So, you’ve decided to give minimalism a try! Congrats! Me too!
Haven’t decided yet? Read my guide on how to know if minimalism is right for you.
Since starting my ethical fashion and sustainable living journey about a year and a half ago, I’ve found myself leaning more and more towards minimalism.
Along with living a less wasteful life I’ve found myself trying to combat consumerism as much as possible. Buying and owning fewer things means I’m also creating less waste.
This is where being a conscious consumer comes in. I was tired of spending my money on things I didn’t really need or want just because society told me too. I was tired of my living space being so messy even though I cleaned it all the time.
Come to think of this has been a problem my whole life. I used to always complain about not having enough room for all my things and my mom would simply tell me it was because I had too much. Well, she was right. (And if you’re reading this mom, I don’t wanna hear it.)
So becoming a minimalist seems like the next logical step to take to save some money, create less waste and free up my space. Not only my physical space but my mind as well. Because I can simply not concentrate in a messy space.
I’m already off to a great start. I’ve cut a lot of unnecessary purchases from my life and you can read all about that here.
How I plan to gradually become a minimalist. (And how you can too!)
1. Figure out why you want to become a minimalist – For me, it was the environmental aspect that drew me to minimalism. But finding out why you want to live this way is a crucial motivation.
Transitioning into minimalism is no easy feat and having a strong reason behind it will help keep you inspired to keep going!
2. Figure out your priorities – Minimalism looks different to every person. Generally, the idea is to own only what is useful. Take some time to figure out what things in your life you’re not willing to live without.
Some minimalists live without furniture while others don’t. Whatever is essential to you, keep it. You don’t have to get rid of everything to be minimal.
3. Start doing cleanouts – You can go as slow or as fast as you want with this one. For me, I started with my wardrobe. My off-season clothes are packed away for now so I’m working season by season.
Anything that I never wore or was never going to wear had to go. Next, were books, then movies, then mugs…you get the picture.
Just start small and declutter the most important areas of your space first and go from there.
4. Get rid of multiples – When I say “get rid” I don’t necessarily mean throw it in the trash. But perhaps you can regift it or sell it for a little cash. Whatever “it” is.
At the beginning of my minimalist journey, I purged my makeup collection because it. was. ridiculous! It turns out I don’t need 8 foundations and 12 eyeshadow pallets.
Take a look around and see what you have too many of that you can get rid of.
5. Think about every one of your purchases – I am now a proud conscious consumer. I buy things out of necessity 99% of the time. (It’s totally fine to treat yourself and get something just because every once and a while!)
It’s important to ask yourself before every purchase:
Do I really need this?
Am I buying it just because it’s on sale?
Will I use it within a month?
Do I already have one of these?
Etc. etc.
6. Stay away from trend-driven purchases – Let’s start with fashion. New trends pop up almost weekly. It’s a huge problem in the fashion industry. Purchasing trends is pointless because they’re cheaply made and go out of style very quickly.
Leaving you broke and our landfills full. But you can read all about that here.
Trends come in more than just fashion though. Things like wicker furniture, certain colors, electronics and more come in waves of trends! One day suddenly everyone is into something and you feel pressured to buy it.
You need to get really good at listening to your heart and deciphering what you really love and what you think you love based on society’s trends.
Since starting this journey, my life has changed exponentially. I feel so much freer and more focused.
When you intentionally choose to live with less you leave your life open to more inspiration, experiences, and joy!
It’s a freedom you never really know until you commit to minimalism.
So if you’re looking for how to become a minimalist, you can use these 6 tips to kickstart your journey to a more simple minimalistic life!
Thank you for reading this post if you liked it, please don’t forget to share and follow me on Instagram for daily low waste and ethical fashion inspiration!
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