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The 3 Essential Steps to Adopting Minimalism

Published by Jenna Lombardi at
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Whether you’re a self-proclaimed “packrat” or are just looking for a fresh start, everyone can find some benefit in living with less. The challenge lies in knowing where to start! These tips will help you take the first steps towards simple living. 

Monitor

Limit your spending and censor every single item that comes into your home. Anytime you enter your house with more than you left, ask the question, “Does this bring value to my home?” For example, that might mean sorting through the mail before you even bring it inside and immediately tossing the junk into the recycling. Once you limit the flow of things coming in, it will be a little easier to focus on the next step: getting things out.

Start Small

Choose one room in your house to begin organizing. Select one drawer (like a nightstand or a kitchen cabinet), and take out every item. Decide what exactly you’d like that space to be used for, and then begin redistributing the items back into it. As you pick up each item, ask yourself:

  • Does this item serve a purpose in my house? (That purpose can be practical, or it can simply be that it brings you joy.)
  • Have I used this item within the last year?
  • Do I need this item for a specific event within the next year?

If you answer “no” to these questions, reevaluate if you want this item taking space in your new organized drawer. If the answer is “yes,” then put it in its proper place, whether it’s that drawer or another location. Every item should have a purpose as well as a designated storage space.

Go Slow

For a beginner, the idea of getting rid of an item (or several) can be daunting. It’s okay to ease yourself into this new lifestyle. A temporary solution is to take all of the items that you might like to purge and put them into a designated box. Store this box away for about 3-6 months. If you need an item during that time, you are welcome to take it out. If you did not use one or all of the items for that period of time, then it might be time to send it to a new home where someone else can enjoy it. 

The intention to live with less is a new concept for many, so just keep practicing and go at your own pace. You will soon be on your way to a more efficient and more peaceful life!

Jenna Lombardi
Jenna Lombardi
Jenna Lombardi currently lives in Atlanta, Georgia with her husband, Andrew, and their two children, Aaron and Clare. She loves to travel (even with kids!), find a good bargain, and enjoys an iced chai latte with soy milk every now and then. When she’s not wrangling the kids at the playground or the zoo, she can be found practicing hand lettering, reading about pregnancy and natural childbirth, or testing out a new recipe in the kitchen.