Minimalism helps us get rid of hoarding, clutter, and stress in our lives. When we fill our lives with so many unnecessary things, it takes up extra space, our energy and money.
There is a certain cliché that if you decide to become a minimalist, then you should have no more than 20 things. But minimalism does not mean getting rid of everything. This means getting rid of things that are cluttering your life.
Start with Research
When you first start living a minimalist lifestyle, you may look at someone and think - wow, that person has so little stuff, I want that too. But you shouldn’t rush things and try to force yourself to reach a certain mark in 24 hours. It's best to start with a little research, like talking to someone who is a minimalist, watching a YouTube video, reading a blog article, a book. Look at how different minimalists live differently. Starting with research and seeing how different minimalism can be will help you find ways to better incorporate minimalism into your own life.
Minimalism: It's not little or much - it's "enough."
As I wrote earlier, there are no strict and specific rules for minimalism. For some it might be a mattress, a laptop, and some clothes; for others it might be organized shelves with things in 100 rooms. Minimalism means a minimum, but this minimum is different for everyone. That is, it is quite acceptable for you to have not 50 personal belongings, but 150,000, but these things must be placed in a certain order that satisfies your needs. Although it is worth considering that it is simply impossible to use all 150 thousand things, even occasionally. And unused things turn into “furniture” or “trash” and, in fact, you don’t need.
If your home allows you to create an office - a library, in which books create a certain atmosphere, then this is normal. But if you have a pile of old literature in your apartment, even the world library and other “great” books, which are scattered in complete disarray among variations of Soviet furniture, then this is already a “paragraph”. And in fact, you understand that you don’t need all these valuable antiques.
Keeping it all in the hope of selling it at a higher price in the future is not always wise; you are unlikely to do this. And even in this case, it’s easier to pack books in boxes and force them into a storage room or take them to the country house, just before they are sold. At the same time, having vacated the apartment, make repairs and create a cozy space for a comfortable life.
Ask yourself: why?
Why do you want to become a minimalist? To save money? Get rid of clutter? Or have you simply begun to realize that your weekly shopping trips aren't as enjoyable as they used to be? When you decide for yourself why you are doing this, keep this idea in your head. For example, if you're doing this to save money, make it a goal to shop less, invest money in other things, and simply spend more time outdoors.
Minimalism: Where to start?
I have my own perception of minimalism. And in principle, not each of us is ready to take and “cut off” a piece of life. Fortunately, I have my own room and my own personal space, I have the opportunity to manage what is available. As a child, like all “cunning” children, instead of cleaning, we spent time pushing things into drawers and corners. And the moment came when it was necessary to find something, as a result - again a bunch of things scattered around the room. The first mistake is simply shoving things out of sight, or even worse - dragging things into drawers and cabinets in another room. Hack on your nose - this is the road to nowhere.
Taught by childhood and other experiences, I acted radically. For 2 years, I sorted all the things in the room. I pulled everything out of the closets and threw it away x 10... Of course, where there was an opportunity to sell the item better, for example, give it to someone, I did it. As a result, over these 2 years I removed 90% of the things from the room. Leaving only clothes, documents, a computer, and some devices and boxes from them. Did this make me feel any better - a lot! Nothing is lost, because there is nothing and nowhere to be lost. Another question opened up - how to make an open space cozy and comfortable. But that is another story…
Cost control
How to become a minimalist and thrifty owner? Controlling expenses is an essential part of the idea of getting rid of everything unnecessary, but there is a big difference between the frugality of an economist and the reasonable approach to spending of a fan of the concept. By limiting himself in purchases, a minimalist does not feel regret, and uses the accumulated funds for intangible benefits - for example, travel or education.
To better understand where your money is going and find ways to cut unnecessary expenses, you need to train yourself to write down your expenses every day. In a few days it will become clear which resource is consuming the searcher's budget the most. It is very important not to stop monitoring your spending, constantly analyzing the necessity of each episode of your purchasing activity.
A consumer society that dictates rules to us
The person who realizes that what he has is all that he needs becomes truly happy. (Lev Tolstoy)
A small digression. You and I are representatives of the so-called consumer society. Numerous companies encourage us to buy more and more things we don't need. Discounts, holiday sales... It's hard to resist the temptation to buy. Why not? The more things we have, the more comfortable our life will be, right? But in reality, owning more things makes life more difficult.
Wikipedia has a list of arguments against consumer society, the first paragraph reads: “ Consumer society makes a person dependent and dependent. " Why is this happening? The following two questions will help you understand the essence of the topic:
- Do you find it difficult to choose what to wear to work or to a party?
- Is it because you don't have clothes?
It's not that there are no clothes. On the contrary, many people find it difficult to choose from what is available. Clothing is just an example, this question can relate to any aspect of life.
Another example is the constant rush for new smartphone models. We buy them at least once every couple of years, although most do not use even half of the technical capabilities of new gadgets. Mobile phones are becoming more expensive every year, because we will buy them anyway. What I'm saying is that we don't buy things because we need them.
We think we need these things because we've been told so. (Minimalism, documentary about important things)
Instead of organizing our lives and communicating with loved ones, we work from morning to night to buy a new thing we don’t need, and then move on to buying the next one or even take out a loan for it.
What does this lead to:
- Extra costs of money;
- Distraction of attention and waste of life on unnecessary things;
- Reducing the value of each thing;
- Cluttering your home and your head.
I'm not saying that we need to stop buying; after all, we depend on material goods. I suggest paying attention to what we buy and how much stuff we keep.
Tips for advanced minimalists
Constantly staying in a confined space of material wealth deprives a person of the opportunity to develop spiritually, and also limits his freedom of movement. Since completely giving up property in modern society means falling out of society, advanced minimalists try to reduce the list of their property as much as possible.
How to become a minimalist in life:
- change the living space to a smaller one if the current apartment seems too spacious or taking care of the property does not allow you to focus on more important tasks;
- give up your own car, freeing up more time and eliminating the cost of car care;
- get rid of the TV and computer (if you don’t need it for work).
The most difficult problem for a beginning and developing minimalist may be the misunderstanding of loved ones and their reluctance to follow the rules of the concept, which contradict the usual concepts of the norm. Living under the same roof with opponents of the system will complicate many tasks, but within the confines of one’s own room a person can organize the space the way he wants.
Thoughtful details
You can also do something nice for yourself that will bring a little coziness and comfort into your everyday life. To avoid wasting time getting ready in the morning, think in advance about what you can wear or put together several outfits for the week. Having a minimalist wardrobe, you can easily combine the necessary sets. Place all the necessary products and utensils nearby before you start cooking, before cleaning, prepare everything you need and collect it in one place, keep lists and write down interesting thoughts and notes there so as not to forget anything. This way, you can little by little organize your life and make it easier. Small steps lead to order, organization and a great mood.
Determining a place for things
Cleaning time can be reduced if each item in the house has its own place. This aspect helps a lot in everyday life. This includes a neat appearance of the house, neatness, organization, and less time searching for things. This is an opportunity to become more disciplined and always return things to their designated place, this will help keep not only your home, but also your thoughts in order. By keeping the house clean in this way, you will not need to clean so often and will not feel like you are constantly cleaning. Home should be your place of energy and relaxation, and you can make it that way.
Minimalism as a lifestyle today
In the frantic pace of modern life, it becomes almost impossible to stop and admire a blooming lilac bush or the bright colors of the sunset. When was the last time you looked at something? Not documents from work, not photos of a classmate on Instagram, but something truly beautiful? We spend our free time with my husband at the cinema, and with our child at the food court in the shopping center. Meanwhile, it gives practically no emotions! A walk in nature, going out of town will give you much more impressions and will remain in your memory for a long time.
A couple of years ago, during strawberry season, my daughter and I found ourselves on the shore of a pond near the forest. Seeing the small red berries, I felt a childish delight! We collected and ate them right there, rolled around in the grass, and got dirty from head to toe. I saw happiness in the eyes of the child, and I myself feel it even from this memory. Every year in the summer she invites me there, it’s a pity that it doesn’t always work out.
Clean where there is no litter
The last point is the simplest. This is the transformation that will happen if you introduce the previously stated principles into your life. Freed from the hustle and bustle, anxiety, and constant race, more productive thoughts will begin to come to mind. There will be a chance to finally think about what you really want to do. Time and money will appear for desired hobbies, travel, and self-development.
The minimalist style includes many directions. Some are adherents of minimalism in clothing, while others are close to its basic principles in interior design. The spread of the now fashionable proper nutrition and various forms of vegetarianism, I think, is also one of the types of minimalism.
Steps to a new life
So you've decided to become a minimalist. What should you do first? Psychologists recommend starting the process by going through your wardrobe and at the same time following the following principle: an item that has lain idle for one year definitely goes to another owner. Then you need to get rid of the accumulated textile trash and only then move on to the next stage.
Step-by-step plan on how to become a minimalist:
- Get rid of unnecessary papers - old receipts, school notebooks, booklets.
- Go through all available books.
- Give away or sell uselessly stored toys, unused household appliances, and dishes.
- Throw out of the house all accessories and literature for creative work that is no longer relevant for family members (this applies to recent primary school children).
- Dispose of all “expired” items, from food to medicines and cosmetics.
- Distribute to your friends all the accumulated souvenirs that have no practical use.
- Remove excess furniture that clutters up useful space and does not meet its functionality.
This instruction is considered a necessary minimum for all followers of the idea of minimalism, and you can learn further how to become an absolute adherent of the concept.
“I made him out of what was there”
Minimalism as a lifestyle involves simple, healthy food made from natural products. Every woman, when she leaves work, thinks about only one thing. What will I cook today? In the store, with hungry eyes, he throws into the basket what he needs and what he doesn’t really need. And so on day after day. Homemade homemade preparations will help reduce time in the kitchen. And if you create a menu and think through the products needed for it, then you can go to the store once a week. With the list you will definitely not buy unnecessary products.
The simpler the food, the better. I really liked the concept of 2-3 ingredients. Cereals + boiled meat, fish + baked potatoes, chicken + vegetable salad. Such dishes will not force you to spend the whole evening at the stove. And giving up mayonnaise salads, fast food and cakes will have a beneficial effect on your weight and well-being.
Our selection of cozy books includes books on the topic of “Minimalism” that will be interesting to read.
It’s impossible not to mention the food we throw away. This happens to almost everyone. Greens that have wilted, rotten tomatoes, moldy cheese or bread, sour milk. The resource that we spend on purchasing/delivery/cooking goes into emptiness! Not to mention our hard-earned money, which could definitely be put to better use.
Minimalism: What to watch out for.
When your place is clean and beautiful, your parents no longer pester you with offers to clean things up, more interesting events begin - “Come on...”. This is where the expansion on the part of the parents begins. Let us bring you our books, furniture, things... After all, your shelves are empty anyway, and we have nothing to do with all this. And the funny thing is that they act the same as the above-mentioned “cunning children.” Instead of getting rid of unnecessary things, as I did, they try to shove everything into closets and other rooms. And when I begin to resist this, explaining the futility of their attempts, resentment begins, saying, aren’t you ashamed...
Another point is the overall picture of order in the apartment. When you are a supporter of cleanliness and order, and your parents are dedicated to the accumulation of material values. As a result, running from the room to the kitchen, through rooms filled with rubbish, is somewhat depressing. And no matter how sad it is, you usually have to put up with this. On the other hand, issues of minimalism must be approached gradually, and options are quite possible when a family accepts minimalism as a lifestyle, and a whole picture emerges.
Decluttering is an integral part of a new beginning.
Probably the first point is the simplest and most effective on the path to minimalism. I was skeptical about the idea of “decluttering” once in a while. And it’s a pity, and suddenly you need it, and your husband is still a “plushkin”. But recently, as part of the marathon task I was running, I took several bags of things out of the house. Not everything is in the trash. I donated most of it to a charity fund for the needy, and successfully sold the good ones. I won’t say that I experienced incredible relief, but I definitely didn’t regret it either! After a while, I caught myself thinking that I was haunted by piles of old receipts on the refrigerator and mixed up puzzle pieces. I even had a kind of sensual thrill when I imagined how I would carry several more tightly stuffed bags to the trash. It became a part of my life. The main thing is not to become a slave to the thought: “to throw something else out.” It's the same addiction, but in a different form. The key to success as a minimalist is a reasonable approach!
Minimalism and our “wealth of things”
Admit to yourself that many things do not bring us joy, but only clutter our lives. It's just a routine! Let me give you a simple example.
You start cleaning out your kitchen, bedroom closets, or garage. It doesn't matter where exactly. First, we take out the unnecessary trash, put it away, clean it, wash it, and carefully put everything back. Who needs it? There are many explanations: What if it comes in handy or This is how much good I have!
But in the corners of our brain there are thoughts that we do not allow to come out. And they sound something like this:
- If it didn’t take 20 years, it probably won’t be necessary in the future.
- It is simply a memory of an event. Is it important?
- If I start a garden, I'll wear this hat on the scarecrow
- Fashion is back, maybe I'll wear this someday
- What if my chandelier breaks and I can choose a replacement from the 13 old lamps that are collecting dust on the shelves in the garage!
No! There are many synonyms that characterize these things. Belongings, trash, routine, junk...
But it’s not about things, it’s about the head! All this prevents us from living, breathing and rejoicing.
By the way, reducing the number of unnecessary things increases the value of the remaining ones. After all, what remains is what is necessary.
Less stuff, more time
It would seem that the connection is not so obvious, but it is so. Things take up our time no less than spending time on the Internet. Purchase, care, repair, storage. Wash the dishes, wash the clothes, wipe the dust from all the figurines, return the scattered things to their places. It's all our time, and even though we do some things automatically, it can still be distracting, annoying and disheartening.
And in order to save at least a little time for yourself, you need to qualitatively reduce the number of things. Quality means that you keep things you need, things you really use, and things you really like or are especially valuable to. For example, less clothing helps us quickly decide what to wear, get ready for a trip faster, put things in their places faster, iron them faster, if necessary. Plus, they take up less space and give you a feeling of joy. Fewer things in the house means less dust, less cluttered space, and less time for cleaning. But there is more freedom and concentration.
We save about 2500 - 3000 rubles on packages
We use reusable packaging - eco-bags, containers, straws.
Instead of disposable shoe covers, we use durable shoe covers made of raincoat fabric. The cling film was replaced with wax napkins. We abandoned household chemicals in favor of environmentally friendly detergents. According to my calculations, we save about 2500 - 3000 rubles on packages.
We are not giving up plastic completely.
. If a container or bag is found, it is reused. Everything we have can be reused, thus reducing our eco-footprint.
About prospects
Minimalism is a healthy habit with which we shape the future. As a blogger, father and citizen, I am confident that minimalism, within reasonable limits, should be instilled in everyone.
On November 1, together with my subscribers, I launched an online eco-quest #Making the Future2019.
Each of us can influence the world. Things that seem small at first glance, multiplied by long-term habits, will be expressed in absolute numbers.
I have reduced my consumption and sort my garbage at home and recycle it.
Without a radical transition to living without zero waste, I reduced its amount by two and a half times. Our entire family throws 300 kilograms less into landfill per year.
Minimalism style in clothing
The minimalist style in clothing is characterized by simplicity of cut, lack of decoration, strict prints or monochrome. Most often these are high quality items that are easily combined with each other.
I recently read about an experiment by a girl who had a dress code at work. She bought 10 identical blouses and 10 identical trousers and wore them every day for a year. After time had passed, she was asked about her impressions. The main thing she noted was not even the 15 minutes freed up in the morning, but relief! Because you don’t have to think about what to wear every morning. And I understand her. Choose an outfit, put it together, pick up shoes, a bag and a scarf. And if any of this is inconvenient, in the wash or not for the weather... That's it, start from the beginning.
For some, the minimalist clothing style may seem boring. Monochromatic muted tones and strict silhouettes cannot be called a fascinating story. In addition, this direction does not favor accessories, the maximum is a scarf or belt that complements the image. You need to “ripen” to this style. You shouldn’t start your path to minimalism with clothes, there should be harmony and confidence inside. Then, in a black shirt and gray trousers, you will look so that people will look behind you.
How owning things steals your time
Photo: Rhys EST2018/Unsplash On December 20, 2014, in honor of the centenary of the opening of Tokyo Station, Suica payment cards were issued in a limited edition. When 15,000 anniversary cards went on sale, pure bedlam began. More than 9,000 people lined up to buy them, and the tills had to be closed that day.
After sales were suspended, news reports showed crowds of angry people, including children, waiting in line to receive Suica cards they planned to use when they start high school this coming spring. I felt sincerely sorry for all these poor souls who stood in line for hours in vain in such cold weather.
Note that these limited edition Suica cards did not offer a 5% discount on train travel and were not made of special, super-durable material. I could still understand all the hype around them if the cards had some additional useful properties. Yes, Alphonse Mucha’s drawings are certainly very beautiful, but that’s about it. So did people really need these cards or did they just want to have them?
If you assumed that the limited edition cards had standard functions and ignored them, you undoubtedly won because you saved a lot of time that others spent on:
1) get to Tokyo Station and back; 2) wait in line; 3) worry and be indignant after they were told that sales were suspended; 4) calm down; 5) figure out what to do next and plan your next attempt to buy a card.
Listen to what I tell you: life is too short to waste it trying to acquire any material item.
I am less likely to be distracted by media or advertising
Whether we are sitting at home watching TV or going out, we are bombarded with urgent media messages, commercials, posters and other things that we are constantly exposed to.
“Get as much money as possible using your savings.” “Pump out the fat and get slim.” “Get into the best school.” "Live in a good house." "Be healthy." "Compete and win." "Become more stylish." "Get more knowledge." "Prepare for disaster."
Filmmaker Tom Shadyac put it simply: "In other words, we're not that good right now."
By practicing minimalism, we save time by not being unnecessarily distracted by media or advertising, because we realize that we already have everything we need, and therefore it is easy to ignore most of the messages calling out to us.
Conversely, a person who constantly thinks that something is missing in his life will feel that all these messages are addressed directly to him. If you start considering each of these proposals, there will simply be no time left to do anything. The good thing about minimalism is that you basically won’t bother yourself with any nonsense for fear of missing out on something.
Less time spent on shopping
This is quite logical, since a minimalist, by definition, is not a person who buys a lot. Although there will definitely be things you need, acquiring them will take less time. Just recently, when I was a maximalist, I was a big fan of all kinds of electrical utensils. Let's say I wanted to buy a new microwave oven and was interested in the technical characteristics of products from various manufacturers, combing them with a fine-toothed comb. I meticulously studied user reviews on the Internet. I did a thorough comparison analysis and ultimately chose a model that allowed steaming at high temperatures. I was very pleased to find some extra feature that was missing from other microwaves in the same price range, and then never used that feature when cooking.
I could be stuck in a posh area of Tokyo and spend the whole day there looking for the perfect shirt: going from store A to store B to C, trying on different styles, but unable to make a choice, returning again to store A, but I still came home empty-handed. And what, tell me, was the point of such a day spent on shopping? I visited a bunch of boutiques only to get tired?
Have you ever heard about a curious experiment related to the study of an assortment of jam? As it turned out, people are much more willing to buy jam when there are only six varieties on display than when 24 varieties are available. If there are too many options available, people tend to worry about not being able to choose the best one, and once they make a purchase, they will feel less satisfied because of this feeling of regret. Abundance is a double-edged sword: if there are too many options, things get complicated.
Since embarking on the path of minimalism, I have noticed that my criteria for choosing things have become clearer and, as a result, I spend less time thinking about whether to buy something or not. These are the qualities I look for in the things I purchase: 1) compliance with the principles of minimalism and ease of care; 2) not too flashy color; 3) possibility of use for a long time; 4) simple structure; 5) lightness and compactness; 6) multifunctionality.
These criteria greatly simplified the choice of bike. Here's what I needed: fixed gear; simple design - metal of a color that initially looks a little rusty; a classic horizontal frame that never goes out of style. But the name of a fashion brand on the frame was completely useless to me. The only model that fully met my requirements was the Focale 44, so I didn't even need time to make a decision. Having made my choice, I did not compare my purchase with other bicycles.
You won't need to waste time thinking about options if you continue to always buy the same product that you like; you don’t have to buy a new thing if the old one can be easily repaired if necessary. And since you are satisfied with your choice, you don't have to worry about exploring numerous new models. This applies not only to objects. Minimalism naturally narrows your choices in other areas of your life, so you can make decisions quickly and without hesitation.
Publisher: Alpina Publisher
Less time spent on cleaning and putting things in order
I have experienced this benefit of minimalism first hand.
I’ll describe the details later, but for now I’ll just say that it’s amazing how cleaning time is reduced if you reduce the amount of property to a minimum. You'll have less stuff lying around. Getting rid of excess clothes will reduce your laundry load, and you'll spend less time trying to decide what to wear.
I used to not like it when the sun came into my old, cluttered apartment. I hated the columns of dust illuminated by its rays. I'm a night owl, and the sliding shutters on my window were always closed.
But now I wake up early in the morning when the sun shines on my house. Seeing my clean room makes me happy to wake up. I stand up without any effort. The morning hours, which previously did not exist for me, are now filled with meaning.
I can move out in half an hour
This spring I moved to a new apartment. I didn't pack anything in advance and yet it only took me 30 minutes to get everything I needed, including time to remove the light fixtures and unplug the washing machine. It might take about the same amount of time for the average person to decide what to wear before leaving the house. Here's another obvious advantage of minimalism. Now I can move anywhere with the same ease as going out for coffee.
I started messing around less
When you live in a home that is clean and simple, you spend much less time doing nothing. I remember that in my old apartment I could easily spend my day off lying in bed all day.
I reasoned something like this: “Today I need to do laundry. And it’s high time to vacuum the apartment. Wait, how long has it been since I last washed these sheets? Okay, I'll get down to business... But where should I start? I’ll start the washing machine and, while it’s running, I’ll clean up and wash the dishes. Yes, that's exactly what I'll do. But wait, maybe I should start cleaning while I have dirty clothes on, and then wash them too? Lord, so many problems... I think I’ll just turn on the TV and check my phone...” And so on ad infinitum. But when you have few things, then there are much fewer worries. You can tackle each task as it arises, so you don't have to create a long list of urgent tasks that must be completed, and as a result, you are energized and in a great mood.
Less time is spent searching for missing items
I remember all the items that I have and, since each of them has its own permanent place, in principle I do not waste time looking for lost things. Since I have very little property, it is very easy to navigate it. So, for example, I don't have to remember where I put the packing tape. I don't keep rolls of packing tape in my house, so the answer in this case is obvious. Instructions for using household appliances, warranty cards, receipts of all kinds - I scan them all at once or simply throw them away. If there is a need for any of these documents, I know for sure that they only exist in electronic form.
The less property you have, the less chance you have of losing something or, say, forgetting something at home. Here's another bonus of minimalism: you won't have to waste time returning home to grab what you didn't take.
Quality of time, not quality of things, leads to happiness
I often have to watch how people rush headlong in order to jump on the train, almost pushing others along the way. Every time I see such a person, I cannot help but notice that it is difficult to call him happy. No one shines with joy when they are in a desperate hurry. At the same time, the people I meet on the streets during the so-called Golden Week look much happier.
Psychologist Tim Kasser emphasizes that enrichment with time, and not with material objects, directly leads to happiness. We all know people who are great at their jobs and make a lot of money, but are always under stress, going from one crisis to another. Even the sweetest and most pleasant person will begin to deteriorate in character if he is too busy and lacks the luxury of time.
The importance of dreams
Recent neuroscience research has shown that there are certain areas in our brain that are only active when we are daydreaming or when our mind is not focused on anything. It is believed that such moments are used for self-awareness, introspection, reminiscence - or, more simply, for thinking about ourselves. The moment of relaxation is not without meaning; this is an important time for reflection. At the same time, we can just sit on the beach and listen to the sound of the waves or look at the fire.
Science has proven that absolutely everyone needs such periods of relaxation. Whether we are rich or poor, we all only have 24 hours in a day. So finding time to relax is a luxury.
You can feel happy right now
The experience of relaxation is essential to feeling happy. But that doesn't mean you have to spend your vacation on a tropical island, lying on a sun lounger under an umbrella. In fact, emotionally, there is not much difference between the everyday happiness that is within reach and available right now, and the happiness that you find on that beach. Take a break by stopping by your local coffee shop. Stop typing away at your computer keys and allow yourself to take a deep breath. In reality, happiness is all around us. It just takes time to find it.
So, by reducing the amount of your own property, you can regain the time that the possession of things robs us of. Well, think for yourself: is it worth wasting such a precious gift on material objects? Instead, spend your time pursuing everyday happiness.
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*This is how several holidays combined with weekends are called in East Asian countries.
