Anyone with a cell phone and access to social media is being marketed to on a 24/7 basis. Even if you have every ad blocker in the world set up, there is no way you aren’t subjected to the constant pressure to buy more and more things.
In a society like this, it’s easy to fall into a trap of constantly buying new things. Keeping up with the Joneses has gone supernova: the Joneses are everywhere, all the time. Their life looks better than yours because they have more updated things than you do, right?
That’s where minimalist living comes in. If you want to learn how to take a step back from all the things and start appreciating life for what you have instead of criticizing yourself for what you don’t, keep reading
Take a Good Look at Your Priorities
If minimalist living is something you want to consider, the first thing you have to do is take an inventory of your life and your priorities. Sit back and take a look at what you have, the way you live, and the way you look at life.
Is your home cluttered? Do you own a few of the same item? Are you holding onto sentimental items that you don’t use?
Do you have an abundance of clothing you never wear? Do you spend more time in your kitchen searching for your gadgets than you do cooking?
These are all signs that its time for you cut down on your possessions and begin appreciating what you have and all the wonderful ways you can use things.
Does This Spark Joy?
Marie Kondo has taken the world by storm thanks to her hit Netflix show Tidying Up. In this show, she helps families with an excess of stuff begin to sort through their things. One of her methods has caught on like wildfire.
The “spark joy” method is simple: you pick up each one of the items you own (yes, every single one of them) and hold them in your hand for a moment. Really consider the item.
If the item sparks joy, or if it makes you happy, put it in your keep pile. Everything else goes!
Joy can mean different things for different people. Your can opener probably doesn’t make you giddy with excitement, but maybe when you consider how many wonderful home-cooked meals this little tool has helped you create, you’ll think of it in a different light.
Likewise, maybe you like your fifth pair of red pumps. But when you take a look at the other four sitting in your keep pile, you realize that your energy and space is better spent on other things. They can go!
Make Conscious Buying Decisions
Once you’ve gone through the things in your home and decided what goes and what stays, the most important thing is to stop buying everything you see in the store that you like. It doesn’t matter how thoroughly you’ve cleaned out your home if you’re just going to bring more things into it later on.
Really consider each item you want to buy. Does it serve a purpose? Do you already have one like it?
Is it a necessity or a want?
There’s nothing wrong with splurging on a “want” item from time to time. But instead of buying things you don’t need in the name of treating yourself, consider giving yourself an experience with that money instead.
Take yourself to the movies, go for a hike, get out and experience the world instead of buying more things to take up space in your home.
Not only will your home stay minimalist and uncluttered but your life will feel more full at the end of the day!
Love What You Have
Another important aspect of minimalism is taking the time to truly appreciate all the things you have. If you have keepsakes that you can’t part with for sentimental reasons, don’t let them sit and collect dust. Take care of them, touch them, appreciate them every day.
Even when you don’t have a lot of things, you can feel as though your home is full of stuff when you take the time to appreciate everything.
Go Through Your Things Often
As long as you continue to make conscious buying decisions, you shouldn’t need to go through your things regularly. However, it’s still a good idea to frequently take a look at all the things you have and reevaluate your needs and priorities.
Once a month, take an inventory of things that pile up quickly like beauty supplies, clothes, and paper mail. Get rid of or donate the things that no longer serve you!
Separate Yourself From Your Belongings
This is a difficult thing for many people to do. Not everyone comes from a place of money, so when we scrimp and save and finally manage to buy that nice item we’ve wanted for a long time, separating ourselves from that item is hard.
But we are more than the collection of things in our homes. Your identity is more than the stuff that you own. Once you separate yourself from your things, it becomes much easier to part with unnecessary items.
Fix-It Yourself
Another great way to live a minimalist lifestyle is to learn how to fix your things yourself. Instead of running to the store to buy a new thing every time something breaks, you can get good at fixing what you have and keeping it.
When you buy a nice piece of furniture, like the ones from Modern Onion, you don’t want to trash it when something breaks, especially if you can fix it!
Not only is this a great way of saving money, but it’s the best way to honor what you have and truly treat it like a prized possession. You know you love the things in your house when you’re willing to learn how to fix them!
Extend Minimalist Living Beyond Your Physical Things
Minimalist living is more than just keeping your house as decluttered as possible. It’s a lifestyle as well.
Take a look at your calendar. Is it full of things you don’t want to do? Consider finding a way to pare down these unwanted tasks.
Turn off your cell phone during the day, really allow yourself to plug fully into whatever you’re doing. Distractions make it hard to give all of yourself to any task!
Keep It Simple!
Minimalist living doesn’t have to mean getting rid of all of your stuff. It’s a spectrum that’s different for all people. The main goal is to make sure that you’re making do with what you have and taking the time to appreciate what’s around you instead of coveting everything else.
It’s a way of life, not just a way of keeping your house!
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