Once upon a time, I was living to buy anything and everything on the market. I had never though that I will ever embrace minimalism. I was living on pay-check to pay-check. My house was filled with so much of products and forgot about using them, most were still in the packaging they came with. My house was completely cluttered with no clean and empty place to sit or to welcome anyone.
It was around 8+ years ago, suddenly I got bit by a sustainability bug and my life changed for the better. I read up a lot and one thing that made absolutely sense was to have a minimalist lifestyle. It made so much sense that I decided to completely stop buying, to begin with. Yes, it was easier said than done. I had my ups and downs but, in the end, it was very well worth it.
During that period, I came up with few strategies to embrace minimalism. These are my tried and tested strategies and I am still following them to the T.
Embrace Minimalism: Declutter Your Space
When I decided to embrace minimalism for my sustainable lifestyle, I was shocked to see the amount of stuff I had in my house. I was horrified to think of clearing all that space. Nevertheless, I decided to start. I started with a small by picking just my dining room as this was the least cluttered compare to other areas of the house.
As I started sorting my stuff, for every item, I will simply follow the below process.
This was the first process I started following it and it helped me in clearing almost 50% of my unnecessary stuff. I did add a lot of complexities after I had decluttered almost all my stuff but those are for a later post. To start with above is more than enough.
Embrace Minimalism: Mindful Purchasing
Quality Over Quantity: I used to buy any cheap stuff available on sale. Never bothered much about the quality of the product but once I started a sustainable lifestyle, I started seeing the value of quality. From that day onwards I would prefer to buy 1 piece of item costing 5 times the price over the stuff available on sale. I still buy on sale but ensure to get the good quality.
A simple example will be if I invest in to double layer coat for winter, it will last several years over the chap ones you can get online which need to be replaced after every season if not during the season itself. I have started investing in durable, timeless pieces that will last longer and serve multiple purposes. This approach not only reduces waste but also saves you money in the long run.
Second-Hand Finds: Thrift stores, consignment shops, and online marketplaces are treasure troves for my budget-conscious minimalist lifestyle. I always find what I need in gently used condition that fits my needs without contributing to the cycle of buying.
Embrace Minimalism: Reduce Waste
My waste bin used to have a lot of food waste as I used to order most of my meals from outside. It results not only in food waste but also in packaging waste. To reduce my waste, I started doing my meal preparation at home by myself.
Meal Planning: I started using my Friday evenings to prepare my meal plan for the entire week and started doing grocery shopping on Saturday mornings at my local farmer’s market. Vegetables and fruits are available there at a fraction of the cost and also without any packaging.
So it’s a big win-win for me. Because I am making my meals, I also got creative with leftovers to stretch my meals even further. Leftover bread from dinner was used for breakfast the next day, leftover pasta went into the office lunch box, etc.
DIY Solutions: Instead of buying chemical-filled cleaning supplies, I started making my own chemical-free cleaning supplies. You can refer “5 Incredible Benefits I Discovered Using Natural Cleaning Supplies for a Healthier Home and Environment” for details. It saves me money and also helps me to keep my house chemical and odor-free. Simple ingredients like vinegar and baking soda can be used for a variety of cleaning tasks, saving you money and reducing plastic waste.
Embrace Minimalism: Declutter Digital Space
Declutter Subscriptions: Once upon a time, I had subscriptions to almost all the digital services available on the internet and was spending a fortune on them. But the main issue with the online subscription model is that once you have set it, it will keep deducting automatically from your account and you won’t even notice it. So until you pay close attention to your statement, these charges will be quite small individually and might go unnoticed.
I did an in-depth analysis of my bank statement for 3 months and identified the loopholes where my money was going. Post that I realized that I was spending more than 500$ a month on various subscriptions most of which I had used only once. It was a total waste of money.
I cancelled any subscription which I haven’t used in the past 1 or more years.
Declutter Digital Devices: Just like my physical space, I analyzed my digital life which has also become cluttered. I deleted several apps and files I had not used in the past 1 year or more and streamlined my digital tools to enhance productivity and reduce distractions.
Embrace Minimalism: Cultivate a Sustainable Mindset
In my opinion, community, and mindset are two very important things in my life as they are largely responsible for almost all my decisions. I used to make my shopping decisions purely by looking at my friends and used to buy stuff without thinking. Once I decided to live a sustainable lifestyle, some of my friends also went along with me and together we embraced minimalism and started our journey of an eco-friendly lifestyle.
Shift Your Perspective: My biggest shift came not just by doing things on the go but by actually changing my perspective. More than the outcome of the activity, I started focusing on the experiences and processes of the activity, this gave an immense pleasure to me. Instead of shopping, I started opting for things that would give me an experience like hiking, long walks with loved ones, cooking, or crafting. Not only are these activities often free or low-cost, but they also contribute to a richer, more fulfilling life.
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Embrace Minimalism: Conclusion
Living sustainably on a budget doesn’t have to feel like a sacrifice. By embracing minimalism, I have created a simpler, more intentional life that prioritizes both my well-being and the health of my planet. Remember, every small change counts. I started my journey around 8 years back and in the beginning, changes were so small that I started doubting myself if I was making any difference at all but all I did was I never stopped from taking those small steps. But now after years of doing those small things, I can see the change I have made in my life, my surroundings and even the way my kids look at things.
My younger is only 8 years old but she rarely asks for unnecessary stuff and even if she asks and I explain to her that we can manage with the alternative we have at home, she is quite happy with that. I feel that’s my biggest achievement. She is going to be quite a mature lady who will live a sustainable eco-friendly life as she has already embrace minimalism.
Start your journey today and watch how it transforms your life, one mindful choice at a time.
You can refer my other posts here.
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