So you want to try minimalism, but aren’t interested in going extreme? Well, I am here to tell you that you can live a normal life while still living minimally and intentionally! Here is minimalism for normal people and how to be normal AND live intentionally.
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When I first heard about minimalism, I thought I had to go to the extreme in order to even consider myself a minimalist. I decluttered way too much, even things I still had use of. I decided I didn’t want to be an extreme minimalist, and I wanted to be normal. This is how I came across minimalism for normal people.
Related: Minimalism Mistakes to Avoid
If you didn’t know already, I am also a reseller on Poshmark, Ebay, Mercari, and just recently, Instagram. I love to go thrifting and purchase things for resale. Sometimes, I would think to myself, how does reselling and minimalism even go together?! After all, reseller is borderline hoarder! But no, actually I’m pretty good at keeping my business and personal life separate. I’m still a minimalist in my personal life while I enjoy the perks of thrifting and reselling!
Anyway, if there is something you love doing that doesn’t quite go with minimalism, don’t worry! It’s all about balance and making it work for you. It’s about the “why” and not the “how much” when it comes to minimalism and intentional living. Here are some tips on how to practice minimalism while living a normal life.
1. Keep What You Love
This might sound a bit contradicting because I talk a lot about decluttering on my blog. However, never feel like you have to declutter the things that you love and still use for the sake of minimalism and owning less. You will probably regret it and end up purchasing it or something similar again.
Just be honest with yourself about why you are keeping something and make sure you are still using it enough to make keeping it worthwhile. Of course, there will always be those sentimental items that you never “use” but want to keep forever.
For me personally those are a few family photos and my wedding dress. I’m sure a few more might get added to the collection as I get older, but I try to not keep EVERYTHING, just the few that really mean a lot.
2. Allow Yourself 1-2 Categories of “Extra”
If you must, you can allow yourself 1-2 categories of “extra”. What I mean by this is that you can be minimal in all areas of your life with the exception of one or two areas. Like I mentioned before, I am a reseller and go thrifting a lot. I consider my jobs to me one of these areas of “extra”. Although I don’t bring much into my personal life, my office can sometimes feel cluttered. I love my job and what I do, so I really don’t mind as long as I am still minimal on other areas.
For you, these categories might be groceries, books, or even shoes! For example, I like being minimal with the amount of books I have, but if you are someone that LOVES to read physical books, then it’s totally okay to have tons of books as long as you read and love them.
3. Don’t Focus on the Numbers
I have heard so many people say that they always give themselves a random number that they try to stay under when it comes in minimalism. Whether it’s a 15 piece capsule wardrobe, or 4 drinking cups, one car etc. However, these numbers are very personal and there is no one size fits all. Instead of focusing on the numbers and the “how much”, focus on the “why”.
This is a main principle of intentional living because you are taking the time to think about why you own, keep, or purchase certain things. For example, while owning only one car would be great, it simply would not work for my husband and I. We live in an area that is very car dependent and both have very different jobs. We need two cars to live more efficiently. I also personally never set a number on the pieces I have in my wardrobe, I just make sure each item is getting it’s use and that everything makes me feel good and fits.
Related: Minimalist Spring Capsule Wardrobe
Focusing on the why still helps you declutter all those items you really have no use for that just take up space in your home while allowing you to keep things you love, use, and make your life better!
4. Always Have Space
While you can still keep things that you love and use, make sure that you aren’t packing your house will all this stuff. One rule I like to follow is to always have more space in my home and to never fill every corner, drawer, cabinet, etc. with STUFF! When things start to get a little tight, I know it’s time for a decluttering session and time for me to reconsider certain purchases. Personally, I love a minimal feel in my home (not TOO empty) because it’s easier to clean and feels more welcoming.
To keep your home nice and tidy, I recommend organizing and grouping some items into cute baskets or containers.
Related: How to Decorate Your Home as a Minimalist
5. Make Minimalism Work For You
My final thoughts on minimalism for normal people are to simply make minimalism work for you! Minimalism and intentional living are meant to improve your quality of life by making room for the things that actually matter. It isn’t meant to stress you out and making you feel guilty about owning more that you think you should, especially if you are comparing yourself to others! If you don’t want to partake in extreme minimalism, this is the place for you! I am a normal person who practice minimalism and intentional living on the daily without sacrificing the things I love.
Thanks so much for reading!
Sincerely,
Denise XOXO
