This article will give you ideas on how to practice minimalism so that you can have a clutter-free life today!
If you want a clutter-free life and home, you should aim to practice minimalism and apply its principles every day.
This is the best thing you can do!
Minimalism has so many benefits! I cannot recommend this lifestyle enough!
It makes our lives easier in so many ways. More time. Less stress. More freedom. Less debt. More meaning to life. Less clutter.
As it’s the beginning of the year, I find that it’s the perfect moment for people to start embracing this lifestyle and reap all its benefits!
Whether you want to take it step-by-step and make small and slow changes, or if you want to go all-in, this blog post will give you helpful ideas and inspiration.
Here are 10 ways to practice minimalism in 2024 for a clutter-free life!
How to practice minimalism for a clutter-free life
1 – Stop impulse buying
A key element to practice minimalism this year is to stop impulse buying.
This is a habit we should all break as nothing good comes from it.
You can get yourself into debt. You might regret a lot of those purchases.
And you may start hoarding stuff you don’t even need.
And I get it! If you’re used to shopping mindlessly, it can be hard to stop. It is such an addictive activity!
Companies have powerful marketing practices that make it so easy for us to grab things in the store.
They somehow manage to make us desire the latest useless gadgets.
If you’re struggling with it, I have many tips for you to stop impulse buying, you should check my blog post all about it!
Shopping more intentionally will save you tons of money! And you won’t be adding excess clutter to your home anymore!
Read more: How to stop being materialistic and overconsuming?
2 – Do a no-spend challenge
One of the most efficient ways to spend less money and bring less clutter into your home is to do a no-spend challenge!
Decide on a timeframe that works best for you and commit to only buying what is essential during that time.
Only allow yourself to buy food, hygiene products, and other necessary items.
No unnecessary things like the latest iPhone or yet another pair of jeans when you already have 5 in your closet.
Whether you do it for a month, 6 months, or a year, you will learn and realize that many things aren’t essential. These are often only desires.
And your wallet will thank you for that!
You will save so much money and get closer to your financial goals. It could even help you to pay off your debt faster!
3 – Beware of free things entering your house
Don’t get me wrong, I love receiving free things! Who doesn’t?!
But the thing is, if we aren’t careful, those can accumulate in our homes.
If the things you are receiving add true value to your life and you see yourself using them, that’s fine.
But if that’s yet another thing that you will immediately shove into a drawer and forget about for years, it may not be a great thing to accept.
When you attend an event, choose the freebies that are given to you with intention.
Do you need them? Will you use them?
You should ask yourself the same questions with hand-me-downs.
If a friend gifts you a ton of clothes for your toddler, assess what you will use according to your needs and donate the rest.
Free things are great to receive but they quickly pile up as it’s difficult to refuse them. Be careful with that!
4 – Declutter your whole house after every season
I couldn’t write this blog post without mentioning decluttering here!
An amazing way to practice minimalism is to go through your whole house after each season and dig out the things you aren’t using or loving anymore.
Life gets busy sometimes so we may not have time to do it regularly.
But I find that reassessing all your belongings every few months is a great way to make sure unnecessary things aren’t piling up.
And that they aren’t taking up precious space in your home.
Doing this after a season ends will also be easier for you to know whether you’ve used your seasonal items or not.
This is especially true when you declutter your closet!
Also, take advantage of the situation and deep clean the spots that get rarely cleaned.
You’ll start the new season with a fresh, clean and tidy house!
Read more: 14 life-changing minimalist rules to live by
5 – Have a donation box
A super-easy way to practice minimalism this year is to have a donation box in which you put the things you want to declutter as you come across them.
That way, decluttering won’t take a long time for you and it doesn’t get overwhelming.
Once it gets close to full, go around your house with it for 15 minutes and try to fill it to the top with excess bits and bobs that you don’t use and love.
Then, commit to immediately get it out of the house by dropping it at a charity shop.
Or it could be at a friend’s house that you know will benefit from these things.
This is a great decluttering hack that helps you get rid of things without too much effort!
6 – Create empty spaces and start enjoying them
As you declutter your home more and more, you might start noticing that some areas are getting empty.
Have you cleared up a drawer in your closet or a cupboard in the living room?
Or have you emptied your desk and your countertops in the kitchen?
Chances are that, when you see an empty space, you might be tempted to put something in there to fill it.
But think twice.
Do you need to fill that space? Doesn’t it look tidier, calmer, and more beautiful that way?
You may still need that empty space for something else and that’s okay.
But I recommend that you leave some empty spaces in your home and start enjoying them.
Surfaces will be easier to clean, and they will look less cluttered.
Alongside many other benefits, your home will feel so much more peaceful, I promise!
7 – Limit your commitments and tasks to what is essential
One of my favorite ways to practice minimalism is to apply it to my schedule and to-do lists!
I recommend that you limit your commitments and tasks to only what is essential or what brings value to you.
It will help you manage your time better!
Say no more often!
For instance, if you’re not 100% excited to go to an event, do not go. It’s not worth it!
I know that sometimes it is hard to say no to people, but we have to do what is best for us.
Don’t be a people-pleaser!
Attending events you’re not excited to attend will drain your energy and it’ll be a waste of time.
You have to think about your happiness and wellbeing. As they say, we can’t pour from an empty cup!
That’s also the reason why you should remove useless tasks from your to-do lists.
Sometimes we think we need to do everything, but in reality, we don’t.
Be selective about what needs to be done. I’m sure you can remove some things from your to-do lists.
Read more:
- How to develop a minimalist mindset? 13 simple tips to think like a minimalist
- 16 essential ways to keep life simple in a complex world
8 – Stop scrolling mindlessly on social media
When I recommend eliminating useless tasks or activities, one of them is scrolling mindlessly on social media.
I have to admit I’m sometimes guilty of this as well.
When we start scrolling through Facebook or Instagram, the minutes add up.
Without realizing it, we can spend hours doing this if we don’t control ourselves.
Social media can also trigger you to compare yourself to others.
It can make you feel miserable and encourage you to buy things you don’t need.
An amazing way to practice minimalism, especially digital minimalism, is to be mindful of how much time you spend on social media each day.
You could even do a social media detox from time to time!
I try to avoid social media on the weekend, and it helps me relax so much more!
9 – Take time for yourself
When you start a minimalist lifestyle, you get to free up a lot of your time.
As you have fewer belongings, you need less time to maintain, clean, and repair them.
You don’t spend hours looking for an item in your home.
As I said before, you also become more selective with your tasks, activities, and commitments.
Use this extra time to rest, relax and slow down and enjoy yourself in whatever way you want to.
You could practice self-care, spend time with your loved ones or try new hobbies and activities.
Do what you love during this time that you allocate only to you: walk in nature, read a book, take a nap, or do nothing at all.
You don’t have to be productive all the time!
I promise that practicing minimalism this way will improve your well-being and happiness in no time!
10 – Practice gratitude
Last but not least, practice gratitude regularly.
The thing with minimalism is that, as you let go of the things that don’t serve you, you start cherishing more the things that do add value to your life.
You become more grateful for what you have, and it is easier to notice the little things that make you happy.
But sometimes, life happens and it can get difficult.
In those moments, pause and remind yourself what you are grateful for.
I know it sounds a bit cliché to say that, but I promise practicing gratitude will increase your happiness and well-being.
When you wake up in the morning or before you go to bed at night, deeply think about the good things in your life.
You can even write them down in a journal.
It doesn’t have to be long! Choose 3 to 5 things that you are loving in your life right now and feel all the gratitude you have for them.
Final thoughts on how to practice minimalism for a clutter-free life
There you have it!
I hope this blog post about 10 ways to practice minimalism for a clutter-free life was helpful to you!
Minimalism and simple living are perfect for people who want to live a slower, calmer, tidier, and clutter-free life.
Whether you want to use a few of these tips or all of them, I’m sure you will find many benefits to switching to this minimalist lifestyle!
What minimalism practices have you decided to try this year? Which is your favorite?
I’d love to know, let us know in the comment section!
It’s January 2023 and my journey towards minimalism has begun. The first thing I have decided is to stop buying bottled water so I bought a thermal tumbler. Secondly, I am now brushing my teeth with baking soda. I plan to diy my laundry detergent. I am excited to take this journey.
Congrats, Gabby! You’ll see how minimalism is so life-changing!
I love your ideas! I’ve never tried brushing my teeth with baking soda though. Does it work well?
If you’re looking for an easy recipe to make your own DIY laundry detergent, you should check the recipe on my blog. 🙂
Just what I wanted and needed to read right now starting with No. 1. I’ve made the decision to go less and declutter and these points are very thought provoking. Thank you.
Thank you Rosemary, I am so happy it has helped and inspired you!! 😀