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What is a minimalist lifestyle?

Minimalism can be defined as an interior design style which uses simple forms, neutral colors, and functional objects. Minimalism also represents a philosophy, which aims to remove clutter from both your home and your life. It’s a lifestyle which aims to reduce distractions, and focus on what actually matters. The idea is to only own objects that give meaning and value to your life, and remove the objects that you don’t need. To embrace a minimalist lifestyle, you can start with the following steps. 1. Declutter your home One of the most important elements of minimalism is decluttering your home. You’ll need to go through every room, and remove the objects which you do not want or use. When you are decluttering, you’ll need to identify the items that you never use whether it’s clothing, utensils, or furniture. Dispose of these items sustainably whether that’s via recycling, selling or donating to a charity store.

2. Mindful shopping habits

To adopt a minimalist lifestyle you’ll need to examine your shopping habits and reflect on the things you buy. Mindful shopping is all about thinking carefully about your purchases, and identifying if you actually need this item. Here are a few tips to practice more mindful shopping habits:

• Think about the price of the item, can you afford it, is it overpriced?

• Consider whether you love this item, or if you really need it.

• Only shop when you are feeling calm and relaxed. Shopping while stressed or can mean you’re more likely to make impulse buys.

• Think about how much you will use this item, if it’s a one-time use, could you rent or borrow this item instead?

• Consider where this item will go in your home, do you have space, or do you have anything that’s similar at home?

  
  

3. Tools to get organized

To help you get organized and achieve a clutter free life, this apps are just what you need:

• Toss: With the help of this app you can take small steps each day to remove the clutter from your life. The app provides you with a plan to tackle one small chore each day, whether it’s clearing out one cupboard, or one drawer. The idea is that simple tips make it easier to get rid of what you don’t need.

• Wallapop: The Wallapop app helps you to sell your old items to buyers in your local area. The app allows you to sell across categories including sports equipment, video games, homeware and more.

  
  

It can be helpful to declutter if you are moving home, allowing you to make a clutter free start at your new place! If you’re in a hurry, storage facilities can help you to store your items. Self storage facilities are also useful if there’s a gap between your moving date and your move in date.

4. Tools to inspire

When you’re looking to adopt a minimalist lifestyle, a little inspiration is just what you need. To learn about the best approaches to minimalism, these resources have got some excellent tips.

Sustainable Minimalists: This lifestyle podcast is perfect for anyone who wants to achieve a minimalist lifestyle, with a focus on sustainability. Previous episodes have explored themes such as ‘Feng Shui Meets Modern Minimalism’, and ‘10 Secrets Of Successful Declutterers.’

The Art Of Decluttering: In this podcast you’ll get plenty of handy tips from professional declutterers Kirsty Farrugia and Amy Revell. If you’re serious about decluttering your home, this podcast has everything you need.

5. Reuse your items

Minimalism is all about ‘less is more’, and so it’s vital to reuse your items as much as possible. You might want to try a few upcycling projects using the items in your recycling, or in your garage? Or reuse last year's winter wardrobe instead of buying lots of new things. If you want to go minimalist it helps to buy quality items that last.

6. Keep it green 

One of the best aspects of minimalism is the focus on keeping things green. A minimalist lifestyle relies on choosing only a small amount of functional objects, and reducing waste as much as possible. To keep things green around your home, try the following ideas:

• Recycle your food waste to create compost, and grow your own veggies.

• Sell your old clothing on apps like ThredUp.

• Use plants to keep your decor earth friendly.

• Purchase multipurpose items i.e furniture with built in storage.

• Use LED light bulbs and energy star appliances.

Minimalism is about focusing on what’s important, and creating less waste. Both of these principles are closely connected to a green lifestyle.