff. Now, in the era of overproduction, it is way easier to fill your closet with cheap bright stuff. That is why looking simplistic and minimalistic acquired this connection with wealth, status and intellect. It IS a kind of privilege but it's connected with class first of all. At the same time one can, for example, have a simplistic lifestyle or wardrobe and yet NOT spend a lot of money. It's not absolutely necessary. Another point is that minimalism does not inevitably erase culture or personality, because these two manifest themselves in many different ways, not only through ornament. Especially in urban communities, especially when many people spend their free time on the Internet and are influenced by creators from all over the world. For many minimalism and simplicity may be an starting point to express their personality and culture heritage, because it allows them to remove distractions,anxiety and choice fatigue and divert their energy toward the important stuff.

This is so relevant, well explained and interesting! I want everyone in the world to watch this video lol. It also helps with the gatekeeping the sustainable community or minimalist community can usually suffer from, letting people know that they don't have to ditch their individuality and/or cultural heritage to be more sustainable is such an incredible message

*shots fired!*🤣 Yeah, I’ve strived to become a minimalist for many years, but have recently started to just lean into my boho inclinations 🙃

Minimalism as a form of esthetic in my mind is completely different to minimalism as a form of lifestyle. Minimal living doesn’t tell you what type of clothes or furniture you have to buy - it’s just getting rid of the unnecessary things/thoughts in your life and making more space for things that you love. ❤️

I've been interested in minimalism for a long time but never really got to like it? And I always wondered why if everyone thought it was so cool and environmentally friendly, I couldn't find it so perfect. Thank you for making us think!!!! This was really interesting 💖

I love this video, Gittemary. Very well researched! It's important to know the history behind a trend, where it comes from, in order to not propagate oppressive behaviours. I didn't know the fascist roots/interpretation behind minimalism. So thank you for educating me. On that note, the channel A Small Wardrobe also pointed how minimalism can undermine women by demonising things that are traditionally praised by women (clothing, for instance). May I have your thoughts on that? So, I totally agree that minimalism can suppress people's individualism or deny people their need to express themselves!

Minimalism help me soooo much to reduce shopping habits, to save money, to make my space more habitable and comfortable now i can know were every thing are! It's lovely...I love minimalism💓 As i love Zero waste.... Not perfect in any of this subjects🙈 but i tried to improve every day and i don't pursued the fanatism neither☺️

It is no wonder you love the art and furnishings you own. I like a lot of the ones you have, the pillows, the dining table, the bumpy vases, the picture of the angel flying in the night sky. My decor style is like that with thrifted, inherited, and handmade items. I only try to get rid of the things I am keeping "in case they are useful" and that doesn't include the decor or the jars and dishes I use to store leftovers or bulk food. Love your videos Gitte!

I started on a minimalism kick. It led me to zero waste which led to mostly just way too many you tube hours. But as I was throwing everything away to be minimal, I was feeling ever so wasteful and as I collected reusables to reduce one aspect of waste I felt I was working against myself filling a shelf I just emptied! I stopped and asked my self, "how the hell do I do both?" Then I found this video. I have never seen anyone talk about this and it has so much merit!!! Now I am def trying to find a balance and I too love the idea of eco minimalism. I prefer no clutter and honestly don't care for decorating. My house is simple and it feels like total zen to me (I def clutter with plants and plants babies though " :)

Love this! It's one of the reasons I've really been enjoying Leena Norms and Hannah Witton's videos on trying to have a more sustainable wardrobe, while still wearing all the bright colors and patterns that bring you joy. I hadn't been thinking about the cultural erasure part though, and so im so grateful that you brought it up! It's given me a lot to think about.

I'm so glad someone said it!! Honestly being Finnish and Swedish I was so proud of Ikea and that look. Until I found out that the creator of the company was a yt supremacist. After that it really opened my eyes to the cultural erasure in it

I practice minimalism, I think carefully about my purchases. I only buy when I need something, sometimes when I really like something, and I buy organic cotton clothes, I buy stuff that can last a long time. and never just throw away stuff I have it recycled or I take it to a thrift store so minimalism is not so black and white and you can also be eco minimalist

Until I saw this video, I really thought that the only way to a sustainable, zero-waste life was through minimalism. I love that you said that just because something is minimal, doesn’t make it sustainable. I do love a “clean, airy aesthetic, but I can’t live without some heirlooms from family, some colour, lots of plants, photos and art.

There is minimalism anesthetic and a minimalism way of dealing with stuff in the house. They are not the same thing. It was helpful to me to listen to the minimalist people to see my stuff from a different perspective. It helped me prioritize. I got rid of some furniture, some bakeware and some clothes. I got rid of a few fantasy self items including no- longer relevant books, and grieved the death of a few dreams. But I'm so happy to see floor space. I didn't minimize the categories that I decided were a high priority to me: my crafts, my art, my spices my clothes. I am maximalist by having art and tacky pictures on my walls. I'm a fan of the decorating style of Mary Randolph Carter (junk), but the knick knacks would drive me crazy if they were in my house.

This is a very interesting topic. I think intentionally living is more sustainable. Finding new home for stuff that is just collecting dust, take care of the things I use and be very thoughtful when buying new stuff.

A lot of the minimalists I'm aware of seem to be really influenced by Buddhism (even if not actually practicing it as a religion) and the notion of rejecting worldly pleasures that seems to come from it. The background you explained on artistic minimalism is very interesting! I've been preaching for years that minimalism and sustainability don't always necessarily overlap. A lot of minimalists seem obsessed with decluttering their homes and getting rid of stuff, which creates the potential for more waste. However, the stuff that is already in your home is not harming anyone. It's actually sustainable to use the stuff you already have so you don't have to buy new things! I believe in living a low *consumer* lifestyle, but the reason I don't have to purchase new things all the time is because I already own plenty of stuff. I also would be really sad if I didn't have decorations or furniture in my home lol.

love this video!! I've had friends reject the idea of a zero waste lifestyle because they think it won't suit their lifestyle because their clothes are colourful or they like funky furniture - will definitely be sending everyone your way. Great video, love your channel!

Loved this video! I really appreciate how you brought your knowledge of art and art history to the table because that’s not usually brought up in these discussions. I know so many folks who have the minimalist aesthetic that don’t care a bit about sustainability and will buy new things (and get rid of old things) with way more frequency than folks who don’t ascribe to minimalism. So they’re definitely not intrinsically linked! I think we can learn a lot from both minimalism and maximalism to find what makes *you* truly happy without overconsumption.

'corporate minimalism' has been something I've been thinking of a lot over the past few weeks. i don't ever shop for things that aren't food so i was quite surprised when i was looking around websites for a sofa and coming across 'minimalist' couches that were basically just big pillows that you put on the floor being advertised for around $1000! These weren't ethically or locally made by the way, just plain old fast fashion giant pillows that are so extremely over priced to market towards people trying to be 'trendy'. Very scary world we live in

I have decided that for me there is something I love about both movements. I collected my grandmas and Moms Dishes and cookware, as well as my own, all of my silveware is silver, and I am not getting rid of any of it because it is eclectic as am I. I have too much art and too many books and too many quilts because my Mom collected them, and they make me feel good. I feel like part of the issues with people today is their is no grounding in the past, and I think a peoples needs that to move forward. I also feel like the energy these items have because they were loved and touched and used by my family some were even created by family, they have a special power energy so to speak. Currently all these pieces are in storage due to being in flux in life but i plan to have a place of my own and have my art on the walls and bookcases filled with books, and a peg board with quotes my Mom kept because they made her feel good. And music and plants and coffee on the porch in the rain. I plan on all of this. As for minimalism and especially Konmari, what draws me to her is her treating the items and houses like real entititys instead of inantimate objects, I fear that goes over alot of Westerners ( Americans) heads, and therefore they will get into loops like the ones some folks commented on below.

Yes! I have a lot of furniture, decor, and clothes but at least 70% is secondhand and most were family items. Most my clothes used to be my mother-in-law’s. She has great taste and we are the same size. I have furniture my grandpa made. I love having quality things that bring memories and joy.

Gittemary, this was such a great video! I love in general how informative and interesting your videos are, but this one especially is so well done and original. Thanks a lot for this! 🍀

Hello Gittemary! Thank you for this video, lovely to hear you talk more about your other passions and background. You sound extremely fresh and authentic 🙂 Have a good day!

thank you omg. im a neurodivergent infp teen & i was convinced minimalism was the only way to live, like it was the only answer to a happy sustainable peaceful life (which I understand can be for some people. I still really respect minimalism in terms of sustainability & aesthetic & what it can do for you mentally, just that it’s not 100% for me). so for a while I couldn’t look at minimalist content (not even shelbee) without turning into some emotional wreck bc I was ashamed that I wasn’t like that. like I acknowledge that I’m very privileged in the first place that I grew up without much issue around money so I could buy more stuff & I guess at some level I’m spoilt a bit, but also my tendency to hyperfixate & have special interests really gets in the way of minimalism. idk i could probably make a whole rant or something but I’m gonna stop now lol

Thank you for this video, I really enjoyed it. Very interesting observation about art and how the philosophical thoughts are reflected in art, cultures and lifestyle. My personal stance is always listening and learning. As you say, there's no universal way, it's a pick-and-mix to create something that works for you, and awareness is a big part of it. The more you learn about different sides of the issue, the more clearly you can think about it yourself. I personally struggle with minimalism too (however I'm far from being a full-on consumerist). Now I think I have a better understanding why minimalism isn't necessarily for me. I'm so glad I found your channel, Gittemary, thank you!

Bonjour Gittemary, merci pour ta vidéo. It was really interesting learning that the minimalism movement we know came from un art movement. Personally I am in a "discovering quest" of my tastes and what work for me. I accumulated lots of things because "it could be usefull one day" or of passing interests. But I live in a tiny studio and one day I realised all this accumulation was only making me anxious. So I find myself using "minimalist tools" to identify what I like, what is usefull in a realistic way and what I don't need to keep. I like what your appartement looks like a lot, because it's filled with things you like and it's put in a way you like so it gives a positive feeling. I don't know where I am going to be after this but I already am taking more care of my belongings so I'm pleased with the process so far. I guess the essencial is not the label or how people see you but to be in a situation where your home and your belongings make you happy and confortable instead of overwelmed and anxious. Thank you for all your videos. It is always interesting and mind oppening. Please, keep going and take care.

you are like my auntie beating all my fears and always reassuring me! I really love your videos they are so helpful and make me decompress!

I needed this video so badly, thank you for making it!! I have struggled with reconciling wanting to be sustainable with the movement's minimalism obsession, and that just isn't me... I love a good thrift hunt and love to hold onto gently used wrapping paper! I am also uncomfortable with empty space (I didn't grow up that way so it doesn't seem cozy or warm/home-like to me) and when you said that if you were a minimalist, you would spend so much energy fighting/resisting the urge to fill your space, I felt it in my soul

This is such a well-researched and reasoned video, thank you! Minimalism was kind of my gateway out of hyperconsumerism, and through the youtube algorithm led me to you and other zero waste content creators so I have to love it for that! And it has taught me to think more intentionally about what I bring into my life before even making purchases, so that's a huge benefit. But I agree the decluttering thing is problematic. I embraced it pretty whole-heartedly and really downsized my possessions. While I am happy with the outcome - I truly don't have things around I don't need, and I like that feeling - I know I didn't get rid of things in the most mindful way. I was able to give some things to people directly, and donated everything else usable, but I knew even when doing it donations often end up going to trash. :( And while I don't miss anything I got rid of, I also know I got rid of things that could have continued to be used and had some value even if I didn't need them every day. One big idea in minimalism youtube is to not keep items around "just in case" you'll need them again if you don't need them now, but I do see where that's not helpful. If you got rid of it and the "just in case" happens, you have to buy it again and that's not a cycle I want to be part of! So I think I am now in a place where I will try very hard not to purchase things I don't need to start with, but take care of things once I do, and not see them as disposable if I just get tired of them. Ugh! Anyway, thanks for your content, we're all just on this journey but you help us all do a little better :)

Such a good topic to discuss! I enjoyed listening to your perspective and I feel like I’m in the middle as far as my lifestyle

Thanks for addressing this issue! For a while I felt like I should approach minimalism in terms of how much stuff I own, because I thought it would be "better". But I actually like the Marie Kondo method where she asks whether something sparks joy. If you already own something, and it makes you happy, there is no point in getting rid of it.

This must be your best video so far. Amazing! Thought provoking.

Minimalism-Veganism-Zero Waste. The intentional life trifecta haha! For realz tho, I feel lile most of these movements come from THE BEST PLACE, but people tend to pursue thw aesthetic instead of the principle: to be a vegan I have to buy all the fancy spices, ingredients, and supplements! To be a minimalist all my furniture has to be white and pointy and not a spec of dust can be in sight! To be zero waste my whole house needs to be made out of wood and brass and all my mason jars have to match. When we focus on the outside rather than the inside we are doing it wrong

This was such an amazing video! I totally relate to this. I also seek a sustainable lifestyle, but the minimalist aesthetic drives me crazy. I need my home to have personality and character, and I do try to use sustainable ways to obtain that. The culture-erasing side of minimalism is something I've never thought about, thank you for bringing that up!

I am so grateful for your channel! Thank you for starting these important discussions!

Wow! This was so well done and highlighted some points I had never thought of. Thank you for making this video❤

I think you can be minimalist and still maintain culture. To me, minimalism means getting rid of things and habits you truly don't need. You can incorporate your culture in the things you DO keep. Also, this journey, to me, is about finding what brings you peace. It's ok to not be minimalist. It's also ok to be minimalist. On this eco friendly journey, everyone has a place. It's up to you to find that place that works for you ❤️😊. Love the video ❤️

I love your style 💜 I could not be a minimast if I tried. Prefer extra anytime and appreciate the individually of different people. Thanks for this video

This is one of my favorite videos I have seen from you! Whole-heartedly agree, and you described your thoughts very eloquently.

My father is a heart surgeon so I spend many days of my childhood in his office in the hospital, I even used to study in hospital's study area and library during my teenage years therefore I must say minimalistic "white" super clean and organised places reminds me of hospital rooms and its overall atmosphere and creeps the hell out of me, I feel so unsecured and anxious in this kind of minimal spaces, a home should look like a home and reflects the owner's mind not looking like IKEA catalogue or a rental place.

This video has really helped me, thank you! I didn't want to be a minimalist, so I basically thought I was being forced to also give up sustainability. I feel much happier knowing it's just an aesthetic. Thanks again!

I love this! I’ve often been drawn to more maximalist styles but at the same time desiring to make sustainable choices. It’s great to see an example of someone who is doing both. I would feel quite sad to not be able to express myself through design cause I find so much joy in that. Thanks for sharing how you’ve been able to be maximalist and sustainable in your own life.

What a great video! It was realy eye opening. I never thought about minimalism like this.

Thank you so much for this video, it really opened my eyes on this subject!❤ I've tried living minimalistic due to more sustainability but now I think, I am more a sustainable maximalist... cause I've never given up on patterns and plants and books and going thrifting for vintage things and stuff.

I try to be a minimalist, not for how it looks, but rather for simplifying my life. I also try to as small a environmental footprint as possible and and I think that the two compliment eachother. I like white walls and simple furniture, but I also like plants and colourful cushions. Essentialism is probably a better way to put it. Great video and I really appreciate all your hard work in producing these videos 😘👏👏👏👏👏

You would have been great on the debating team at uni Gittemary! 😉 I agree, sometimes overly minimalist decor is completely blank of any character. I like to have interesting things to look at in a house. Your videos are so clever and we all love them for that x

Keeping everything and using it to death is FAR more ecologically sound than getting rid of things and then having to replace them when they break. Having three can openers ( one was mine, one in a drawer when I moved in and one from my mums house when she died) is okay. When one breaks I might not be able to get to a store, I might not have the money for a replacement or it might be vital that I have it that very minute and I’m snowed in. You have it right. Don’t let others tell you otherwise.

Whooooo what a handful!!! I've tried to be a minimalist and like a rubber band pop back to my abundance self again. I will never fit in that life style. Thanks for explaining myself. You made my day because I can surround myself of things I recollected that put a smile on my face. Have a great day......

This is true and absolutely what I needed to hear. I am environmentally conscious and frugal-- I would rather have my bills paid or spend time traveling with loved ones than purchase the newest thing. I had constantly beat myself up because I am just not able to sustain the typical "minimalist" home. If that is sustainable for you, awesome. It looks beautiful. BUT I do not have that life. I am also easily stressed and made anxious by "too much" clutter or stuff. However, what is too much for me, isn't necessarily too much for the next. I love my knickknacks collected lovingly over the years, that I can remember exactly where I found it and the story behind it. I love a stuffed book case with colorful books, knickknacks and art but don't want it all piled on the floor in a neat stack by my couch, for example. It seems these days we all are striving for this perfect idea of what we think we should be, your absolutely right. I really needed this video because it reinforced that I can be environmentally conscious without being minimalist. Thank you.

I started watching videos about minimalism a couple of years ago and I thought it was great... I ran the Konmari on my home and listened a couple of books and the minimalists podcast and still ended up with so much stuff... Yes on one hand I wish I had just a 100 items but on the other I don't want to get rid of my things, I'm Mexican we decorate a lot, we inherit stuff, we amass cultural stuff... And I don't want to lose that... It's not about consumerism it's about identity... So I will never be a minimalist either.

I really enjoyed your take on sustainability and living more eco-friendly lifestyle.I agree, you don’t have to go ALL in and go minimalist to live a sustainable, less waste life.

I totally agree with this video! We have to keep our things and reuse as much as possible as opposed to focusing on a look. Well done 💚💚💚

Thank you for this video! As someone that has been exploring ways to be more sustainable, I thought minimalism was the right way, but I ended up stressing myself out trying to be "perfectly" minimalist. Now I focus on conscious consumption and whether I actually need an item or if it brings me great joy. I also never knew about cultural erasure with minimalism, but now I totally see how it can be problematic.

Ohmygosh, yes!! Thank you for making this video, and for all the great information! I get inspiration from light minimalism, which helps me keep my natural maximalism in check....but I can NOT live with the total bare walls, empty closet extremes, and I so appreciate that you are standing up for the idea of low waste being possible without extremes. Thank you so much ❤️!!

This video is great and such an important reminder. I love the idea of minimal living for the "buying less" aspect, but I primarily strive for a lifestyle that focuses on sustainability :)

Your outfit looks so doo!!! Loving it ❤️❤️💛✨

I agree with all of this! My partner is always criticizing me because I’m not minimalist enough. My house has the plants and thrifted boho style with rattan and woven plates, etc...I also make weaves and hang them up lol. I have travelled the world and love my artisan pieces from locals. I also love thrifting, so I have a lot of clothes, but it’s ALL recycled. In addition, I’m plant -based and I make all my skincare, use shampoo bars, make cleaning stuff, etc. I try, lol. But no, I cannot say I’m minimalist and I’m ok with that ✌️

Really amazing video, I think it is one of my favorites. Super informative and puts things into perspective with your same always compassionate and non-judgemental attitude.

This was really good for me to hear! I find myself somewhere in the middle and do feel like I need “permission” to decorate with more fun things.

I think we can define minimalism as the attitude to possess only things that have a utility or give joy: it's more about conscious consumption and say no to impulsive purchases or objects that "you must have because they all have them". Also, minimalism is not only about material stuff but it's a whole lifestyle and philosophy and definitely not an aesthetics (like sustainability). If books brings you joy you can have a whole collection and still be a minimalist. Sometimes it can be difficult to declutter in a sustainable way, but the great advantage of minimalism is that it will avoid in the future to find yourself in a situation where you have clutter to get rid of.

This is such a well thought out and well executed video you made a lot of good points and everything was very clear I feel so much more educated now lol

Great video with many interesting points of discussion Gittemary… AND… I 👀 that you are now at 99K. Oohhh… this must be so exciting for you!! Gonna be watching that number… in addition to your vids. Thanks for this one!!

It’s like you read my mind! Lol! I had actually been googling minimalism and fascism just last week because I had heard they were somehow linked and was trying to figure out more. Side note, I absolutely love your style and am so happy you are so unabashedly you!!

Great video! I would love to hear more of these art trend breakdowns, especially how they relate to sustainabilty.

Man, I loved this video! It's nice, when a home actually reflects the persons culture, history or quirks

This is so, soon good. I've learned so much from you. Thank you and love your channel and personality!

The tattoo part... relatable lol, at the beginning of my tattoo journey I thought I wanted more simple stuff, now I've embraced my Baroque spirit and I'm happier with my tattoes hahaha