Minimalist tips for beginners help you enjoy a clutter-free life. Due to instant gratification, many of us have the habit of collecting things.
I’m in my 20s and I’ve understood that minimalism helps me to live my life to the fullest by making it simple. So slowly I’m learning about the minimal lifestyle and adapting it.
As I’m practically implementing some easy minimalist tips as a beginner, I would like to share them with you also in this current blog. So let’s know more about minimalism and bring some positive changes in life.
29 Minimalist Tips for Beginners to Bring POSITIVE CHANGES in Your Life
I feel that a minimal lifestyle is a powerful lifestyle that helps to save money as well as life gets extremely beautiful and simple.
I’ve been walking on the path of frugality that helped me to save money. Now, along with frugality, I’m inculcating the minimalism concept in my life.
1. Make your POCKET Light
Start with your pocket. Do not carry multiples of credit and debit cards. Make sure you have only one credit card if necessary.
Well, you can cancel your extra cards. Make your pocket light. This will also help you to make your shopping simple.
2. Create an Organized MINIMALISTIC Room for You
Suddenly you are not expected to throw everything out of your house to be minimalist. Start with your own room. Make a rule – one room at a time.
Start to organize the things in your room and make it clutter-free.
3. Stop having MULTIPLES of everything
I’ve seen that some youngsters use 2 smartphones. Even I’ve seen that in one house people set more than one TV set. So you make sure you avoid having multiples of everything.
Trust me, you don’t actually need multiples. One smartphone, one TV set is enough. Have a clear mindset of avoiding multiples.
4. Analyse how often do you USE any particular thing that’s there at your home
Even if there is a little thing like a particular magazine or guitar at the corner of your room then see how often you use them. If you are not using them, then eliminate those things.
It’s very common that some people have impulse buying behaviors. That may be buying a guitar or any random magazine. But they don’t use them. As a minimalist, it’s time to declutter such things and also avoid impulse buying behaviour.
5. Say Goodbye to Your Some Pairs of Shoes
If there is a big shoe rack at your home with so many pairs of shoes, now it’s time to say goodbye to some old shoes that you don’t use anymore.
Also, you don’t need 20 pairs of shoes. I feel 2-3 pairs of shoes are more than enough for anyone unless your profession is related to the fashion industry.
6. Make a rule of ‘ONE IN- ONE OUT’
Make a clear rule that whenever you buy or bring something home then you will sell out or eliminate some other thing at home. This helps you to maintain a clutter-free life as a minimalist.
For example, if you want to buy a new book then you have to eliminate something in your room like your old magazine or a set of old newspapers or something else.
7. SELL OUT your TV if you really don’t need it
I’ve realized that nowadays TV is replaced by Netflix and YouTube. Also, working men or women do not have much time to watch TV.
So if you do not feel the need of TV at your home then you can sell out your TV. You can stay updated with news on your smartphone or laptop.
8. PICK A NUMBER that makes your life simple
Decide the number of daily essential things. Decide how many t-shirts, pair of jeans, socks do you need. If you need 10 shirts and 4 pairs of jeans then keep them. Do not overcrowd your cupboard with more clothing.
You have to pick a number for everything, towels, bedsheet, pillows etc. This will help you to stay organized.
9. Make use of the digital world whenever possible to AVOID EXTRA CLUTTER
You don’t need to keep a lot of photos, photo frames, CDs with a DVD player for movies. Nowadays you can shift to the digital world. You can keep all the pictures and photos on the USB.
You can use a laptop or PC to watch movies instead of depending on CDs with a DVD player. You will get a lot of extra space if you follow this.
10. Question yourself whenever you want to BUY something
When you scroll any online store or even visit a mall then do not hurry to buy everything that attracts you. Every time ask yourself questions -“Do I need this?” “Will this add value to my life?”
Such questioning habits will bring clarity about needs and wants. You should buy those things that are essential and add value to your life.
11. Focus on QUALITY instead of Quantity
Minimalists always focus on quality rather than quantity. You should also slowly adapt to this. Look for and bag long-lasting and durable products instead of falling for low-quality products at cheaper prices.
Well, it is worth paying for quality that lasts longer. Whereas, if you buy collect a lot of things without checking the quality then those products may not be durable.
12. DONATE the food that you have extra yet fresh
When it comes to leftover food or extra food, either you should use them or you can donate that. But do not waste by throwing.
You may have extra food items that are about to reach its expiry date. So if you feel you can not make use of those food items then just donate that. Make sure next time you do not store a lot of extra food, which is not necessary.
13. Don’t have TOO many Toiletries
If you already have too many bottles of shampoo and soaps then do not make any new purchases for some time. Add everything that is not useful. Throw an old set of toothpaste that is expired, old used toothbrush etc.
Keep only those toiletries that are useful. Do not clutter your bathroom shelf.
14. CREATE FILES for your bills and mails
Monthly bills and mails are important. But you are not expected to keep old bills that you have already paid. So eliminate old paid bills such as water bill, telephone bill etc. Let’s make it clutter-free.
Adap for filing system and keep all the recent, important bills and mails. Minimalism means limiting things and keeping only important, necessary things.
15. ELIMINATE Kitchen Tools That You Don’t Use
The kitchen is an important part of everyone’s home. And minimalist’s kitchen does not mean that you have to remove every kitchen appliances from your kitchen.
Just eliminate those kitchen tools and appliances that you do not use. And also you may extra things in the kitchen like too many cups, plates, spoons etc. So pack and keep aside such extra items that you don’t need daily.
16. Keep CLUTTER in check
Keep clutter in check so that you stay organized as a minimalist. You don’t need to do it on a daily basis. But schedule it once a month or once for two months.
Knowingly or unknowingly sometimes we add unwanted things and make unnecessary purchases. So it is necessary to keep clutter in check as a beginner who is adapting to minimalism.
17. Don’t fall for a BIG HOUSE
In countries like the US, people think that having a big house is necessary and this represents status. In reality, there are no such things. So do not fall for this concept of having a big house.
Minimalists do not opt for a big house. They know that this is not a need. So they look for a small house that they actually need. So you should also know that it is better to have a small house. This helps to save money also you can maintain it very well.
18. Know the true meaning of NEED and WANT
Nowadays online shopping is trending and people are not able to find the difference between a need and want. Especially youngsters get trapped in online shopping and buy a lot of unwanted stuff.
But as a minimalist, you should try to understand the true meaning of needs and wants. Remember, everything that attracts you to a shopping mall or an online store is not your need.
19. Stay grounded in NUMBERS when it comes to blanket and pillows
I’ve visited some homes where they have a more sofa set and pillows. Well, the decoration is a good thing. But I feel that one should not place a lot of pillows and couch. This eats your space and also create clutter.
Also, you don’t need to keep a lot of blankets in your room. Just stay grounded in numbers. Decide each blanket for each member of the family. Pack extra blankets and keep aside.
20. Keep a LIST of Your PURCHASES
Budgeting is important. Also, it is important to keep a list of your purchases. Now you are a beginner and learning about minimalism. Make a list of your purchases.
Also, keep your recent lists without misplacing it. And in future days just try to minimize your list. For example now if you are buying 20 things, then next time reduce the number by eliminating unnecessary things.
21. Focus on EXPERIENCES rather than COLLECTING THINGS
The secret of minimalists for saving money is that they focus more on experiences rather than collecting things. If you offer traveling and a big house to minimalist then minimalist choose traveling.
As a beginner, you should also start to give importance to life experiences such as traveling, learning new skills, becoming independent etc. In reality, for minimalists experiences matter more than materialistic things.
22. SPEND quality time with your loved ones instead of getting distracted by MATERIALISTIC things
Spend time with your loved ones. Have conversations with your friends, family, spouse. Minimalists always prioritize this.
From now onwards you can also start to prioritize these things. Get attached to your loved ones rather than getting attached to materialistic things.
23. Get rid of all the UNWANTED SUBSCRIPTIONS
Check whether you have any unwanted subscriptions for a newspaper, magazine, any subscriptions for entertainment. You can unsubscribe them.
A few years ago I subscribed to some type of monthly magazines but I found that I was not reading them completely, later I unsubscribed that. In this way, you may also find many unnecessary subscriptions. So get rid of such subscriptions.
24. Pay attention to your health and fitness, health is the GREATEST WEALTH
Minimalists choose some particular things that add value to life, fitness is one among them. Minimalists know the true value of this life. And they prioritize health instead of spending money on hospital bills later.
So as a beginner you should also take care of yourself. Focus on fitness and health. Inculcate healthy eating habits as well.
25. Have LESS grooming tools and FEWER cosmetics
Grooming is a part of life especially youngsters pay more attention to this. But one should not overindulge in this. You don’t need to buy every grooming tools and cosmetics.
Have fewer tools and cosmetics that are really necessary. Do not bump all the beauty products in your cupboard. You may not use everything that you buy.
26. Practice Mindfulness and STOP the feeling of NEED MORE
Be in the moment and enjoy the present moment. Even I’m learning more about mindfulness and practicing it in my life.
As you want to be a minimalist, mindfulness helps you to make your mind clutter-free and you live a meaningful life. This will help you to understand that you actually do not need to acquire a lot of things to be peaceful and happy in life.
27. Set a Routine and Have a Time Table
You will witness a hunger change in your life when you create a routine and have a time table. Imagine you don’t need to bother about what to wear, what to cook, etc. Don’t you feel very relaxed? Of course, when you have a routine you make your life easy for yourself.
When you clearly know what tasks you have to do and set your things like what to wear and what to cook then your chances of buying unnecessary things will be reduced. You don’t buy a lot of trading clothes or impulse buying at grocery stores.
28. Travel more, get experience but don’t collect the things
I appreciate the quality of minimalists of focusing more on experiences like traveling, learning skills etc. At the same time as a beginner if you choose to travel more then you should also give importance to minimalism.
Visit a lot of places, feel the beauty of this nature. But make sure whenever you visit any new places don’t buy a lot of stuff from the market unless it is any GI (Geographical indication) product or something special.
29. Understand the 80/20 RULE that will help you to ELIMINATE CLUTTER at home
The 80/20 rule is also known as the Pareto principle. According to this 80/20 rule we all get 80% of the benefits from 20% of things. And also we use mostly 20% of the things 80% times.
For example, you may have observed that you wear some of your t-shirts or a pair of jeans more even you have other sets of clothing. So you can eliminate unnecessary things by using this 80/20 rule. This is a very powerful and effective rule.
How to Be Minimalist? – One Step at a Time
As a beginner take simple steps to be minimalist. Start to note down your needs and avoid unnecessary purchases. Initially, you may not adapt to minimalism easily. But it’s ok, just go on practicing the minimalist concept.
Start to implement minimalist tips for beginners and see which things work for you. Do not expect that in one day or a week you become a minimalist. Have patience and enjoy this new journey, a new lifestyle.