The idea of living a minimalist lifestyle has struck a chord with many over the past several years.
Whether it’s because they saw the Minimalist documentary and felt inspired, or simply because they’re sick and tired of living amongst junk they don’t use, more and more people are looking to embrace the minimalist lifestyle.
Yet, it seems like few actually know how to jump into it. There isn’t a clear cut road to becoming a minimalist, and with no one making you do it, it can sometimes be tough to find the motivation. I quickly become one of those projects “you’ll start next week.”
So, how do you actually embrace the minimalist lifestyle? Read on to learn the top 5 tips.
1. Set Your Rules
As we said before, the minimalist lifestyle doesn’t come with a rulebook.
While this may make it seem more difficult to navigate, this is actually for the better. This is because minimalism is different for everyone, and therefore setting your own rules and boundaries is what’s important.
For example, some define minimalism by the actual number of things they own, others define it by the actual amount of space their property takes up (read: tiny houses), while others simply see it as decluttering their home.
And that’s really the beauty of minimalism- you get to make it what you want. So, set your “rules” for what you’d like your minimalist lifestyle to look like. Once you achieve it, you can decide if you’d like to take it one step further.
2. Declutter Your Home
For most people, the first big step on their minimalist journey is to declutter their home.
Usually, it helps to tackle the decluttering process bit by bit so you can really evaluate your items and what you do and do not need. Go room by room and separate items into keep, throw out, and donate piles.
If you need to, you can go to a site like junk-king.com and look into dumpster rental if you’re really looking to clean house.
3. Think Before Purchasing
A lot of times, we grab items at the store and swipe our credit cards without giving a second thought.
To embrace the minimalist lifestyle, you need to be conscious of what you’re buying every time you go shopping.
So, next time you’re at the store and you’re about to throw a cute pink scarf into your cart, think to yourself:
- Do I really need this scarf?
- Am I actually buying this scarf to stay warm, or am I buying it because it’s at 50 percent discount?
- Is the discount really a reason to buy it?
- Do I see myself wearing this scarf a year from now?
Asking yourself questions like this will really help you evaluate your spending habits and eventually prevent you from making impulse purchases.
4. Seek High-Quality Items
With that being said, when it does come time to buy something, make sure you seek high-quality stuff.
Investing your time and money into things that are built to last a while will help ensure you don’t have to replace things as often. And, because it’s high-quality, you’ll likely take better care of it.
5. Disassociate and Let Go of Guilt
Oftentimes, we let emotion get in the way of getting rid of stuff.
Just because an item is expensive or in excellent condition, doesn’t mean you should feel obligated to keep it.
And even if you do love your items, you should remind yourself that they are only a temporary source of joy.
