Trend is to ditch stuff and opt for a decluttered existence

If the 1980s were defined by opulence and excess, the next decade is likely to be remembered by many as the era of minimalism, both in design and lifestyle. This is clear as many people eliminate clutter from their lives and focus on experiences rather than accumulating possessions, says Yael Geffen, chief executive officer of Lew Geffen Sotheby's International Realty. "This doesn't necessarily mean downgrading to a cheaper lifestyle. It means getting rid of things that no longer serve you and focusing on quality of life rather than the accumulation of material possessions." In the real estate industry, Geffen says this trend can be seen in the rising popularity of lock up and go properties, modular and estate homes as well as the growing consciousness about natural resources, with the younger generation especially ready to sacrifice luxuries to contribute to sustainability. "We can also expect the advent of the compact modular home, including those made from shipping containers, to become increasingly appealing over the coming decade." This shifting consciousness is evident in the role models that people are now emulating. Geffen says: "In 2014, when Japanese tidying consultant Marie Kondo released her book The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up, it remained on the New York Times Best Seller list for 99 weeks and sold more than seven million copies worldwide. Five years later she has her own Netflix program and a lifestyle brand that employs more than 200 consultants worldwide." Because minimalism is not about spending less on goods but rather about owning fewer things, Geffen believes a more minimalist lifestyle is likely to relieve financial stress. "During the past decade, consumption has become so simple that one can purchase anything with the click of a mouse. "Instead of owning many distracting, seldom used items, you have fewer but more meaningful things. By spending less on material goods, you an also likely to have a lighter financial burden and less debt." The trend towards minimalism and the consciousness that has grown from it has also led to a rise in upcycling rather than recycling, spawning a new industry worldwide. "Upcycling means to process use goods in order to produce something that is often better than the original.' Furthermore, minimalism is; mindset, and over time it encourages people to think more critically about how and what they consume and to be mindful of cluttering their lives with wasteful belongings and activities. "It's also a reality check to stop putting off all those things we say we want to do 'one day', and to star living the life we want. At the end when we look back, we will remember the experiences far more than we will remember the items we owned along the way."