Embracing the minimalist life can feel overwhelming. You may be wondering where to start, how to begin, and what possessions are the essentials. It can be tough at times.
Letting go of your beloved possessions and collections to finally become minimalist can be hard at first. I mean we all have those items that have a lot of memories and sentimental value. Whether from your friends or family, it’s something that’s not always simple to let go.
But once you’ve overcome your emotions and choose to declutter your life, you’ll be surprised with how freeing and beneficial the minimalist life can be. And that’s why to help you get started, I’ve gathered some easy ways to get rid of things you don’t need. These will not just declutter your home but make you feel more peaceful. So check them out and let me know what you think!
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Cut Down Your Wardrobe
Your closet is one those places that has a lot of clutter and unused items. All of your sweaters, pants, shoes, and dresses can make a huge mess. But don’t wait until you’ve run out of space to clean and sort out the things you don’t need.
Start by pulling everything out your closet and put it in a pile on your bed. Once you’ve seen how empty and clean your closet is, you’ll be less likely to put clutter back in it.
Decide which items to go and which to keeps. Ask yourself does it fit? Has it been worn this year? Was it worn last year? If you answered NO to any of those questions, then it’s finally time to say goodbye. You can donate them to a charity or even sell some unwanted items online. Turns out you can make some extra cash when minimizing.
Clear the Kitchen Clutter
Over the years, we accumulate so many appliances and gadgets for our kitchen. But so often we find ourselves never using these items. So if there are items you know you’ll never use or you use once every couple years, then it’s time to sell or throw it in the trash.
The Television
Okay, let me say this first. There’s nothing wrong with having a TV, but the amount of time we use it can be harmful to our productivity and health. There are so many things you could be doing to get ahead, but that series you’ve been bingeing has got you behind.
So there are two options. The first one is to get rid of it, but not all at once. Start watching a little less everyday or every week, until you realize you’d don’t really need it. Or just try to limit yourself from watching TV every day. Set a specific time and stop when it’s done. Do this so you can increase your productivity, and think of other ways to entertain yourself and your family as well. The money you can save by cutting out cable can be used for more important things in your life.
Decorate Less
Decorating your home with a minimal look will save you so much space, time, and money. Get rid of the fancy, funky, bulky, unuseful decorations and go for practical items and ones that make a statement without taking up a lot of space. Consider getting decorations that serve two purposes. Decor that shows your style, but also doubles as storage so your home stays organized.
Clear out the Garage
The garage is probably one of the easiest places to gather clutter. Anything you don’t want in your home gets stored in a space you don’t have to go into often. So sort out the items in your garage and figure out what you’re keeping and throwing away. Also, do this a week at a time if this kind of project overwhelms you.
Use bins to store and organize your stuff. And if you have a lot of gardening tools, old furniture, or Christmas decor you don’t use anymore, give them to your local Goodwill. Or sell the items in a garage sale if you want to make some quick money!
Plan Your Meals
Go through your kitchen cupboards and get rid of food items you’ll never use. Donate things that won’t go bad for a long time and throw the rest out. Organize with containers in your cupboards and refrigerator.
Then to make sure clutter doesn’t build up, start meal planning every week. Write a list before going to the grocery store and stick to it.
Get Rid of One Time Wonders
One time wonders are items like magazines, books, CD’s, movies, and other things that you only read, listened to, or watched once. These are things that usually take up needed space. So try donating or selling (or throwing away) your college textbooks, novels, movies, and magazines.
Sort Out Your Freebies
Whether it’s from birthdays, weddings, or parties; freebies can start cluttering your home. Think about all the items you have – magnets, calendars, books, and cards, then decide what’s useful and practical. Ditch all the space eater and minimize your place. Try to politely turn down future freebies that can just collect dust in your home.
Go Paperless
Embrace the digital era and go paperless. You won’t need any big filing cabinets stuffed with your paperwork and important documents when you implement this tip. No more cluttered folders to organize and it’ll be easy to find files on your computers at all times. You can also sync all your data to your phone, giving you a more handy option.
Give Up Your Wants
We’re all guilty of getting things we don’t need, and these things take up space in our home. So before you buy something you don’t need, try the two week or imagination challenge
Two Week Challenge: So often I find myself wanting something that I think would be cute to wear or decorate my home with. So I wait two weeks to see if I’ll still want it. And 99% of the time, I find myself not even caring about the item anymore.
Imagination Challenge: If I still find myself wanting the item, I image myself buying it and then thinking of how I’ll feel after I’ve bought it. I’ll feel the excitement of buying something go away and being replaced with the realization that I don’t even care about the said item anymore. Or I’ll image how I’ll feel about it a week later. Sometimes I’ll realize that yes, I really do want this thing. But often times, I know that I won’t care about this item in just a few days.
Sometimes starting to minimize in your home can be a bit overwhelming, but if you start little by little, you can get rid of the clutter and get things organized.
Now if you have any questions, just let me know in the comments down below! I’d love to help you out!
Chasing Foxes was started in 2016 as a way for Grace and her husband, Silas, to start traveling. However, they started to realize that they had a passion for improving themselves, and wanted to help others level up their lives as well. So whether it's with cooking, travel, or staying healthy, they want to help you better your life bit by bit, as they do the same.
