New To Minimalism? Start Here

If you’re new to the idea of simple living and the minimalist lifestyle or you’re curious about decluttering and simplifying your life, this is where you should start.

Over the last few years I have simplified my own life by applying the principles of minimalism. When I started my goal wasn’t to “become a minimalist,” it was about removing the excess both physically and mentally. For me, simplifying became a necessity when I moved 200 miles into a 500ft apartment. Downsizing and streamlining was the only option. I realised simplifying was at the heart of everything I did; I was always looking for a way to make things less complicated and more streamlined. Minimalism is now a huge part of my life and something I’m incredibly passionate about, simple living has changed my life.

If you’re new to minimalism and want to learn how you can simplify your life, here’s a beginner’s guide with all you need to know.

Identify Your Why

Why do you want to simplify your life? Identifying your reason - your why - helps you to make it possible. Understanding what you want from life will allow you to apply minimalism as a tool to help you achieve it. Visualise the life you want to leave and how simple living and minimalism can help you to achieve that. Without knowing your why it’s simply not possible to improve the current life you’re living. Once you imagine the life you want to lead and how minimalism could help you get there, your reason for simplifying will provide you with a goal to aim for. Identifying why is the first step to understanding how.

Start Small. Really Small.

Simplifying your life can never be done overnight, it takes time. Changing your mindset towards all aspects of your life while simultaneously trying to streamline your possessions is a lot to take on for anyone. Don’t try to do it all at once. Start small, really small; it will provide immediate results that will encourage you to continue on your journey when you hit a bumpy patch in the road - and there will be bumps. Lifestyle changes should be slow and steady if you want the changes to stick. Here are a few ideas of how you can start small (+ 8 tasks you should stop putting off):

· Clean out your junk drawer (we all have one!)
· Donate a bag of unwanted clothes or books
· Get rid of any duplicates items you own
· Create a household chore schedule
· Implement a shopping ban

Deep Declutter

The first step most people take when simplifying their lives is to embark on a deep declutter of their home. Decluttering can be a therapeutic experience as it frees up our space and liberates us from the stuff we don’t want and don’t need. The benefits of decluttering is two-fold: it minimises the visual clutter and sets you up for a new start. The process of a deep declutter will teach you how to rid your life of the excess; setting you up for a more meaningful life with less. If you’re looking for a detailed guide to take you through the decluttering process step-by-step, my eBook The 5-Step Method For Decluttering can help you. It’s an achievable method for simplifying your life, enabling you to eliminate clutter forever. Get your copy here.

Foster New Habits

When you’ve identified your why, made a few small changes, and decluttered your home, it’s time to foster some new habits that will introduce minimalism into your life and help you to live simply. Here’s what to do after you’ve decluttered your home and 3 minimalist mantras worth adopting. It’s important to identify what areas of your life are most important to you; ask yourself what you want from your life and how simple living can support those goals. If you want to maintain a clutter-free environment you may want to focus on adopting habits for a tidy household, or perhaps your attention should be focused on money-saving habits or self-care. Whatever your focus may be, it’s important to introduce new habits gradually, let them bed in and become a part of your life. It’s a journey not a race.

Live It

Don’t wait until everything is perfect before committing to a minimalist lifestyle. The perfect moment never comes. Minimalism is about being intentional and focused; it’s about removing the excess, simplifying habits, and curating a life you love. There’s no perfect moment to do that and waiting only beds old habits in deeper. Be deliberate with your time and energy by focusing on what matters the most to you. Don’t compare your progress to anyone else and don’t strive for someone else’s perfect lifestyle. It’s important to do what’s best for you. There is plenty of criticism within the minimalist community on how best to live a simple lifestyle but none of it matters if you do what feels right. This is your journey and your life, only you know what that should look like.

A Considered Life