Minimalism, at its core, is about discovering joy in simplicity by reevaluating your lifestyle. It involves identifying what genuinely brings value to your life and eliminating the excess.
A move to a new home often indicates a fresh start, presenting an ideal opportunity to let go of old habits and welcome positive change by adopting minimalism. While this lifestyle demands effort, if you have resided in states like New Jersey, you might already be well acquainted with it. Residing in smaller homes is both a trend and a necessity in New Jersey, driven by the high cost of living.
The tiny house movement, advocating for a life centered around essentials, has gained traction in the state due to the demand for more affordable housing. In New Jersey, the average house size is 1,753 square feet, notably smaller than the national average of 2,014 square feet for single-family dwellings.
Remember, small homes can feel even more cramped when filled with unnecessary belongings, making minimalism a practical necessity. So, if you are aspiring to incorporate minimalism into your new home, consider these tips to achieve your goal.
Recycle and Freecycle
Recycling and freecycling unnecessary items in your new house can serve dual purposes: It eliminates the need to spend on new things and allows your redundant possessions to find a new life with people who genuinely need them.
If you are considering a move and have previously lived in a place like New Jersey, you might be more inclined to recycle and cut expenses in your new home. New Jersey’s overall cost of living is 13% higher, with basic food and groceries costing 4% more than the national average.
When deciding to recycle and freecycle, you might find items that you don’t have any immediate use for. However, you might not be ready to part ways with them. For this purpose, consider hiring professional movers who also offer storage services. Simply look up New Jersey long-distance moving company near me to find credible service providers. This way, you can have all your valuables stored securely and enjoy a smooth, minimalist transition into your new home when the time comes.
Declutter Your House
Decluttering your house should be one of the initial steps to living a minimalist life. During packing, you might have accumulated unnecessary items. Decluttering your house after you have arranged your new home may take several days or even weeks when done, along with the rest of the household duties. But once you clear your possessions, you will experience immense relief.
Here are some things to consider selling, donating, or discarding when decluttering:
- Clothes that you haven’t worn in ages. They might not fit you, or you don’t like them anymore.
- Books that have already been read.
- Old and broken makeup, empty bottles, and jars of skincare products.
- Old and expired medicines.
- Furniture in the house that you don’t really need.
- Duplicates of utensils and cutlery in the kitchen.
- Old and broken toys that are making your kid’s room messy.
In addition to the above-mentioned list, you may also have other unnecessary and extra items in your house. You can start hauling away your old, unwanted furniture as well as broken and malfunctioning items in a dumpster before sending the ones in good shape to a charity organization or selling them in a yard sale.
Be Conscious of What You Buy
Mindful shopping plays an important role in your quest to adopt a minimalist lifestyle. Being conscious of what you buy can significantly reduce waste and clutter.
To be mindful when purchasing something, ask yourself the following questions when you come across a tempting item.
- Do you actually need it?
- Will you properly use this item to get value for your investment, or will it end up forgotten in one of your drawers?
- Do you have something similar that can serve the same purpose?
By proceeding to purchase after getting satisfactory answers to these questions, you not only uphold the principle of minimalism but also make more fulfilling purchase decisions.
Appreciate Negative Spaces
Negative spaces are the empty corners around objects in your house. Appreciating the beauty of negative spaces means leaving these corners empty intentionally. For instance, instead of decorating a console table with two or three vases, you can add just one and let the rest of the space accentuate the presence of the only decorative item placed on it.
Having negative spaces in your new house offers several benefits, including the following:
- Negative spaces mean feeling joy in less, an underlying principle of minimalism.
- Appreciation for negative spaces lets you have fewer possessions and decorations in your house.
- These spaces allow you to enjoy the calmness and openness that emanates from uncluttered spaces. This is opposite to houses crammed with excessive decorations, feeling chaotic and overwhelming.
- Having negative spaces allows you to appreciate what truly matters, such as a piece of furniture with the sentimental value of a few photo frames reminiscing a family trip.
- Incorporating negative spaces reduces mental burden and stress.
- Negative spaces make managing your house and keeping everything orderly much easier.
- Having empty spaces in the house allows you to change the décor and layout more easily as priorities and preferences change.
Having negative spaces allows you to appreciate simplicity, openness, and tranquility. It helps you deliberately live with fewer things, making your house and life much more manageable.
Choose Experiences Over Things
When you have the means to afford everything, the responsibility to choose wisely increases. You can either buy useless stuff to fill your house or choose experiences. For instance, you can spend on a class to learn a new skill or buy new accessories for your home. The choice between buying possessions or experiences is the fundamental aspect of living a minimalist life.
Opting for experiences allows you to invest in memories, personal growth, and a richer and more fulfilling life. Doing this will naturally lead to reduced clutter in your house.
Conclusion
Choosing to live a minimalist life should be a conscious decision, requiring a willingness to invest time in identifying what you genuinely love and what is worth keeping. The methods to adopt a minimalist life mentioned above offer a starting point.
However, it’s crucial to remember that practicing recycling or implementing the remaining tips once won’t be enough; you must truly adopt this lifestyle. As you incorporate minimalist practices into your routine, they will gradually help you move a bit further in your endeavors each time. Over time, you will find that it becomes easier to shop consciously, recycle, choose quality over quantity, appreciate negative spaces, and be grateful for what you already have.
Meg is an author at Cinnamon Hollow. She writes on a variety of topics sharing tips and ideas for daily life.