If you’re new to minimalism, maybe you’ve already started getting rid of things you don’t need and decluttering your home. Or perhaps you have made some progress but feel like you don’t know what to do next. Don’t worry! This article will give plenty of tips and ideas on where to start and how to keep going.
Having a minimalist lifestyle has become part of my everyday life, but it wasn’t something I was always used to. When beginning your own journey to minimalism, it’s okay to feel overwhelmed and unsure of where to start. Follow these simple steps to live your best life.
It’s normal to feel this way, and there is no one right answer to the question of how to become a minimalist. It is a journey that we make our own. Having said that, I brainstormed and identified 10 Simple & Fast Tips to Live a Minimalist Lifestyle.
Shopping at Home First to Save Time and Money
A recommended first step is to use up what you already have in your home; that way, you’re slowly breaking the pattern and habit of buying new items without giving it much thought.
Although this is an easy thing to do, it can be extremely helpful in changing our lifestyles. For example, let’s say we need something for a special occasion or we want to give someone a present. Instead of going out and buying the item from a store,
A great way to save money is by doing a temporary shopping ban on cosmetics and beauty products. Instead of using them up, see if you already have something in your home that you can use. This goes for food items, pantry items, hobby items, books, and video games too!
This can help free us from the belief that we always need to be buying new stuff. We’ll begin to see that we already have most of what we require, usually.
Decluttering, Organization and Discover
Beginner declutterers or those interested in minimalism should always ask themselves “why”– why they want to get rid of excess stuff, and how their lives would be better with fewer possessions. More often than not, people find that less really does mean more.
Minimalist living is unique to each person. Perhaps you’re striving for more money, more clarity, or more free time. minimalist lifestyle allows you to have greater power over your life choices.
Maybe you can find ways that it could improve your health, your relationships, or your hobbies. Or maybe it’s just about feeling better in your own home. Or perhaps you have a dream of moving into a smaller footprint that’s more easily affordable. If you feel like you might need some inspiration for how minimalism can change your life by living simply for the better.
Set Some Guidelines
I recommend that everyone establishes a set of rules or guidelines for themselves. There will be times when you need to make an exception, and that is normal. Don’t worry about being restrictive.
Not only will these guidelines make your journey easier, but they’ll also give you the tools you need to simplify.
When it comes to minimalism, there are no set rules. You can choose what works for you. But here are some guidelines that I personally follow:
For example, I am not an impulsive shopper. And before making any purchase, large or small, I sleep on it for at least one night but no more than 30 days. If I haven’t worn a clothing item in the last year, instead of letting it take up valuable realestate in my closet, I either sell it or donate it to charity. The same philosophy applies to every other type of item that I might bring into my home; Before anything new comes inside my door, mentally I have already decided exactly where it will go and why filling that particular void is important enough to me to warrant bringing something else into my life.
Every time I bring something new into my life, I get rid of something that I don’t use anymore. This way, decluttering becomes a regular part of my minimalist lifestyle instead of an annual cleaning spree. If you’re considering becoming a minimalist, start by asking yourself what areas in your life could benefit from some streamlining.
Letting Go
Minimizing our possessions can be a challenge, both emotionally and mentally. One of the hardest emotions to deal with is guilt. So it’s important to give yourself permission to let go.
We may feel guilty for a variety of reasons – perhaps we bought something expensive and don’t feel like we’ve gotten enough use out of it, or maybe it was a gift. Oftentimes, special items carry meaning because they belonged to someone significant in our lives who is no longer with us.
Sometimes, we feel guilty about getting rid of something because it is still new or we think we might need it someday. However, I always say that guilt should never be a good enough reason to keep something.
When we hold onto something, it does not generate any money and 99% of the time, we never even use it. It’s simply not worth it to keep things that we don’t need. Giving yourself permission to let go means accepting that you are not perfect and that’s okay.
I went through a downhill mountain bike phase. It was really fun for two summers. Drove it all the way out to BC for a weekend and a thrilling week soaring down the mountains. For a prairie girl it was incredible and something I will hold on to for a lifetime.
Since then life has shifted and changed and it wasn’t something I found myself doing anymore. I sold that bike and purchased a road bike and began training for a triathlon. Being able to shift and adjust to life’s changing flow.
Evaluating Your Things
Instead of simply accepting the way things are, start thinking about ways you could improve them. This applies to everything in your life – at work, at home, and in your personal relationships. So before you begin decluttering your house or office, get into the habit of looking at your belongings with a critical eye.
So let’s say your eyes fall on your juicer, you could ask yourself, Why is this here? Should this thing be here? And do I use it enough? And if so, is this actually the best place for it?
Also, how would my life be different if this thing wasn’t here, so start decluttering as you go, and it’s the same when you put on a clothing item in the morning. And you notice, you know, man doesn’t feel right, you’re not going to wear it that day. Maybe it doesn’t fit right or maybe it’s damaged in someplace. Instead of hanging it back in your closet, put it in a donation box, or a recycling box, there’s a lot more coming up. I have an ongoing donation box for such clothes. It gets emptied and donated every time the season’s change.
So if you are trying to improve your home by organizing, it is going to be hard, most likely, because the best way to organize your stuff is to get rid of everything and anything that you are either not using, or that just does not make sense to be in your home.
The same goes for picking a style whether that’s a decor style for your home, or a fashion style for your wardrobe. We all know these beautiful pictures on Pinterest and Instagram and we want to get there as fast as possible.
But decluttering first and getting rid of all the noise is going to make it so much easier.
On a positive note. the money that you can make selling the clutter, clothes, and appliances can easily be put back into that new style, organizational tools, maybe some art, or even into a vacation that you have been dreaming about.
Take Some Time
Take your time, exploring these memories and taking stock of how you have got to this point. explore why you purchased these things, to begin with, and what was happening in your life at the time, if it’s a good memory maybe give those people in your life that made those memories with you and relive it for a bit.
Living a minimalist lifestyle allows you to appreciate the good stuff that happens when you start focusing on family members, friends, and the truly important parts of your life.
Letting go of materialism will only give you more time, money, and less stress.
Ease into it when you’re trying something new instead of flipping your entire life upside down. Most people begin their journey to minimalism by giving things away that are unnecessary and that can be overwhelming.
Find joy in the process of creating more of a positive impact on your daily life and your mental health.
It probably took years for you to acquire all of your stuff, so don’t pressure yourself into getting rid of it within a week. Instead, focus on gradually decluttering your home and only get rid of things that no longer bring you joy.
Remember, there’s no rule stating that minimalism means living with as little as possible–if an item brings you happiness, keep it!.
I think that a lot of people are hesitant to try minimalism because they’re scared they’ll have to get rid of collections, like books, or hobby items. But you don’t have to be a minimalist to reap the benefits of this lifestyle change.
The decision of what to keep in your life is ultimately up to you and nobody else. You are under no obligation except to yourself to get rid of things that continue bringing you happiness. I can tell you from experience that there were a few sentimental items I felt this way about starting out. I decided then and there to hold on tight to them, and even now they still bring me joy every time I see them. But conversely, there have also been material goods I’ve grown attached to initially but emotionally distanced myself from later down the road–and willingly let go as a result without any regret or second-guessing.. Don’t feel like you ever need to force something similar if it doesn’t feel right.”
Filling the Consumer Void
What I recommend to people is that they have an alternative activity ready at all times, something that diverts them from shopping and cultivates different habits.
If you want to try the minimalist mindset thing but you enjoy shopping a lot, especially online shopping can dissolve hours of potentially productive time.
If you don’t have a plan for what to do instead of shopping when the urge hits, it can be tricky to resist.
Minimalism is not about deprivation. So I always say, it is not just about less, it is about more through less.
Therefore, think about what you want more of in your life and how making room for that thing could be improved. If you’re struggling to shop less, find a different activity to do instead that will take your mind off the act of shopping itself. After some time has passed, this replacement activity will become easier, but it’s especially important in those first few moments or days.
Stay Open to New Ideas
I have one key piece of advice for anyone interested in minimalism, no matter where you are in your journey: stay open to new ideas and opportunities. And don’t worry if you feel lost at times – it’s completely normal!
Often during a purge of physical or emotional baggage, it is normal to feel lost or uncertain. These feelings are part of the process and should be expected.
Change is hard, but it’s worth going through for all the benefits you’ll reap that you never even imagined. With time, change will start to feel more natural too.
There’s no need to have everything planned before you start–you can always course-correct along the way. Start somewhere, and then gain knowledge and experience as you go.
Make mistakes- it’s the best way to learn. With time, you’ll be able to see new opportunities that come from making those errors.
Therefore, don’t close yourself off from novel thoughts and experiences.
Curated Spaces
Although it is often seen as a recent trend, minimalism actually has a long and influential history in architecture, interiors, art, graphics, fashion, and virtually every other facet of design.
A minimalist approach to home décor, where everything has a purpose and rooms are only filled with essentials, is popular for many reasons. Applying minimalism with neutral colors, or a consistent color palette is a few things you can do right now to have that minimalist look in your home.
Having fewer things overall is gentler on the environment, saves you money, and makes your day-to-day existence more straightforward and less stressful. One way to achieve this goal is by deliberately designing a serene space in your home that’s based around principles of lightness, simplicity, functionality, and fluidity – an oasis that allows you to forget about the chaos of the exterior world for a little while.
The living room is where we connect with friends and family, relax, and recharge. You don’t need many things to make a beautiful and functional living room that leaves plenty of space for all different kinds of activities.
Organization Tips
Ikea is massive for a reason, you walk through there and everything screams you can be more organized.
I suggest after and only after you have a handle on eliminating life’s excess in your space. Take inventory of the space left. how much wall space can be used, and how large of a bin could you fit all those decorations in? Could you use a floor-to-ceiling shelf with some nice clear bins to label and store them in?
Simplistic living can be a fun way to find happiness and reduce stress in your most used rooms.
My favorite organization tips are:
- Under the bed storage for seasonal bedding
- Floor-to-ceiling shelving with large clear tote bins
- Hooks. fill the empty backpacks and hang them high on the walls
- No oversized furniture.
- Scan all photo albums, CDs, DVDs or workbooks into an external hard drive or cloud account for storage.
- Bathroom organization. HUGE. give away anything you haven’t used, old bottles, or anything that just doesn’t fit in with your new style.
- Reusable storage jars in the kitchen. allowing you to see exactly how much you have remaining.
Wrap Up
You don’t need to clear everything out and live with only 100 possessions to consider yourself a minimalist. If you implement these 10 steps into your life, you can start reaping the benefits that a minimalist lifestyle has to offer. A minimalist lifestyle can help save you time and money, and decluttering your space can lead to a decluttering of your mind – giving you more peace and happiness. What’s not to love? So what are you waiting for? Start living minimally today!
