Howdy, all.
I wanted to touch on a subject I haven’t gone too much detail with here – minimalism.
For the past year or two, I’ve downsized. Before we left for Iceland, I got rid of almost everything. I started to understand how much material possessions weigh us down, and the relief that comes with living simplistically.
I’ve shared my insights with a few friends, and they were pleased with their results.
Here are some tips/hard facts that may inspire you:
1. My clothing can’t even fill a dresser.
I’m constantly paring down on clothing. My hard rule: if you haven’t worn it in the past month, ditch it. I only have allowed exceptions for special occasion dressers, but I’m modifying this rule. Out of the 2-3 formal dresses I own, I’ve only worn one in the past three months. They’re headed to consignment this week.
Some have asked – what about winter items? I live in North Carolina, so a winter jacket, a North Face jacket, and a heavy sweater is all I need. You can apply the same rule for yourself, depending on your climate.
2. I wore between 3-4 outfits the entire time we were in Europe.
This had it’s disadvantages. Sometimes I wished I had more options, especially for special events. If you’re strategic about the articles of clothing you have, you can get creative. The yellow pair of shorts you save “just for summer”? I’d guess they only get about 2-3 wears a season. Ditch them for that basic black mini-skirt you don’t want to splurge on. Going off that point…
3. The more you pare down, the more you can spend.
If you’re not wasting your money on endless t-shirts, bras, shoes, and accessories you only “sort of” like, you can save towards higher quality items. I have two pairs of jeans. I’m planning on buying a pair of really nice jeans come November, and trading in another pair to Plato’s Closet. Even if that gives me $6, it’s $6 that goes towards a better pair of jeans.
4. No one really notices what you wear but you.
Hard truth. When I told my co-workers I wear the same things again and again (by doing laundry frequently), they didn’t believe me. Reason? They’re not paying attention to what I’m wearing.
Think of someone you see every day – family member, friend, co-worker, etc. What did they wear last Wednesday? What about yesterday? What about today?
I’d bet that unless it caught your eye, you didn’t notice.
5. Cutting down on possessions give them more value.
The things I have, I really value. I frequently wear a light blue denim button-down shirt. I wear it with skirts, to bed, with jeans. I bought it for $11 at Two Old Gypsies during our trip to Nashville, and it has a lot of value to me. Same goes for my favorite mug, my warm, fluffy white comforter. I don’t get lost in my things anymore.
6. Frequent gut checks give you insight.
If paring down intimidates you, get a storage unit. Take everything you’re on the fence about getting rid of, and put it in the unit for at least a month. Chances are, you really won’t miss it. Perfect way to show you how frequently you actually use that ancient hair curler.
7. Cleaning, laundry and organization is a snap.
It’s not rocket science. The less crap you have, the less you’ll have to clean up and maintain. It doesn’t take me too long to find anything, because I don’t have much.
8. Living simply gets in your head.
Living simpler has made an impact on so many parts of my day to day life. I find myself making decisions a lot easier. Time management is getting easier. I schedule ahead and keep things simple. Prioritizing projects and ideas has become simpler. The mentality of “don’t love it, toss it” has filtered over to my personal and professional life, removing a lot of stress and anxiety from my day to day.
I’ve pared down on my multiple hobbies, tendency to take on too much at once, and has severely changes how often I procrastinate. I can’t explain why, but it’s enabled me to think more strategically.
9. I think *so* much more about how I’m spending money.
Cutting down on material possessions, combined with a kick ass budget spreadsheet Mike made us, has helped me make better financial decisions. It’s easier to rip off the band-aid, and make a pricey bill payment rather than waste money on something unnecessary. I really consider how much I need, or will use something, prior to buying it. I recently passed on buying a $20 crockpot – rationalizing that we were “fine” without it. We really are. Spending a lot of money makes me really uncomfortable now, as it should.
10. I think *so* much more about the worth of things.
Whether it be a new bottle of nail polish, a song on the radio, or a show I can’t stop binge watching – I find myself wondering how much it’ll bring to my life. Will spending $20 on a lunch out really improve my well-being? How will paying $50 to take a boxing class really fit into my budget? It’s so much easier to pass on things when you can confidently access their true worth – their worth to you.