If you want to start living a more simple kind of life, here are 8 tips to help you get started with minimalism and simple living.
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Minimalism and a minimalist lifestyle can look different for many people. There are extreme minimalists, frugal minimalists, aesthetic minimalists, and just normal, balanced minimalists. Personally, I like a more balanced minimalist type of lifestyle. I pick and choose aspects I like from each category and roll with it. There are no strict rules when it comes to minimalism and simple living, except that you simplify your life in some sort of way!
The goal of minimalism is simply to live intentionally each day, create less clutter, and make more space for the things that matter in your life. Different things matter to different people, which is why it looks different from person to person.
If you want to get started with minimalism and create a minimalist lifestyle that suits you, here are 8 minimalism and simple living tips to help get you started!
1. Find Your Why
The very first thing you should do before starting minimalism and simple living is to ask yourself why you want to live this lifestyle. Do you want more time and space? Do you just like a minimalist aesthetic? Are you trying to save more money? Maybe it’s a little bit of everything, but the answer to this question will determine your approach to minimalism and make your intentions clear.
2. Set Your Intentions
Once you have figured out your why, it’s time to set your goals and intentions. If your goal is to save money, then you are going to be a frugal minimalist. If you just want to own the bare necessities, you are going to do a lot more decluttering then someone who wants to be a balanced minimalist. Before you get to decluttering, decide how much you want to declutter and what you want to replace. This will make the decluttering process a lot smoother! Let’s be honest, decluttering can be the hardest part, but it feels so good afterward!
3. Declutter
Now it’s time to get to the fun part! While decluttering can feel overwhelming, it can still be fun. Try to declutter in an organized fashion so it doesn’t become this huge burden. I suggest decluttering one room at a time. This way, you can stop if you need to and your house isn’t completely flipped upside down! If you haven’t signed up yet, sign up for our newsletter and receive a decluttering checklist absolutely for free! This checklist takes to room by room and lists suggestions on what you should probably declutter.
When you are decluttering, create 3-4 different piles or groups:
- Sell
- Donate
- Keep
- Toss
You can place these items in bins according to their category to keep yourself organized. Once you have decluttered the things you are not keeping, you can organize the your “keep” pile back into the room. This is also a great opportunity for you to deep clean everything! Wipe down any surfaces, vacuum/clean floors, and organize things you are keeping if they weren’t already organized.
4. Create a Capsule Wardrobe
Next comes another fun part for me, creating a capsule wardrobe! Now that you have decluttered everything, including your closet, it’s time to curate your wardrobe. When creating a capsule wardrobe, it’s very important that you identify your personal style. If you were left with very little clothing items after decluttering, intentionally add pieces to your wardrobe that you love, are practical for your lifestyle, and complement each other. You want your wardrobe to flow and have some sort of theme. This way, you can easily mix and match pieces and create different outfits you can wear over and over again! I never really set rules or numbers as to how many pieces you should own. That is all dependent on you and your lifestyle. The only thing I do suggest is that you keep or buy things you will actually get a good amount of use out of. If you haven’t already, check out my blog post on Simple Minimalist Style Hacks for a Small Wardrobe! I go more into detail on how to create a small wardrobe and give some tips and tricks!
Related: Minimalist Wardrobe Essentials you Need to Have
5. Create a Minimalist Meal Plan
I love cooking, but sometimes it can be a lot! I have a hungry, active, hardworking husband and I can only imagine how much more I will need to cook once I have kids, especially during their teenage years! If you are someone on the same boat as me or you just don’t really enjoy cooking at all, I suggest creating a minimalist meal plan!
A minimalist meal plan helps you save time, money, and creates less food waste. You will know exactly what to buy at the grocery store each week and which meals you are making. I have a blog post all about it here.
Related: Cheap & Easy Trader Joe’s Vegan Meals
6. Create a Minimalist Cleaning Routine
Minimalism really does make it so much easier to clean. Think about it, less stuff means less things to clean! It makes wiping down surfaces a lot easier because you don’t have to move all your stuff and then put it back. If you want to take you cleaning a notch further, create a minimalist cleaning routine! A minimalist cleaning routine will help you to maintain a clean and tidy home at all times (or most of the time). Check out my blog post on my Minimalist Cleaning Routine where I share some tips and tricks along with my favorite minimalist cleaning products.
7. Practice Being Intentional
Once you have your minimalist routines down, you can maintain your minimalist lifestyle by continuing to practice being intentional. Being intentional means you are always thinking about why you keep, buy, or do certain things. Be honest with yourself and let go of the things that don’t serve a good purpose in your life. Similarly, make time for the things that truly matter, and consider cutting out the things that don’t.
8. Quality Over Quantity
In a way, minimalism and simple living are also about choosing quality over quantity. When you create a capsule wardrobe, you are intentionally choosing quality items that you love and fit you well, over the items that are lower quality. Before becoming a minimalist, I would buy things just because they were on sale or cheap. Those things usually did not last very long and I sometimes had multiple of the same thing because I would lose it all the time! When you have quality items, you are more likely to take care of them and appreciate them.
Final Thoughts
Those were the 8 tips on getting started with minimalism and simple living! I wish you luck on your journey, and I encourage you to have fun with it! Thanks so much for stopping by and reading.
Sincerely,
Denise XOXO
