If you are a minimalist, then the chances are you have a reason for it. It might be about the hyper-consumer society, it might be an ethical thing, or it might just be that you love the aesthetic. Whatever it is, much like food choices and other beliefs – we tend to take them with us. It takes time and effort as we learn how to live minimally, and on from that what other aspects we can introduce into our lives.
But when it comes down to it, you should always be opting for quality, not quantity.
Fast fashion is big business. Clothing that is made fast shipped fast and meets that week’s ‘on trend’ marker. But it is one of the most wasteful industries out there. So instead of picking up cheap piece after cheap piece, and clogging your wardrobe with a one-week-wonder – invest in high quality, longer lasting clothing.
There is a range of fabrics now like coconut leather, lyocell, and hemp that many new designers are preferring to use. Start to see clothing as an investment, not a flash in the pan.
The higher the quality of our clothing, the less you will need to buy – space saving and kinder to the environment.
Which a cupboard filled with bleaches and other chemicals might look the part, it’s just really not necessary. Pouring chemical after chemical down your pipes, and scrubbing all of your surfaces with them, might smell pleasant but the fumes and residue alone aren’t great.
Here are a couple of great products for you to check out.
Store your cleaning products in glass bottles, so they are reusable – and be sure to recycle the plastic that you do use.
You have heard the term less is more by now, but maybe it should be less is best. We have a habit of filling up our space with ‘stuff.’ It might be books, it might just be niknaks, but it is time to start seeing ‘more stuff’ as something that is surplus to requirements. Rather than putting it in a positive and negative bracket, slowly begin to understand what adds value to your life and space, and what doesn’t.
Generally if something with 1-3 years or more warranty, it’s made to last. So when you are purchasing new tech items, try and look for brands that typically come with a more extended guarantee. And, the most crucial part of that is to the store them somewhere safe – which should be easy as you will have plenty of space available.
If you are just starting your minimalist lifestyle, then you’re probably going to need to kick it all off with a big clear out. It’s time to sort through everything and see what really stands out to you and brings you joy. Start with your clothing, shoes, and accessories – aim to build a capsule wardrobe. Then move on to other rooms in the house. It can be a complicated process, because you are essentially saying goodbye to much of what you own, but make like Marie Kondo and say thank you to each piece that you get rid of.
What you will be left with are the items that you already believe to be of quality.
As for everything else, make an effort to donate it to charities, thrift stores, Freecycle, and you might even want to make some money off the items that you no longer want.
In order to put a stop to the buyers’ mentality, time will be your best friend. Unless it is something urgent, like fixing a broken washing machine, or car repairs, start working on your delayed gratification. One of the biggest things is that we can have whatever we want, whenever we want it. So, from now on if you see something you want, put it on a timer. Only spend the money if you still want it 30 days after. In most cases, the moment will have passed.
When it comes to picking quality over quantity, a lot of what matters is the value you place in things. If you begin to place less value in material items, you’ll find that eventually you don’t (and probably never did) need/want them. Save up and invest in high-quality items, make yourself wait for what you really want, avoid fast fashion pieces, and let go of the idea that who you are is made up of what you have.
