Living With Less: A Minimalist Lifestyle
I wouldn’t call myself a minimalist. Not yet. But I’m working on it. The more I travel around the world the less I need. Do you ever notice that?
Living with less allows you to appreciate what’s valuable to you.
People you care about.
Experiences.
Being healthy and active.
The important things.
I’ve realized I hate shopping (other than for food :P). It feels so meaningless and empty. If there’s something I really need then I’ll go get it, but if I could spend the rest of my life avoiding malls I would be happy.
Why is it that people have become so consumed with things they don’t need?
Sure, I’ll still buy new things like clothes when I need them, but I’ll also try to get things second hand (there are far too many pieces of clothing on this earth, and they’re contributing to a lot of waste in our oceans). I do struggle to get rid of clothes though, because I’ll re-wear them until the cows come home.
In the spirit of keeping things minimal, I’ll keep this short. Here are a few things you can do to start living with less:
- Don’t buy stuff you don’t actually need (ask yourself, do I really need this?)
- Buy quality clothing that lasts, goes with your other clothes, and is timeless
- If you need something, see if you can get it second hand
- For gifts, buy experiences instead of things (people will love and remember them more anyway)
- Go paperless (ie. with your mail)
- Go do things instead of buy things (go for a hike, see a movie, spend time with a friend or loved one)
- Declutter your living space. You’ll feel lighter. Remember, less is more.
What else would you suggest?