5 Minimalist Lifestyle Adjustments I Made That Had a Huge Impact

1. Declutter slowly

When it comes to living a minimalist lifestyle, the first thing that probably comes to mind is decluttering and letting go of the things that are no longer serving us.

It's a simple concept, but it can be overwhelming, especially if it's your first time. So like any big task, it helps to tackle it in parts.

Focus on decluttering one area of your life at a time, and maybe even plan to dedicate a whole month to it. January to go through your office, February for your closet, March for the paper clutter, and so on.

By spacing it out, you're less likely to make irrational decisions, and instead, you're slowly creating a habit.

I don't have a lot of material things to declutter at the moment, but I desperately need to pay attention to my digital space. 

My email inbox, phone gallery, and social media space are a total mess right now, so this is what I'm going to be focusing on for the next month.  

2. Love simple moments

One thing my husband and I love doing together is eating out. I especially love the experience of dressing up, going to a new place, and being a part of the restaurant atmosphere. 

I realized nothing is stopping us from creating a similar experience at home. 

For a fraction of the cost, there will always be room in my budget to have date nights, especially since we moved to Portugal. 

Whether it's lighting some candles, turning off our phones, or just plating the food nicely, I found that these subtle touches go a long way, and I've come to love these dinners at home just as much.

The best part is that this can be done without having to spend a lot of money. 

I encourage you to look at the different activities in your daily routine and see how you can elevate them. Sometimes the simplest moments can be the most memorable and beautiful.  

3. Appreciate without owning 

My mindset on owning things has changed since becoming more of a minimalist. In the past, I couldn't pass by something cute on a window display without buying it or bringing it home with me.

Now I try to appreciate it for what it is, admire how beautiful it is on display or someone else, and move on. 

I was tempted to buy a Christmas tree this year but noticed that there were already so many beautiful trees around the neighborhood for us to enjoy. 

We opted to take many late-night walks instead to admire the lights and decorations, and it was more than enough to fill me up with the Christmas spirit. 

Unless I plan a specific expense or know I will use that thing repeatedly, I don't feel the need to own it. If I can, I'll first look for ways to rent, borrow, or spend a few minutes admiring it.

This little mindset shift has saved me from many unnecessary purchases and the regrets that come with them.  

4. Frequent life audit

The thing about clutter is that it accumulates over time, and it can happen unintentionally. To keep ourselves and our lives in check, I think it's crucial to audit the different areas of our lives routinely. 

Whether physically decluttering the space, looking over your finances, or checking your social media usage, spend a few hours or even a few minutes every month to evaluate how you spend your precious resources. 

This can reveal much about our habits, spending patterns, and priorities. I recently noticed that I had so many unused credits on my Audible account because I stopped listening to audiobooks during my walks. I decided to cancel my subscription for the time being.

I know shaving off $15 doesn't sound like a lot, but it quickly adds up. 

5. Invest in a dream life

Speaking of auditing our lives, I was shocked when I first did a financial audit on myself.

I looked through my credit card statements, tracked how I was spending my paychecks and realized that it was going towards things I didn't care about: takeouts, expensive skin care splurges, and kitchen gadgets. I was funding a life that I didn't even want. 

I realized that I needed to avoid expenses that give short-term gratification and instead invest in my relationships, experiences, and learning new skills and education. 

I am saving up to take sailing lessons with my husband and couldn't be more excited about it. These things add depth to my life and make it more meaningful. This is the life I want to be working towards.  

I genuinely believe that we have a lot of control over creating the life that we want, even with the finite resources that we have. This, to me, is the whole point of minimalism, and these little adjustments can hopefully help us to get there. 

Minimalist lifestyle adjustments

Have you made any adjustments to your life to start living a minimalist lifestyle? Did you find it difficult? Share your experience in the comments below.