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Becoming a minimalist doesn’t happen over night, nor should it. Minimalism is a journey and it’s totally fine and normal to go at your own pace. If you want to start being more minimal, I am here to help you simplify your life! Personally, I don’t consider myself to be done with my minimalism journey and still have several ways I could further simplify my life. I think many people get caught up in thinking that they need to become a minimalist over night, otherwise they aren’t doing it right. For many people, becoming a minimalist means living with less clutter in order to reduce stress. So, if your goal is to reduce stress, take it slow and enjoy the process! Otherwise you will become even more stressed throughout the process!
Why Minimalism?
I have found that different people have several different reasons as to WHY they become minimalists. For some, they might simply like the aesthetic of minimalism, such as minimalist decor, fashion, etc. For others, it might be to save money and reduce waste, while others (myself included here) simply get stressed out by having too much stuff, therefore creating clutter. I must say, my personal reasons are a combination of all the above. My point here is that there is no one way to do minimalism. The goal is to find ways to simplify your life, in whatever ways work for you!
12 Ways to Simplify Your Life
1. Categorize Your Items
When you are first starting your minimalism journey, you will likely start by decluttering your home/living space. Organizing your items into different categories will help you be more efficient during this process. Examples of categories are:
- Donate
- Sell
- Keep
- Toss
This helps get everything out into different piles to help speed up the process. You can then proceed to to place or take them where they need to go.
2. Toss Out Anything That is Broken
Unless you seriously plan on fixing something in the immediate future and know you will continue to get use out of something, I would highly suggest throwing out anything that is broken because it is just taking up space in your home collecting dust. Get rid of broken decor, appliances, and gadgets that you are no longer using.
3. Let Go of Unworn Clothes
I know this can be a hard one especially for those who may have an emotional attachment to clothing items. Maybe the item was a gift from someone special or you paid way too much money for it. But the reality is that if the item doesn’t fit you right, is unflattering, or simply not your style, then it is not practical to keep it. Consider donating or selling these items. I love reselling my unused clothing items on Poshmark and have made a good amount of money back doing so. If you don’t think you can get much for an item but it’s still in good condition, consider donating to a local thrift shop or women’s shelter. Making sure you only have clothes you love and wear often is one many great ways to simplify your life!
4. Don’t Get Caught Up on Numbers
I hear a lot of people say that they have a numeric goal of how many items they want to reduce their items to. This is usually with clothing items but it can also be with other categories such as kitchen gadgets, decor items, etc. Personally, I like to to focus more on getting rid of what I don’t need and keeping what I use and love. If you have 15 tops that you absolutely love and wear regularly, then there is no need to reduce that number if you don’t wish to do so. For some people, a minimalist wardrobe may be 40 items, and for others it might be 20. Everyone is different and that is totally okay!
5. Only Buy 1
Another one of my favorite ways to simply your life is to avoid having doubles of things. Only buying 1 of something is so practical because it helps save time and space! Consider what items to don’t need more than one of such as scissors, candles, water bottle, TV, and the list can go on. This list is going to be different for everyone, so remember to focus on what works for you. Only having one of certain items helps you to get full use out of them and appreciate them so much more!
6. Let Go of Unused Kitchen Items
You know that waffle maker you bought a year ago when you said you were going to start making a lot more homemade waffles? Or that extra large pot you have for “just in case”? Yeah, you aren’t using them, so it’s time to say goodbye and clear up some space! Clutter in the kitchen has got to be one of my biggest pet peeves because I spend a lot of time there. I feel a lot more clear headed when the space around me is clean, and I’m sure you will too!
7. Shop Quality Over Quanitity
You have probably heard this one plenty of times before, but I’m here to remind you of how important this one is! If you are going to live with less stuff, it’s so important to get items that will last you for long periods of time as you will be intentionally using them more! I know that some quality items can be a little pricey, but because you are already buying less stuff you will probably have a larger budget to invest in such items. You can also get a lot of high quality items second hand, it doesn’t always need to be expensive! I shop quite frequently at thrift stores, on Poshmark, and even Ebay. My personal closet is about 80% thrifted not going to lie, but they are all quality items that will last me a long time. You will be surprised at what you find!
8. Replace Disposable Hygiene Items
Here I am talking about items like disposable razors, makeup remover wipes, pads/tampons etc. Replace these items with reusable, more sustainable items. If you are someone who uses disposable razors, you can easily make the switch to a zero waste safety razor . I personally use an epilator that I paid $30 for and I have owned it for 2 years now, it’s still going strong! I go further into how epilating works here.
Makeup remover wipes can also easily replaced with reusable ones or you can use a face cloth with some micellar water or makeup removing oil. And my last example, pads/tampons, can be replaced with period underwear or a menstrual cup! I know this last one might not be for everyone, but I encourage everyone to at least try it out!
9. Switch to Digital Books & Media
While I do own a few books, I think they can easily create a lot of clutter if you own too many of them. The same goes for DVDs. Consider making the switch to digital books and audio books. If you are someone who prefers a real book that you can hold, one option is going to your local library. I love going into the library and selecting a book to read and taking it back once I’ve finished. I also love renting movies at the library because their selection is way better then Netflix, at least the one in my area!
10. Create a Filing System
Paper clutter is a bog thing in my home and it is something I am constantly working to reduce. We are slowly transitioning to going paperless, but for the things we do get in paper, we have created an organizing filing system. Create a space where you can store documents, bills, letters, etc. in an organizing manner, maybe even somewhere out of sight. Make a habit of opening it as soon as you get it in the mail and filing promptly before things have time to pile up. To prevent things from piling up, you can also go through your files every few months and shred what you no longer need.
11. Have a Home for Everything
When you are deciding whether or not to get rid of something, as yourself, if there somewhere this can properly be stored without creating clutter? The same might go for when you are deciding on whether or not to purchase something new for your home. Making sure all the items in your home have a place to be stored is key to having a neat, minimalist home. It will also make the cleaning process so much easier and maybe even enjoyable!
12. Reduce Cleaning Products
One of the ways to simplify your life that will also save you money is to reduce the amount of cleaning products you use. I used to think that I needed a different cleaning product for each thing/area I was cleaning. I would purchase floor cleaner, bathroom cleaner, window cleaner, dust sprays, and anything else you can think of. The reality is that there are plenty of multi-surface cleaners out there that will tackle a variety of things. You can also make your own multi-surface cleaner. The only thing I really buy now is a bathroom cleaner, because it can get pretty filthy and I feel better using something a little stronger in there. For all other areas in my home I use a multi-surface cleaner that I make at home!
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