INTRODUCTION MINIMALIST LIVING
Minimalism is the act of intentionally living with the things you need. Minimalist living can also be known as simplistic living. A minimalist lifestyle involves living a life that provides the most value and getting rid of anything in excess. Minimalist living means that you live your life in the most basic way, devoid of extravagance. It is based on the concept of ‘less is more.’
It is often believed that minimalist living is a lifestyle that is usually adopted by poor people simply because they do not have money to purchase expensive items. However, this is not the case as many wealthy people adopt this lifestyle. Minimalist living is not about the state of your finance. It is an intentional way of living that brings about positivity in life. Choosing this kind of lifestyle involves living with lesser resources, whether in terms of possessions or house.
A person adopting this kind of lifestyle is referred to as a minimalist. Although a minimalist lives an optimal life, many people still believe a minimalist lives a radical lifestyle. This is because minimalists choose to let go of things they do not need, and they tend to purchase only the things they need.
What are the benefits of minimalist living?
Contrary to some negative beliefs about minimalist living, there are some benefits to living a minimalist lifestyle. Some of the benefits are;
You have less to lose because your possessions are few. And because you have fewer possessions, you have less to worry about, and you will have a clearer mind and improved wellbeing.
Your house will not be clustered. Because you have fewer items at home, you will spend lesser time organizing and cleaning your home. Hence, you will spend more time engaging in quality activities.
You will spend more money on quality rather than quantity. And this will allow you to have more gratitude for the things you already own.
The less item we consume, the better for the environment because you will consume less of the earth’s natural resources.
You will have more money because you buy fewer items and take care of fewer items. As a result, you will be able to use your money for better things rather than for acquiring possessions.
How to make minimalist living easy.
Living a minimalist lifestyle might not be as easy as you thought it was, but there are ways to go about it. You need to take one step at a time if you want to simplify your life through minimalism. Below are tips on how to make minimalist living easy;
Discover why you want to become a minimalist.
Why do you want to become a minimalist? Do you spend too much time cleaning? Are you trying to get out of debt? Is there too much stress in your life? Are you environmentally conscious? Are you afraid of Change? Do you value other things other than material possessions? The first step in making minimalist living easy is asking yourself, ‘why do I want to be a minimalist?’ Do you want to be a minimalist because others are minimalists? Jumping on the trend of being a minimalist might not work out for you in the long run.
Define your rules.
Minimalist living is different for everyone. Some people define their minimalist life by the number of items they own, and others view it as the space they take up in the world. These people might prefer to live in smaller apartments like a tiny house or studio apartment instead of living in a big house. Assess the things around you, determine what kind of minimalist you want to become, and make sure it is realistic and sustainable.
Start with a room.
One of the hardest parts of minimalist living is knowing where to start. It can be overwhelming trying to minimize your entire house at once, so you should start from one room before moving on to the next. Focus on the easiest room first so that you do not get discouraged from doing the rest of the house. In addition, doing the easiest room will serve as inspiration to do the next. If you do not know how to start your minimalist journey, an app called ‘Clutter Free’ will help set a plan for decluttering.
After picking a room, start working on the visible areas first.
Start with the furniture like shelves, chairs, tables, and the things on the floor in the room.
These are the areas you can easily notice. Then move to the hidden areas like re-organizing your drawers, cabinets, and closet. This method will help you deal with the number of items you would have to go through before you are done with the room. Following this way will also prevent clutter in the room which can lead you to become overwhelmed.
Depose items you don’t use and keep the ones you use.
One of the ways you can keep minimalist living cheap is by buying and keeping only essential and meaningful items. While decluttering your home, you might come across some things that you rarely or have never used since you bought them. These items are referred to as ‘once in a blue moon’ items. Also, get rid of broken items and torn clothes.
There is no point keeping them around if they can no longer be fixed. Once you find these items, ask yourself questions like;
When last did I use this item?
Do I use it often?
Since I don’t use this item, is there an alternative one I use?
Why did I buy it?
Why do I still have it?
Is it adding value to my life?
Is it adding to the junk in my home?
Will it help me create the home that I want?
Can this item be repaired?
If repaired, do I still need it?
Organize your items in categories.
Organize your things in categories. Get organizers and storage bins to store what you need. Put towels, underwear, utensils, books, stationaries, etc., together. This will create a better and clear environment, and you will be able to notice if you have duplicates of some of these items. This will help you decide whether to keep or get rid of an item.
Limit the decorations you have at home or in the office.
Limiting your home or office decoration is another way to make minimalist living cheap and easy. Only purchase decorations that hold value or meaning, like family photos, etc.
Cut meaningless expenses and resist the urge to purchase more things.
If you cannot eliminate the use of some items, you can find inexpensive alternatives. Also, try as much as possible not to purchase more items. However, it might be challenging to practice minimalist living because of the constant advertisement flushed down our throats. So instead, use what you already have instead of buying new things. This is a great way to avoid adding more stuff to your home, especially when they are not necessary.
Always tidy up regularly.
Always tidy up your home regularly to avoid clutter and things from getting messy. You need to cultivate good cleaning habits to become a minimalist.
Travel lightly.
Pack lightly whenever you want to travel. Avoid carrying extra and unnecessary things you might not need for your trip. Make a list of the essential things you cannot do without on your trip and cut off the unnecessary stuff you do not need. Traveling lightly will help you as you will not have to pack so much luggage on your journey.
A good tip is digitalizing your books if you love reading books. Paperback and hard copy books can take up so much space in your bags, so it’s best to read the electronic copy in this case. On the other hand, if you do not enjoy reading books on your gadgets, you should stick to hard copy books. Only carry the books you are sure you will read during your trip!
You do not need to park all your shoes and clothes when traveling. Instead, pack a few clothes and re-wear them during your trip.
Shop quality items.
You do not need too many items. Invest in quality items, and you will use them for more extended periods. For example, instead of spending your money on many cheap clothes, buy a few quality clothes you can keep for years. The thing about low-quality items is that they do not last long, and you will have to change them frequently. Focus on sustainable shopping, which will make minimalist living cheap for you.
CONCLUSION
Some people have wrong impressions about living a minimalist lifestyle. They think it involves being surrounded by empty cupboards and barren walls. When you start your minimalist lifestyle with the mindset that it will be easy and cheap for you, then it will be easy and inexpensive for you! Start your journey with an open mind, have fun and be willing to explore what minimalist living has to offer.