A couple years ago I introduced the concept of the Minimalist Luxury Lifestyle. It’s the idea that you don’t want to own a lot of stuff, but the stuff you do have is of very high quality and something you enjoy owning.
There are 3 simple reasons for this:
1. Less clutter equals more focus. You can’t be uber productive when you have a messy desk or office.
2. A simple and stress-free life leads to more happiness. Happy people are productive people.
3. When you invest your valuable money into “stuff,” those things will last longer and you’ll enjoy using them.
Back to Basics Technique #3 – The Minimalist Luxury Lifestyle
Watch this video where I explain what Minimalist Luxury Lifestyle is:
In the video I showed you how I upgraded my laptop to full capacity. It’s the only one I have and use it every single day. If I’m going to use something every day, I want to enjoy it and have it help me be as productive as possible.
I also showed you a $300 pair of headphones that I still have after 4 years and will likely have for another couple of years. It helps me focus and the beautiful design feels good whenever I use it.
The last item I showed you was my $500 Louis Vuitton wallet. I know most people would call me crazy for having one but it’s one of those little things I splurge on. How many wallets do you buy in your lifetime? If you’re like me, maybe 1 or 2. I expect this wallet to be around for 10+ years so I might as well have one that I enjoy having.
With a Minimalist Luxury Lifestyle what you’re trying to design is a life that’s simple, enjoyable and makes it inevitable that you’ll be more productive.
When you don’t own a lot of stuff, there’s less chance of clutter. When you really enjoy the few items you do have, you’ll be happier and more productive.
Next Action
You might be thinking, “am I going to spend more money than is necessary?”
The answer is…no. You actually spend about the same. I explain why and more in depth in the free newsletter issue. Download this PDF on where I go in depth on the Minimalist Luxury Lifestyle (PDF – 500kb). It’s a free issue as part of our Premium Newsletters.
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I want you to think about this: how can you setup a simple lifestyle that makes it inevitable that you’ll be happier?
That’s what the Minimalist Luxury Lifestyle is about.
Great post! We can always buy less but buy better!
Sweet list
Minimalist luxury lifestyle – love it
Paying more to get more longevity from a particular item is the way to go. Not only do we experience joy from using beautiful things, because they tend to last longer, we enjoy them for longer.
thanks for this
Great post! I’m searching for the perfect MacBook Pro model to replace all my other PC computers. I think this is a tough decision – portability vs horsepower (read 13″ vs 15″) since I will need to run some engineering software in a Windows virtual machine. Any suggestion? I’m really new to the Apple world, but got convinced by listening to the Asian Efficiency podcasts in the mornings!
What macbook you’re using now? Can you get model number?
What’s the model of your headphones? Haha.
I have the Bose QC15 but I recommend their newer model QC25.
I couldn’t agree more about the minimalist luxury lifestyle. For several years now I have been trying to downsize the items I don’t use on a regular basis. I’ve gotten rid of, for example, nearly half of the paper books that I am no longer accessing, and I typically buy Kindle books. I always donate clothing I no longer wear, and I clean out my office closet on a yearly basis.
As for a wallet, I don’t use one. I keep everything on my phone, including my own two debit cards. I got rid of my wallet about five years ago, and have never looked back. I keep a photo of my driver’s license on the phone, and the license itself in my car, because I rarely have to show my license anymore. I also keep all my notes and other reading material on my phone and iPad.
And lastly, I find the Apple Watch a good investment, because it’s basically a mini portable iPhone that keeps me updated on appointment and notifications.
Minimalist luxury lifestyle is a great topic. Thanks for sharing it.
I try to live by this too but find it difficult because it’s hard to know what you love and what will work well in your life without first dropping the money. It can be very costly to “try things out”. Do you have any advice on this?