HOW TO BEGIN YOUR MINIMALISM JOURNEY
BY NATALIE - FOUNDER OF TEAM TIDY
OCTOBER 2020
Considering making lifestyle changes to become a minimalist?
Wanting to take out the clutter and stress in your life?
Being a minimalist looks different for everyone. You may own 50 books you love and cherish reading over and over but are happy to own 4 plates. You may love cooking and have a large collection of baking equipment but choose not to own very little clothing.
Minimalism isn’t about throwing out all your stuff, it is about getting rid of the items that don’t matter to make room for the ones that do.
Below are some helpful hints from Team Tidy to assist with beginning your minimalism journey;
Write A List - Identify the reasoning behind wanting to begin this journey and what goals you are hoping to achieve. Do you want to own less stuff, appreciate what you do have and love, spend less time cleaning, break the cycle of buying and consuming, have more money ect?
It’s also helpful to identify the reasons why you may have got the point you are now. Why do you have so much clutter, why do you feel overwhelmed, why do you hold onto these things?
Write this down and prioritise tasks or areas in accordance to importance.
Get Rid of Unwanted, Unused or Duplicate Items - Wander at your own leisure through your house and remove all unwanted, unused or duplicate items. There will be items you know straight up you want gone and this will feel amazing to get you started.
Start Small - Begin decluttering a smaller section of your house or office whether it be a drawer or a plastic storage tub. Getting in small wins helps you keep motivated!
Have a ‘Delayed Decisions’ Box - Often we want to hold onto certain items during the initial purge that we later come to get rid of. If you are on the fence about a certain item put it into a box, tub or corner of your house that you will revisit in a certain time. Most of the time you will end up letting that item go and this is simply just a spot for a delayed decision when you have had time to think more and push yourself to reach your goals.
Be Real - This is the time to give yourself a good talking to. Truly think about the item and your behaviours. Shoving it back into a drawer isn’t going to make you suddenly start using it or even liking it. Realise you are not the Instagram version of yourself, you are the real life everyday version! You are probably not going to wear that dress again, use that cooking utensil or ride that bike if you haven’t in that last 3 months and that is perfectly fine. Your items should serve you and not the other way around.
Give Yourself Permission - It’s okay to feel overwhelmed or guilty at the process. Yes, this stuff you are getting rid of cost money. But keeping it doesn’t get you a refund! Generally, if the item can be easily and affordably replaced then you don’t need to keep it ‘just In case’. Generally, for every 100 items you get rid of you maybe might need 1 again. That 1 item can be replaced or borrowed again for that use. It is so worth it to possibly (as usually you don’t regret any items you get rid of) regret 1 item to feel the benefit of the other 99 leaving your life!
It’s A Marathon, Not A Sprint - This process is ongoing and long. Sure you can purge large items in a weekend with a skip. But the everyday drawers, shopping, digital clutter, paperwork ect is a long and ongoing process. This is where you can refer back to your goals and lists. Assessing each item that is in and comes into your precious home and life is an ongoing journey. But we promise you will feel 20kgs lighter and more free than ever before.