Minimalism Quickstart: 6 Easy Ways to Start your Transformation
You’ve heard how minimalism is like a breath of fresh air. Something that will reduce anxiety, and help your life run more smoothly. Unfortunately, making drastic changes to your lifestyle can be overwhelming, especially when you feel like you want to do everything at once. Thankfully, you don’t have to.
Where to start? I recommend starting with an easy task that you can conquer in a day. The important thing is to get your foot in the door – BEGIN. You’ll feel accomplished and primed for your next step, and your next step, and your next. Your life doesn’t need to change overnight. Progress happens in small steps, and BEGINNING is the most important step. Once you’ve started, you’ve already done something great that you can be proud of.
Here are some ideas of small projects you can start TODAY:
Clothing. 2 years. TWO YEARS. If you have not worn that article of clothing in two years, it is safe to remove from your possession. Ditch any deteriorating items. Give your friends and family dibs at taking some items off your hands. Whatever is leftover you can donate.
Digital cleanse. Organize bookmarks and delete the ones you'll never use. Delete spam and emails that bog down your inbox. Unsubscribe from email lists that no longer serve you. EMPTY your email trash. Organize desktop icons and folders. EMPTY your computer's trash (scary, I know). Fwew! - doesn't your computer have less of a stressful doom vibe now?
Pantry and medicine cabinet. Ditch the expired goods. Donate food you know you won't be able to use before it expires. Organize your pantry in a way that aids you in planning and making meals. Bonus: A better system leads to less food waste.
Your vehicle. Clean out your car. Vacuum it, wash it (pamper it, if you will). Have some car staples (emergency supplies, first aid, vehicle paperwork, snacks) and leave the rest out! Maybe spritz some refreshing essential oils in there. Your commute just got a whole lot better, guaranteed.
Your schedule. Take a good look at your calendar for the next couple months. Many of us let life hit us in the face day by day. Take some time to mentally prepare, and maybe make some notes and lists to help yourself out. Feeling on top of your schedule (especially if you're writing it down) can really help put your mind at ease on the daily.
That mysterious stack of papers. Some of those gotta be important! There's probably also a lot you can recycle in there. Go through them. Sort! Keeps for records (literally file that shit!), keep for VERY near future use (fridge, counter, or create your own special spot for these items), and the rest is RECYCLING (love you, planet earth).
If one of these ideas speaks to you, or you know there is an area which is unnecessarily causing you stress, or even if a completely different idea comes to mind that’s where you begin. The best part about minimalism, is that each step tends to be its own reward. Cue happy sigh of relief.
You got this.