Going Minimalist: Top 4 Tips for Minimalist Living

Did you know the average U.S. household has about 300,000 items?

Which brings us to the question, how much does a person need to own to find satisfaction and fulfillment? If you’re a baby boomer, you probably want to gather as many material things as possible. If you’re a millennial, however, you want a simple, clutter-free life. Which means you’re an aspiring minimalist.

Today, minimalism is much more than a noble lifestyle. It’s a movement. It’s a pursuit of happiness.

And if you’re looking to join this movement, we don’t want you feeling lost.

Here are four minimalist living tips to get you started

1. Shift Your Attitude Towards Life

Minimalist living is as much a state of mind as it is a physical lifestyle.

If you’re pursuing minimalism because it’s a trend or the people closest to you are doing it, you’re bound to fail. Minimalism begins with a shift of your attitude towards life. You have to believe that less is more. That your soul craves meaning, not wealth or affluence.

Once you’re a minimalist in mind and at heart, you’re good to kick it into your physical living.

2. Your Space Defines Your Minimalism

You wouldn’t spot a minimalist by how they walk or drink their latte. You know a minimalist when you walk into their living space.

Evaluate your space, be it a tiny house, condo or a single-family detached home, and identify the change you can make to declutter. Start with your closet. Are there clothes and shoes you no longer wear, or items you only wear on certain occasions? Get rid of those.

Move into the kitchen and every other space in your house and do the same. If you have an office, give it the minimalist treatment, too.

Keep in mind, though, the goal isn’t to have as little as possible. It’s to get rid of what you don’t need and be comfortable with what remains.

3. Put Thought into Your Purchases

Impulse shopping is one of life’s pleasures; one that tempts even the staunchest ambassadors of minimalist living.

If you are to stay true to the cause, this is a pleasure you must resist and overcome. The way to do so is to stop and think before you make a purchase.

How will that item fit into your life? Is it another version of something you already have? Is it something you’ll use long into the future?

Ultimately, every new purchase should not only be necessary, but high quality.

This, by the way, applies to intangible goods, too. Things like video streaming services. You don’t need Hulu, Netflix, HBO, and whatnot to satisfy the movie buff in you. One is enough.

4. Travel. A Lot.

The powers of traveling are well documented: Good for your health, broadens your horizons, boosts your confidence.

Now, traveling also helps you develop a minimalist lifestyle.

When you travel a lot, you realize your bags are a nuisance. You only want to wake up and go hunting for beautiful views – not worry about suitcases. Over time, you learn to carry as little as possible. You learn to be a minimalist.

So, folks, travel when you can. Go to Spain. Dine in the City of Lights. Scale Dubai’s skyscrapers. Go everywhere.

Minimalist Living Is Happy Living

The allure of material possessions and prestige isn’t going away any time soon. However, minimalist living, fueled by millennials in a relentless pursuit of experiences, purpose, and happiness, is on the rise.

Millennials often have their way. Don’t they?

Keep tabs on our blog for more lifestyle tips.