Minimalism is an art of living. It’s the promise of a life less cluttered, yet richer in everything. Indeed, we live better with less. But how do you go about it? Here are 7 tips for adopting minimalism.

1 – Minimalism: reducing your possessions

In our modern society, the whole economy is focused on growth. In fact, we’re constantly being pushed to buy more, to possess more, and to do so, any promise is a good one. We’re led to believe that buying this or that will make us happier.

Having things isn’t a bad thing in itself, quite the contrary in fact. In fact, we need to feel at home and be surrounded by things we love.

That said, it’s essential to distinguish between possessions that make us happy, truly happy, and compulsive purchases that we regret.

In other words, minimalism is, above all, knowing how to reduce our possessions.

Do you think having two wardrobes full to bursting with clothes you’ve mostly never worn makes you happier?

Then it’s high time you cut back. Sort it out!

Take all your clothes, put them on the floor and for each item of clothing, ask yourself: does this item of clothing make me happy? Yes or no?

Living better with less means surrounding yourself only with what really makes you happy. And you’ll be amazed when you realize that you can only live with 1/3 of your current possessions. That you’ll live much happier.

All too often, having too many possessions stresses us out and wastes our time. What’s more, superfluous objects hide the ones we really love.

2 – Don’t deprive yourself either to feel good at home

It’s essential to reduce your possessions, but be careful not to fall into the opposite trap and try to reduce your possessions as much as possible at all costs.

Why would you do that? Because we might throw away or give away things we really need and like.

What’s more, it’s possible that cutting back too much could create too much stress and lead you to go shopping again in a hurry.

So, when it comes to minimalism, it’s all about keeping the balance between too much and too little.

If you embark on this wonderful adventure of living better with less, it’s essential that you do it from the heart, with joy, and not with guilt and deprivation.

Step by step, object by object. Give yourself time to reflect.

And take the time to visualize what a minimalist home would look like to you. Visualize your cupboards, the rooms in your house: what does your house look like, what objects do you see, how do you feel?

3 – Minimalism is a question: what really matters?

Living better with less means making different choices every day. Rather than buying what’s fashionable, buying what’s stressful… it’s buying because it really matters.

In fact, minimalism has nothing to do with deprivation or guilt, quite the contrary.

Being a minimalist means cultivating our happiness and joy through everyday objects.

In other words, it means surrounding ourselves with objects that fill us with joy, no more, no less.

That’s why, when you want to redecorate a room or buy a new object, instead of asking yourself: “What do I need to buy to make it look nice?” ask yourself: “What really matters to me? What would really make me happy?”

So, I wholeheartedly invite you to stay away from magazines and ads that invite you to possess more and more, because all this really distances you from your own tastes. Trust yourself!

4 – Wait a week before buying

To avoid giving in to the siren song of compulsive buying, those purchases we regret and end up on Depop (laughs), we can adopt a new rule of life: wait a week before buying.

Indeed, when we have a desire, a need, let’s wait and see. After a week, if the urge is still there, then that means it’s something you really like!

Minimalism means knowing the difference between a compulsive purchase that you’ll regret and a purchase that will make you truly happy.

5 – Living better with less means prioritizing quality

Adopting minimalism means reusing as many objects as possible: clothes, utensils, furniture, household linen… so that you can really appreciate every time you use them.

Indeed, living better with less isn’t about depriving ourselves and living frugally; on the contrary, it’s about appreciating the beautiful things that really matter to us.

And the good news is that when you adopt minimalism, you’ll save money and time. You won’t be buying things you don’t really like, which will drain your bank account and take up all your time.

In other words, you’ll be able to reuse your money and your time on things you really love.

6 – Minimalism: doing things yourself

Minimalism is far from being a sad way of life, because too often we think it’s about deprivation, when in fact it’s an art of living in which we give free rein to our creativity.

By repeating over and over again: “What’s really important to me?”, you’ll gradually discover your tastes and affirm them.

That’s why, over time, you’ll come to do things yourself: decorating, for example, or customizing your clothes.

In other words, give free rein to your creativity! Go for it! Assume your tastes and colors.

7 – Take the time to do things to feel good at home

As well as letting yourself be tempted to do a few things yourself, you’ll also gradually get into some activities that will help you love your home more.

Because that’s what minimalism is all about. It’s about loving your home, building your nest, your refuge and feeling good about it.

In other words, you’re gradually taking the time to do things for yourself.

For example: cooking, sewing, gardening, painting, making your own jewelry or clothes, DIY, building furniture and decorations…

Because minimalism is much more than a question of buying, sorting, recycling and reducing, it’s above all about learning to take care of your home and yourself. It’s about living differently, it’s about discovering what’s inside you and stopping losing yourself in the outside world.

Adopting minimalism is a wonderful adventure that leads, above all, to taking care of ourselves.

So get started! Discover the activities that make you happier at home!

Find out more:

I invite you to read these 2 complementary articles:

Discover Simplify your life: 7 things you can do right now
Discover Be content with what you have: 7 tips to say goodbye to frustration

I recommend this inspiring book:

Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World by Cal Newport

Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport explores the concept of intentionally and thoughtfully managing one’s digital life to prioritize meaningful experiences and connections. The book provides an overview of the harmful effects of excessive digital consumption and offers practical strategies for simplifying the use of technology. It encourages us to refocus on what really matters, promoting a minimalist approach to digital tools and reclaiming time for more fulfilling offline activities.

It’s still possible to enjoy the benefits of the internet, and even social media, without stripping ourselves of our humanity for the benefit of surveillance capitalists. Be intentional. Decide, based on your values, what you want to participate in and how. Resist the pull of the digital current, because it will sweep you away if you’re not careful.

Thank you very much for reading this article.

If you liked it, let me know in the comments.

Take care of yourself