Seven Ways to Start a Minimalist Lifestyle

Editor’s note: This is a guest post by Emma Scheib of Simple Slow & Lovely.

Going minimalist can be a life-changing journey, resulting in a clearer home, and mind for so many people. But getting minimalist isn’t always easy. Some of us really struggle even getting started.

When I started my journey to minimalist living six years ago, I spent hours reading and learning about the benefits of owning less and downsizing. In the end, I was convinced, but frustrated. 

There seemed to be such an unrealistic, unattainable gap between what my life and home looked like and what people who called themselves ‘minimalists’ posted online.

(Sidenote – I’ve learned the hard way that other people’s lives shouldn’t be reduced to those crisp, curated boxes. There’s a very fine line between inspiration and comparison and I know which side I’m better off walking on). 

So I wound up with information overload and analysis paralysis. I couldn’t decide where to start, so I just didn’t.

Obviously, the story doesn’t end there and I did, in fact, start my journey toward a more minimalist lifestyle. I started with my wardrobe and quickly built momentum from there.

Where will YOU start?

But perhaps an overflowing wardrobe isn’t your nemesis like it was for me. Perhaps your clutter and stress come from other places. Like the piles of paper on the desk and dining table. Or your calendar that seems to be consistently overflowing. 

You can’t switch to a minimalist lifestyle overnight, but you CAN start somewhere.

Baby steps, my friends. 

Here are 7 baby steps to start a minimalist lifestyle:

1. Go paperless

I love handwriting on pretty notepads with my favorite pen or pencil. But this is not the most efficient way to keep notes of any form. Those tiny scraps of paper in your back pocket, wallet, and glovebox are just clutter that needs dealing with eventually.

Ditch the handwritten scraps for carefully chosen apps on your phone where you can. I use Todoist for all my ‘to do’ lists for life admin and work, Google Calendar for a dairy, and Evernote for scanning bills and other important documents.

2. Keep a lean calendar 

Clutter doesn’t always come in the form of physical items. Too many appointments, social events, and to-dos represent cluttered time and mental space. 

Check in with your big goals, and values (individually, and as a family) on a regular basis and let this be the base from which you build out your calendar. I regularly remind myself, “I don’t have to do all the things, for all the people, all the time.” 

3. Use the 1-in-1-out rule

Always consider the 1-in-1-out rule when making any new purchases. Purchase a new pair of jeans? Get rid of the old ones. New coffee mugs? Out with the old ones.

The rule is simple, the trick is in remembering it, and acting as soon as possible. If you don’t want to be making multiple trips to charity shops every week, keep a box or bag in your car or garage. When it’s full, drop it off.

Of note, there are a few of us special ones who like to ensure these items get to ‘see’ a variety of places before finding their new homes. This is perfectly fine. When you can’t fit any more boxes in your car boot you’ll finally drop them off. 

4. Resist trends

Here’s a minimalist insider tip – hot trends don’t last and usually just wind up cold clutter. Chasing current trends will also have a detrimental impact on your budget. 

In the interest of complete transparency, I might be currently following this hot trend of indoor plants. I’m going to stop short of telling you that plants are clutter (because quite frankly, they aren’t) but, nevertheless, they are still a trend, and they are still taking up space in your home, and budget. 

(I never said I was a perfect minimalist).

5. Don’t procrastinate

I love this quote from Barbara Hemphill, author of Less Clutter More Life: “Clutter is nothing more than postponed decisions.” Much of my clutter represents my ever-present struggle with procrastination. 

The end of my kitchen bench is a prime example of this. There are a few items, a deck of cards, a gift that needs sending, and a gift I received. I am procrastinating because after downsizing our home last year, I know that finding forever homes for these items involves a juggle. And the gift that needs sending means waiting in a long line thanks to Covid. 

So there it sits. Cluttering up my bench. 

What I need to do is learn to eat the frog. In a nutshell, it means starting your day with the tasks you don’t want to do but really need to. The difficult ones will likely sit on your list for a week or more. This kind of clutter can feel like a heavy weight in our minds. There’s nothing worse than having tasks you’ve procrastinated on for months.

6. Learn to say no

(Otherwise known as creating strong boundaries.)

This is my JAM people! I’ll never stop with this one, and I’m not sorry. Why? Because for years I lived saying yes when I wanted and needed to say a loud no. And the consequences? Burn out.

There are two sides to this though. You may find, if you are like me, that the first person you need to learn to say no to is yourself. 

A common side-effect of the high achieving perfectionist is the inability to say no and guard our time. Please remember, time is non-refundable. You don’t get it back. Ever. Learn to say no to yourself and to others, and do it soon. 

7. Lower your expectations

And if you are a perfectionist or recovering perfectionist, I’d love to encourage you to start lowering your expectations. Like really lower them.

Your kids are NOT going to remember the week they had chicken nuggets three times in a row. But they will remember the afternoon you spent playing ball with them (instead of slaving over the stove). 

Minimize the things that aren’t important to make room for what really is. 

A minimalist lifestyle can be incredibly rewarding and freeing. But it’s also a lifelong commitment. You won’t wake up minimalist and never have a cluttered kitchen bench again. 

But you can wake up with a fresh commitment to starting again every morning. 

To choosing experiences and connection over things. To finding contentment and joy with a ‘good enough’ approach. 

Start today. I’ll cheer you on.

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Emma Scheib is a mom, writer, and lives in New Zealand. Her blog, Simple Slow & Lovely, helps people live a slower, simpler, and intentional life, based on their values. Connect with her on Facebook & Instagram.

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I want to help you design a simple, intentional life! I’ve created a 30-day course that will guide and inspire you to make actual change in your life by decluttering your home, heart and schedule. It’s time to live focused on what matters! Learn more HERE.