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As the overly-consumerist days of the 20th century get farther away in the rearview, more and more people are considering a more minimalist lifestyle. In a general sense, minimalism is a philosophy guided by the idea that less is more. That means fewer possessions, less clutter, and more freedom. If you’re starting to get sick of all the clutter taking over your home and your life, then minimalism probably sounds pretty appealing. However, it can be a pretty major change to make, and it’s tough to know where to start. Here are a few thoughts to keep in mind as you work towards a more minimalist 2023:
Start Small
While a lot of the minimalist influencers and supporters on the internet love to show off their tiny houses and possession-free lives, you don’t have to start by jumping straight to the end. In fact, you’ll be a lot better off if you decide to start small – remember, this journey is about taking steps to improve your own life, not live up to someone else’s. It’s usually a good idea to start with a single aspect of your life. That can mean cleaning out your closet, cutting down on your social media accounts, or even just trying to purchase fewer things every time you go to the store. Setting small goals and meeting them is the best way to start any life journey, minimalism included.
Determine the Necessities
Even the most devoted minimalist won’t go through life without a single possession. There are some things that you really do need to have, whether they’re essential tools like a phone or laptop or objects with more sentimental value. When you’re ready to cut down on your belongings, the first step should be to figure out what you want to keep. As you’re working through your possessions, make sure not to get too hung up on what you “should” need and think more about what you really want to keep. That means getting rid of some things that you feel like you should keep but you actually never use, but it also means not being ashamed to hold on to some things that you may not use every day but have a genuine sentimental connection to.
Get Rid of the Rest
Now that you’ve figured out what you need to keep, it’s time to get rid of everything else. While it might be emotionally satisfying to just throw everything in a dumpster and call it a day, it’s best to put a little thought into how you dispose of your things. Anything that’s in good working order can be sold or donated, even if it takes a little longer to get rid of it that way. If you’re having trouble getting rid of some old furniture or other junk, you can always contact a junk removal company like Junk King Tacoma. We’ll make sure that everything is sorted and properly disposed of, including recyclable objects that need to be broken down.
Reduce Screen Time
Minimalism is about more than just letting go of your possessions. It’s about freeing yourself from anything unnecessary that’s holding you down, which can also include less tangible things like social media. If you cut down on your screen time, you might be amazed at how much more free time you have to do the things you really care about. Of course, you don’t have to disconnect completely, but deleting some rarely-used accounts or tracking the time you spend browsing the internet can help you loosen the hold that your devices have on your life. Think of it as an extension of the previous steps – figure out what you really need to use your devices for and get rid of everything else.
Reevaluate Your Relationships
Our relationships with the people around us are often the most fulfilling parts of our lives, especially when we can let go of unnecessary things and focus on them. A journey into minimalism can be a great opportunity to spend more time with your friends and loved ones, deepening those relationships. On the other side of things, it can also be a good idea to take a minimalist approach to your friendships as well. You don’t need to drop any friends, but it’s worth taking the time to reevaluate some relationships and make sure you’re spending time with the right people. Your time and emotional energy are valuable, so it’s best to spend it on the people you really care about.
Make a Budget
One nice side effect of a more minimalist lifestyle is that you’ll most likely find yourself with a lot more money than you had previously. When you’re not spending it on unnecessary things, you can put that extra cash towards more useful ends. Growing your savings account is always a prudent move, as is putting some more money in investments for your retirement. Of course, you don’t have to save all of it – when you have more time and more money, that frees you up to enjoy more experiences that you didn’t have space for before. Traveling, learning new skills, and discovering more hobbies are always great ideas.
Maintaining a Minimalist LifestyleIf you decide that minimalism is right for you and you want to continue down that path, you’ll also have to keep working to make sure clutter doesn’t creep back into your life. We recommend taking stock every couple of months to ensure that you haven’t picked up any extra baggage or unneeded possessions along the way. Many minimalists do a full cleaning and decluttering every season to keep things from piling up in their homes. Another pro-tip is to pay closer attention to the things you buy when you do decide to add something new. Investing in high-quality belongings will reduce turnover, allowing you to get by with the same handful of things for longer. The more you head down the path of minimalism, the easier it’ll be to decide what stays and what goes, so just keep making progress and you’ll end up where you need to be.
