Minimalism in material possessions: Theory and measurement

In times of growing public awareness of ecological and sustainability concerns, the boom of tiny houses in light of rising house prices, as well as increasing flexibility and mobility demanded by modern working life, minimalism has gained large popularity in the U.S. and beyond as an attractive way of living. In the popular media, minimalism describes a way of living with less-often accompanied by the endorsement of a rigorous decluttering philosophy. In the scientific literature, the research field of anticonsumption (see Makri et al. 2020 for a review) has intensively studied the intentional avoidance of consumption in light of consumers' responsibility regarding environmental, ethical, and socio-political matters (e.g., Alexander and Ussher 2012; Elgin and Mitchell 1977; Leonard-Barton 1981; Shaw and Newholm 2002).