How to Start Living a Minimalist Lifestyle
Ever feel like you just have so much stuff? And it makes you want to grab everything and chuck it in a general waste skip bin and be done with it? That’s where adopting a minimalist lifestyle comes in.
But, where do you begin and how do you ensure you stick to it? To help you out, we’ve written this short guide on how to start living a minimalist lifestyle. Read on to learn more!
Overview:
- What is a minimalist lifestyle?
- Minimalist lifestyle benefits
- What is the downside of minimalism?
- How to start living a minimalist lifestyle: 6 tips
- How long does it take to become a minimalist?
What is a minimalist lifestyle?
Minimalism has seen a significant growth in popularity over the last few years—inspired by key people like Marie Kondo and The Minimalists. In a nutshell, minimalism involves living simply and only having what you need. So instead of your kids having 100 toys, they have 10, or instead of having 30 pairs of shoes, you only have 5 and between them they’re suitable for all occasions.
Minimalist lifestyle benefits
Before we delve into how to start living a minimalist lifestyle, let’s see what the benefits (and downsides) are.
- You spend less money: this is an easy one. When you buy fewer things, you can either save that money or use it to enrich your life in other ways (like holidays, family activities etc.)
- Your house is easier to clean: less stuff = less stuff to clean! It’s a win win.
- It’s better for the environment: when you’re only buying the essentials, you’re reducing your impact on the environment.
- It can feel less stressful: with less clutter and things around you, you may feel more at peace and calm.
- Easier to move house: always wanted to travel interstate or to another country? Or just moving to another suburb? Being a minimalist makes this much easier.
What is the downside of minimalism?
- It can be difficult to stick to: we’re bombarded daily with the latest and greatest products. It can be hard not to buy out of impulse.
- It can be hard to let go: we place a lot of meaning in some of our possessions, and at first, it can seem difficult to let some of them go.
- Easy to compare: once you adopt a minimalist lifestyle, you might notice how easy it is to become obsessed with ‘counting’ how many possessions you have and comparing it to others. But this defeats the purpose of minimalism (putting less value in your possessions), so watch out for it.
Now we’re well-versed on what minimalism is and why it could benefit you, let’s get into how to start living a minimalist lifestyle.
How to start living a minimalist lifestyle: 6 tips
Learning how to start living a minimalist lifestyle is a lot easier than you’d think. We’ve collated some of our top tips to help you.
1. Do a big clean out
First things first, you need to declutter and clear out the stuff you already have. This can be quite a long process, so we recommend picking a room (or even a part of a room) at a time. This might mean you tackle your clothes and wardrobe on one weekend, and then clear out your kitchen cupboards the following weekend.
And if you have a significant amount of waste, you might want to consider skip bin hire in Adelaide. You can choose from mini skip bins all the way to 9m3 skips. If you just want to get rid of all your excess stuff in one go, this is the best way. Plus, when you choose Just Skips, you can get rid of your waste safe in the knowledge that we recycle everything that can be recycled; it doesn’t just get sent to landfill.
2. Always ask yourself “do I need this?”
When you become a minimalist, this question should be at the forefront of your mind whenever you go shopping. Before you commit to a purchase, really take the time to think if you need it or if you already have something similar at home. Doing this will help you to stick to the minimalist lifestyle.
3. Shop quality, rather than quantity
When you buy a high quality product, it’s likely to last you a lot longer than the same product from a budget store. While the latter may be cheap now, it’ll add up every year that you have to buy a replacement.
4. Opt for a Kindle
If you’re really looking to cut down, you might want to consider donating your paperback books and buying yourself a Kindle or other eBook reader. But if you prefer the real thing, take advantage of your local library.
5. Get some reusables
Carry around a reusable drink bottle instead of buying plastic ones every time you’re out. This not only saves money, but helps the environment.
6. Invest in experiences, rather than things
Instead of buying the latest gadget, use that money for a weekend getaway or that scuba diving lesson you’ve always wanted to try. When you enrich your life with experiences and fun activities, you’ll find you focus less on material things!
How long does it take to become a minimalist?
This all depends on you. Minimalism is an ongoing process, and you’ll always find ways to improve and change how you practise it. But we highly recommend doing it all at your own pace, because just going cold turkey isn’t sustainable in the long term.
Now you know how to start living a minimalist lifestyle, it’s time to get going on your minimalism journey! Get a head start by clearing out all your old stuff with either long term or short term skip hire. Learn how to hire a skip bin or get in touch today.
