A Brief Guide to Minimalism and Decluttering

Many seem to think that minimalism means only owning a backpack’s worth of items or having a blank walls, no furniture or keepsakes. This is untrue of what minimalism actually accomplishes for a home and a person. Decluttering your home helps you create a space where you can easily find things and don’t have objects that’s sole purpose is collecting dust. 

The very act of minimalism isn’t just merely about things either, it helps you save your wallet by not investing in impulse buys and duplicate purchases. It also provides you with a feeling of control in your life and giving you more time to do things. Whether you’re moving or wanting to become more intentional with your items or tasks, simplifying your living environment can really help clear your headspace and your home. 

5 pile funnel. Something that is truly helpful when trying to get rid of a lot of things is making separate piles - recycle, donate, throw away, sell, keep. But before diving into this process, be sure to pick one part of your house to clean out such as your kitchen, then move onto another room. While you go through each spot in your house, ask yourself whether you have used that item in the past year or 6 month and the frequency of use. If the item has sat untouched, has been shuffled around or is a duplicate, then it’s time to let it go. If somethings are seasonal and you know you use them during those periods, then of course keep it. Something that holds people back from letting go of objects is sentiment. Take a picture of it and organize it into a folder on your computer so you can always refer back to the memory. 

Prevention with Intention. It’s simple in thought and challenging in practice sometimes. The main reason why people tend to build up a large amount of items is due to impulse buying. We live in a culture where advertisements are constantly in our faces and we have to hurry, hurry, hurry to get the best deals on trending items. Don’t buy something just because it is on sale or cheap. Ask yourself if you already have one at home or something very similar? Is it absolutely needed or just wanted? Wait 10 or so days before deciding if the item is 100% needed. Buying cheaply made items will only lead you to buy them again. But if you invest in well made products that will last, you’ll be sure to take care of them and not be tempted to buy it again or overspend on your shopping trips. 

Finish the Cycle. In Rachel Aust’s book, Less - A Visual Guide to Minimalism, she brings up a crucial factor of how a lot of our clutter comes from leaving something in the middle of a process. For some, it is challenging to remember to finish what you started with the task and put back the object where you found it or needs to go. We all know that chair that has the semi-worn clothes on it, and the sink with dishes soaking in water. Before you put the item down or leave them where you were using them, think about where it should end up and not where it will temporarily end up. This may sound tedious but it saves you time not having to put away all the dishes, clothes, toys, books, games, etc, away at once. It is already taken care of in that moment so you don’t have to think about the chore of cleaning later. 

Minimalism doesn’t mean you have to give up family heirlooms, your tool box, or all of your favorite books. It's about what makes you feel less overwhelmed and comfortable in your space. It allows room for prioritizing your schedule and making time to live for what you need rather than redundant tasks.

 

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Anna Cook