In the world of exclusive emails, BOGO sales, haul videos, and monetized Instagram posts, it’s easy to become involved in purchasing items you don’t require. This is why we have a costly and utterly unintentional minimalist life. To be precise, I’m not a proponent of radical minimalistism. When I speak of living a minimalist life, I’m not talking about reducing to a 400-square-foot micro-home with plants on the side. I’m discussing ways to live a more minimalist lifestyle. I’ve noticed a significant improvement in my happiness after following these principles. Whenever I meet with other people, I can tell that it also has a positive impact on them. If you give the minimalism concept a go, I’m sure you’ll notice an increase in your general happiness as well.
Quantity vs Quality
Loading adIf you’re making a purchasing choice, think about quality versus quantity. Quantity implies that you’re purchasing something simply because it’s inexpensive or can be replaced, or you can get lots of it at a low cost. Qualitative means that you’re purchasing something that might cost more in the beginning but lasts for a longer time. This is the meaning of minimalism to us. It’s buying for quality and holding it for a long duration. Let me give you an illustration. I owned an antique knife. It was a horrible knife. It wasn’t sharp enough. However, the knife was used for kitchen work and was very affordable, meaning I could get it replaced once every year. Some time ago, I decided that I would spoil myself on my birthday and purchase a fantastic chef’s knife! This is precisely what I did. I’ve owned that knife for four years now. I am cautious with it and genuinely love it. Yes, I’ve paid a fair amount to purchase it. But it’s fantastic, and I can keep it for a long time and stop throwing away money or cheap knives.
One-Time Use Items
The purchase of a product for a particular reason may not just cost you money. However, you’ll also need to store things you rarely use. It’s the “Maybe one day I’ll need that thing” syndrome that you’ll never use, and it is just a mess in your home. Here’s a great example: A few years ago, Chad and I stayed with Lucas and his spouse at their cottage, which they rented out north. We had grand plans to go out on the lake, and naturally, we purchased life jackets. Guess what? The life jackets have been stored in our home’s garage for two years. What’s the best part? During our stay at the cabin, it was raining all the time, so we didn’t even end up having to use the life jackets in the first location! The life jackets are a nuisance, so Chad and I will give them away, leave them behind, and move on.
1 In, 2 Out
You’re likely familiar with the 1 in-one-out rule, which states that you only remove one item every time you introduce something new to your home. It’s a one-for-1 replacement that helps you eliminate the clutter. If you would like to lessen the amount of clutter you keep in your home and live a minimalist life, Chad created a rule of 1-in-2-out for minimalist living. If you purchase a brand new book, you dispose of two books. If you buy a brand-fresh pair of pants, swap two pairs with the new one. This is a great idea. It forces you to think about what arrives in your home, and what you get must be excellent.
Get Rid of Duplicates
There’s been a lot of discussion about duplicates, but there’s an excellent reason! The more triples, doubles, and quadruples of objects you own in your home, the more clutter you’ll need to handle. We’re huge advocates of this and very conscious of it daily. There are many duplicates or extras of items. That’s why we strive to consolidate everything and eliminate those that aren’t worth it. Think of things like bottle and wine openers, pens, scissors, screwdrivers… everything. If you have duplicates of items, choose the one you like best and eliminate the remainder!
The 6-Second Rule
We’ve all heard about the 5-second rule. Well, it’s time to introduce the 6-second law to minimalist living. Choose an item and ask yourself, “Do I really need this? Do I need this? Do I like this?”. If, after just 6 seconds, you don’t have a positive answer to one of these questions, then it’s likely that you do not need the item anymore.
That Hobby Life!
Sometimes, we engage in activities requiring things, equipment, or supplies. Lucas, a producer on Clean My Space, used to play hockey. He lives in a condo and is, therefore, short of space. Consequently, he gave us his hockey equipment once and said, “Guys, can you keep my hockey bag for the summer, and I’ll come pick it up when the season starts?”. It was many years back, and, for some reason, it’s been a while since he’s played. What’s the matter? The hockey equipment remains located in our garage. I’ve discussed it with him, and He thinks, “Well, if I got rid of the hockey equipment, it would mean that I’d never play hockey again!” this isn’t the situation. Many options are available; however, storing this kind of thing for a long time isn’t the solution! It’s not just about equipment for sports, musical instruments, hobbies for crafting and scuba diving, or board games. Many different hobbies require huge or expensive equipment that we’d rather not give up. We may have the best intentions, but use them, and minimalists hate clutter.
Shop Critically
If you’re looking to begin living in a minimalist way, you must reduce the amount of stuff you bring into your home. Period. If you’re shopping for items, It’s easy to be enticed by the lure of a BOGO, a sale, or a combination pack. Take a second to consider what you’re bringing home. Do you need all the things listed above? Over the last couple of years, Chad and I have had to ask the other person we’re with when shopping, “Are you buying this because you need it, because you like it, or because it’s on sale?”. When the person requires and wants the item, we’ll buy it. However, I cannot tell you how many times each of us has stated, “You know what? I don’t really require this,” and then put it away. That tiny resistance, that second of thought, could make the difference.