Life gets messy.
Between a busy work schedule and personal responsibilities, things start to pile up — whether those are physical items like dirty dishes and old nick-nacks or mental ones like overdue tasks and unread emails.
A minimalist lifestyle can help you clean up the extra clutter, guiding you to keep only the things you need. It can give you deeper mental clarity, reduce stress, and ultimately enhance your overall well-being.
Embracing minimalist tips and living with less doesn’t mean getting rid of all your things or living with the bare minimum. The long-term goal is to audit bad habits and thoughtfully assess what you truly need. By prioritizing the things that add meaning to your life, you enhance efficiency and emotional balance.
What’s minimalism?
Minimalism is a movement with the goal of reducing physical and mental clutter on an individual basis. People who practice it own fewer items and try to find more purpose in the things they own or practice, developing enhanced organizational skills to guide day-to-day decisions more efficiently.
To better understand the concept, here are some examples of what a minimalist person is or sometimes looks like in pop culture. They’re someone who:
- Lives in a small home, cutting down on space and possessions and saving time on maintenance
- Carefully manages a budget, allowing them to invest and save money to develop a stronger financial foundation for the future
- Prioritizes experiences over material possessions, choosing to invest in hobbies and quality time with loved ones rather than accumulating items
- Avoids unnecessary digital distractions, like excessive social media or cell phone use, to focus on more fulfilling free time activities
- Only purchases reusable products and builds personal responsibility about adopting more sustainable habits that create less waste
- Adopts organizational routines to improve efficiency and avoid burnout, like putting items away after using them or breaking the day up into different productivity blocks
5 benefits of minimalism
Lifestyle changes are never easy. They require patience, flexibility, and careful planning. To help you take the plunge and learn how to live as a minimalist, here are five benefits to consider:
1. Less clutter, less stress
Messy spaces aren’t just inconvenient. An article in Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin reports that mess creates cognitive overloads that signal the release of the stress hormone cortisol, which pushes your body out of its natural homeostasis.
Over time, chronic and acute stress negatively impacts your body and mind, from decreasing your memory function to lowering the effectiveness of your nervous system. Keeping a clean space is one simple step to supporting better physical and mental health.
2. Improved collaboration
Arriving late for work because you lost track of your keys, or losing time searching through stacks of disorganized documents, are avoidable time-wasters. These bad habits could end up poorly reflecting your work ethic and reputation. Relationships are built on trust and respect, and streamlining your spaces could help you show up for the people who depend on you.
3. Enhanced productivity and focus
Your brain is constantly processing information and stimuli, and the more physical objects you have in your space, the harder your brain works to filter them out, according to research from the Journal of Neuroscience. The extra work can make you tired and reduce your productivity. Organizing and avoiding clutter saves you time and mental effort.
4. Happier life
Insights from Social Indicators Research reveal that satisfaction with your standard of living helps define your life satisfaction. Materialists might define their standard of living based on how they perceive their wealth or material possessions, while minimalists might define it as happiness or contentment with what they have. The latter fosters a culture of gratitude that can make you overall happier.
5. Better budget
For many households, the cost of food, housing, and healthcare have increased exponentially faster than wages, according to a report from CBS that analyzes data from 2022. Buying less and selling items you no longer use can help you save. By spending your paycheck on functional items and experiences, you have extra money for saving or investing in your financial wellness.
How to be minimalist: 24 tips
Becoming minimalist doesn’t have to happen overnight. In fact, it’s best as a slow process, giving you time to self-reflect and be intentional about what habits and items you decide to get rid of. Here’s how to live a simpler, more minimal life:
1. Figure out your priorities
There’s no one-size-fits-all method to live life with more calm and clarity. Take some time to journal or meditate on your goals. You may want to improve your relationships with more bonding experiences, create a savings plan, or be more organized at work. Goal-setting and prioritization will give you the clarity you need to build an action plan.
2. Start small
Sweeping changes can start with little advances, whether you’re starting over in life or creating better habits. Trying to do too much at once can exhaust and demotivate you. On the flip side, small daily or weekly achievements can fill you with the reward sensation that motivates you to keep going. If you want a more organized office space, you can clean your desk one week and adjust your shelves the next.
3. Appreciate what you have
Social media algorithms or toxic people can trick you into comparing yourself to others. Try to focus on yourself instead. Start your day by writing down something you’re thankful for, like being happy with your job or spending quality time with family. The gratitude practice can put you in a good mood and remind you about what’s important to you in life.
4. Declutter everyday
Keep your spaces neat by putting things away once you’re done with them and regularly removing unnecessary items. Try developing an end-of-day decluttering routine so you always start the next day with a fresh, clean space.
5. Organize your space
Once you’ve eliminated things you don’t need, organize your space with filing systems, clear storage containers, and designated spaces for every object. You’ll avoid potential clutter and know where everything is when you need it.
6. Build a capsule wardrobe
Chasing fashion trends can strain your wallet, overstuff your closet, and contribute to unsustainable consumerism. Instead, try building a capsule closet: a selection of versatile items that you can mix and match with one another, emphasizing functionality and personal style over trends. And an extra benefit of having less clothing is less time debating your outfit during your morning routine.
7. Digitize documents
According to a 2021 report from Forbes, American businesses waste $8 billion on managing paper each year, despite digitization. Storing important documents electronically in a centralized platform, whether at work or at home, can save you time searching for documents and encourage easier information-sharing. It also keeps them safe from damage and frees up physical space.
8. Invest in multi-functional items
Choosing products that serve multiple purposes can minimize the number of objects you need. All-in-one printers or universal docking stations can eliminate bulky machinery or cables that create eyesores. And choosing collaboration tools that combine messaging, file sharing, and project management can also improve teamwork.
9. Use organization apps
To-do lists, calendars, and task management apps can help you stay on top of your daily routine and eliminate mental clutter. Keeping track of your schedule gives you more clarity to focus on your work and ensure you don’t fall behind or miss a commitment.
10. Repair broken items
It’s tempting to toss broken objects and start from scratch with something new. But repairing them can save you money and eliminate waste. Sweep through your home and office and evaluate what damaged or broken objects need some attention. Fixing your possessions is a great way to both live more sustainably and build valuable soft skills like resourcefulness and creative problem-solving.
11. Monitor your screen time
The time you spend on your phone or computer also contributes to mental clutter. Install a focus app, program quiet modes on your phone, or turn off push notifications to help reduce your screen time. A digital detox can improve your sleep schedule and build a better work-life balance, giving you mental space to focus and spend time on activities that truly bring you happiness.
12. Invest in experiences
Minimalism doesn’t have to equate to strict frugality or a boring lifestyle. It just means spending your time and money with more intention. If you want to limit material goods while also adding joy to your life, focus on experiences. Spending time on enriching hobbies or interacting with your loved ones will create deeper bonds and lasting memories that can make life more meaningful.
13. Choose quality over quantity
Although quality items may cost more in the short term, they pay off in the long run. Quality products may perform better and last longer than their cheaper counterparts, which reduces the future costs of maintenance or replacement. Whether investing in a new computer, office chair, or clothing item, aim for finding something excellent over several of an item.
14. Encourage community sharing
You don’t need to own everything, especially with items you don’t use frequently. Renting books from the library, swapping tools with friends, or sharing software licenses with coworkers can reduce unnecessary duplicates and waste. Likewise, giving and receiving generosity improves relationships and builds community.
15. Practice mindfulness
Impulse purchases might fill you with a temporary burst of satisfaction, but it wanes until the next impulse buy. Mindfulness practices like self-reflection and gratitude can help you better understand your core values and avoid those impulses. They give you the space to reprioritize how you spend your money and time.
16. One in, one out
Many minimalists follow a “One in, one out” rule to avoid impulse buys. When purchasing a new item, habitually donate one you already own. If you’re buying a new sweater for fall, give away one you never wear, or reflect on whether you actually need something new. This can help you avoid unnecessary purchases and save space in your home.
17. Donate
An object you no longer need can serve an important purpose for someone else. When cleaning your freezer, closet, or office space, consult with community centers or organizations and see if your items can help them out. The satisfaction you get from helping out someone else may be the push you need to declutter your space.
18. Put it on the calendar
Declutter regularly, whether that’s every two months or an annual spring cleaning. Scheduling it into your calendar will ensure you turn cleanliness into a habit, and it tells the people around you when you plan on decluttering so they can help.
19. Build a budget
Create a personalized budget that identifies fixed, variable, and discretionary expenses to avoid spending money on things you don’t need. Placing clear guidelines and expectations on your spending habits will help you think twice before purchasing something, aligning your finances with your goals.
20. Track your spending
Along with your budget, try to write down every purchase you make. This helps you build a deeper awareness of how often and how much you spend, creating accountability and prompting self-reflection. Carefully read your monthly bank statements to ensure you eliminate subscriptions or services you don’t use, whether a newsletter, gym membership, or streaming service.
21. Reroute meaningless expenses
Rather than spending your cash on new clothes each month or buying a new phone with every update, put that money into your savings or retirement fund. Seeing your money consistently grow can make it easier to say no to a new pair of shoes.
22. Track your progress
Journaling your feelings about your minimalist habits can help you stay motivated and reflect on practices you might want to improve. Write down the positive impact of a tidy space and better habits on your life. This self-reflection can be a powerful motivating force, filling you with a sense of accomplishment and pride in your self-improvement.
23. Find your calm
For some, impulse purchases are a quick fix when something overwhelms them or causes stress. If you want to treat yourself to relieve a bad mood, try to place that energy elsewhere and create better habits. Practice yoga, meditation, or deep breathing exercises to realign yourself.
24. Connect with others
If you’re having a tough time living with fewer things, check out some self-help books, podcasts, and TED Talks to inspire you. The wisdom and experiences of others can show you what your goals look like in practice. Professional organizer Marie Kondo’s Netflix show “Tidying Up” and famous minimalist Joshua Becker’s book The More of Less are great places to start.
Simplify your life
Whether you want to purge your apartment or develop more conscious spending habits, a minimalist lifestyle can help you get closer to the life you want.
Remember to take it easy on yourself. Letting go of objects and developing new habits takes time and patience — and a few mistakes along the way. But decluttering, mindfulness, and simplicity will help you organize your space, leaving more room to focus on the things that are important to you.
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