Is your life getting a little expensive? Here are tips on how to start saving by living a minimalist lifestyle!
An average home in the U.S has 300,000 items. It does not end there; 1 in 10 Americans also rent extra storage space.
Simply put, we just love stuff.
But have you heard of minimalism? This is a lifestyle that requires a person to surround themselves with only what they absolutely need.
Living a minimalist lifestyle can save you money and can lead to a lighter, simpler and happier life.
Does this sound like a plan? Here are eight minimalist lifestyle tips to get you started.
- Rid Yourself of Junk
Junk is anything that’s broken, torn, unused or adds no value or happiness into your life.
A cluttered house makes it harder to keep things in order, find stuff and is difficult to keep clean which could lead to health problems.
Your clutter will not necessarily go into a trashcan. If this is a concern, separate the items into a toss and a donate list.
The toss pile should hold every item that is damaged and non-functional. While the donate pile should have items that can be used elsewhere. The latter includes clothes in good condition, toys, utensils and so on.
Being minimalist is not about giving up things that you love, but giving up things you don’t.
After the main decluttering, schedule similar sessions periodically so as to rid yourself off of anything that might have become redundant since the last purge.
- Cut Your Impulse Buying
If you are pretty honest, you will find the main contributor to the clutter in your home is things you bought on impulse.
People tend to buy things they don’t need because they are on sale, or there are great discounts offered.
And then you hold to them hoping that maybe one day you will use them; this day never arrives.
Be precise about your spending. Have a shopping list and stick to it. If it’s not on the list, do not buy it.
Most people also tend to go crazy when using credit cards as opposed to cash. If this is you, cut up the credit cards and stick to cash.
On the opposite spectrum of spending is saving. Have a contingency plan as well as a retirement kitty. With your controlled spending, this should not be an uphill task.
When your bank balance starts to grow steadily, this will be all the motivation you need to stay on track.
- Learn How to Cook
You will be amazed at what a few solid recipes can do for your budget.
Cooking your own meals is inexpensive and reduces the amount of food you throw away each week.
There are numerous recipe books and online resources that have easy to make meals. The good thing is that once you master a dish, preparing it becomes much easier.
Aside from lower costs, making your own meals puts you in control of your ingredients, meaning you can make healthier meals. In time, you will learn to mix and match meals and leftovers. The result? Less food in the trash can.
- Pick High-Quality Items
This might sound contradictory because high-quality items have a larger price tag. However, you want to get something that will not have to be constantly replaced or repaired.
When it comes to clothes and shoes, go for high quality, solid classic pieces. This means you are covered year round and do not need to go back and buy in-season clothes.
The same goes for accessories as well. Classic, simple watches can haul you over several seasons without breaking down or requiring an upgrade.
- Learn Some DIY Hacks
This is another money saver that gives you a sense of accomplishment as well.
Learn a few hacks to fix your car, plumbing and other small DIY tasks at home.
Similarly, look into the 3 R’s: reuse, recycle and reduce. Be able to identify what items in your house can be reused, recycled or reduced and be conscious about this, even in your purchasing decisions.
Nothing will uplift your mood better than knowing you are actively reducing your carbon footprint.
- Have a Minimalist Home
Everyday life can get rather chaotic. Your house should be the opposite.
Start by organizing and decluttering so that you can see where things are at a glance.
If your wall paint is overwhelming, tone it down to a calming neutral hue.
Also, it’s okay not to display all your knickknacks and paintings on the walls.
Re-gifting is a great idea as well. If you have a whole lot of trinkets in good condition, you can wrap them up on occasions and give them away as gifts.
This saves you time and money and decreases your clutter burden. Minimalists homes are also visually appealing and of course much easier to clean.
- Observe Your Stressors
Your inside has to match your outside for you to enjoy a minimalist life.
This means paying attention to stressors and things that rope in negativity. Is it your job, family, toxic relationships, finances and so on?
With these clearly outlined, you must find practical solutions to them. Even with all other areas of your life flowing seamlessly, having internal conflicts weighs you down and blocks your happiness.
- Remain Grateful When Living a Minimalist Lifestyle
Remain grateful that the minimalist life is something you are choosing to do and not forced by circumstances.
One way to get there is by evaluating how the things you have now fill your life, and how much happier and healthier you are.
Appreciate and enjoy the little you now have, and all the free joys life has to offer.
Go Minimal
Remember that living a minimalist lifestyle only requires you to give up the things that add little or no value to your life. It also places no rigid timelines. Some people need more time than others to go minimal.
Is your house becoming a huge expense and an obstacle to a minimalist life? Check out our blog to understand the co-living concept that might work out perfectly for you.
Related Posts
