It’s easy to tell yourself that the minimalist lifestyle just isn’t for you. Maybe you have children or a partner who isn’t on board. Or you own so much stuff that the thought of pairing down to the bare minimum seems like an impossible feat.
In reality, the minimalist lifestyle is attainable for anyone willing to give it a try.
Below are some ways to make minimalism work for you regardless of your life circumstances!
1. Stop Chasing Perfection
The most important thing to remember when you begin your minimalist journey is to stop chasing perfection.
Perfect is the enemy of good. If you get held up chasing the ‘picture perfect‘ version of minimalism, you may end up defeated and resort back to your old ways.
The minimalist lifestyle will seem unattainable if you compare yourself to others! Stop worrying about what you think minimalism should look like, instead, focus on how you can incorporate simple minimalist habits into your lifestyle.
2. Start Small
Anyone can make small changes to their lives to be more minimal. You don’t have to go all out!
Instead of pairing down your belongings to a specific number, try getting rid of just a few things you know you haven’t used in a while. Rather than trying to accomplish the hardest tasks first, begin with the simpler ones. For example, if you know you want to declutter every room in your house, don’t go for the messiest room first! Start with the least overwhelming one instead.
You’ll be surprised by how breaking down a big task into smaller, manageable ones will keep you from feeling like minimalism just isn’t for you.
3. Start Slow
Decluttering your home shouldn’t be a race! Instead of focusing on how quickly you can become a minimalist, work on making the lifestyle sustainable for you.
By slowly chipping away at the clutter in your life, you’ll eventually get to a place where you’ve gotten rid of the excess. You won’t even realize that it’s happened! It’s always surprising how the small changes add up over time.
4. Be Intentional
There’s nothing more discouraging than getting rid of a bunch of stuff, just to find out that you parted with something you actually need.
You can avoid this common minimalist mistake by being more intentional.
Instead of getting rid of things impulsively, consider what you actually need and what you can live without.
For instance, don’t get rid of things that you use consistently, even if you don’t use them daily. If you own a winter jacket but live in a warm climate, you may be tempted to just get rid of it. However, if you wear that jacket every year when you go on a cold weather trip, you’ll miss it when it’s gone!
5. Set Attainable Goals
Minimalism exists on a spectrum. You don’t have to be an extreme minimalist to benefit from the lifestyle. It’s important to make the minimalist lifestyle work for you!
Instead of getting wrapped up in what other minimalists are doing, do your own thing! Set attainable goals for yourself and follow through with them.
Just remember, you may never be as minimal as the minimalist influencers you follow online, but you can be the most minimal version of yourself.
6. Make Your Goals Specific
Make sure that the goals you set for yourself are very specific. A goal to be ‘more minimal’ is not nearly descriptive enough to give you a sense of direction when you’re just starting off. It’s hard to know where to begin with a goal that vague.
Instead, make your goal specific and easy to accomplish! For instance, set a goal to declutter ten articles of clothing or reorganize your kitchen pantry.
Picking goals that can be considered ‘completed’ will keep you motivated in your minimalist journey.
7. Share Your Goals
Even if your family isn’t 100% on board with minimalism, it’s still important to share your goals with them. Sometimes, just telling your loved ones how important something is to you is enough for them to make an effort, or at the very least, be supportive. Having the support of your loved ones and the members of your home will be crucial to your success!
But remember, this is your journey. If your loved ones aren’t ready to embrace minimalism, you can’t force it onto them. Just do the best that you can and ignore your partner’s pile of clothes in the corner π
8. Change Your Habits First
As inspired as you may be to start decluttering, itβs important to change your spending and collecting habits first. If you don’t, you’ll find yourself needing to declutter over and over again.
Minimalism isn’t just about owning as little as possible. It’s more importantly about accumulating less stuff and feeling content with what you have. If you change your mindset around shopping, you’ll find that minimalism will come way more naturally to you.
In Conclusion
Becoming a minimalist may sound like an impossible feat. But the reality is, anyone can be a minimalist. You just have to make the lifestyle suit your needs and let go of the notion that you need to be a ‘perfect minimalist’. The moment you do, you’ll realize that the minimalist lifestyle is way more attainable than you may have thought.
Leave a Reply