5 Ways to Start Your Minimalist Journey

If you’ve been contemplating the benefits of minimalism but feel overwhelmed and not sure how to start, you are not alone. Below I offer five suggestions of how to begin your path to minimalism and any (or all) of them are a great place to start. 

1. Take time to explore what minimalism means to you

Write yourself a note outlining why you want to live a more minimalist life. Is it to have more freedom in your life to spend with loved ones? Does the clutter in your house cause you stress? Do you want to get off the hedonic treadmill? Are you thinking about a big move? Is it a stepping stone to some other goal?

Once you’ve described for yourself why you want to start the journey, the next step is to ask yourself what brings you joy in life? This will help you formulate what your version of minimalism might look like. If you are an entertainer and love to host dinner parties, your minimalist kitchen is likely going to look a little different than others. If you love to create art, your collection of supplies is likely present in your version of minimalism. Likewise, if you are a DIY handyman then your garage will likely not be bare. Your intent and values will help guide your minimalism journey.

2. Stop the stuff!

When I work with clients who are looking to manage their weight – the first step is preventing further weight gain. The same idea applies with minimalism. The first goal is to stop accumulating items. Ditch the Prime membership. Avoid stores you can’t resist walking out of with something new. Create yourself a ‘to buy’ list and let non-consumables spend a week or two on the list before you allow yourself to purchase the item. If you need to purchase an item, practice the 1 in – 1 out rule. If you buy a new sweater, choose another item from your closet to donate. 

3. Begin to declutter

Looking at the amount of stuff you currently own may feel overwhelming. There are three tips that might help you to start sorting through your belongings. 

1. The Minimalists made popular the 30 day minimalism challenge. Basically you get rid of 1 item on day 1, 2 items on day 2 and so on until you reach Day 30 where you remove 30 items from your house. Personally I have never tried it as I think I might be left in an empty house by day 30, but friends of mine have loved it! 
2. Practice the 20/20 rule when sorting through your belongings. If you are unsure if you should keep an item that gets infrequent use ask yourself this: if you do need it in the future, can get the item in 20 mins for under $20? 
3. Have a packing party. This tip is actually how Ryan from The Minimalists began his minimalism journey. He packed up all the items in his house and removed them from the boxes as he needed each item. After a few months – he had removed all the essentials he needed for daily living and was able to take the items remaining in the boxes to be donated. If packing up your whole house feels extreme – you could start with your closet. Put all your clothes in boxes/suitcases and as you remove an item to be worn it can be hung up in the closet. After a period of six months (or maybe a year if you live in Canada!) – take everything in the suitcases/boxes to be donated. 

4. Consider digital minimalism

After reading Cal Newport’s book on the subject (likely available at your local library) I have tried to implement digital minimalism in my life to limit the distractions from technology. Some simple tips are:

• unsubscribing from all those annoying emails that fill up your inbox
• turning off all but necessary notifications on your devices
• removing social media from your phone and
• setting your phone to black and white to reduce the candy color stimulation/addictive properties

5. Find time to breathe

Setting aside time in your schedule to have time for quiet reflection, journaling or meditating is important in our busy society. Minimalism just isn’t about clearing physical clutter – it also helps to clear clutter from your heart and mind to create space for the things which really matter. Giving yourself time to cut out all the noise of life and refocus on your values is an important part of living intentionally. Daily gratitude helps us to resist the bombardment of messages to buy more, do more, always chase the bigger and better. Take time to be fully present with what really matters to you now.