In our society, we are accustomed to a lifestyle where material items make us feel satisfied with our lives. We buy new things because we want them, not because we need them. We end up having so much, that we don’t know what to do with all of it. For as long as I can remember, I have lived a minimalist lifestyle. Maybe not an extreme minimalist, but I typically only buy myself things I need. Here are three tips I’ve come up with to help live a more minimalist lifestyle.
1. Separate wants from needs
I know this sounds obvious, but at times when we’re out shopping, or looking at things online, we tend to lose ourselves in our wants and needs. For me, the easiest way to separate my wants and needs is by asking myself a simple question: Will I actually use this, and appreciate it in my life?
I try my best to buy things that I will use and that have meaning in my everyday life. Of course, we all buy things we may not need, but if you separate your wants and needs, it makes living a minimalist lifestyle easier.
2. Don’t buy something in the moment
We have all walked into a store or seen something online and thought it was cute, or that we really wanted and bought it without a second thought. A lot of the time, those items are things we may use or wear one or twice and end up sitting in a closet forever. Typically, if I go into a store and see something new that I want, I wait and think about it, and I end up not needing it. Doing this has saved me so much money and space in my room. And if I do end up really wanting that item, I know it’ll be in the store or online for when I do spoil myself, which brings me to my next and final point.
3. It’s okay to buy things you want (in quantity)
It may seem hard to only buy the things you need at first, but of course it’s okay to spoil yourself in your wants. I buy myself plants all the time, and while I don’t necessarily need them, they are something that bring joy into my life, which I count as a need. Anything that brings you joy or fulfillment in your life is something you can (and should) allow yourself to delve into. Of course, be careful and make sure these things actually bring you joy, and not quick happiness, which is another habit many of us fall into. Buy things that make you enjoy your life more every day.
It’s not easy transitioning into a minimalist lifestyle. Many of us struggle with the idea of consumerism, as that is the way society has portrayed happy lives to us. I’ve found that having less things, but all of your items having meaning allows you to live a more fulfilling life. Minimalism doesn’t always mean only owning 40 or 50 personal items; it means living a life surrounded by the things that serve a purpose in your life, whether it is for happiness, careers, hobbies, etc. Don’t get hung up in the numbers. Remember that surrounding yourself by things you love makes you a more productive and happy self.