For those who appreciate simplicity in any form.

Soooo I’m loving my minimalist life as usual

And my microwave died Immediately I was annoyed but then I started cooking more in my air fryer and I was like..

Hmmmm I don’t even need a microwave!

Just curious if anyone else got rid of it?

I bet my food will taste better!!

Dating apps? $20 dollar subscription. Movie/Television? Easily another $30 - 50 dollars depending. News? Another $20 dollars. Starting a buisness? Another $30 dollar subscription to a website build. It's never ending! All these subscriptions...and you may not even like them, and then decide you want a different one. I don't have any of these but every time I think about them I get overwhelmed and figure I should just pack my shit up, watch some outdoors tutorials, and try out my luck.

Ffs.

To me, minimalism means completely vanishes from reality, becoming a perfect nothingness, a gap. Once I do this, I finally feel decluttered, and this really helps my peace of mind. My next step on my minimalism journey is negating the very idea of negation itself.

I have a bunch of stuff and I’m staring to feel suffocated by it. I have always been a “collector” mainly vintage tech and shoes (vans) I was start to remove and sell it off but I always get a feeling I’ll miss it (I rarely ever do) but that’s a huge hump I can’t seem to get over.

Any tips that worked for you?

Hair Dryer
There is no need for a hair dryer. A towel will do.
If you think you need a hair dryer, then your hair is too long. Keep it short!

Oven
A stove is enough to get the perfect nutrition. Replace baking / broiling / roasting with boiling / steaming / sautéing.

Equipment-heavy sports
If you are storing a lot of sports equipment, you are doing the wrong sports.
Instead of scuba diving, ice hockey, skiing, sailing, golf, motorsports or football, do: hiking, running, swimming, bodyweight training.

Bookshelf
Readers love buying new books and installing new bookshelves. They will not admit that having a bookshelf is a form of hoarding.
Read one book at a time. Do not buy new books unless needed. Do not keep books around that you have finished already.

Sofa / couch
A couch is completely unnecessary and will mess up your back. Use instead: Chair / Bed / Floor / Standing

Some more unnecessary things:
Vacuum Cleaner -> Broom+mop
TVSet / GamingConsole -> PC / laptop
Toaster -> Pan on a stove
Can Opener -> Use a knife
Bottle opener -> No need to drink alcohol
Blender / mixer -> Whisk / fork
Toilet basin freshener -> Clean your toilet
Dishwasher -> Sink
Electric Shaver -> Safety razor / scissors
Coffee machine -> Drink water instead

I bought a flagship phone after using my budget phone for 2 years.

It's been 2 months and I started regretting my choice.

Do I enjoy it? Not really Does it improve my quality of life? Can't just throw around and don't bother about it but the camera is miles better and the screen is finally visible outside during sunny days. Do I really need it? Not at all

Interested to see if there is a correlation between your jobs and loving minimalist things

Im in project management & process improvement to start :)

as title says I'm looking for a simple website design for making my own website like a profile page

I used to be a minimalist in my late teens, went to college, moved a few times and fell back into consumerism. I wasnt happy with this for the longest time and recently decided to make a big comeback to a simpler life. I have already managed to get quite a few things out of my life which felt good. However I have two desks and both are drowning in clutter and I just dont know how to and where to start to fight rhe clutter for good. Yes, I do need both desks (one for sewing machines - thats my career - and the other is for everything else) and getting rid of one wouldnt solve my issue. I do realize that I have a big organization problem, but I am unwilling to buy any organization tools or boxes and I dont have enough space for them anyway. Decluttering the smaller areas of my life is easy, but doesn't really change much of the cluttered situation. How did you overcame clutter for good, what are your tips? Thanks

Hello! I’m VERY careful on what I let in my house, but I’m debating whether or not I should get a dehydrator. To be clear: I’m neither looking for validation to buy it nor I think that minimalists own nothing: we should all own what makes us happy etc etc. I’m just looking for another perspective. I’ll list some factors that I’m taking into consideration.

Buy it:

• I don’t have a functioning oven, so I can’t dehydrate with what I have.

• I could do Christmas gifts on a budget (but I could also make other stuff, of course.)

• I LOVE jerky but it just doesn’t exist where I live, or it’s crazy expensive. I’ve already spent 1/2 of what I would spend on a dehydrator in jerky, probably.

• I already have some ideas on how I could use it for myself.

Don’t buy it:

• it’s huge. I live in a tiny apartment, I would have to store it on top of the cabinets.

• the area I struggle the most with minimalism is kitchen appliances. I regret buying them more often than not. However, the stuff I regretted buying was stuff that was a substitute to something I could already do (mandolin, steamer)

UPDATE: I decided to go for a multipurpose small oven. I’ll look for the perfect one, so see you in the next few months, haha

• would I really use it or would I be stuck with it?

Also does anyone have it and regrets buying it/loves it? Thanks!

I'm kind of at a loss. I'm a self-employed artist and musician and most of my work comes from social media and posting said work.

However, I don't want to scroll social media, and right now having someone else run my account is an option.

I'm not totally sure how to go about making sure I can post once or twice a day on Facebook and Instagram (for work) and answer work messages but without the want to doomscroll?

My house is currently being renovated and insulated room by room, the attic, in the ceilings at the first floor and under the floor on ground level. I decided to go for a new kitchen as well while ar it. The construction workers need their space to do their jobs. I already decluttered a vast amount of my stuff. But still i keep tossing and donating stuff, like my klippan for free. Trusting the process and that karma will come my way when the job is done and when i need a sofa. Meanwhile I totally enjoy the emptiness! The remaining boxes and piles of stuff make me want to get rid of those too. Such a weird experience for an anticonsumption person, always repairing stuff and keeping stuff to repair. Maybe I was longing for the letting go all along… Before the builders came, I really had a hard time decluttering with the project in sight. I wish I could share a pic of my empty livingroom with the sun shining on the brick walls this afternoon.

Avez-vous adopté un style minimaliste dans votre espace de travail ? Comment cela impacte-t-il votre productivité et concentration ?

Dear Minimalism Community,

I hope you guys are doing well. I'm Josh, 29 years old, and I'm studying Multilingual Communication (majoring in English, Spanish, and Business) at the University of Applied Sciences in Cologne. I'm currently writing my Bachelor's thesis on the topic:

"Minimalism in the Age of Consumption: The Search for Happiness Beyond Material Goods"

For the practical part of my thesis, I would be very interested in conducting an interview with one of you guys about your experience with minimalism regarding happiness.

I am currently still in the research phase and would like to conduct the interview (preferably via Zoom) with you in mid-November. I plan to allocate approximately 30 minutes for it. If desired, I can send you a preliminary list of questions, but I would also like to leave part of it open to allow the conversation to unfold naturally.

If that idea sparked your interest and you are meeting some of the criteria, feel free to shoot me a message.

You should:

-            consider yourself a minimalist

-            be practising minimalism for some time already and have realized a difference in your life

-            preferably be happier in life with the practice of minimalism

-            be willing to spend 30-min on Zoom Call and fill out a small questionnaire beforehand

-            be ok with the interview published in my thesis

-            speak English or German

Im open to fit the interview in your time schedule. If you are located in some place else in the world beside Europe, we have to plan according to time diffrences. But I would consider myself quite flexible in that regard :)

Thank you in advance!

Josh

Hi! I am 28F, and I am an avid sewer. I also like to be a minimalist. However, I do enjoy the idea of sewing seasonal decor. So I want to sew pillow cases for the different seasons. Would this still be living minimalist? Love to hear your thoughts!

Has anyone tried the thing where you eat the exact same breakfast, lunch and dinner each day?

Saves time, money, waste and decision making.

I worry that I would get bored with it. Thanks 🤩

I just joined a university and found myself feeling like I can't compete with the other dudes around here, for one reason or another. Slowly I've found myself attracted to the idea of living like Mike Ehrmentraut--simply, practically. Obviously, I don't think I'll become a hitman or fixer just yet, but I like the way he goes about living. He watches TV, reads newspapers, eats at diners, and generally minds his own business but takes in the world around him to be prepared. I've started wearing simple clothes, dark chinos, black shoes, a black lightweight jacket, and a button up under. This idea has morphed into just trying to live more in the present. Instead of trying to reach other people's standards, what if I just focus on what I am doing and they will come to me. So I've been thinking about changing a few things in my life. First was to get a watch so I can know the time without having to check my phone, which might make me look cooler. Then was to get a flip phone, or something that can restrict internet access so I can just make calls or text people if necessary, which would help me have more interactions. The struggle I had is that I would like to listen to music as well, since I don't think I could live comfortably without it. I failed to consider the service provider aspect of this, I have a provider already but I don't want to deal with getting a new phone.

My question would be should I get a good flip phone like a CAT one that has access to spotify, or just a regular prepaid flip phone and buy an mp3 player, somehow figuring out how to put music on it without spending a lot of money.

I also am interested in knowing what habits I should do to live more in the moment, because I believe that once I let go of all the overthinking and things I can't control, I can really start interacting with people. This may or may not be considered minimalism, but to me, it would be me removing any excess from my life and just living in the present, without falling for want and desire, or jealousy and envy.

What are your best tips for creating a stylish and functional backyard on a budget?

I want a minimalist wardrobe in which I cover both aspects. Casual shirt aspect which I can wear to nice gatherings and casual T-shirts which I can wear everyday. Don’t really care about button up formal shirts.

I saw Less is Now and was inspired to declutter. I'd dabbled a little with the idea of minimalism without really knowing, and always enjoyed the minimalist aesthetic. The song Comfy by Lice makes me want to be more extreme than is realistic as a single parent, but the chorus "I don't ever get too comfy, I don't like to own much stuff, I ain't really wanna unpack, if I goes down I'mma jump up" makes me want to be able to pack everything I own in one bag.

My desire to feel prepared is a main reason I've found myself surrounded by too much stuff. I buy extras of things that might get damaged, lost, or used up - like multiple pairs of jeans that I had a hard time finding the right fit, or extras of my kids' mittens and hats. Doing this too often makes for a lot of inventory to manage, but the alternative of not feeling prepared makes me uncomfortable. If you can relate, how have you dealt with these feelings?

Minimalism can mean so many things, and another one for me is reducing how much food I buy and consume. I look at my past eating habits and it's why I ended up in a slimming group. I'm reducing waste and reducing my waist.

So I sold all my clothes that Im tired of/and went kind of allergic to. I had 3 sweathers to use during cold days, but two of them are wool and my skin dont take it anymore. Now I have one white. I can’t wear the same every day so I’ve decieded to buy new ones that my skin can take but also looks nice on me and timesless stuff.

Im looking on an app where people sell their used stuff. Its cheaper and it helps the environment. I found one from H&M that has a colour I like. The issue is that its no return if I dont like it so much. The other one is online and made in my country. Is on 50% discount now and I can return it if I dont like it so much.

Which one would you choose?

Posting here because there seem to be a lot of floor sleepers.

I started sleeping on a shikibuton about 4 years ago, and am looking to upgrade.

Have spent 2 of those 4 years on a memory foam mattress cover, because my spouse and I could not afford a queen sized shikibuton.

I have chronic pain, and am looking to upgrade to something with more padding that is less maintenance than a shikibuton, but still a floor mattress.

Currently sleeping with my old shikibuton on top of the foam pad, and it is the right amount of padding for me if I air out the shikibuton.

Has anyone tried the Futon Shop eco pure wool mattress? It looks like it has good support, and will last a long time. Not sure if it requires airing out.

Any other recommendations? I do not plan on going back to a regular spring mattress, and would like something more natural than memory foam.

Any suggestions are appreciated!

What I love about minimalism is how broadly applicable the principles are. Most of us, of course, start with our stuff and physical space. But, ideally, minimalism eeks out into other (less tangible) areas of our lives.

My stuff is pared down and keeping it that way is second nature at this point. But I struggle with digital minimalism (my Google drive is a nightmare), food (I often overeat), and sometimes relationships (in the past it’s been impossible to leave relationships I know are beyond repair).

I’m curious if you have any tips for those areas of struggle. Also curious where you struggle to apply minimalism.

I have been decluttering, and I did a pile of use and throw clothes. They are either broken, stained or too old.

(There is a huge amount of donation clothes, most of it ends in landfills, so, if this is not in perfect condition, better throw it away)

I have separated a bunch of items in the pile, I mostly wear them for gym/sleeping, once dirty go to the bin instead of the washing machine.

Has anyone else implemented something similar?

Looking for an app to donate items without dealing with endless messages or no-shows! Every time I post something to give away, I spend ages listing it, only to get ghosted or have people not show up. I'd love an app where I can set my availability, and people just book a time to pick up without sending any messages.

Bonus points if the app lets people pay a deposit to confirm they’ll actually show up!

I've begun my journey into minimalism, and what I've noticed so far is surreal. I was always too busy or didn't have the time to do stuff that wasn't connected to my home or my family.

But what I'm realising is when I wake up in the morning and I can see floor space and less stuff, my brain gives me permission to take the day off.

MY BRAIN SAYS IT'S OKAY TO RELAX.

Never had that before, I've always been too 'busy', or needing to be present to be available for stuff. But because the stuff is becoming less, my brain is acknowledging this.

It feels good.

Piles and their involvement. Is that simple my 5 year old loves it.

I made a pile of all of her toys and trash.

First, I told her this is a crumpled used piece of paper, this is a candy rapper and this… I don’t even know what that is, do you? Nope? Then it’s trash, that is the trash pile.

Then I grabbed all her storage boxes and such and we labeled them for her different kinds of toys, like legos, dolls, cars, food, cooking and even random stuff.

After than with every piece I haven’t seen her play in a while I asked her do you want to keep this? Most of the time they would say yes, but I reasoned with her, do you play with it? I never see you playing with it, or you don’t seem sure about it (if I see doubt). I even give her reason why I want to throw it away and then she thinks about and here is the tricky, whether I agree with her or not I let her make the choice. But when I give her the reason of why I want it gone we comunícate what I don’t like and she comes up with a solution, like if I say it’s always around and I step on it, she then says I promise to clean it up. You think she won’t but I don’t expect her to, at least all the time but in this case is the thought that counts, and when I actually tell her to pick it up, she doesn’t fuss cause she understands the terms that she herself set.

This has been a game changer, I use to throw away things that I consider trash and stuff I thought she didn’t cared for but this method has been so much better and I feel she is leaning mindfulness with the material things and being intentional, she now cleans her room willingly and actually helps rather than having to fight all the time.

The reason of why I did this is because, of an article I read of a mom who started decluttering and donated a toy she knew her kids always ended fighting with and then one day the asked for it tears came out, she felt bad and her reasoning was that the kids remembered the happy things while she remembered the bad things which is perfectly understandable but we must also remember that’s nostalgia not reality, and that’s what I tried with my daughter, I explained to her and made part of the process. We, as adults, chose this lifestyle, if someone had come over to our house and donated our stuff without permission we would hate it and think of minimalism as a bad thing. The same way I hate clutter because that was my life growing up and I had no say I the matter.

The second reason is that, if I find that minimalism has bring so much joy and peace to my life why don’t I share that with the humans I love the most ( I have another one but he is one lol I his case I pay extra attention with what he plays and what he doesn’t pay attention to). I don’t want her to grow up resenting me or minimalism,I want her to see the value in it and the healthy and financial benefits of it. So making her part of it and choosing what brings her joy and what is essential to her is the best way I can think of doing it. Also showing her that her opinion matters, and it doesn’t matters if I disagree or not I will still support and love her no matter what.

She actually asked me a day later for something she threw away because it broken beyond repair and I told her I would get something similar to replace it (which I did later) and I freaked out and thought "oh great hear we go again” and I kept my cool and reminded her she threw it away and she was like oh yeah that’s and move on. I could not believe but boy was I proud, happy and relieved lol. I took that as a win.

If you read this far thank you! But I truly hopes this helps and I tried to keep as relevant as possible.