The movement towards minimalist lifestyles is on the rise. However, this way of living is commonly confused with being cheap or depriving yourself of things you like to do. Nothing could be further from the truth, when you focus on what really matters. Here’s how to have a minimalist lifestyle without sacrificing.
Fresh, open spaces are conducive to productivity and clarity of mind. (Photo Credit: Pure Interiors)
Take a good look at what’s really important to you
Rather than sacrificing, a minimalist lifestyle is about cutting frivolous expenses by focusing on the meaning behind them.
It’s a simple concept, that when you spend less, you save more money. Knowing that, how many things in your life do you spend money on, that aren’t really that important to you? Do you have an expensive gym membership you rarely use, when you’d rather jog on the beach anyway? Are there clothes in your cupboard with the tags still on?
Rather than sacrificing, a minimalist lifestyle is about cutting frivolous expenses by focusing on the meaning behind them. When you’re conscious about ensuring everything you buy offers true value to your life, you automatically find yourself buying less.
Create space
Fresh, open spaces are conducive to productivity and clarity of mind. To prove that to yourself, just think about how it feels to come home to a messy house, after a busy day at work. The less you have, the less mess you’ll create. From furniture to toys and knick-knacks, find ways to reduce clutter and use items for multiple purposes. The aim is to increase the amount of clear space in your home or office, so you’re not visually bombarded with objects.
If you have children, dedicate one room or area for play and toy storage. Create vignettes for your photos, ornaments and treasures, so they’re on display in one or two areas, rather than spread all over the house. Invest in space-saving furniture, that doubles as storage. Sell or give away items that do nothing other than take up storage space or gather dust on a shelf.
Understand that more stuff means more work
Whether you notice it or not, living in the midst of excessive possessions can create a sense of anxiety. For one thing, having too many choices leads to overwhelm and an inability to make decisions. As a simple example, how many plastic containers, pots and pans or utensils fill your kitchen cupboards?
Does having so much stuff to use in the kitchen, mean more washing up? Of course it does, because it’s much more tempting to just get out something new, rather than wash and reuse it. An over-abundance of stuff generally means more work for you, not to mention a chaotic environment. Evaluate everything you own for its usefulness and let go of the things that only add to clutter and your workload.
When you make small changes towards minimalism, the only things you’ll be sacrificing are extra workloads and a cluttered mind.