My curiosity was piqued, I then searched for more information for any ideas on being a minimalist. Fortuitously, I came across Marie Kondo, a Japanese lady who mastered the art of decluttering.
She wrote a book called "The Life -Changing Magic of Tidying Up (The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing)". Her Konmari method calls for a sequenced way of decluttering. There is actually a specific order in order to get rid of stuff in your house to keep only the things that brings you joy. It went beyond the mere effect of downsizing to actually having more time for relationships that bring you joy and cut off those that doesn't. Personally, I did break off from relationships which held my joy back.
This is the one book that everyone should read if you want to change your lives and make it more meaningful.