Most people would agree that there is too much stuff in their homes – most of which is forgotten until it is time to move or do some spring cleaning.
Even though we develop attachments to too many things we keep inside our homes, the truth is that too much clutter can make our lives feel more stressful and out of control.
What is Minimalist Living?
Unsurprisingly, minimalism has become much more popular over the years. When you live a minimalist lifestyle, you try to use only things with a meaningful purpose. It’s all about living simply and having only what you need to get by each day.
One of the many benefits of minimalist living is living a more “tuned-in” and meaningful daily life. If you struggle with feeling overwhelmed and stressed by your surroundings, minimalism can have a profound positive impact on your spaces.
A common misconception is that minimalism requires you to nearly sterilize your spaces with all-white furniture and beige tones. Luckily, this is not the case! It’s less about what you do and does not have and much more about how your things make you feel.
Knowing how to get started can feel like a challenge. So take a look at our tips below for help on how to begin your minimalist lifestyle journey.
12 Helpful Tips for Minimalist Living
You can declutter your home and remove truckloads of stuff. Still, without changing your habits, it is only a matter of time before you accumulate a new mass of belongings that you will only eventually have to toss out.
These tips should help you begin to make a few actionable changes to ensure your dive into minimalism isn’t short-lived.
1. Prioritize Quality
Today’s trends change almost weekly, paving the way for fast fashion and other cheap but lower-quality goods. Cultivating a minimalist lifestyle requires you to determine what you want outside of the trends created today.
Investing in high-quality pieces and furniture is often a hard change for people to make because it usually requires a more significant initial investment. However, it is essential to remember that high-quality items tend to last longer.
2. Regular Tidying
Because your home is an area that is constantly occupied, things will inevitably become cluttered over time. That is why it is critical to developing excellent cleaning practices before and during your quest for a more minimalist lifestyle.
As you begin to declutter your spaces, developing a routine approach to tidying your home is helpful.
3. Minimize Your Paper
Think about all those pieces of mail left piling up on your desk or the 20 unread books collecting dust on your shelves. All these things take up valuable space in your home and mind!
Opting for digital statements, receipts, and even media subscription services is more convenient and don’t clutter your desks, countertops, and shelves.
4. Go Greener
Many of the things we use today are disposable – water bottles, sandwich bags, shopping bags, and so on. Not only is all of that plastic bad for the environment, but it also takes over a lot of space in your home.
Consider swapping all of those disposable items for one or two reusable counterparts.
5. Focus on Your “Why”
Most people aren’t approaching a minimalist lifestyle overhaul with the thought, “meh – I’ll give it a try.” Instead, there is likely a more profound reason or purpose for exploring a new way of living your daily life.
Determining what this purpose is from the very beginning is essential to staying on track and achieving your minimalist goals. Without a purpose or your “why,” it will be much easier to give up when things become challenging or you start to lose motivation.
The Big Declutter
Now is the time to remove all those things simply taking up space in your home. You can think of this as your refresh!
With a complete overhaul of your space, plus those minimalist habits in the list above, you will be much closer to achieving your goal of a minimalist lifestyle.
Here’s how to declutter and refresh your spaces!
6. Take it One Step (Or Room) at a Time
Of course, deciding where to begin is the most challenging element of minimizing your home. One thing is sure: trying to handle an entire house at once is overwhelming, so focusing on one room at a time is essential.
Spend most of your time and energy on the easiest room first, and then use that as the inspiration needed for other rooms as you work your way through the rest of your home.
7. Tackle What You Can See
Once you’ve decided on a room to focus on, a wise strategy is, to begin with, the most noticeable parts. For example, things like shelves, furniture, and items on the floor. Before going on to the room’s hidden regions, such as organizing your drawers, cabinets, and closet. This way, you’ll be able to track your progress in real-time.
8. Prioritize Your Essentials
When it’s time to start decluttering, keep only the genuinely essential and significant objects to you. Move from the easiest to the most challenging items in your home, touching each one and assessing whether or not it adds value to your life. Ask yourself:
- Is this anything that will assist me in creating the home I desire?
- Does this distract me?
- Do I need it?
- Is this something that I use?
- Why do I keep this in my space?
- What would I do if I didn’t have it?
9. Decorate with Meaningful Pieces
It’s tempting to want to beautify your home with various attractive pieces you found on sale or spotted at a local store, but if you want to commit to a minimalist home, you should limit your decorations to those with unique worth or purpose.
Minimalism encourages people to own fewer decorations, keeping just the most meaningful ones — such as family portraits, rare heirlooms, and antiques. This allows you to share your story with your family and any visitors to your home.
Maintaining Your New Minimalist Lifestyle
Preparing new habits and decluttering your entire home is a fantastic start to your new minimalist lifestyle. However, like with many other things, genuine work comes with the maintenance phase of your new change.
Without a commitment to maintaining your alternative lifestyle choice, it is only a matter of time before the clutter and chaos creep back into your home. Use the tips below to help you keep your home minimal and harmonious!
10. Buy Less
In an age of constant and persuasive advertising, buying fewer things can be extremely difficult, which is why declining adverts are crucial.
It’s all about establishing an environment free of continual reminders to buy more, whether that means unsubscribing from emails, watching less television, or tossing away junk mail.
This might also imply a rejection of consumerism in favor of focusing on the significant things to you. The best way to practice this is by using the same approach you take with your declutter – ask yourself whether an item serves your purpose and your goals.
11. Focus on Experiences
Buying less does not mean you have to forgo everything that brings value and pleasure to your life. When the urge to engage in a little retail therapy emerges, consider investing in an experience instead.
Rather than junking up your home with various things that will eventually become meaningless, consider how you can fill your life with activities and experiences that fulfill your mind and heart with precious memories!
12. Take Time to Enjoy Your Space
When life gets hectic, it can be challenging to appreciate the harmony you have created within your spaces.
Remembering to spend some reflective time in your new minimalist home helps you appreciate not only your hard and dedicated work but also reminds you of why you started this journey in the first place.
With fewer distractions, messes, and general clutter, you can see your home and spaces for what they are – a safe haven from all the noise and stress our lives inevitably bring.
Simply Put, Minimalism is All About Purpose
One of the most momentous aspects of minimalist living is purpose. If you are ready to live a life more simply in your home, think about why you’re doing it.
Do you want to save more money, spend more time with family, or even retire early and enjoy more of your older years?
Determining the answers to these significant questions is vital because minimalist living is ultimately about living a more focused and purposeful life.
Related content: Reasons For Living Off the Grid
