How Can You Apply Minimalist Living To Your Life? By Soak & Sleep

How can you apply minimalist living to your life? 

When the UK came out of lockdown in March 2021 tips and charity shops were inundated with donations as people got rid of all of the clutter they had Spring cleaned out of their living spaces whilst stuck at home. The pandemic gave many people the headspace to realise less is more and a minimalist approach could be adopted in their lives. If this sounds familiar and you are working towards minimalist living, what are some simple steps you can implement in your daily life?

Declutter that space 

The first step must be to declutter and organise. This can seem overwhelming so focus on one room at a time, and only keep things you love or have used within the last twelve months. If you are really unsure about an item consider putting it in storage with a decision date in the next twelve months to keep or discard. And get rid of anything that’s broken, unless you really believe you will fix it imminently. 

Resist temptation 

This is definitely harder than it looks, but try to only buy the things you need. To make it easier, resist looking at Instagram or Facebook where influencers are doing their best to influence you into buying products they recommend! Or consider a one-in, one-out policy for your purchases where, to find space for that new item, you have to relinquish something else.

Evaluate your needs 

Take a look at what you need and what you use before you do your shopping. This applies to everything from your fashion wardrobe, to your supermarket shopping, to your beauty needs. See what you’ve run out of before you ‘add to basket’ and even better, make a food plan for the week - you’ll be amazed at how much you can cut back on! 

Invest in clothing with a longer shelf life than fast fashion styles - there is plenty of advice on capsule wardrobe collections online and, if you can, buy quality not quantity. Saving for a jumper that will last ten years is better than buying two which will only last one season.  

Opt for beauty brands which minimise unnecessary ingredients and waste - such as Wo which supplies its products in pre-measured doses so you only use exactly the amount you need. 

Borrow and share 

Instead of buying, can you borrow or rent what you need? A visit to the library once a month will save you plenty of shelf space. Renting a dress, hat and bag for that wedding instead of buying an outfit you will only wear once is a much more sensible option. You can even rent furniture, sports equipment, electronics and tools. And donating things you don’t use or need anymore is a great way of sharing the love with someone else.  

Only display meaningful things 

It’s easy to use every shelf, window ledge and countertop to display something you have gathered in your life, but this may not allow you to feel like you have space in your life to breathe. Instead only display things that are really meaningful to you. Consider digitising photos and keepsakes which you do not love enough to keep on display so you don’t lose them forever. And take advantage of wall space to hang items to free up other areas in your home. 

Store it up 

Invest in clever storage solutions to help give yourself space. This does not mean keeping everything and sticking it in a cupboard for another day. It means using your space effectively and in an organised way so that you can easily find the things you really need and want. For example, a divan bed, with drawers underneath is a great place to store spare bedding that you may need for different seasons. 

Give yourself time 

Lastly, and probably most importantly, give yourself time to live a minimalist life. Feel comfortable only agreeing to the things you really want to do with your time. Saying no to invitations is fine and once you have done this a couple of times you will find it easier to prioritise the really important things. 

So now you know how to live a minimalist life. If you have any more tips, add them in the comments.