Minimalist Living: How To Start Living A Simplified Lifestyle

How To Start Living A More Minimal Lifestyle – Article by: APARTMENTTHERAPY.COM

“A minimalist lifestyle is not for everyone. But in this hectic world, many of us feel that call — to have less, to spend less, to do less, to need less. Where does one start on the path to minimalism? We’ve got the beginner’s road map for getting on a path to living a more simple, minimal lifestyle at home (and in life). No one single post will magically make you into a minimalist instantly, but these ideas are a good place to start you on your journey.”

“Decide how your home can help you live a more minimalist lifestyle: Your quest for a more minimal lifestyle might point you in the direction of a smaller or simplified home. This is a big step for folks who own or rent homes, but not impossible. Again, start with a goal of what you want — be specific. Not sure what you want? If you’re looking for an apartment, start navigating to the Canary Wharf Apartments website. Do some traveling — and look to stay in homes in the size range you’re thinking about. You’ll be able to visualize your future life easier if it’s a size you can downsize to. Or perhaps the size and type of your home is okay but it’s what’s in it…”

“Declutter: This seems pretty obvious, but it can be the most painful step for folks who have a real attachment to many of their items. Start slow and intentionally. Throw out or donate everything you obviously don’t need first. Then take and hide everything you think you could do without for a few months, to give yourself distance to be able to give them away. Then use that motivation to gather the courage to take decluttering as extreme as works for your dream, minimal lifestyle. Keep reminding yourself that stripping away as much stuff from your life will make it easier to achieve a more simple life and allow you to have more freedom. You don’t have to only live with a bed and a laptop; again, you get to decide what living more minimally means to you.”

“Invest in high-quality: When you do have (or want) to buy something new, splurge on high-quality items that are meaningful for you. Remember that it might be nicer to have a sparse home filled with dreamy designs you adore versus full of things you just sort of like. But also remember that, again, you define what minimal means.”

Read More @ http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/seeking-simplicity-how-to-start-living-a-more-minimal-lifestyle-210936

Re-edited from a post originally published 10.5.2014 – NT