8 Ways We Practice Minimalism

Being mindful about how we live, what we purchase, and cultivating meaningful relationships have been areas that we’ve tried to improve this past year. We noticed how easy it had become to fall into a consumption-driven lifestyle, with the constant need for more.

So we set out to challenge ourselves to live with less “stuff”, be less busy, and learn to become more content with what we have. It’s a personal path we’ve chosen, where we’re not trying to live up to a standard of anyone else, but simply trying to discover the richness and beauty that lies buried underneath all the physical and mental clutter that we have. 

Minimalism and Simplicity

It’s common on the internet to hear the word “minimalist” used to describe anyone who is intentionally trying to simplify their life. There can be many ideas and misconceptions that describe a minimalist lifestyle, and from an outside view looking in, minimalism may seem restricting and legalistic– abiding by a certain set of “rules” that force a stripping away of anything except for the essentials. 

But instead of focusing on a strict external definition, we’ve chosen to view this journey as a way to not just remove items from our life, but also to add more of what we value.

More time to spend doing the things we love. More ways to spend our money in a meaningful manner. More opportunities for physical and mental rest. 

By choosing to remove certain elements from our lives, we then have room for more of what truly matters. It’s being able to say no to things that take away from the simplicity that life can bring, so that we can more easily say yes to the things that motivate, enrich, and encourage us. 

Here are 8 ways that we’ve found to embrace minimalism and simplicity this year and how they’ve helped us see the beauty that lies at the core, when not buried under the mental and physical clutter of life. 

8 ways we practice minimalism and simplicity

1. Own less clothes. Mike and I both recently went through our closets and were amazed at the items that we’ve been hanging onto “just in case”. It’s hard to get rid of clothes we used to wear.  We remember enjoying them at one point and feel as if we’re wasting money when we get rid of them. 

When we limit the amount of choices we have, it frees up the mental space to make a decision. It’s much more pleasurable for me to open up my closet and see only options that I actually wear on a regular basis. Each item in my closet serves a purpose. Choose to keep only the clothes that you value and enjoy and let go of the rest.

2. Commit to doing those 2-minute tasks right away. One way we’ve addressed the overwhelm of clutter in our home is by deciding on simple two-minute habits that we must do each day. They’re easy, quick, and make such a big difference in keeping up with a home while raising our three not-so-tidy kids! 

Tasks such as making the bed, putting dirty dishes right in the dishwasher, bringing items in from the car, and clearing off the counters at the end of the day are examples of two-minute habits that we strive to do each day. 

3. Leave whitespace in your schedule. Leaving whitespace in our schedule has been something we’ve learned as a result of our quarantine days during the year of COVID. When we were forced to cancel practically all of our activities and stay home, this allowed us to see the beauty of rest and the importance of living with margin. 

When we pack our schedule full of events, we end up feeling tired, rushed, impatient, cluttered, and unhealthy habits emerge. Learn to find a balance between being busy and allowing space for rest and enjoyment of what matters most.  

4. Limit the amount of choices for kids. Each day, kids are presented with a myriad of choices to make– what to eat for breakfast, which outfit to wear, what toys to play with, which stuffed animal to sleep with, and the list goes on. 

Kids are only kids and need to be taught how to form habits. One way we’ve simplified this is by limiting the amount of choices visible for them. We place only a select number of toys in each room and store the rest in the attic in our toy rotation bin. Instead of having dozens of dresses to choose from in her closet, our daughter has 6-8 options that she can choose from on any given day. 

Less choices allows for easier decision making, less overwhelm, and more time spent doing the things they find pleasure in. 

5. Find joy in the little things. The warmth of the sun on your skin. People watching in the park. The way it smells after a summer rain. Taking a slow, meandering walk. The sound of a friend having a good laugh. The stillness of snowfall.

If we could achieve everything we hope to accomplish in life and triple our income, would we really be able to squeeze a single drop more of pleasure from moments such as these? 

Being mindful to appreciate life’s free pleasures allows us to become more content and see how rich we are (not speaking monetarily), by rediscovering how little we really need to be happy. 

6. Have a home for every item. For us, this is the root cause of clutter. When we accumulate items that don’t have a designated home, they inevitably end up being tossed onto the kitchen counter– the worst clutter zone in the house! 

We teach our kids that every item has a home. If it doesn’t, it either doesn’t belong in our house or we need to find a reasonable place to keep it and put it back in that place each time. 

7. Allow time for self-reflection and rest. Leaving time to sit and think, reflect, and rest allows us to become more attentive and better enjoy our daily tasks. For me, this is the first hour of the day before the kids are out of bed. On days when this doesn’t happen, I feel unorganized, stressed, and my patience is more easily worn thin. 

This hour has become so relaxing and rhythmic for me. It’s a time for me to peacefully make my coffee, write in my journal, do my devotions, and watch as the morning sun gradually begins to flood the living room, signaling a brand new day. 

8. Prioritize sleep. When we become sleep deprived, our physical and mental energy are affected in a big way. Realizing how great a role sleep plays in our daily functioning, we’ve made our evening routine a priority. It begins with getting the kids to bed on time, limiting the amount of screen time we allow for ourselves, and heading to bed half an hour before our lights go out to wind down and read.

This has made a huge impact on our sleep (especially Mike’s as he’s a chronic bad sleeper!) and it’s allowed us to wake up feeling more energized, focused, and healthy. 

These 8 ways of practicing minimalism are ones that have made a significant impact on our lives. But everyone’s journey in life is different, so make sure the habits you do are life-giving and seek to simplify your own life. There is no standard to live up to, no hard fast rules that a minimalist needs to abide by, so live your life and be content with who you are.