For so many of us, the most difficult part about making a lifestyle change is not knowing the answer to one simple question: How do I start?
To find the answer when it came to a new approach to their home, one person turned to the r/Minimalism subreddit. "I would like to start decluttering more, and have the house more bare for my own mental health. Where do I start?" they asked.
In response, many minimalism enthusiasts jumped in with their own stories and advice.
"I did clothes first. Then bathrooms. I took a weekend to then go through my entire kitchen food first, then supplies and utensils," one person said. "These are three daily use regions that are fairly utilitarian (although clothes require some mental gymnastics to get over certain jumps like sentimental value and understanding sunk cost fallacy). After these three areas were dealt with over three separate weekends things got easier to manage."
Another agreed with this approach. "Start small!" they encouraged. "I will break my projects down into a smaller task like just focusing on cleaning out the bathroom cabinet. It usually will lead to me doing more."
One person took a broader view, framing it as a matter of philosophy. "I think your two basic options are: 1. The Konmari style approach where you select the things you actually like and discard the rest. 2. The Fumio Sasaki approach where you toss out everything by default and then re-buy if you really need it."
But another chimed in, saying, "Alternatively you can use a box instead of a trash can. Put everything in boxes, if you dont pull it out of the box to use with in a certain amount of time (a month) then it goes in the trash/donation/gift pile."
And importantly, one person said, take things one step at a time.
"Don't give in to temptation to start into another area until you're done with this one," they advised. "Take time to enjoy the results; it is fuel to continue the next one."Â
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Every few months 💪 Opting for a minimalist-inspired lifestyle is not only an excellent way to soothe your mental state by eliminating clutter — it also helps you save and even earn money when you do. As an added benefit, the fewer unnecessary items you buy, the less unnecessary waste and corresponding pollution you're contributing to the planet.
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