How people decide to become minimalist differ; most often than not, it all starts with an awakening moment of realization of one’s belongings and a sense of self-questioning “why?” Regardless of where you are in our new journey to minimalism, I recommend a few good practices that worked quite well for me.
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Donate: The freedom that comes with getting rid of unused things is unparalleled. Besides, donations can give you a great deduction on your annual income tax. That’s more money for your savings or for an experience that will truly make a difference in your life.
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Switch to digital: Instead of printed books, magazines, switch to e-books and donate your printed ones to a school or community center. Note that most magazines make most of their content freely available online, no need to pay for subscriptions.
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Sustainability: You should seriously consider purchasing needed items in sustainable materials/options. Last thing we want is to add more to landfill and negatively impact the environment. Even basic items such as toilet paper, paper towels, etc. come in tree-free, sustainable formats like bamboo. Moreover, avoid apparel with stretch fabrics and non-iron finishes. They're bad for your skin and for the environment.
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Less is more: You heard this a million times before, right? The media is trying to influence us to buy more by creating fake needs. Example? You only need one or two cleaning chemicals for your entire home (in glass bottles, please). You can use your all-purpose cleaner as a dish cleaner. Same approach applies to skincare and other things too.
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Vocabulary: Remember this, we do not depend on things. On your journey to minimalism, you will drop from your vocabulary statements like "Holy grail", "Can’t live without", "Obsessed", "I depend on", or "Must have". That’s freedom!
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In doubt: If you’re hesitant in buying an item, you may use a shortcut I created for myself long time ago: Divide the price by your hourly rate and see how many total hours it takes you to earn that money. Is it worth it? More likely than not, the answer is a NO.
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Be your authentic self: Just because a celebrity you love wears it, owns it and looks amazing in it, doesn’t mean you will too. Know thyself, celebrate your uniqueness and who you are.