11 Ways to Live Like A Minimalist

11 ways to live like a minimalist
 
Try to live like a minimalist.  Some of us like to try something before jumping in.  Here are 11 ways to test out living like a minimalist.
 

11 Ways to Live Like a Minimalist

Most big changes don’t happen all at once.  Start small and pick a few key areas in your life to simplify.

 

1. Declutter like a minimalist

 
Start by organizing one drawer in your home.  This could be the junk drawer, an office drawer, or any drawer in your home.
 
By picking one drawer to declutter and organize you will be able to see the benefits of minimalism right away.
 
Think about how you feel having less in this drawer.  Imagine if your whole home functioned like this one drawer.
 
Becoming minimalist is a snowball effect!  One small change or drawer will lead to more.
 
Check out my decluttering e-book for some simple ways to start decluttering.
 
 

2. Make a Drop Zone

A major benefit of being minimal is knowing where everything is.
 
Make a drop zone for your everyday things.  When you come inside your house there should be a designated place to set your things.  Not on the counter, floor, or dining room table.
 
One reason our home used to always look cluttered is we didn’t have a drop zone.
 
This should be simple and cheap to set up.  Hang some hooks by the door or add a basket on a shelf.  It is simply a place to put your things so you always know where they are. 
 
This will also make getting out of the house quicker!
 
Minimalist Wardrobe
 

3. Minimalist Wardrobe Test

 
Test out using a minimalist wardrobe.
 
Pick out all of the clothes you’re going to wear for one week.  Try to work with 10 to 15 items or whatever limit you decide.
 
Put these things in a certain section of your closet.  Only dress using those clothes that you picked out and see how you like working with less.
 
This is a great way to see if you like the simplicity of a minimalist wardrobe.  Maybe you will find getting dressed is faster and easier with less wasted time.
 
 

4. Minimalist Decor Trial

 

Take a few things off the wall and see how it looks to have an open blank space in your home.  If you have a lot of decorations try removing a few.
 
After I decluttered some of our decor my home looked larger and cleaner.
 
 

5.  No Spend

 
Try a no-spend day, week, or month in your life.  See if you can live with what you already own.
 
This is a great way to try being minimalist.  Because most minimalists don’t shop very often.
 
 

6. Social Media Break

 
Try going a whole day without going on social media or watching any TV.  Avoiding ads if at all possible.
 
See if it changes how you feel about shopping. It is surprising how many ads we see daily!
 
I was shocked by how much time I got back into my day.  Social media can be a huge time waster and form of procrastination.
 
Since realizing this I try to limit my time on social media and only check my accounts at a certain time of the day.
 
 

7. Eat At Home

 

Go a week making all of your meals at home.  Make them as simple as possible.
I love Minimalist Baker all their recipes are made with limited ingredients and made in 30 minutes.
 
We all have to eat but, give yourself a break and simplify an everyday task.
 
salsa with roma tomatoes
 
 

8.  Minimize Paper

Put all of your paperwork and mail in one spot in your home.  For a week try dealing with every new piece of paper immediately.
 
There are a few ways I do this.  Make the decision on whether to keep something or recycle it as soon as it comes into your hands.
 
Open the mail and get rid of the junk and envelopes.  Make two piles; important and not so important.
 
Try to complete everything in the important pile by the end of the day.  Complete all the not-so-important things by the end of the week.
 
Start chipping away at the paper pile you already have and see if you can get through everything by the end of the week.
This is just one way to live like a minimalist.
 
 
 

9. Repeat Meals

 
Try eating the same thing every morning for breakfast for a week and see how you feel.  Simplifying breakfast makes me happy and makes my life easier.
 
I did this by eating oatmeal and coffee every morning.  It helps to simplify my morning routine and it’s one less thing to think about when I am getting up and ready in the morning.
 
We make so many decisions every day, I love that this is one less thing I have to decide upon.  I wake up knowing exactly how I am going to get my morning started.
 
 

10. Pause Your Hobbies

 
Before I became a minimalist I was doing too much.  Even things that were supposed to be fun were becoming a burden.
 
Stop all of your hobbies for a month and see which ones you truly miss.  If you are over-scheduled try giving up a few things.  Minimalism isn’t just about the clutter in our homes it is also about what we do in our daily lives.
 
A cluttered life can be just as annoying as a cluttered home.
 
art room with peel and stick wallpaper
 
 

11.  Drop Off The Donations

 
As I declutter I put everything into a box or bag.  When the bag is full I will put it in my car or in my garage.
 
At this point, these things are still in my home or possession.  That means the clutter is still there!
 
Make sure you take a moment to go and drop everything off.  It feels amazing when we see the extra space we created from decluttering.
 
 

Conclusion 11 Ways to Live Like A Minimalist

It can be easy to get caught up in our everyday lives and continue to do the things we’ve always done.
Sometimes it is nice to stop and reevaluate everything that we do and why we do it.
 
Since becoming a minimalist I always try to simplify and stop and think about what I am doing and how I’m spending my time.
 
These are just a few ways to try out minimalism for a week or a month and see how you like it.
 
I have always found that decluttering and becoming more minimal is a snowball effect.  It starts out slow, in the beginning, and gets easier and easier as time goes by.
 

More Minimalist Information:

 

5 Minimalist Myths Holding you Back

21 Minimalist Habits to adopt today

43 Things We Don’t Buy as a Minimalist Family

Try the Stop Doing List

 

Pin Live Like a Minimalist for Later:

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1 thought on “11 Ways to Live Like A Minimalist”

  1. Fiona Clarke

    Hi Shannon, great ideas thank you. I used to have lots of craft hobbies but last year I decided for the season of life that I am in I would just stick to the one I enjoy the most which is cross-stitch. So I gave away scrapbooking supplies to our art teacher friend and donated fabric. I feel much better that I don’t have these other items taking up space.

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