I have been feeling very inspired for a while now to start living a more minimalist lifestyle and I'm definitely still at the beginning of the journey but I thought it might still be interesting to share some of my advice for beginners on how to get started.
Minimalism can have lots of benefits including saving money, having a cleaner home with less dust, feeling less stressed and more productive and being more appreciative of the items you already own.
Get Inspired
I love to watch videos for tips and advice, I get really inspired to declutter my life when I see the benefits others are experiencing from a minimalist lifestyle. If you want to start by decluttering your home look for inspiration from places like Pinterest, seeing those clean spaces free from junk and unnecessary items will help you to create a very clear image in your mind of what you want for your own home.
Declutter, Declutter, Declutter!
Becoming a minimalist won't happen overnight, it's a lifestyle change and you need to make small changes, stick to them and build new habits. I know that some people can make a total switch and declutter their full house in one go but for me, that doesn't really work, I like to pick a space and rid it of anything I no longer need/love then move on to a new space as and when I feel like it. I think the trick is to never assume that you are done, always be on the lookout for things you don't need anymore and of course while you are doing this you need to think about the things you are bringing into your life and if they are needed.
Stop Buying
As a continuation from what I've just talked about, as well as decluttering things from your life you need to limit what you bring into your life. I will admit that I love to go shopping but is what I'm buying really adding anything of value to my life, most of the time....no. A lot of my money goes towards fast fashion, make-up and other things that I just don't need or I already own plenty of so I'm really trying at the moment to think about my purchases more carefully and only buy the things that I really want/need. Not only will this allow you to have less unnecessary items clouding your life but it gives you the opportunity to spend less and save up for the things that are really important to you.
Create a Place for Everything
The easiest way to stop your house from becoming cluttered and messy is to create a place for everything and put it there! When you come home from work if you have a place to put your bag, keys and shoes it'll keep your space tidy and clear but the trick is to always put them away even if you're tired and just want to throw them down on the nearest surface. It can take a bit of time to form this habit but once you do and you create a home for everything you'll find your home becomes far less messy overall. I've recently moved into a new house so this has been easier for me because everything I own had to find a new space to be kept.
Create a Maybe Box
I've heard about this tip a few times and I think it's a really good idea if you are struggling to let go of things, create a maybe box. If, for example, you are clearing out your wardrobe take all of the items you're not sure you want to get rid of and pop them in a box with a date of your choice (I would recommend 6 months) and if you don't use anything from the box when the time is up you throw it all out or donate it.
Becoming a minimalist is a journey and it doesn't happen overnight, I'm definitely still a beginner but I'm already loving the results and it's something I will continue with so be sure to keep an eye out for future posts where I talk more about minimalism!
Create a Place for Everything
The easiest way to stop your house from becoming cluttered and messy is to create a place for everything and put it there! When you come home from work if you have a place to put your bag, keys and shoes it'll keep your space tidy and clear but the trick is to always put them away even if you're tired and just want to throw them down on the nearest surface. It can take a bit of time to form this habit but once you do and you create a home for everything you'll find your home becomes far less messy overall. I've recently moved into a new house so this has been easier for me because everything I own had to find a new space to be kept.
Create a Maybe Box
I've heard about this tip a few times and I think it's a really good idea if you are struggling to let go of things, create a maybe box. If, for example, you are clearing out your wardrobe take all of the items you're not sure you want to get rid of and pop them in a box with a date of your choice (I would recommend 6 months) and if you don't use anything from the box when the time is up you throw it all out or donate it.
Becoming a minimalist is a journey and it doesn't happen overnight, I'm definitely still a beginner but I'm already loving the results and it's something I will continue with so be sure to keep an eye out for future posts where I talk more about minimalism!
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