Minimalism as a lifestyle choice is getting a lot of attention these days. It’s a more sustainable, eco-friendly approach to the way you live. Aside from allowing you to clear out the excess material possessions in your life that you don’t truly need, using a minimalist approach in your home could give you a greater sense of peace and wellbeing. If you’re interested in giving this lifestyle a go but don’t want to overhaul everything in one huge step, use these beginner’s baby steps to get things going.
De-Clutter Your House
De-cluttering is great for the overall look and atmosphere of your home. A clean home that’s clear of mess and clutter will help you feel calm, focused, and in control of your life. Get some large cardboard boxes and go through each room one at a time. Separate your possessions into items you genuinely need and those you could quite comfortably live without. It’s okay to start small if you’re nervous about getting rid of material possessions, but do a basic de-cluttering to get the process started.
A good way to approach your initial de-clutter is to take each item and consider whether you really see or use it on a day-to-day basis. If you haven’t looked at the item in six months and it’s not a treasured family heirloom, put it in a donation box. It will help to start clearing out any duplicates of items you already own. For example, if you recently bought a new food processer that’s replaced your old blender but that blender is still hanging out in a kitchen cabinet, donate it to someone who’ll really appreciate it instead.
Change The Way You Travel
Travelling is a great opportunity to discover what it is to live in a more minimalist way. The next time you take a trip, try packing around half of what you normally would shove into your suitcase. This goes for shorter trips too – empty out your overcrowded handbag and aim to carry only the basic necessities like money and your phone with you while you go about your day. You’ll probably find that the majority of the items you haul around with you simply aren’t essential.
Un-Complicate Your Life
There are plenty of simple little changes you can make to de-clutter your life and mind as a whole. For example, do you spend excessive time every day wondering what to make for dinner and what you need to pick up from the supermarket on the way home from work? Simplify your evenings and mealtimes by planning your food for the week ahead of time every Sunday. That way, you can do one shop and get everything you need at once. You’ll save time, and probably money, too.
Focus on Quality Rather Than Quantity
The next time you go to buy a new set of winter boots, give some thought to how useful this item will be in your life. If you often opt for cheap buys, you probably find that they fall apart quickly and end up taking up extra space in your home when you need to replace them less than a year later. Avoid excess shopping and choose purchases that offer good quality for your money, rather than filling your cupboard with more stuff.
