The Minimalist Trend: Creative Ways To Get Involved
November 11, 2020

minimal home

The minimalist trend has soared in popularity in recent years. Creating a minimalist home can offer several great benefits,such as saving you money and helping the environment by reducing waste and pollution. Owning less will also eliminate clutter and help you create a soothing living space, which in turn will reduce stress and promote good health and wellbeing. Here are some creative ways to get involved with the minimalist trend.

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Downsize your house

Minimalism doesn’t have to mean moving from your three-bedroom house to a tiny studio flat. But that being said, downsizing is an easy way to live a minimalist lifestyle. Most people have more living space than they actually need. Moving to a smaller property will save you money and slash the cost of your monthly utility bills. Some people are going one step further and creating their own tiny eco-friendly homes out of green building materials like recycled shipping containers. Experts at S Jones Containers explain how “old shipping containers can be transformed into affordable homes.” You can use a shipping container to create a unique living space that is eco-friendly, versatile and potentially carbon neutral. Creating a home out of a shipping container can be a fantastic starting point when your goal is to lead a more minimalist and sustainable lifestyle.

The next step is to create a clean slate by having a major house clear-out. Remember that minimalism is all about only living with the things that you need. You likely have heaps of items that you no longer use or want. Take the time to go through all of your belongings and select the things you want to keep. A good approach is to get rid of anything that you haven’t used at least twice in the past six months. Donate any items in good condition to a local charity shop to give them a new home. You can also sell items on platforms like Facebook Marketplace and eBay to make some extra cash. Eliminating clutter and streamlining your belongings will give you a fresh slate to start your minimalist lifestyle. Studies have also found that an uncluttered home can boost your health and wellbeing by reducing feelings of stress and anxiety.

Create a capsule wardrobe

Our desire to look on-trend is coming at a huge cost to the environment and the fashion industry produces almost 100 billion tonnes of waste each year! Creating a capsule wardrobe is an excellent way to avoid fast fashion, lower your carbon footprint and save money. Basically, a capsule wardrobe is a small collection of your favourite clothes that coordinate well and can be worn in a number of different ways. Here is a guide to creating a minimalist capsule wardrobe:

  • Start by clearing out your existing wardrobe. Get rid of any items that no longer fit or that you don’t like or wear regularly. You can donate these to a charity shop or clothes swap with friends to get some new pieces for your capsule wardrobe.
  • Decide whether you need to purchase any new clothing items. Make sure that anything you buy is versatile and can be mixed and matched to create various outfits.
  • Remember that it’s always best to buy quality clothing made from premium materials. That way, they will remain in good condition for longer and need replacing less often. You should also look for eco-friendly clothing brands that use sustainable materials.
  • Take good care of your clothes to maximise the lifespan of items and make your capsule wardrobe even more sustainable.

Avoid impulsive shopping

We are all guilty of impulse buying and being drawn in by attractive store advertising. However, you don’t want to undo all of your hard work by going on a major shopping spree and filling your house with unnecessary items. It is fine to treat yourself from time to time, but make smart spending decisions and carefully consider whether you need an item before making a purchase. Try to avoid impulsive buying and late-night online shopping sprees. Instead, wait 24 hours and then decide whether you truly need to buy the item you are interested in. This approach will help you avoid unnecessary purchases and save you money.

Summary

Becoming a minimalist doesn’t have to mean living in a tiny home with hardly any belongings. There are plenty of ways to incorporate minimalist ideas into your lifestyle while enhancing your livability and quality of life. Having less can save you money, help the environment and improve your wellbeing by reducing stress. Try some of the above suggestions to adopt a more minimalist approach to living!

 

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Imogen Clarke




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