You have heard about minimalism and like the concept but don’t know where to start? Apparently, living a minimalist life can create more free time, leave you with more money in your savings account, and help you lead a more purpose-filled life. So, here we share five simple ways you can kickstart your minimalism journey.

Discard the duplicates
That ‘extra’ extra cell phone charger, the second teapot you bought because it was cute, and don’t even get us started on the hundreds of cups and glasses you have on the kitchen shelf—we are all guilty of buying things because we like them and not because we need them. As a result, we have too much stuff and often multiples of the same thing. So, to get started on your minimalism journey, walk through your home and gather all the duplicates you might have. Anything you have two or more sets of needs to go. Once you have gathered it, put it all in a box and put it aside for 30 days. If in those 30 days you don’t come back to get anything that’s in the box, give it away. 

Eat similar meals
You might find this to be a little boring but once you start doing it you will find that life is a whole lot simpler. Think of all the time you spend thinking about what you are going to eat for lunch, make your family for dinner, or what you need to pick up at the grocery store. It’s actually quite an ordeal. So, try eating the same breakfast and lunch all week (with slight variations if you must) and only have two or three dinner options for the week. You can also make a meal plan for an entire week and prep for it on the weekend. This will simply your grocery shopping, lessen mental pressure and minimize kitchen waste as well. 

Reuse and repurpose what you have
To be a minimalist, you have to learn to live with less but you might not always be able to make do with less. What might help make things easy is if you are able to reuse things that you already have instead of buying new items. Look at things that you already have in a new light. Can that bar chair double as a side table with some minor alterations? Can you use scrap fabric to make a tablecloth? And jars of pickle and sauces can easily be repurposed as storage containers. Be creative and find ways to reuse things you already have to serve a new purpose and only buy what you absolutely need. 

Spend on experiences, no possessions
Admit it, you are guilty of picking up souvenirs to take back home—keychains, wall hangings, crafts and the likes—every time you travel. Over time, you might have accumulated quite a lot of these little things that actually serve no purpose. We aren’t telling you to get rid of it all, though it would be a good idea to store most of it and only display one or two that you are really fond of. But from now on, it would be a good idea to learn to enjoy a place—go on a mini excursion of the city, take a trip to a nearby village, or just sit and watch life go by in a new place—than spend time worrying what to take back home—for yourself and your friends—only to have it gather dust among other such items.

Invest in good quality items  
Yes, you can shop your way to a more minimalist life. Instead of buying something cheap thinking you can make do with it when you need something, invest in good quality items that will last you several years. This way, you won’t have to keep buying the same thing over and over again every few months or so. Take your wardrobe for example, instead of buying a dress for every occasion that comes up, invest in a couple of good pieces that you can mix and match with different things to create different looks every single time. However, investing in good quality pieces shouldn’t be limited to just your wardrobe but it should extend to all areas of your home and life.

What is minimalist living?
Different people have different definitions for it but minimalism is whatever you want it to be. For some, it means living with only the absolute essential items. For others, it might be about letting go of things they don’t love or have excess of. Minimalism is less about putting restrictions in life by defining what you can and cannot do and more about learning to live with a little more freedom. By choosing to live a minimalist life, you are focusing on what’s important instead of being bogged down by all the extras. 

Other helpful minimalism tips
Toss anything that’s torn, cracked and that you haven’t used in over a year.  

Digitize your music. Yes, it’s time to get rid of all those old cassettes and disks that are taking up space on your shelf. 

Carry cash when you go out to avoid splurging on things you don’t need. And on most days, take it a step further by carrying the exact amount of cash you think you will need for the day—for commute and lunch maybe. 

Instead of having many tools that serve different purposes, why not have a single tool that serves multiple purposes? Why buy a screw driver and a cork screw when a Swiss Army Knife comes with both?

Borrow items that you won’t be using frequently instead of buying them. This reduces the number of possessions you have and helps ensure you don’t rack up clutter or hoard items.

 
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