Minimalism: What is it and where to start
Minimalism is basically the principle of simplifying your life down to only the essentials. Finding the things that you and your family truly value and need, and getting rid of the rest; saying no to storing the ‘just in case’ bits, the items kept out of guilt, the things that are broken, or too small, or that you don’t actually like or use.
There is a whole range of minimalism out there – you don’t have to get rid of everything you own and paint your walls white (unless you wish to of course).
While some take it to the extreme, and these are often the ones you see in the media, others might not look minimalist (like us!) but have still applied those concepts and beliefs to their lifestyle.
Becoming a minimalist is a very personal process and will look different for all of us. It is also (in our experience) an ongoing process, as while it can take months or years for you to get down to your essentials it will also take ongoing work to ensure that it stays that way.
Essentially minimalism can be broken into 3 parts;
- Your physical space: minimise the things in your living space, wardrobe, etc.,
- Time management: saying no to things that aren’t at the top of your priorities list so you don’t get overwhelmed or burnout,
- Financial: as you stop buying things and start to be more aware of your spending habits you may start to see more money left in your account at the end of each month. This is money you can prioritise towards other things like paying off debt, travelling or your children. This will obviously depend on your circumstances, and again, we are all different.
Getting started
- Have a goal. Why are you doing this? Is it to have more space? For your home to feel less cluttered? To have more control on finances or to have more free time? A goal can help remind you of why you are doing this when it gets tough.
- Pick a downsizing method. We chose to do it room by room but I know others who have done it in small bites, so draw by draw, and others who have done it by category so clothes, paperwork (including books), kitchen equipment, etc.
Find what works best for you. - Try to get rid of things sustainably. See if friends or family need anything, sell, donate and recycle anything else. We always try to ensure that nothing we are getting rid of goes to landfill unless it’s broken and cannot be mended.
- And finally, the most important tip: Change your shopping habits! You’ve put all this work in place to clean away the clutter, don’t then buy it all back.
Downsizing can be a tough process and brings up lots of emotions but it’s also super rewarding!
I personally find we have more time (less cleaning and sorting stuff) and more money to dedicate to our children. I also feel much less stressed in my day-to-day life.
Are you new to your minimalism journey, or have you started already? We’d love to hear from you!
Be sure to check out our Instagram for updates on Summer’s house move as she has been practising all of the above over the past two weeks!
Happy downsizing,
Livvy and Summer
