Minimalism is not…

Firstly, minimalism is not about living in a house with white walls and having a restricted number of items in your home. It’s not boring or empty.

Minimalism is…

Minimalism in it’s purist form is a simple, intentional way of life. It’s about reducing the number of items in your home so that you can value the things you have and appreciate the space in all its clutter free glory.

Benefits of minimalism

There are so many benefits of becoming minimalist. Firstly, it can help you to cut down your expenses, save money and pay off debt. What a great start, eh! When you reduce down the number of items in your home, you will then find it is easier to tidy and clean. You will be able to easily put things away in their rightful place and know that everything has a purpose. This, in turn, will also free up valuable time so that you can utilise for other more important things, like friends and family, experiences and rest.

Top tips!

Reduce visual clutter

The first step to start living with less is to reduce the visual clutter. Anything sat on furniture or a surface should be cleared away. It’s an opportunity to declutter, but manly find things a home. Having less visual clutter will help to calm your space and reduce stress and anxiety. It will make it quick to tidy and clean. If the surface is full of clutter you will need to move the items before you can even begin cleaning and then have to put them back. Putting away everything on the surfaces will mean that it is much easier to maintain a clean and tidy home.

Small areas at a time

The next step is small but mighty. It’s time to declutter your home. I appreciate that is a big ask, so I suggest working on a small area at a time. This is where the Little Acts of Decluttering come into it. This is a simple way of going through smaller areas of your home and decluttering as much as you can in each. Over time this will add up to a bigger change. Small but manageable is a great starting point and will keep you motivated.

Consider your purchases

If you have decluttered, the best way to maintain this is to consider each and every purchase of an item before it comes into the home. Try not to add more inventory at a time when you are trying to reduce your things. What’s most helpful is if you stop purchasing all together whilst you are in the midst of decluttering. Wait until you have got to a reasonable point, as this will help you to appreciate what you already have as well as being able to identify any gaps. Make sure you think carefully about whether you really need it and if it will be purposeful.

Find a purpose

Reducing the number of items in your home is going to save you time and money in the long run. Therefore it is important that you find a purpose for that time and money. Do you want to be able to spend more time with friends or travel more. Are you hoping to save or clear debt? Knowing your purpose will help keep you motivated whilst you are decluttering and give you a focus for that spare money you may now have.

Ask yourself key questions

Whether you are decluttering or buying new things, you are going to need to think a little differently. The best way to do this is by asking yourself some key questions. When decluttering, ask yourself do I need this, have I used it in the last year, does it make me happy? For items you are considering purchasing, ask whether it will serve a purpose or if it is really necessary, will make you happy. Know that you are investing in quality items moving forward that you will enjoy and utilise.

Let me know if you want to start living with less in the comments below…

Rachel, Declutter Your Life x

For more information check out this post on the little acts of decluttering… https://declutteryourlife.co.uk/decluttering/march-little-acts-of-decluttering/

You can also check out my youtube channel.. https://www.youtube.com/c/RachelNoakes

Minimalist Living: How to Start Living with Less