How does digitalization influence the minimalist?

Digitalization is gradually transforming the way we live and manage our possessions. But how does digitalization influence minimalist storage? By replacing certain physical objects with digital solutions, it can allow us to save space and simplify our daily lives.

Table of Contents

Introduction

Technology now occupies an important place in our daily lives.

For example, we stream music, read ebooks, and receive our bills by email.

But what is the impact of this development on the Minimalist storage?

At first glance, the answer seems obvious: digitization makes it possible to replace many physical objects with digital equivalents.

But we need to go a little further. Because Living with fewer possessions does not necessarily mean living with less. Digital technology can also create new forms of clutter: applications, files, notifications, subscriptions, photos, emails…

The question then becomes:

Does digitalization really help us become more minimalist, or are we simply shifting our clutter from the physical world to the digital world?

What exactly is digitalization?

Before discussing digital minimalism, let's begin by defining the term digitalization.

There digitalization consists of using digital technologies to transform, store or manage information for uses that were previously physical.

A very simple example: a paper book can be replaced by a digital book.

The same applies to:

music
the films
the photographs
certain administrative documents
transport tickets
the agendas
etc

A few decades ago, each of these uses might have required a different physical object.

Today, some of them can be grouped into a single device: the smartphone.

And this is where digitalization becomes particularly interesting for minimalism.

The smartphone: several objects in one device 📱

The smartphone is probably one of the best examples of how technology can change our possessions.

Let's look at some everyday uses from today and a few decades ago:

Use	A few decades ago	Today
Listen to music	CD + CD player	Smartphone
Read a book	Paper book	Smartphone or e-reader
Take photos	Camera	Smartphone
View a map	Road map	Smartphone
Read the newspaper	newspaper	Smartphone

For someone looking to reduce their possessions, this is particularly interesting.

Now, let's analyze 5 main aspects of digitalization in clutter.

1. Digitalization saves space 🏡

This is probably the most obvious benefit of digitalization.

I remember that at my parents' house, we had a room dedicated to storing CDs and books.

At the time, having a room for that made sense.

If we wanted to listen to an album, we needed the CD and a speaker.

If we wanted to read a book, we needed the book.

Today, much of this content can be stored, listened to or accessed digitally via smartphone.

With digital technology, there's a considerable saving of space. For example, there's no longer a need for:

to have shelves dedicated to my music CDs
need a piece of furniture to store my books
to have binders to add documents
spending time organizing my CDs and books
spending time dusting and maintaining one's possessions.

That's the advantage of digitalization: in the past, objects that took up a lot of space and were difficult to maintain are now found in a small digital device.

2. Digitalization makes transportation easier 🚗

The second advantage is less visible, but just as interesting: the weight and volume of our possessions decrease.

Imagine you go on a trip with:

three books
a tourist guide
a camera
a road map
several magazines

This quickly adds up to a certain volume and weight to carry in your suitcase.

Today, many of these uses can be performed with a smartphone.

You can travel with your digital books, tickets, camera and agenda in a single device a few centimeters in size (smartphone).

For someone who likes to travel light, this is a real advantage.

3. Digitalization makes it easier to find your information 🔎

Minimalism isn't just about the quantity of things we own. It's also about... the time and energy we spend managing our possessions.

Let's take the example of administrative documents:

Imagine a binder filled with dozens of documents. And you're looking for an invoice that's two years old.

You have to open the binder, browse the documents, check the dates and sometimes repeat this several times.

Whereas with a properly implemented digital organization, it is possible to search directly for the document using its name, date or a keyword.

The time saved is significant, but only if the digitization process is organized.

4. Digital technology can reduce some physical purchases 💳

Digitalization also helps to reduce the consumption of certain physical products.

Let's take the example of administrative documents:

Just a few years ago, many procedures required printing documents.

So, we needed to buy:

paper
ink
envelopes
stamps
a printer

Today, some of these procedures can be completed entirely online. All you need is a laptop or a smartphone.

5. Digitalization can also eliminate some travel 🚆

There is another advantage that we have become so used to that we no longer think about it.

Previously, some procedures required travel.

Sometimes it was necessary to:

go to the bank for a question related to the bank card
collect a document from the municipality
buy a train ticket in a shop
send a letter by mail

Today, some of these procedures can be carried out online from home.

This reduces some travel and, in certain situations, the consumption of your time, energy, and resources associated with that travel.

Digital technology can therefore contribute to minimalism not only by reducing our possessions, but also by simplifying certain journeys.

Warning: digital technology can also become cumbersome ⚠️

If you have read this article carefully up to this point, you might think that I am a proponent of digitalization.

The answer is rather yes, but in small doses.

This is where the subject becomes interesting.

Digitalization is not automatically synonymous with minimalism.

For what ? Because we can also overconsume and clutter our lives with digital devices.

Let's imagine that I own:

20,000 photos on my smartphone
500 applications installed
thousands of emails
hundreds of useless files
dozens of digital subscriptions
persistent notifications
several streaming services

This is where minimalism can be paradoxical.

Physically, my home can be perfectly minimalist with very few objects. But digitally, in this example, I am completely disorganized and have too much stuff.

In truth, digital technology can become a burden if it is poorly managed.

Digital minimalism

That's why I find it interesting to talk about digital minimalism.

The principle is ultimately quite close to traditional minimalism:

Keep only what is truly useful to us or provides real value.

I have dedicated several articles to this topic in the section digital minimalism.

A concrete example to get started with digital minimalism

Before concluding this chapter, let's move on to the practical aspects with some... simple and effective tips to adopt digital minimalism in everyday life.

I've written several articles on digital minimalism on my minimalist page. But here are 3 tips to get you started.

1. Clean up your apps

Take your smartphone and Delete all applications that you haven't used in over a year..

For what ?

It's an action quick, easy and immediate which lightens the load on your smartphone and reduces unnecessary distractions.

Fewer apps = fewer temptations, more clarity.

2. Cancel forgotten subscriptions

Did you know that according to an American study*, people They often underestimate their subscription expenses. ?

The study revealed a contradiction:

What they plan to spend on subscriptions : 86 USD per month.
What they actually spend via subscription: $219 on average !

In reality, most participants in this study pay about $133 USD more per month on subscriptions than they realize. That's huge.

Why this discrepancy?
Many people temporarily sign up for free services (like a trial or promotional offer) and then start paying for their subscription. Over time, these expenses become habitual. After a few months, subscription usage decreases until people forget they're even paying for it.

In truth, with this scheme, the company wins all around, because the customer pays monthly for a subscription they don't use. And in some cases, they've even forgotten they have the subscription.

Therefore, cancelling your old subscriptions gives you a triple benefit:

Less mental clutter (fewer subscriptions to manage)
Less administrative burden (avoid administrative messages related to excess subscriptions)
Immediate savings (fewer subscriptions = lower costs).

3. Replace unnecessary items with your smartphone

Look around you: How many objects can you replace with a simple app on your phone?

For example :

An old MP3 player lying around?
Your smartphone also allows you to listen to music, often better and for free.
A camera who's lying around in a drawer?
Your smartphone has already a high-performance camera, often with image quality superior to that of many basic cameras.
A physical calculator? Your smartphone offers the same functionality.

Why keep an object that is replaceable by a smartphone that you carry in your pocket every day ?

Minimalism consists of simplifying one's environment by eliminating what can be replaced by a multi-functional device.

If you follow these 3 tips, you'll take a good step towards digital minimalism.

Conclusion: Digitalization must not become a new form of consumption

There is a paradox.

Digitalization helps us own fewer things, which is a good thing for a minimalist. I recommend converting physical items to digital as soon as possible.

But digitalization also hides a trap, namely, it can encourage us to buy more.

New smartphone.

New subscription.

New smartwatch.

New application.

In reality, Digitalization can be a great ally of minimalism, but only if we do not confuse digital technology with technological consumption.

This is where the minimalist needs to be disciplined and intelligent! Declutter physically without cluttering digitally.

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I decided to create this blog to develop and help readers who are looking for a simpler and more economical life.

Compared to before, I was a person who consumed a lot until the day I realized that my consumption made me sadder and poorer 😑

Now I prefer the minimum of my needs to be happy and achieve my financial freedom.

Without realizingI started to focus on saving and investing to depend on a boss for as little time as possible and to speed up my personal projects.

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It is for this purpose that I decided to create this blog. In order to share and learn with other people who seek freedom and simplicity 😉

Are you rather minimalist or frugal Jonny?

I am as minimalist as I am frugalist. However, there are situations where I lean more towards an art of life.

To conclude, I think the most important thing is to feel comfortable in your lifestyle 😊

How does digitalization influence minimalist?

Minimalism and Frugalism

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