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We have all seen the way Minimalism has been seeping through everything in life, from furniture to fashion, to music, and even visual arts; all lead it to become the dominant style in modern arts.
However, Minimalism was not meant to be an aesthetic trend; it originated as a lifestyle concept to simplify and declutter the noise out of our lives. A means to an end, if you may.
Let me elaborate on that:
Studies have shown that the busier the view your eyes see, the more active your mind becomes and the less efficient and peaceful it is.
A simple picture of that; you working on a messy desk in a messy room, and the work is dragging!
You tidy everything up and voila, suddenly your mind is refreshed and what took 2 hours only needed 1 to finish.
It is precisely like this: the more input your eyes get, the more paths and threads your brain gets. So do yourself a favour and give your mind just the one thread to function optimally with Minimalism.
Wondering how to do that? It’ll take you some time since you’re not a magician, but here are some easy initiatives to follow for the minimalist lifestyle:
Start with your wardrobe!
You know when you open your closet, and you’re welcomed by a big splash of colour and clothes that haven’t been used in a while and won’t be used, but for some reason you keep them?
That’s our goal there! Declutter your wardrobe by getting rid of all the items you don’t use anymore, this can be done through stages, but you’ll get there, I know that because this was my experience.
I am one of those people who hoard clothes and don’t let go of them, thinking I might need them for an outfit later -never happens!- so It took me many stages to finally get to a point where I look at my closet and see only things I wear. It saves me time in the morning, and it is a RELIEF.
Rethink that new purchase
Think twice before buying new things, you don’t want another decorative item that will neither add to the room, have a functionality, nor save storage.
Next time you pick have these qualifications in mind: compact doesn’t eat up an entire room and can be moved when needed.
Lose what you haven’t used in 6 months
If you have an item that is taking up space, but you also haven’t used for 6 months or more, give it away or sell it!
Stop Hoarding Boxes and Broken things
Now, I know you keep all the boxes and bags that your delivery came in, I do that too! And it’s always something like: “but the box is so neat”, or “the bag looks luxurious”. I won’t even get started on the amount of stuff I keep when it breaks because “ I’ll fix it later” or “I can still use it like that”. Hoarding will not do you any favours or me, it’s just going to take up space until they swallow us whole, so as a general rule, don’t hoard.
Organize, Organize, Organize!
To begin to sort all of what we mentioned out, you’re going to have to organize all your belongings to know what you have and what you don’t. And after decluttering, you’re going to need to know where all your stuff is so that when the time comes for another decluttering session, you know what to kick out.
“Keep only those things that speak to your heart. Then take the plunge and discard all the rest. By doing this, you can reset your life and embark on a new lifestyle.”
-Marie Kondo
Remember, Minimalism is a lifestyle, and it won’t come naturally to you. Still, if you want a simpler home, a simpler cleaning routine, and a tidier mind, you’ll make the many small efforts and decisions that come with it. I as I write right now, am not done with what I am preaching, but I am encouraging myself and you, to lead a life that lacks the mania of purchasing that followed with capitalism, so good luck to us!
You what.. I agree with you.. But sometimes when I get rid of things and they become fashion later I feel like I am a loser.. Anyway.. You have done a great job.. Good luck