It’s no secret that modern life is full of things that stress us out. Dealing with work, family, and financial stress is more than enough. You shouldn’t have to come home and deal with the stress of a cluttered and messy house.
One of the best ways to combat that stress is by living a minimalist lifestyle. If you’re not sure how to transition into minimalism, don’t worry. Read on to learn how to get started and reduce your stress!
1. Transition Into a Minimalist Lifestyle
The biggest hurdle for you to get over to take the first step into minimalism by paring down your belongings.
Many people struggle with this step because it feels like a huge task. The key here is to start slowly instead of taking on your whole house at once. Set aside a few hours each week to clean out a particular space.
Another concern is that you don’t want to just throw away everything you don’t want or need. If this is a concern for you, create separate piles for your items, one for donating or selling and one for trash.
2. Banish Clutter
If overhauling your whole house and making it a clutter-free zone isn’t possible, then you might be worried about your ability to live minimally. What you can do instead is create specific spaces where clutter is not allowed.
For example, if the kitchen is your domain, then make the kitchen a clutter-free zone. Make sure all the food and utensils are put away. Clear appliances from the countertops to give your kitchen a sleek and organized appearance. Only get appliances out when you’re planning on actually using them.
3. Minimize Documents
If there’s one thing that people love to hold onto, it’s personal documents. Some do this for tax liability or recordkeeping purposes. One thing is for sure, however, you do not need to hold onto all of those documents!
Shred old records that are no longer usable or relevant. If you’re uncomfortable parting with certain documents, then consider digitizing them or storing them away outside of your homes. Store things like pay documents online and make paystubs for printing only when necessary.
4. Only Buy What You Need
Once you’ve gotten all of the clutter out of your living space, the only thing left to do is to maintain your minimalist lifestyle.
When you’re thinking about buying something new for your home, take a second to think about how or if it will serve you. If it doesn’t, then pass on it.
After a certain amount of time in which you have purchased several new items, do another sweep of your home to get rid of items that are no longer helpful for you.
Are You Ready to Live Simply?
Living a minimalist lifestyle doesn’t have to an unreachable dream, it just takes a little work to get started. Decluttering and making conscious choices about everything that you purchase and bring into your home can help you feel so much more at peace. Before you know it, living minimally will become second nature to you.
Do you want more great content that can help you do everything from planning your dream vacation to revolutionizing your diet? You’re in the right place! Check out the rest of our blog to improve your life in a major way!
About the Author/s
The New Jersey Digest is a new jersey magazine that has chronicled daily life in the Garden State for over 10 years.
