6 Easy Minimalist Lifestyle Tips

1. Trick your mind

Sometimes just holding or touching a thing can bring just enough experience with it to help you overcome not buying it.

When my husband and I were on our last vacation before the pandemic, we found a store with beautiful artisan items and a feast of colors. It was a pricey store.

I walked around, touched things, and let them speak to me. There was a lovely dress I still remember to this day. But it was the first time I didn’t feel sad or disappointed for not having something.

The experience and the gratitude filled me so much that it outshined the need for instant gratification that we’re usually addicted to.

2. ‘Can’ doesn’t mean ‘should’

I often have the desire to buy small things I see in grocery stores as a way to “treat” myself. Why not, it’s just a pair of socks or a mug–after all, it’s not that much money. But it’s not a good idea.

Spending money on smaller items may appear not to affect your wallet, but those expenses accumulate into significant sums. Soon you’ll have a drawer full of socks you’ll never wear!

The same goes for sales and fear of missing out on a great deal. But you should really stop and think about whether you already have this in your drawers or cupboards. 

3. Rethink buying duplicates

Sometimes it’s tempting to buy duplicates in fear that the item we love will wear out or become damaged. It rarely happens.

Twenty years ago, when I started university, I had one pair of jeans I loved. I was sad when they wore out. But I rarely wear out items.

Also, you may buy duplicates but you may realize you don’t want to wear an identical item after the first one wears out. It’s our nature to want something new to wear.

My advice: Just enjoy your one favorite item until it wears out. Then look for something else that speaks to you at that moment.

We constantly change and something that’s perfect for us today may not be our cup of tea tomorrow.

Sometimes it does work, though. I found the perfect top that I bought three of in different colors that I’ve worn for years.  

4. Keep in touch with your wardrobe

Marketing traps work so well, don’t they? It’s incredibly hard to avoid them. Because we’re bombarded with messages to buy every day, it’s incredibly important to remember what you already have in your wardrobe.

I tend to shop when I’m stressed from work and every time I have a desire to browse, I go to my wardrobe and try different looks.

When I worked in an office, I would shop online to pass time but now I work at home so I can try on things.

I often reorganize and clean my wardrobe in order to keep in touch with it and see what I need or don’t need.  

5. Consider DIY

I say this a lot, but it’s so important – when you make something with your own hands, it’s much more meaningful and satisfying to do than buying it in a store.

Instead of instant gratification you get an extended experience, a journey of creating something.

The other day I was walking and saw a sparrow trying to get a weed out of the ground. This little bird really needed that weed for something meaningful. That made me realize we can make meaningful things out of small items, too. 

6. Why do we need material items?

I convert the cost of an item into some alternative value. For example I’ll think of something as six days of healthy and tasty food or six hours of work or a one day trip to a city.

In the past, I used to prefer buying something material rather than having an experience. I thought the physical thing I would buy would stay with me forever versus something that ends like food or a trip.

I’m human so I want stability and control in my life. When I would buy some unnecessary physical items I was trying to gain control over my life in some way but that was not true.

But we really don’t have any control over what happens outside of our minds. It’s harsh but true. An essential part of my minimalist journey is to realize this fact.

Purchasing unnecessary material items is like putting a patch on instead of really healing the issue or the fear of not having control over your life or the whole world. 

However, we should never feel guilty for giving in and buying something. This journey takes time. It’s not about perfection, it’s about balance that’s right for you.

Let me know in the comments if you have any issues of shopping less or more or share some great working minimalist tips on how to shop less.