Minimalist documentaries explore the benefits and practicalities of living a minimalist lifestyle, featuring personal accounts from individuals as well as expert opinions and societal viewpoints to give an in-depth overview.
Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus, commonly referred to as The Minimalists, embark on a global tour through this entertaining documentary film that examines minimalism through its social impacts, personal growth potentials, and environmental sustainability aspects.
The Clean Bin Project
This documentary follows a couple as they attempt to live waste-free in an entertaining competition. Dubbed Inconvenient Truth meets Super Size Me, this award-winning film offers both humor and insight into our throwaway society. The film showcases conversations with Seattle-based artist Chris Jordan and TED lecturer Captain Charles Moore, while also proving that we can effect change and lessen our environmental impact.
You can watch The Clean Bin Project online on Netflix and YouTube.
Joshua Becker is a minimalist activist who has authored several books, including Simplify, The More of Less, and Clutterfree with Kids. The Wall Street Journal, Christianity Today, and TIME Magazine have featured his work, and his website has emerged as a leading online resource for minimalism. Furthermore, Joshua frequently appears as a guest on various television programs for interviews regarding minimalism.
Minimalism may seem like a relatively recent fad, but its origins go back centuries under various names. This movie explores its long-term development while profiling several leading advocates. Watching it provides an excellent way to learn about minimalism’s principles and witness its rise over time.
Marie Kondo’s methods of organizing and decluttering have become an incredibly popular trend since the release of her Netflix series. Kondo assists people in clearing away clutter through an approach known as “sparking joy,” helping individuals reduce clutter in their homes by prioritizing items that spark joy in themselves and others. The series can teach individuals how to simplify their lives by prioritizing what brings joy—an excellent reminder that changing lifestyles don’t need to be dramatic; start small and add on as desired.
Living on One Dollar
The minimalist documentary genre is gaining popularity as a cinematic style that celebrates simplicity and encourages audiences to live without excess. These films often serve as catalysts for conversations surrounding decluttering personal possessions, sustainable living practices, and their environmental impact.
Living on One Dollar depicts a family transitioning from urban New York City life to rural Guatemalan mountains, living off a limited income and relying solely on themselves for survival. The film shows viewers how they can lead a joyful and satisfying existence with minimal material possessions while at the same time saving money and decreasing waste through simple lifestyle adjustments.
Minimalist documentaries often receive high praise from critics for their ability to move audiences and inspire change. One such documentary, The Clean Bin Project, examines what happens when two families attempt to produce zero waste for 30 days. It offers an intriguing look into consumer culture, as well as ways to reduce consumption while maintaining a comfortable lifestyle.
Thrive with Less is another popular minimalist documentary, providing viewers with a glimpse into the lives of professional organizers while showing how eliminating clutter can improve quality of life. Many viewers reported decluttering their homes after watching it, feeling more tranquil as a result.
Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus, commonly referred to as “The Minimalists,” share their journey toward minimalism in this thought-provoking film. The film invites viewers to contemplate the impact of minimizing one’s possessions on life and the planet, utilizing both narrative and cultural critique.
Happy
If you want to simplify your life, start by identifying those activities that bring joy into your life and eliminating those that don’t. That way, you’ll have more time and space to focus on what truly matters to you, plus more happiness!
Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus, more popularly known as The Minimalists, are two of the foremost advocates for minimalism. Their 2014 documentary Everything That Remains was instrumental in popularizing this movement, following them around as they traveled the globe and sharing their message about living more fulfilling lives with less stuff. You can watch it now on Netflix!
For anyone ready to make the leap towards minimalism, this documentary is an essential watch. Interviews with people from all backgrounds who’ve found freedom through downsizing their possessions and giving away unnecessary stuff will be filled with tips and techniques for decluttering your home and becoming more mindful consumers.
This documentary begins with the premise that most Americans possess too much stuff, leading to daily stress and overwhelm. This documentary explores its root cause while showing us what life would look like with far fewer possessions, providing powerful motivation to reduce clutter, consume less, and find balance within life’s busyness.
Marie Kondo’s methods for tidying and organizing have become immensely popular online, and this Netflix series follows her as she helps others transform their lives with her straightforward approach to simplifying. Kondo demonstrates how to declutter, organize, and streamline both homes and work environments by asking the viewer if a particular item “sparks joy.”
Fast Fashion
Fashion industry competition can be intense, and designers strive to produce their next big thing as quickly as possible. Regrettably, this has led to significant waste of materials and compelled companies to take shortcuts, such as employing inexpensive yet harmful dyes that contaminate global water supplies. Greenpeace has put pressure on clothing companies to change their ways.
Fast fashion also poses a threat to textile factories that produce clothing, which are predominantly women. In addition to receiving wages below a living wage and little or no health coverage, many workers may also face exposure to harmful chemicals and poor working conditions.
Reducing your wardrobe to only what is essential can be an eye-opening experience for those accustomed to possessing lots of clothing in their closet. While initially it may feel difficult, as soon as you become comfortable with the pieces you already own and create new looks from them, minimalism becomes part of life.
Minimalism in style also benefits the environment by cutting down on waste and textile waste. Ensure that you purchase new pieces from sustainable materials and support companies that align with your values.
Minimalism is an ever-evolving movement, and this documentary explores all its incarnations. Joshua and Ryan, two well-known minimalists, travel on a book tour around various cities as Joshua interviews other minimalists while discussing their reasons for leading a simpler lifestyle.
The Minimalists
Are you looking for inspiration from minimalists who have pledged to declutter their lives? There are various resources that can provide this inspiration, such as books, podcasts, and films about minimalism, that will assist in getting you started on your minimalist journey and motivate you towards reaching an ultimate minimalist lifestyle.
Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus of The Minimalists promote a simple lifestyle through their blog, podcast, and YouTube channel. They believe minimalism can help people live fuller lives by keeping less unnecessary stuff around. Their advice? Take an inventory of every item added to your home; only purchase those that bring joy or serve a specific function in life.
Erin and Dondi Harner have chosen a minimalist lifestyle by opting to live in a tiny house as part of their minimalist approach. Their TED Talk highlights their success at simplifying their lives by keeping only items used frequently while following the 80/20 rule; this enables them to enjoy their lives more fully and travel more frequently.
In this TED Talk, Angela Horn discusses how debt and material possessions can prevent us from achieving our true goals. Minimalism has helped her prioritize what really matters while making tasks simpler to complete.
Simplifying your life requires taking it step by step, starting with decluttering your home and schedule, as well as getting rid of items that don’t serve their intended purpose in life. Once complete, the next step should be learning how to repair and reuse existing items instead of purchasing new ones.
