I like the idea of living a minimalistic lifestyle free of clutter.
One finding from the myriad happiness research is that we adapt to changes, so whatever lifestyle we are used to become the norm.
This suggests that if we live a somewhat ascetic life on a daily basis, the occasional pleasures would become more enjoyable.
Even better, if we can handle inconvenience and other discomfort with equanimity, that might increase our confidence and ability to face other adverse situations.
Although living a minimalistic lifestyle sounds nice in theory, reality tends to be messier. We buy things for a reason. And often they bring us pleasure and make our life easier. We also strive to improve and experience more things in life that might not be fully compatible with a ‘simple’ lifestyle.
Knowing what we value and then striving a balance seem to be key.
Ryu's Blog 