Minimalist or simple life?

You Don’t Need More Space. All You Need is less stuff

Minimalism is trending everywhere, and simple living seems to be following right behind it. But what distinguishes the two? Is it possible to both live simply and be a minimalist? Can you choose a simple life without being a minimalist?

YES!

I knew from a very long time that I wanted a simpler life. Before I’d even heard the term ‘simple living’, I knew that I hated the stress and attempt to organize, everything I owned. My path started out with the discovery of minimalism.

One challenge that came up more than once was figuring out how to become a minimalist without missing out. Some people think simple living is a sacrifice, and becoming a minimalist means missing out on things. Simple living is a peaceful living. Minimalism in some cases is influenced by the quantity of stuff. Minimalism and simple living share so many of the same characteristics that it is easy to lump them into the same category.

Every person is different, and so are their approaches to a simple life

How can both Minimalism and Simple living CoExist?

1. Start with minimizing your stuff: I find it easier to start here, A good first step in simplifying your life is to know what stuff you need to eliminate from your life. Take a moment to write down the first things that come to mind
2. Establish Goals: Reward yourself for finishing a goal, not with stuff, but with an experience. How about a trip to the beach?
3. Limit your purchases: Set a goal to not buy anything new for a week or a month. As time passes you will no longer want to buy those you don't really need
4. Simplify your social life: This one can be hard and potentially emotional, but you’re not obligated to give up your time and energy to anyone if you don’t really want to. It’s okay to turn down a coffee chat with an acquaintance you randomly saw at the grocery store. It doesn’t mean that you don’t care about that person, it simply means that you choose to spend your time differently. You only have so many hours each day.
5. Reduce the number of dishes, cups, and cutlery that you own: This helps you to organize better, for example- reduce the usage of Nonstick pans as its bad for health.
6. Curate Your Time: Don’t choose shopping as an extracurricular activity. Pick new hobbies or learn a new activity.
7. Say YES only sometimes: Only say Yes when you really mean it, or you waste your time.
8. Don’t Overthink It: Don’t overthink everything you do or add unnecessary guilt over yourself. Make a few decisions. See where you can easily simplify. Do your best, and trust in the process.
9. For sentimental stuff, put them out of sight: With things you aren’t sure you can part with try putting them in a bag or box out of sight for a week or a month, if you don’t go back to take it out and use it, then you don’t need it in your life. Donate it.
10. Don't OverKill it: Take it slow and don't overkill it and make yourself uncomfortable. Start one at a time.
11. Educate your children about the impacts of stuff: Make them understand the lifecycle of production and consumption and the environmental impacts of waste.

The tips above are an initial framework to get started living simple and find what works best in your life. This isn’t a practice life, it’s the real thing, so whatever we call ourselves, we need to get out there and live it in a way that makes us happy!