The Minimalist Lifestyle and Rheumatoid Arthritis

By Leanne Donaldson

The minimalist lifestyle has really taken off in recent years. From the phenomenal organizing ideas of Marie Kondo to simplistic “tiny” homes, it seems the minimalist lifestyle has something to offer everyone. But what about those of us with rheumatoid arthritis? Can we benefit from embracing the principles that the minimalist lifestyle has to offer? Is it possible to live a minimalist lifestyle when you have a medicine cabinet full of bottles and drawers full of aides?

The minimalist lifestyle: what does it mean?

The basic principle of what it means to live a minimalist lifestyle are pretty easy: live with less. Those who commit to this lifestyle say that it brings them more peace, less stress, and an overall more fulfilled life. Well, can’t go wrong there, can we?

Benefits of choosing a minimalist lifestyle

I’ve committed to this idea of minimalism in my own way over the past year. I’ve slowly, bit by bit, done my best to streamline everything from kitchen gadgets to clothing. For example, do I really need 4 spatulas? Isn’t that just more to store, clean, and keep up with? Once you commit to the ideas, the benefits of this lifestyle quickly become clear. I find myself with a less cluttered workspace and a clearer vision of what I really “need.”

Can a minimalist lifestyle be beneficial to RA?

But what about life with RA, can minimalist lifestyle choices make my life with rheumatoid arthritis better? My answer is a resounding yes! When you live with RA, energy is at a premium and each little bit of it becomes precious. And let’s face it, have a great deal of “stuff” requires a ton of energy to keep up with. Keeping “everything” clean alone takes a huge amount of precious time and energy. Not to mention the ever-growing todo list that comes with a life filled with stuff. Simply put, less stuff equals more energy, one of my main goals of life with RA.

Obstacles to a minimalist lifestyle with RA

Making minimalist lifestyle choices with RA just would not be complete without its own set of unique obstacles. Rheumatoid arthritis tends to always add that little feature to every element of our lives.

There are certain “cluttery” things that we just can’t live without - our meds, piles and piles of paperwork, and closets full of pain relief methods. That’s okay. A minimalist lifestyle isn’t about having “nothing”; it is about keeping mainly the things you need, and getting rid of all the extra periphery things.

Taking the steps to get to a minimalist lifestyle requires some initial effort and time. The amount of time it takes a person with RA to go through their clothing is about twice as long as everyone else. But that is okay! Small steps, taken slowly and intentionally, add up to big changes.

Be aware of the emotional effects of life with RA. Sometimes if we experience depression or anxiety as part of our RA, decluttering things can feel like a very daunting and overwhelming task. Do your best to look at the emotional effects of life with RA and examine how it might be affecting your lifestyle choices.

Tips for achieving the minimalist lifestyle with rheumatoid arthritis

Enlist help

Depending on your friends, family, or financial situation you may be able to enlist some help to move certain decluttering projects along. You’d be surprised at the amount of people willing to help SOMEONE ELSE get rid of all their excess stuff.

Create a plan

No one knows how to make things happen in your life with RA better than you. Create a plan that is realistic for YOU. Prioritize the areas that matter most to you and tackle them when you are having a “good” day, a little at a time.

Listen to your body

This, my dear friends, is key. If you feel tired, rest. If you are feeling good and are energized getting everything in order, then party on. Make your RA body the priority and things will get done on their own timeline.

Use the available (free) resources

The lovely world wide web, YouTube, Pinterest, and even your local library is overflowing with information about how to intentionally go about creating a minimalist lifestyle. Use these free resources for guidance, tips, and inspiration. Use these FREE resources. Taking these steps should lead to a more debt-free, clutter-free life, not the other way around. Pick and choose the methods that work for you and your lifestyle. Make everything work for what you need.

Minimalist lifestyle choices with rheumatoid arthritis

When it comes down to it, even though I’ve been working on it for a year (for a family of 5 no less!) this lifestyle for me and my family is a work in progress. But that is okay. Do what works for you and I promise, once you really take a close look at what you actually need, you will find that your life with RA will be a hundred times better if you start making minimalist lifestyle choices.

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This article represents the opinions, thoughts, and experiences of the author; none of this content has been paid for by any advertiser. The RheumatoidArthritis.net team does not recommend or endorse any products or treatments discussed herein. Learn more about how we maintain editorial integrity here.

Join the conversation

Daniel Malito Moderator
<inline-mention user-id="3238594" username="Leanne Donaldson"/> I think the minimalist lifestyle ethos applies to RA mostly in the mental department. Fatigue and stress require that we keep all mental clutter to minimum and spend out limited emotional resources on the things that are important. Great post, keep on keepin' on, DPM
mafalda
I find it very interesting how things and styles affect our medical condition in opposite ways. There is a huge difference between being surrounded by carefully chosen items we love in a well organized home and living in clutter with too much useless stuff. People can find the same pleasure in a barely furnished home where the eye wanders through museum-style spaces as in a home with sets of furniture, collections of knick-knacks or walls full of framed art. It all may depend on our personality, age, life stage, upbringing or any other variables. I live with RA and other painful conditions (Fibro, degenerated vertebrae, pseudo-gout...), so major Pain is ever present in my daily life. After trying different medications -including a variety of opioids from Pain Management- with no relief, I came to the realization that my only option was to stay distracted from the pain in a variety of ways. That includes having a busy social life (I don’t have a job and live alone) now curtailed due to the pandemia, having plenty of hobbies and projects at home and online activities. As an amateur decorator with a transitional taste, I find very soothing to see the lines and curves of furniture, the textures, colors and patterns in textiles and walls, the simplicity or ornamentation in frames, the depictions in paintings and prints, the delicacy in porcelains and silver... I also love my full closets and being able to organize by color, season, item type, or spend time deciding what to wear and having choices for any occasion. I realize it’s more work, but it is a bearable payoff. There is no right or wrong in how we choose to live in our homes, as long as it’s healthy. Our spirits are lifted and pains are soothed in different ways and that’s part of our human condition.
1. Kelly Dabel Admin
 Mafalda, thanks so much for sharing your perspective and story! Love hearing about how you've found joy and welcome distraction in keeping you home decorated the way you like. I too love to organize my closet by color! I think as you said, the key is to avoid suffocating clutter and junk. Sounds like you have a beautiful, thoughtfully curated home that is soothing to you. Well done. Best, Kelly, <a href='http://Rheumatoidarthritis.net' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer ugc'>Rheumatoidarthritis.net</a> Team member
adriennek
I loved this article. I find that chronically I'll people tend to have more clutter due to pain & fatigue. I have a list of things that I would like to go through & clean out. I find that I'm always excited to do it mentally, but when I begin, it's sooo much work that I usually end up depressed & mad at myself for not being the person I used to be before RA. I know alot of us still struggle with that. I have major OCD & ADHD. So, my hating myself for my house being a cluttered mess is a everyday thing. Then, when I finally start making progress on something, I get distracted & will start something else. In the end I've got a few projects started, nothing completed & I'm exhausted. This is a regular thing for me. Of course RA brain fog doesn't help either. I really enjoy the articles here. They make me feel less alone in this great big world. Sometimes they even help me be a little less hard on myself. Thank you.
1. Kelly Dabel Admin
 Thanks so much for commenting AdrienneK. So glad that this article was helpful and reminded you that you are not alone in this. Appreciate you sharing your story. Wishing you the best, Kelly, <a href='http://Rheumatoidarthritis.net' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer ugc'>Rheumatoidarthritis.net</a> Team Member