Minimalism for Real People
As a professional organizer, I am often asked if I am a minimalist. Traditional definitions portray a bare bones aesthetic, careful frugality and editing possessions down to a very few. I don’t resonate with those meanings, yet I would still consider myself a minimalist. Newer hybrid versions resonate more: Gradual Minimalist or my favourite: Cozy Minimalist. Think Hygge aesthetic, while consuming less and reducing belongings over time. These both feel more inline and doable. It’s not necessary to commit to minimalism to the extreme to be inspired, influenced and guided towards a set of principles that could help transform your life. I feel the biggest takeaway that Minimalism offers, is allowing us to focus on what really matters. Living more with less.
Intrigued? Here are my 10 favourite principles to explore further.
1. Declutter with a Purpose. Write down what an ideal day in your space would look like if you didn’t have any obligations or chores. Flush out each activity with as much detail as you can. This becomes your unique roadmap that will help guide your decisions around editing your possessions. Knowing your priorities is vital, and making decisions based on keeping those at the forefront.
2. Become a Conscious Shopper. I suggest taking a day or two to ponder before making most purchases, especially if you are someone who shops for entertainment or distraction. Ask yourself if this new item fits into your master plan. Learning to pause to consider, before accumulating more stuff, is a key part of developing a minimalist mindset.
3. Use What You Already Have before considering purchasing anything new. It can become a source of pride to repurpose and reuse what you already have kicking around the house. Plus, the money saved can be earmarked for the good stuff. How about borrowing or renting items for those occasional needs? Minimalism lets us ask ourselves why we need to own everything we might ever use. Borrowing and lending offers a wonderful way to connect with those around us, while keeping our possessions to a minimum.
4. Learn to Appreciate What you Do Have. Take a few minutes to practise gratitude daily. This helps build awareness around what matters most. I discovered a pattern where experiences and personal connections were more fulfilling to me, rather than tending to my stuff. Once I became clear about my values, my mindset shifted away from looking for fulfillment from my belongings.
5. Declutter your Brain. Organize what you’re keeping, so your brain gets a break. Tracking our possessions uses up a lot of mental bandwidth. Everything in its place, so to speak, so you know where it belongs, and can find it easily when you need it. An organized space frees us up to focus on more fulfilling endeavours.
6. Curb Food Waste and simplify your cupboards by shopping with a list and meal plan. It just takes a few minutes, yet makes all the difference. I’ve rediscovered my joy of cooking now that my pantry and fridge are up to date and organized.
7. Take a Social Media Break. Adopting a minimalist mindset will be much easier if you unplug from those distractions that keep you comparing yourself to others. I suggest trying it once a week. I was surprised and amazed how my anxiety levels dropped and my own genuine desires resurfaced. So much of what we think we want may not be true. Unplugging from the machine is the fastest way to find out.
8. Expect Emotions. Making these changes will likely stir up some feelings. Let them flow by either writing them down, or sharing with another person. It only takes 90 seconds for the average feeling to move through us, so let yourself have them. It will help you release old patterns and beliefs that may not serve you anymore.
9. Think “Experience” rather than “Possessions”. This is surprisingly powerful. If shopping was a hobby, it can now be an occasional necessity, freeing up more time in your life for the juicy experiences.
10. Discover your own Version of Minimalism. Take what works and leave the rest. Minimize the areas in your life that need it and, it’s ok to have stuff too…for your hobbies, activities and treasured collections. I regularly invest in supplies for my creative pursuits since I reconnected with my love of art making. So if it’s important, then that’s OK. Making conscious choices is key.
A less is more attitude takes time to cultivate, yet will give us back so much. It brings with it more peace, joy and contentment. Knowing that we are solidly on our own life path gives us the full range of experiences and connections that bring depth and richness to our lives.
Enjoy exploring minimalism and keep in touch. I'd love to hear how it goes for you.