The Problems Minimalism Can’t Solve

I’m a big fan of minimalism. The benefits of owning only what you need to accomplish your greatest purposes are always better than the consequences of buying things you don’t need.

I was introduced to minimalism by my neighbor 16 years ago, and my family of four was changed immediately. As a result, I write often about the benefits of minimalism.

Here are just a few of those articles:

1. 21 Life-Giving Benefits of Owning Less
2. Minimalism vs. Consumerism: The Benefits of Choosing a Simple Life
3. 12 Ways My Life Has Changed After 15 Years of Minimalism

But every so often, I am challenged with a comment. The comment, on its premise, is incorrect and any deep-dive into my writing would show that. But still, it persists.


The comment sounds something like this:

Minimalism isn’t a magic solution for happiness, no matter how often you imply it is.

And so I thought it might be helpful, once and for all, to make it clear that I do not believe minimalism is a magic solution for happiness.

By overcoming the pursuit and accumulation of material possessions, we free up valuable resources in our life. By buying less, we have greater flexibility with our limited money. By owning less, we free up time for other things and remove the stress that comes from caring for more than we need. And by desiring less, we are able to direct our affections and passions elsewhere.

But none of those changes automatically result in a better life.

We are still required to be intentional with the lives that we live. If we replace the pursuit of physical possessions with the pursuit of something that is equally fading and stress-enhancing, we have only replaced one distraction with another and our change is in vain.

For that reason, what we do after minimalism is just as important as our discovery of it.

Again, I hope that is reflected in my writing:

1. Dream Bigger Dreams Than Minimalism
2. Why We Work
3. 9 Ever-Present Distractions That Keep Us From Fully Living

But let me be crystal-clear, minimalism will not solve every problem in your life.

Here are just a few examples of the problems minimalism cannot solve:

Minimalism will not heal a broken family relationship.
Minimalism will not cure a chronic illness.
Minimalism will not change an unhealthy marriage.
Minimalism will not heal a broken heart.
Minimalism will not overcome grief.
Minimalism will not eliminate anxiety or depression.
Minimalism will not erase past trauma or regrets.
Minimalism will not change your boss.
Minimalism will not resolve societal injustice or inequality.
Minimalism will not show you the meaning of life.
Minimalism will not show you the secret of happiness or contentment.

There are LOTS of problems in life that minimalism cannot solve on its own. This list could even contain hundreds more.

That being said, and this is important, what minimalism can do is free you up to more intentionally address each of those individual (and societal) problems that we encounter. Because once we remove the pursuit of physical possessions as the means to resolve our discontent, we are forced to dig deeper and work harder to find that solution.

Let’s put to rest, once and for all, any insinuation that minimalism will solve all of our problems, both individually and as a society. We’ll need to look elsewhere for that. Minimalism merely frees us up to do it better!