How to become a minimalist in 2021.

First and foremost, there are no rules to become minimalist. What I propose to you are 6 steps to guide you towards a minimalism mindset. Minimalism is a concept that changes your outlook on material things and simultaneously money at the same time.

So you want to be a minimalist. You have probably heard about minimalism from Netflix, youtube and media circulation. It’s currently trending as a lifestyle to abide by. There is very good reason for this. Once you start the process it will be hard to remember what life was like beforehand. You will cringe at the time and money you have wasted on material items, as well as reaping huge financial benefits.

Let’s get started…

1. Know your why: Having a clear reason why you want to do this can be hugely motivating at tricky points in the process. It is something to refer back to and spur you on.
2. Start the decluttering process: This is no small step on route to become minimalist. Essentially you need to assess all of the items you possess and decide whether you really need that item in your life. Are you holding on to things that no longer add value. Do you have items that have been sat unused in the cupboards for years? Go area to area in your home and decide whether items are to kept, donated, sold or to go in the bin. If this is overwhelming at first maybe start small, like one cupboard, or a bookcase. I highly recommend Marie Kondo, The Magic of Tidying if you are wanting a more structured decluttering process. You may find that you need to go to each area twice. When I first started I didn’t realise how reluctant I was to get rid of some things, but as the process moved on and I felt more confident in my decluttering, I realised how much more I could be willing to let go of.
3. Assess your finances: There are a few elements to consider with this. Firstly, set up a budget to see your ongoings and outgoings each month. Check you are above board. Next, you need to decide if there are any subscriptions or expenses that can be cancelled. This will free up valuable money for services that you are no longer using. More money in your pocket. Then, you need to see if there are any bills that can be reduced i.e. groceries, phone bill, switching gas or electric suppliers and switching tv, phone and internet services.
4. Assess your spending: Now that you have created a budget and got this into a healthy state you are ready to take stock of your personal spending in other areas. This is looking at your bank balance and seeing what exactly are you spending on other items, such as meals out, homeware, gifts, treats, etc. Itemise everything. Once you have done this, you can see about reducing spend in this area. If you regularly buy new clothes, think back to the wardrobe declutter you have done and decide whether any new purchases are necessary and be mindful of whether this is needed. You will likely find that after a large wardrobe declutter, you will cry at the thought of how much money you had spent on items that you are now donating. This is the same for household items. Do you really need that new coaster set, when your current ones are absolutely fine?
5. Implement a one in one out policy: In order to maintain your decluttered home, you may find it helpful to implement a one in one out policy to keep the number of items in your home consistent or at a reasonable level. This stops level slowly rising in different areas of your home. Try using up items first until they have run out or are worn out and then only replacing said item.
6. Create your own rules: creating your own set of rules will help minimalism work in a way that suits you. It is not about having no things in your home. It’s about creating a home and lifestyle that allows you to maximise your space and mental capacity. It should not be creating new stresses, but reducing them. I found my mindset completely shifted after following these steps and my mental health improved immeasurably.

These 6 steps are by no means quick or easy, but the long term benefits are worth the effort!

Let me know how your minimalism journey is going!

That 30 Something Singleton X