You Are Likely Already a Minimalist

Photo by Maksim Goncharenok from Pexels

I get it. Minimalism’s a trendy topic these days, and it seems crazy to get rid of all your possessions and live in a tiny home. That's not what minimalism is.

Instead, be conscious of your belongings and value what you have. Get rid of things that hold no value in your life to make room for things that do.

Here’s your one-stop guide to becoming a modern minimalist.

1. Quality Over Quantity — Spend More to Buy Less

Yes, this is incredibly privileged. Give me a moment to explain.

If your shirts consistently get holes in them by the end of the month, you’re going to need a large collection of shirts. This collection costs more than one, good quality shirt.

Focus on purchasing a small number of investment products that will last you a long time to avoid purchasing many cheap products.

There will be fewer holes and fewer shirts.

Spending significant money upfront may save you more money down the road. Everyone knows this, but sometimes we can’t afford to spend the money upfront. Don’t have the money to purchase more expensive shirts?

One option is selling items you don’t use frequently to pay for items you will use frequently. Even if you’re only able to increase the quality of your shirts by a couple of dollars, they’ll last that much longer.

You’ll sell more possessions than you’ll replace and your replacements will be of better quality.

Tip: Poshmark is excellent for selling clothing. Facebook Marketplace is great for selling everything else. To date, I’ve earned over $400 between these sites combined.

2. Upkeep and Pride in Ownership

There’s a reason people shine their glassware. It shows attention to detail and regard for keeping items in pristine, working condition.

If your shelves and the books on them are covered in dust, it isn’t likely you’ll want to grab a book and read it, for fear of getting grime all over yourself and the bed.

Accessibility and options make us happy, and those two factors come into play when maintaining items in our possession. In order to use your possessions and enjoy them to their full potential, upkeep is necessary.

Frequently using and cherishing the few belongings you have is a big deal in minimalism.

It’s difficult to cherish a sweater purchased from a brand using sweatshops in a third-world country. Unless you support that kind of thing.

Wouldn’t you feel better about your possessions if the company that made them donates to help find a cure for childhood cancer? Or if you bought a handmade bracelet that empowers an impoverished woman to support her family vs. a factory-made charm bracelet?

I’m not trying to guilt-trip anyone.

In some circumstances, there isn’t a choice, like the abovementioned one, to be made. When you rip the back of your pants open on vacation, sometimes the only available option is a factory-made, big clothing brand pair of khakis.

But when you have the time and money to do research, make a purchase that will improve your life and someone else’s.

Minimalism improves your life. Improve someone else’s life, too.

3. Use Up Old Before Buying New

No, I don’t mean shopping at the thrift store — but that’s a good idea, too.

I have a bunch of those little shampoos, body lotions, and conditions I’ve taken from hotels. I’m sure you do too, or you have other, unfinished products lying around. Don’t buy any new products until the old ones that do the same job are used up.

Spending money on things with the same function as items you already have is a waste.

“You say, ‘If I had a little more, I should be very satisfied.’ You make a mistake. If you are not content with what you have, you would not be satisfied if it were doubled.” — Charles Spurgeon, 1834

By looking deep in the back of bathroom drawers and searching medicine cabinets, you may find multiples of an item you thought you were out of. Take an inventory of the supplies/products you have currently and use them before going shopping.

The same goes for clothing. If you have a perfectly good pair of sneakers, don’t buy another pair until your current pair is thoroughly worn down.

Unless you’re a professional runner.

Don’t hurt yourself on minimalism’s account.

4. Multipurpose Items For Every Occasion

You probably have a couch. If you have friends who spend the night frequently, you may even have a queen-sized air mattress.

There’s no point in having two pieces of furniture taking up space when one piece of furniture would do the job of both.

Pull-out couches are an amazing invention. Buy one.

Or just keep the air mattress and get rid of the couch.

“One can furnish a room very luxuriously by taking out furniture rather than putting it in.” — Francis Jourdain, 1876

Ever heard of a Swiss Army Knife? They are the definition of multi-purpose, with one knife coming with 20+ accessories, including but not limited to: large blade, nail file, wood saw, ruler, scissors, pruning blade, screwdriver, can opener, shackle opener, etc.

Imagine how much space all those items would take up if they weren’t neatly packaged in one, convenient knife.

Apply the Swiss Army Knife concept to your own life.

Get makeup brushes with dual brush ends to reduce your makeup clutter. Buy stationary without custom messages to use for birthdays and thank you’s.

5. Spend less on items used less

If you’re invited to attend a wedding once or twice a year and shudder at spending hundreds of dollars on a dress, consider keeping one dress on hand to use for those special occasions.

Buy a neutral color so that it will let you fit in at other events, ideally multiple weddings, date nights, and your niece’s dance recital. If your friend truly wants you at their wedding, they won’t care if you wear the same dress for their wedding as you did to your third cousin’s wedding.

“My riches consist, not in the extent of my possessions, but in the fewness of my wants.” — Joseph Brotherton, 1783

Likewise, if you’re starting a hobby, buy cheap equipment until you know you’re going to invest your time in the hobby on a consistent basis, and then upgrade the equipment accordingly.

If you rarely take notes, don’t buy a $15.00 notebook. A 99 cent one will do just as well. Fill that notebook up first, then treat yourself to a nicer one.

Spend more money on items you use more, and less on items you don’t. You’ll feel better knowing you’re not wasting money on items you won’t use.

6. Get Rid of Bad Reminders

Maybe there’s a weight loss book from a distant relative sitting on your bookshelf. Or a highly functional going away present from a horrible former boss.

Why do you keep things that hurt you? If there are any items in your home that upset you, whether they are useful to you or not, get rid of them.

If they are necessary items, replace them with similar items without the negative connotations.

Life is too short to dwell on the bad moments, and if your home is reminding you constantly of the bad moments in your life, is it really a comforting home?

Those bad experiences were experienced and learned from, now it’s time to release yourself from their hold.

The point of minimalism is to let go of clutter, and sometimes that clutter is in the form of emotional distress. It’s not the end of the world to get rid of something functional if it contributes to bad vibes.

7. Just Say No

Your grandparents have the purest intentions in the world when they try to buy you a deck furniture set.

• You don’t have a deck
• You don’t want deck furniture

When your mother tries to order you a new towel set for your apartment, just say no. Politely.

You can appreciate the gesture and not want the gift.

Mainly, your family and friends want to gift something you’ll enjoy. Suggest an item that needs replacing or something you’ve been planning on buying yourself.

They’ll be more than happy to buy it — especially if it’s cheaper than what they had planned to purchase originally.

Can’t say no? It’s okay. It happens.

Graciously say thank you and use the item. Then pass it on to friends or donate it to someone in need. Sell it to finance items you do want.

Minimalism seems culty to the outside observer.

It’s a constant battle to dwindle your belongings down until all that’s left fits in a tiny backpack you wear when visiting your friends’ tiny home.

That’s a joke. I’m kidding.

Minimalism is what you make of it. It’s an opportunity to see what possessions you value and why you value them. Knowing that you value your kayak above all else makes you realize your time would be better spent up a stream instead of watching YouTube.

It isn’t about the objects.

I practice minimalism because it helps me reassess what I like and why I like it. Minimalism lets me see into my subconscious. You may be surprised by what you see in yours.

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