Minimalism. Who is it Good For? Absolutely Everyone!

Kat Stanley

 Is minimalism getting a bad rap? In the article “Why Minimalism is BS”, by Jennifer McCartney, she strongly argues against minimalist ideals and organization. McCartney describes pristine design as flawed, full of unrealistic expectations to apply to your home. Her definition of Minimalism seems to imply living with a stark interior with few colors or happiness and scarcity also requires vigorous organization systems. Her article explains that Minimalism is unrealistic to achieve, that messiness is better for creativity, that mess is a valid organization system and the most authentic way of living. 

 In fact, Minimalism is more of a practice than a design style. It is about choosing what best suits your space rather than overly controlling emptiness as McCartney implies. It is about mindful curation and buying well made items to last, rather than overconsuming or staying on trend. With minimalism you have the mindset less is more, and a place for everything and everything in its place. It is about a tailored and designed peaceful home and lifestyle. 

 McCartney claims that minimalism is “BS”, because it is “not doing us any favors”. She feels that it is in fact healthier to be a messy human and that “[b]eing messy is, for many of us, our natural state”. She describes minimalism as unachievable, almost as if it goes against human nature. McCartney states that “a neat minimalist lifestyle isn’t sustainable. Especially if you’ve got a job, a social life, or pets, never mind a baby or anything that both requires you to have stuff and hinders your ability to clean house 24 hours a day”. I understand that those who are overwhelmed don’t have the luxury of time to tidy. But having more items makes this a challenging upkeep. She argues that with a busy lifestyle, “A picture-perfect home is simply impossible to maintain”. So she believes that being busy means cleaning and organizing is out of the question. She is ignoring the fact that the busier you are the harder it is to clean and the more necessary it is to own less items to care for. 

 In contrast to McCartney, I believe that the more items you own, the harder it is to upkeep. Especially when you are busy, and organized home will make life easier. The benefits of minimalism could be argued as subjective, based on an individual's preferences and needs. In addition Joshua N. Hook et al. found out that there was a strong positive link to reducing your consumption, minimalism (what he calls voluntary simplicity), and an association with a satisfied life and happier people (1). Hook’s research showed that simplicity brought a lot of peace and comfort and not consumerism, he concluded that “money can’t buy happiness” in their study on minimalism (1). So why are minimalists happy? If it’s improving lives, then why does McCartney think the practice is BS?

 In McCartney’s section on “Messiness is an effective organization tool”, she claims that clutter and piles of things are valid “organization systems”. For example, if you have a pile of papers on a desk you know the bottom one is the oldest. If you have a pile of clothes on the floor she claims, “[T]he pile of clothes on your floor is actually organized according to when you last wore stuff”. So to her, if your system isn’t broke, don’t fix it. In addition, I think we should use the systems that work for us, and technically anything could be labelled a system. However, if you don’t get out of your comfort zone to try new systems, you might not get the chance to experience a better one. Perhaps the easiest system isn’t the best, (maybe it’s even harmful!).

 Clothes left in piles can be stressful, and Jiyun Kang et al. found that mess can be linked to depression (3). Piles of mess cause visual clutter, and clothes left in them have more wrinkles, and are harder to find. It’s not the best system. It can be a waste of time in the morning trying to find what I need out of a pile. Steve Jobs is famous for his black uniform that allowed himself to make one less decision in the morning. He streamlined his morning routine for what to wear, to avoid decision fatigue. He set himself up for success for the rest of the day. Reducing decision fatigue by minimizing your wardrobe can improve your life. Moscote-Salazar et al. explains that decision fatigue is compounding throughout the day, causing a decline in mental, physical, and behavioral abilities (1). The load of making decisions can have long term consequences on our health. Little things, like deciding what to wear, or digging through excess cloths add to our fatigue over time. When I have everything folded away neatly, I can find what I want and I am ready in 5 minutes. The time saved (and mental energy saved) with an organized system should be acknowledged. Reduction of constant decision fatigue is so underrated. Our lives are inundated everywhere with decision. From the supermarket to relationships to work, we are overwhelmed by choices, colors, and noise. It can be a relief to come home to a peaceful sanctuary. Prioritizing your mental energy in your home is an act of self-love. You can absolutely lose money, and time with the messy “pile system” and worsen your own anxiety along with it. 

To McCartney, messiness is not only “healthy” but our “natural state”. Yet, in one of the largest studies on minimalism’s effects on consumerism and mental health, the results showed that minimalistic lifestyles were correlated with enhanced overall well-being and even helped to eliminate depression (Jiyun Kang et al. 1-3). The happiness in this study was brought on by reducing clutter and their ability to address the internal question of need vs. want (Jiyun Kang et al. 4). The people who were most depressed often struggled with mess and disorganization associated with poor mental health. 

While it might be a natural state to be messy, it is certainly not a healthy one. In addition to the extreme mental harm mess can bring, it can absolutely lead to health issues too. Dust in a home can cause allergies or dust mites. Stress can affect physical health as well. Mary E. Dozier explains that Hoarding Disorder is strongly linked to a confusion between your identity and physical objects that one is excessively attached to(1). In addition to this, those who rated high in both hoarding and clutter also had higher ratings of anxiety and depression (Mary E. Dozier 1). Not only is it unhealthy for your mind, but clutter also makes the physical environment challenging.

McCartney references a few studies on creativity and its association with untidy spaces. Essentially, She found a link to those that lived in messy homes ate more diverse and creative foods. In contrast, people with stark bedrooms were eating more conservatively. But not everyone wants to be more creative in the kitchen. I think our personal goals for how we dress, eat, design our home, or our shopping habits can benefit from organization. As an artist myself, I am familiar with the trope of artists and their messy studio. I also have ADHD and it makes me messy and forgetful. I already have a cluttered mind; I don’t want a cluttered environment adding to the distractions. Physical mess stresses me out in my studio too. It is harder to find what I need, and then harder to get in a creative mindset. I love painting in a clean and organized studio. I can find the paint or brush I need. The exact indigo or phthalo blue is where it should be when inspiration strikes. Maybe this is just one artist’s opinion, but I enjoy a minimal environment to paint, it creates focus on the art. 

 In addition, a big aspect of art and design is the ability to perceive the value in negative space. The absence of an item is a design choice. This space helps curate a focus on the items that are present and creates a platform of presentation for them to breath. In minimalism, one must utilize a lot of creative skills with art design to incorporate negative space. I don’t believe Minimalism is antagonistic to creativity. 

 In the Psychology of Home Environments: A Call for Research on Residential Space, Lindsay T. Graham et al. states how important our homes are in emotional regulation (1). The setting of our home plays into how we feel. Graham found the main roles our homes work for us are kinship, stimulation, intimacy, storage and productivity(Graham et al. 3). The highest sought after design was an inviting one, and the second highest sought after room was well organized (Graham et al.5). I know people who won’t invite others over due to shame over their house. That’s why it feels so great to hear your mess is encouraged, it helps alleviate shame. I think our design can reflect the internal self to some degree, and insights to our mental health. That’s why you don’t want to ignore your mess and how important a clean home can improve our mental health. 

 We need to be cautious of what we consume. Sometimes what we want to hear is not what we need to hear. Enabling messages like McCartney’s are dangerous for a hoarder to hear.. Bernd Schmitt et al. found a strong link between our consumer actions and behavior with status-based consumption models (1). i.e. keeping up with the Joneses and it isn’t possible and is exhausting. Over consumption can cause environmental harm to the planet but also harm to our home. It increases anxiety and depression and can lead to hoarding. We should allow ourselves grace to be human, don’t feel shame if you do consume a lot. In fact we are all influenced by consumer culture and advertisements each day. We are influenced heavily by our surroundings and products selling us a fantasy. McCartney seems to want to ignore how marketing influences our drive to have the latest brand. How overspending can send people into debt and the over consumption harms on our mental health. Bernd Schmitt explored how we’re influenced by those around us into performing our lifestyle based on what we buy and what we consume and its negative effects on our mind(1). Having the insight to recognize why you are shopping, is it to get a dopamine hit? To match your friend group? Is there something else in your life that needs attention? Asking ourselves some introspective questions on why we buy what we don’t need can be eye-opening practice. Many people use shopping and over consumption as an unhealthy way feel good temporarily.

 I believe McCartney thinks Minimalism is BS because she is missing the elements that benefit. Minimalism requires thoughtfulness in choosing what is important to own, it’s peace from organization. An ability to live with what you have. To be self-aware enough to know what you need and what you want. Yet She sees it as an authoritarian mindset. In addition, she is biased because she is the author of The Joy of Leaving Your Sh-t All Over the Place. Her book tells you your mess is okay, you don’t need to change your messy ways or do hard things. Yes, her book might sell more by encouraging mess and this might be validating to hear. It could reduce shame if you have negative self-talk regarding a messy home. Hey, it’s human nature to like what is easy, and leaving your mess is easy. 

 Changing your system is hard. Minimal homes were made with effort, planning, and organizing. In all the studies on messy living it seems to lead you down a road of over consumption, anxiety, and stress. In a worst-case scenario, a hoarding disorder. It is not creative and quirky to be messy. Nor is it living free, it is actually incredibly harmful to be too messy. Once you have organized and designed, your day-to-day life is more peaceful. Your effort pays off in the long run. Cleaning is faster and easier. Depression is significantly reduced (Jiyun Kang et al. 1). You save time in the morning. You save money (by not overspending) on excessive items you don’t need. I feel proud of a clean and well-presented home rather than a cluttered and messy one. 

 Minimalism is just owning what you need, it does not mean cold or stark. A home can be both minimal and warm. There is a reason we see it in home and architectural magazines. Minimalism is calming and pleasing to the eye, there has been effort in each design choice. It is a creative process to understand negative space and its impact. I feel good when I have friends over and they complement my design choices. They tell me it is well designed, clean, organized, but warm and welcoming. 

 If clutter is causing problems, overconsumption, or a stressful environment, that mess is not fine. It might be worth considering minimalist techniques. I hold a lot of respect for my friends who have organized their home well. They want to have a beautiful and comfortable environment for themselves and their family. It also shows a level of self-control in their ability to up-keep a home. Maybe this isn’t “natural”, I could agree with McCartney on that, but it is a habit someone had to work hard to form. They value their experience in their home.

 I don’t believe minimalism is “BS”, I personally don’t like mess and feel anxious in a cluttered environment. My life is easier when I have a place for everything and everything is in it’s place. I think either extreme mess or stark minimalism is unreasonable. I’m not advocating for an empty stark home, just one that is thoughtful and not full of overconsumption. McCartney’s reasoning against minimalism may work for her, but not most humans who want to avoid extra stress and anxiety in their life. I see many benefits for a minimalist lifestyle, especially when minimalism is so strongly linked to improved well-being (Hook et al. 3). To me, minimalism is more than a style preference, it is an act of self-care. You are happier, better organized, healthier, and more confident. I admire those who have tried to achieve a more minimalist life. It isn’t easy, it requires a lot of time to plan, organize, and curate your life. Minimalism is a challenging process of thoughtfulness, used to evaluate your environment and priorities. Your mindset gets changed with minimalism, but in the end, you are happier, less depressed and less anxious. Minimalism strengthens the skill of insightful and thoughtful decisions. It can provide comfort and restorative vibes in your home (Lindsay T. Graham et al. 5). It can bring a sense of control in an out-of-control world. You are living your life with a less is more attitude. Overall Minimalism is a consistently proven method to improve your quality of life and happiness. That’s not BS to me. 

 Works Cited 

Bernd Schmitt, J Joško Brakus, Alessandro Biraglia, Consumption Ideology, Journal of Consumer Research, Volume 49, Issue 1, June 2022, Pages 74–95, https://doi.org/10.1093/jcr/ucab044 

Dozier, M.E., Taylor, C.T., Castriotta, N. et al. “A Preliminary Investigation of the Measurement of Object Interconnectedness in Hoarding Disorder”. Cogn Ther Res 41, 799–805 (22 Mar 2017). doi.org/10.1007/s10608-017-9845-x.Accessed 1 May 2025. 

Graham, Lindsay T., Samuel D. Gosling, and Christopher K. Travis. “The Psychology of Home Environments: A Call for Research on Residential Space.” Perspectives on Psychological Science, vol. 10, no. 3, 2015, pp. 346–56. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/44290084. Accessed 1 May 2025. 

 Hook, Joshua N., Hodge, A. S., Zhang, H., Van Tongeren, D. R., & Davis, D. E. “Minimalism, voluntary simplicity, and well-being: A systematic review of the empirical literature”, The Journal of Positive Psychology,(2021). 18(1), pp. 130–141. www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17439760.2021.1991450 

Kang, Jiyun, Joyner Martinez, Cosette M., Johnson, Catherine. “Minimalism as a Sustainable Lifestyle: Its Behavioral Representations and Contributions to Emotional Well-being”. (Sep. 24 2020). www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2352550921000397#preview-section-cited-by 

McCartney, Jennifer. “Why Minimalism Is BS.” Architectural Digest, 30 Mar. 2018, www.architecturaldigest.com/story/why-minimalism-is-bs. Accessed 4 Apr 2025. 

Moscote-Salazar, Luis Rafael; Florez-Perdomo, William A.; Pacheco-Hernandez, Alfonso I.; Janjua, Tariq. “Decision Fatigue and Neurosurgeons' Clinical Decision Making: An Enemy in the Shadow.” Indian Journal of Neurotrauma, (2023)Decision Fatigue and Neurosurgeons' Clinical Decision Making: An Enemy in the Shadow. - EBSCO .