Minimalism is a lifestyle that was initiated by the Japanese. It basically means living with the minimum amount of things needed to survive. Only the basics. This lifestyle is adopted to save money and to also live in a de-cluttered home. Living this way can also improve your mental state, as feeling that your home is always a mess can make you upset.

Egyptians have a habit of being hoarders, saving empty boxes and cans so they can be used again. We all have that cookie box sewing kit lying around somewhere. And there’s also a habit of saving old newspapers and magazines for some unknown reason. You think you’ll use them, but the reality is they sit around somewhere collecting dust.

Egyptians who can afford it tend to overspend on a lot of things like shopping and going out to eat. Embracing the minimalist lifestyle will curb your spending habits and will lessen your attachment to material possessions. It can also be considered as freedom from the consumer culture we’ve seemed to base our whole lives on. As Tyler Durden put it, “We buy things we don’t need to impress people we don’t like.”

That doesn’t mean that there’s anything wrong with owning lots of things; it’s just that we give them way too much value and meaning. Like it’ll make your life complete to own that Chanel bag. On the contrary, we need to focus on our well-being instead, our passions, our relationships with others and to better ourselves as human beings.

What’s the use of owning 2 million things if you’re a jerk to everyone? Things will not and will never replace people or memories made with them. Leading this lifestyle doesn’t mean to not own anything, but to simply not become bounded by them. If you like to shop then shop, just don’t buy things you know you won’t ever need.

Having the minimum amount of items you need to be satisfied is good enough. Old possessions that you don’t use or need anymore can be given to charity or recycled. Moreover, it’s very pleasing to the eyes to have a tidy and clutter free home.