Sunset Sees

There’s a generalized misconception about what Minimalism truly is. So, I’m breaking this down into three different areas—Interior Design, Beauty, and Lifestyle.

In a way, I’ve been gradually becoming a spokesperson for this belief because I know in my heart that many people would benefit from adopting this lifestyle, as I have.

For Interior Design, I’ve noticed people complaining that Minimalism has killed a more lively experience, with its restricted color palette, typically using neutral tones like white, gray, and black, with lots of empty spaces. A commenter online wrote that Minimalism is “Destroying all the fun and color in the world.” To which I responded that when I had a condo, I kept spaces feeling empty because I dance, paint, and had DJ friends come over to rehearse their sets with all their equipment. Even a VJ was able to rehearse mappings and projections there.

When I asked a girlfriend to come pick up some of her stuff that I had been holding onto for a while, her husband took the last box and said, “There, now you have all this empty space.” I understood that maybe he wondered why it was so important for me to have them remove their things, as if I needed emptiness. But I did, in fact, need it. For some reason, I didn’t bother to explain. Maybe I could have, for the sake of a more nurtured friendship.

But back to the core subject: as with many other art forms, we are not bound to the rules. You can live a Minimalist Lifestyle without adhering to the Interior Design “rules.” I find that Interior Design can be quite flexible in the combination of elements. Take this image, for example. To me, the visual is automatically calming. It is Minimalist as a foundation, but this style specifically is known as Japandi. What is not to love?

“The Japandi interior design style is a hybrid style that blends Scandinavian functionality with Japanese minimalism. At its core, Japandi is about creating a space that is simple, intentional and calming.” — The Nordic Nest

That being said, let’s approach what this means in Beauty. Firstly, Minimalism in Beauty should not be considered a fad. Especially because I came to find that many of the beauty practices we now associate with this minimalist aesthetic have historical roots in Black women’s beauty culture, particularly during the 1950s, when polished grooming and meticulous presentation carried particular social significance despite racial segregation and limited access to cosmetics.

So, when a commenter on TikTok wrote that “the Clean Girl Aesthetic heavily relies on consumption of products because it’s trending,” I knew that this style could be further defined publicly.

I do understand, however, that any concept or lifestyle can become a channel for corporations to do what corporations do: identify something people desire, package it, market it, and turn it into an opportunity for capital gain.

That is where I believe personal responsibility comes in.

The moment a lifestyle becomes an aesthetic, it can also become a marketplace. Suddenly, you can be sold the “minimalist” wardrobe, the “minimalist” makeup collection, and even the “minimalist” objects you supposedly need to achieve the look.

And there is an irony in that.

A philosophy centered on having less can very easily become another reason to buy more.

This is where every person needs to hold responsibility for how they participate in the game. We can appreciate an aesthetic without purchasing everything associated with it. We can understand a philosophy without allowing someone else to define what we need in order to belong to it.

For me, that distinction is essential.

Minimalism isn’t about creating a new list of things you need to acquire in order to become a Minimalist. It is about becoming more conscious of what you already have, what you actually need, and why you feel compelled to acquire more.

The moment I decided to take on Minimal Living, I was at a pivoting point in my life. It was right after Lockdown in 2021. Everyone was struggling financially, and many businesses had to close. It felt so depressing. Every conversation, even with people whom I used to see as successful, was about struggle and loss.

So, as I typically do, I started to look for the benefit of the situation. I became enchanted with not-having. Every time I yearned for a nice pair of heels, I’d think, while holding it true in my being, “I don’t really need that right now.”

When we bring a perspective to life within ourselves, certain sources begin to appear to us that are aligned in the same direction. That’s when I stumbled upon this documentary that helped me further shape what I was to do with the rest of my life.

Watch:

MINIMALISM: Official Netflix Documentary now on YouTube

For me, Minimalism as a lifestyle leans on not hoarding.

If you don’t look at it, if you don’t use it, if it doesn’t work, get rid of it.

It’s not being a part of Fast Fashion and doing a full-glam look for everyday life, which requires the usage of many products.

It’s being intentional with shopping rather than impulsive. I ask myself: What do I truly need right now? Before even hitting the supermarket, the mall, or Amazon.

And for people with ADHD like myself, this is a game changer. And honestly, it’s taken me all these years to adhere to this self-defined lifestyle. Which, at the end of the day, is a habit, a discipline, a meditation.

For example, as a multi-creative person, I reveled in the freedom of doing whatever I wanted in the moment. I could design a shirt today, write a song tomorrow, create a choreography, draw in the middle of the night, and I had stuff EVERYWHERE.

But upon adopting Minimal Living, my desires went elsewhere. Now I automatically ask myself questions: What do I need to be doing now that will benefit me in the long run? Am I using my time wisely? Am I spending on the materials that are fundamental to my current focus?

Come, dear reader, come to Intentional Living with me.

It’s peaceful over here.