That’s How You Downsize and Minimize Every Area of Your Life Effortlessly
Most of the stuff we buy throughout the years will either end up sold, donated or trashed.
It’s sad, but it’s also inevitable.
That’s one of the main reasons why I became a minimalist in the first place.
When I look at the number of things I owned throughout my life, I can’t help but feel guilty..
Guilty because most of it went out the window at one point or another, guilty because there are people who can’t afford half the stuff we buy carelessly, guilty because consumerism is so ingrained in our modern societies that we hardly question our spending habits.
Minimalism allowed me to shift my mindset completely, so the least I can do is share my best hacks with those looking to live mindfully and sustainably.
“But what do I do with all the stuff I own ? It’s already been made, bought and used?”
That’s the type of question I usually get.
The answer is quite simple:
Sell: if you need the money and want your most valuable things to have a second life.
Donate: if you don’t need the money and want your things to be repurposed and help people in need (Charity, NGOs, Homeless Shelters, even friends and family !).
Trash: everything that can’t be repurposed, sold or recycled. It’s unfortunate but don’t beat yourself up too much, it happens to the best of us.
But how?
Here’s a list of things you can try if you want to minimize further.
- Avoid eating out and getting take outs.
Take out foods are usually less healthy and way more expensive than home cooked meals. Learning how and what to cook is a useful skill for a better life, health wise and financially as well.
- Stop “treating yourself” when you can’t even pay off your debt and loans.
Focus on the things that truly matter to you, and things that could have a lasting effect. Perhaps you could treat yourself to some cooking or baking classes, that way you won’t have to overspend every time you crave something. Same goes with most skills (yoga, fitness, cooking, woodwork etc.).
- Stop seeking instant gratification.
Instant gratification is one of our era’s worst diseases. It’s responsible for depression, anxiety, people feeling lost, so on and so forth. Refraining from social media use is one of the best things you could do to heal from this disease, news fasts* are also very effective in that regard.
- Avoid fast fashion AT ALL COSTS.
I know it’s convenient and cheap, but what comes easy never lasts. Also, it’s highly destructive to both nature and the humans behind it (Check out the link if you’re not familiar with this industry, the video’s amazing and only 8 mins long).
- One grocery trip a week (at most).
Shopping once a week lowers your carbon footprint and frees up your schedule like you never thought possible. Many families spend their weekends grocery shopping instead of spending quality time together.
- Meal planning (and prepping).
On the same token, meal planning helps massively as it decreases overspending, and food waste as well.
- Shopping online.
Shopping online is better as it allows you to browse similar products to the ones you’re looking for, and find the ones that best fit your needs.
- Go organic.
Health is important and bad health is extremely costly !
- Go for one time purchases.
For example, start using linen napkins instead of paper towels. Give portable bidets a go and ditch toilet paper (it’s unsanitary anyway).
- Favor cash instead of credit/debit cards.
This one’s quite personal and something I’m working towards but once again, when you rely on cash only, you can track your spending better.
- Minimize unnecessary subscriptions
Cloud storage, streaming services, music services, apps, gym, website memberships, meal delivery, monthly installments.. I’m sure we all have subscriptions we hardly ever use.
Beside, digital minimalism is also something you could look into.
More on that in my next article.
*A news fast implies opting out of watching the news on TV, listening the radio, reading newspapers, or following the news on social media and other internet outlets.
