Source : simplyfiercely.com
November 19,2019 by Jennifer
Are you wondering how to be a minimalist? Perhaps you’re just getting started with the minimalist lifestyle, but you’re not sure what to do first?
Don’t worry! I’ve been there too, and I remember exactly how overwhelming it was when I first got started with minimalism. I was so excited because I knew that minimalism had the potential to change my life … but where to begin?
After all, as a former shopaholic and workaholic, my life was one big cluttered mess. I was already so busy and decluttering just seemed like another item on my already overwhelming to-do list.
Can you relate?
If so, keep reading. The good news is I’ve been a minimalist for close to a decade now and I’ve learned A LOT along the way! Here are some of my top tips and resources to help you get started with minimalism.
How To Be a Minimalist
Let’s get things started by talking about a few things NOT to do when you’re getting started with minimalism.
These are the mistakes that I’ve seen people make time and time again. I’m pointing them out not to pass judgement; after all, I’ve made all of these mistakes myself!
Instead, my intention is to save you time, energy and even money so you can have the best possible start—unlike myself. It actually took me several years to go from deciding to be a minimalist to actually making meaningful changes in my life.
I don’t want you to make this same mistake … which brings us to the first thing on my list.
1. Don’t put off getting started.
There are usually two reasons people procrastinate getting started with minimalism.
First, they struggle to commit to being a minimalist because they aren’t sure they like the “rules”.
For example, one thing that held me back from getting started with minimalism was my false belief that it was an “all or nothing” lifestyle.
I’d search online for articles on how to be a minimalist and all I’d find were stories of people who only owned 100 things or who lived in tiny houses. I was fascinated by their lifestyles, but I also knew it wasn’t for me.
I was always going to keep some sentimental items, I liked having a few knickknacks, and I was never going to get by with just one pair of shoes! In other words—I liked the idea of living with less but I knew I was never going to be like the people I read about online.
But after a few years, I came to realise that there is only one rule when it comes to minimalism: you must be intentional about what you allow into your life.
The goal of minimalism is to align the “things” in your life (your physical stuff, your commitments, and even your relationships) with your what matters most to YOU.
This means that minimalism looks like different things to different people. As long as you’re being honest with yourself about what adds value or brings joy to your life, then you’re a minimalist.
Your version of minimalism might not look like my version of minimalism—and that’s ok.
The second reason people struggle to get started with minimalism is they think they don’t have enough time.
After all, most people want to know how to be a minimalist because their lives are busy and cluttered in the first place!
But here’s the thing you need to know: you don’t change a lifetime of habits overnight. There is no shame in starting small. You don’t have to clutter your entire house overnight!
Instead, you just need to put one foot in front of another. Even if you have no time for decluttering, start by reducing what you’re bringing into your life! This is actually the easiest way to get started with minimalism and it takes no time at all. (In fact, it actually saves you time and money!)
So to recap, the number one advice I would give anyone who wants to know how to be a minimalist is to just get started! Do one thing today to move you in the direction of your goal.
An easy place to begin is by downloading Mindful Decluttering, my free decluttering guide and workbook! You’ll learn step-by-step how I decluttered my home and life and there’s even a troubleshooting guide for hard to declutter items. Subscribe below and get your free copy instantly.
2. The one last shop syndrome …
Now that you’ve decided you’re committed to minimalism and you’re ready to take action today, there might still be one more thing standing in your way:
The One Last Shop syndrome.
The One Last Shop syndrome is a bit like binge eating before starting a new diet; you’re almost ready to get started with minimalism … but you just need to pick up a few things first.
I was SO guilty of this for so many years! For me, it was all about my wardrobe. I kept telling myself I’d be ready to get started with minimalism once I found the perfect _______.
the perfect pair of black trousers
the perfect tan sandals
the perfect chambray shirt
My list went on and on but I think you get the picture. There were always a “few more” things I needed and I was never ready to get started.
If you’re struggling with this too, I clearly understand—but here’s what you need to know:
The first step to living with less should never be buying a bit more.
Part of minimalism is quality over quantity, so I understand the desire to upgrade or replace a few things but don’t start there. You need to become comfortable with owning and needing less first.
Also, be mindful of the ways perfectionism can sabotage your minimalist efforts. A good friend of mine taught me that most people use perfectionism as a way of procrastinating.
There’s no such thing as the perfect little black dress so stop looking. You’re better off directing your energy towards being happy with what you already have.
3. Not taking the time to dispose of your stuff properly.
Your next “how to be a minimalist” tip is to plan what to do with your excess stuff before you declutter!
Now, I’ll be honest with you and tell you that I didn’t do this when I first got started with minimalism. I was so excited after I finally overcame the above hurdles and I just wanted to build on that momentum. I filled trash bag after trash bag with unwanted stuff … and then two things happened.
First, I felt overwhelmed about what to do everything—so much so that I did nothing. Those big black bags of stuff sat in my guest bedroom and the boot of my car for months.
This put a huge damper on my enthusiasm and in the end, I chose the quick and easy route to downsizing. I sold a few things but most stuff ended up at a local charity shop or even worse, in the dumpster.
This might not sound like a big deal but I’ve since learned that many charity shops are overwhelmed with donations. A lot of stuff is not resold locally.
Instead, it ends up in landfills or is sold in bulk overseas, which can be destructive to the textile industry in developing economies. (You can read more about this here, here, here or here.)
So what’s a better solution?
When you’re getting started with minimalism, a good place to begin is by researching the best places to donate your goods.
Different charities are better equipped to handle different donations and they also have varying needs. By putting in a little extra time to research your donations (instead of just dropping eight bags at your local Goodwill) you can make sure your stuff is reaching the people who need it most.
Here are a few helpful resources:
Starting by reading this post for more tips on sustainable decluttering.
then check out this list for ideas: Where to Donate Your Stuff: 101 Places Your Clutter Can Do Good (USA based)
If you’re in the UK, this looks like a good resource.
If you’re in Australia, checkout Givit (a non-profit that acts as a charity “matchmaker” so your donations go to the people who need them most.
If you plan what to do with your stuff before you declutter, you’re more likely to follow through with your plans, you won’t end up with bags of stuff you don’t’ know what to do with (I can’t tell you how many people tell me they have this problem) and you’re more likely to make responsible decisions.
I know this feels like a lot of extra work but I promise it’s worth it. If anything, it will definitely make you stop and think twice about what stuff you bring into your life in the future!
4. Making it all about “stuff”.
OK, I know that so far I’ve been talking a lot about decluttering and that’s because it’s what most people focus on when they’re first getting started with minimalism.
It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of decluttering and it’s tempting to judge your progress by the number of trash bags you’ve hauled off to Goodwill. But here’s the thing: just like a healthy lifestyle is not about dieting, minimalism is not about decluttering.
Of course, decluttering is one piece of the puzzle but if you stop there, you’re missing the point.
First of all, owning too much stuff is often a symptom of a bigger problem that needs addressing. If you declutter without addressing the underlying issues, it’s very easy to end up accumulating more stuff all over again (the decluttering equivalent of a yo-yo diet!).
Next, it’s important to realise that owning less is not a goal in and of itself. Instead, minimalism is a tool to help you create a life you love.
You’re getting rid of the stuff that doesn’t matter so you have more time, money, energy and space for the things that do.
What this means is that doing the inner work and cultivating a minimalist mindset is just as important (if not more) than decluttering your closet.
Ask yourself: What are your values? What do you really want out of life? What are you creating space for? If you can’t answer these questions, then you’ll never know the full benefit of minimalism.
If these questions leave you feeling overwhelmed, then I invite you to check out 7 Simple Days, a short program I created to help you kickstart your simple and intentional living journey.
Over a week, you’ll get daily emails with journal prompts and mini-challenges that will help you clarify your values, define your priorities, and take first steps towards a minimalist life.
5. Judging yourself and other people.
Finally, when you’re first getting started with minimalism, the first thing you need to “declutter” is judgement—both of yourself and of other people.
Let’s talk about yourself first.
Decluttering is hard because it means facing up to hundreds if not thousands of mistakes. More than likely, you’re going to realise that you’ve wasted a lot of money on things you may never have even used. This can be really painful and it’s enough to make you want to throw in the towel before you’ve even begun.
Trust me—former shopaholic here—I understand! I can’t tell you how much time I’ve spent beating myself up for all the stupid purchases over the years.
But you know what? That kind of harsh self-judgement got me nowhere. All it made me want to do was shop more (to dull the pain I was feeling) or to give up.
Instead, what helped was learning to practise self-kindness instead. I let go of the anger I felt towards myself and learned to view my mistakes as lessons to learn from. This made a huge difference in how I approached not only decluttering but also life in general.
Also, when you’re getting started with minimalism, you need to be careful about judging other people.
There will come a point where you “get” minimalism—you’ve downsized your stuff and you’ve started to think mindfully about your life—and then it’s tempting to judge everyone else.
It’s not always intentional; sometimes you’re just excited about how your life has changed and it’s hard to understand why everyone else isn’t on board too!
Still, intentional or not, being judgemental is unkind and unproductive (especially if you’re trying to get your family on board with minimalism).
Instead, become an advocate for minimalism by living your life to the fullest. Let others learn how to become a minimalist by watching your example. Encourage, but don’t preach. Inspire, but don’t judge.
Final Thoughts and Resources on How To Be A Minimalist
This sums up the most important things I know about how to be a minimalist, after nearly a decade of personal experience.
Begin by getting started, don’t procrastinate, and just take the leap. The time to start living your best life is now.
Even when you’re too busy to declutter, you can always control what you allow into your life. Stop shopping and you don’t need one last thing to get started!
Think about what happens to your stuff when it leaves your home.
Cultivate a minimalist mindset and invest in self-reflection. This is SO IMPORTANT and an often overlooked part of being a minimalist.
Be kind to yourself and others. Don’t beat yourself up about the past—just choose to do better next time.
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