Should you consider minimalism?

Lately I’ve been infatuated with developing a more minimalist lifestyle. I know that my addiction to beauty products won’t make this the easiest task to accomplish, but I am determined to make small changes to improve my quality of life. If you’re unfamiliar with minimalism, I’ll give you a brief overview. Minimalism is a tool you can use to rid yourself of life’s excess in favor of focusing on what’s important so you can find happiness, fulfillment, and freedom. It can also be used to help eliminate stress, hoarder-like tendencies, and other negative aspects associated with living with a bunch of stuff.

Some minimalists choose not to have a car or television and argue that these choices contribute to their overall freedom. I happen to live in a city where a car is an absolute necessity and I don’t mind watching TV every now and then so I don’t plan to be that extreme on my journey toward minimalism. I am,however, interested in ridding myself of excess belongings that serve me no purpose.

I am guilty of preparing bags of clothing to donate while keeping that super cute skirt that I haven’t worn in over six months. I have a tendency to go to Target for no reason in particular, but end up leaving with bags full of stuff. My hauls from the past couple of months will last me for a while. I do not need another beauty product, item of clothing, or pair of shoes so therefore I will not purchase anymore (unless the discount is so good that I can’t say no). You see? I’ve got tons of work to do…

The benefits of a minimalist lifestyle include:

• Less clutter
• Less time spent cleaning up
• Saving money
• A more organized home and life
• Lowering monthly bills
• Finding freedom (from consumerism, stress, debt, etc.)
• Tapping into your creative side

I plan to start my minimalism journey with these three steps:

Getting Rid of Old Clothes

I’ve recently purchased a bunch of staple pieces that I hope will last me for a while. Instead of having a huge wardrobe, I plan to have no more than 50 pieces that I can mix and match. I’ll also need to tackle my “hang out clothes” drawer so that it isn’t full of those t-shirts you get for free at events and other random clothing I wear when relaxing at home.

Shop for Necessities Only

Target, I’m sorry. I can no longer visit you after class each week. I will only enter stores to grocery shop or purchase household goods. Also, I’ve started clipping coupons to help save more money so that I’ll be able to use it for other things, like my student loans and saving for retirement. This step will enable me to have less clutter, save money, and get a better understanding of what’s important to me.

Home Decor and Furniture Selection

This step is easiest for me. Since we recently moved to a new home, most of our current furnishings are items that we already had and/or love a lot. Slowly but surely, we’ve been shopping for pieces to add to the ambiance of the place but I’ll be sure to only invest in quality pieces that appeal to both of us.

So are you interested in pursuing any aspect of minimalism? Please share your thoughts below and I’ll be share to keep you posted on my journey.

 Alex