Minimalism: Seven reasons to cherish the things you own

by Lucy Moore | 9 April 2022

Today is National Cherish an Antique Day and while you may not collect antiques if you are a minimalist or aspiring to be one- the sentiment is still the same- you should cherish what you choose to have in your space. Here’s why…

Image courtesy of Pixabay

It ensures a positive relationship with your home: If you resent the things that are in your space for the room they take up- this encourages an overpowering feeling of negativity when you spend time in your house. Junk, possessions that have been forced on you and things that don’t bring you value- these all manifest into a toxic relationship with your home. If you cherish each and every item, it will be a more pleasant experience for you all round.
It encourages a healthy relationship with your things: Having a home full of treasures that are mixed with rubbish and things that aren’t dear to you can be confusing and you will have unclear feelings about the items that reside in your space. Keeping only the cherished items and discarding the rest means you can maintain a consistent relationship with your belongings. As soon as something new enters that stands out- it will be much easier to let it go.
You will take better care of the items you cherish: If everything has a purpose and means something to you- it’s highly likely you will take better care of it than something you don’t like, so you won’t need to replace things as often. For example, if you have paid £20 for a pair of good quality socks, you will probably favour darning them over tossing them out.
Your showcased items will have a story to tell: Today is about more than just the cost of items but the meaning behind them. If you have a few cherished possessions that take pride of place in your home, you can recall the story behind them or share the memory attached to them with visitors. The eye is easily drawn to special pieces when they aren’t competing for space on surfaces or walls with other detritus.
It will make you think more carefully about what you bring into your home: If you only want your space to be filled with cherished items- it makes sense that anything new to enter your home should have the same special significance.You may become more selective when it comes to shopping and inviting fresh pieces into your space.
Other people in your home will respect your belongings: If your partner, roommates or children know that everything you own has been carefully curated- they will probably have an equal amount of respect for them because they are aware of how much they mean to you. It might even teach them to take greater care with their own things.
It will be much easier for you to declutter your space: Like the ‘spark joy’ philosophy coined by Marie Kondo- if you don’t cherish it or it doesn’t have a purpose in your home- then you can let the piece go because it doesn’t fit into the rules you have set for yourself.

RELATED: Minimalism: Seven ways to minimise your screen time

If you have decluttered your physical items and are keeping on top of your space, you may be looking at other areas of your life to cut back on- such as a bad habit. One of these could be the amount of time you spend looking at a screen. While some screen time is unavoidable, such as looking at a computer during work hours- others are entirely in our control. If this is a goal you have set for yourself, here are just a few ideas to prize yourself away from your TV, phone or I-pad...