Minimalism: What to Toss Away from Your Space

I am a reasonable minimalist. And even before I stumbled upon the concept of minimalism a few years ago, I’ve  already been basically tuned up to this idea a few years earlier than that.

My personal concept of minimalism is a duplicate of the idea that less is more. This is strongly glued in my perception and every day practice. I can say that I am enjoying the luxury of less. Don’t get me wrong, having less is not about embracing poverty. I dislike the latter. Having less means not only decluttering but also disowning stuffs that I don’t need and avoiding to accumulate material possessions that are of no value to me.

I’d like to encourage you to try employing minimalistic approach to your daily life and reap its benefits. To start, try to take away some articles  from your space that you don’t need, those that have escaped your vision for many months or so or those that you just practically do not use at all and have no chance of utilizing them in the near or far future.

Here are just a few things in your spot that you may toss away that I guarantee you will not regret doing so.

1. Clothes. Are they worn out, out of style, no longer fit you, or you just don’t like wearing them anymore? There are clothing bins in almost all suburbs where you can dispose these preloved items. If they are still in good condition, give them away or donate them to Red Cross , Women’s Refuge NZ, or The Salvation Army
2. Pens. We almost don’t write anymore these days. If you don’t use them, share them with your colleagues or with your fellow students.
3. Extra Decorations. You don’t need to fill all the spaces in your walls or every corner of your house. Why not highlight the areas with just your most cherished and valued decors.
4. Old notes/Papers. Ask yourself when was the last time you access them for information. If they are already qualified for recycling, let them go and allow them to assume another purpose.
5. Multiple Electronics. Surely, you do not need more than one personal mobile phone, right? and a personal tablet or a personal laptop and desktop altogether? Maybe try to figure out how you can use just one or two items for universal functions.
6. Make Ups/Brushes. Discard expired lipsticks or blush ons that you no longer like or the foundations that do not match your skin tone or old brushes that sit around in your drawer.
7. Eyeglasses That You No Longer Use. So you had an eye check. You found out that you need to change your eyeglasses for corrective solution of your vision problem. That means you no longer need your old glasses. Here in NZ, there are charities that accept recycled glasses which are distributed to people in need but cannot afford them. Lions Club for example, has a program called Lions Recycle for Sight that accepts recycled glasses for charity purposes.
8. CDs/DVDs. Consider making digital copies. It takes way less space. How about donating them to your local library? Or selling them?
9. Kitchen Gadgets. So you bought a Nutri Ninja blender because you decided to follow a healthy diet regime. After one week, you cannot tolerate taking in those vege smoothies in your diet plan. You put the blender away on the top shelf of your kitchen cupboard and completely forgot all about it for months and months. I suggest, offer it to a friend or to someone who may genuinely need it more and who would actually use it more frequently. The same is true with your carrot peeler, bagel slicer, pancake pen, pineapple corer, condiment gun, bacon press, corn zipper and many more. Sure they are crazy awesome kitchen gadgets. They save two seconds of your time… but really?
10. Multiple Kitchen Utensils. These are space suckers. Keep only what you use.
11. Loose/Mismatch Socks, Loose Fitting Undergarments, Tight-Fitting Bras. Just don’t hold onto them.
12. Extra Buttons. May be your clothes are gone but you’re still hiding the extra buttons. Pass it on to your local or national charity. Ask family and friends who use buttons for crafts and arts. In NZ, there is a not-for-profit Charitable Trust called Buttons Project where you can send your old buttons for better use.
13. Shoes.  Many of us, own too many shoes than we actually wear. Maybe, it is time to rethink if we are getting real values for our money.
14. Travel Souvenirs and Collectibles. So you possess plenty of mugs, keychains, fridge magnets, knickknacks from McDonalds or from the supermarkets, etc. Make an effort to stop the urge to collect more, dispose the rest and retain only your favorites.
15. Extra Bags. We have wacky statistics  everywhere about the number of bags an average person (a woman in particular) has. If you own 10 or 20 or more, I’m sure, you only use 1 or 2 regularly. You always have your favorite. I am also convinced that a few of them were bought by impulse or because there was a huge sale and you had to have your hands on to that sale. Ask yourself how many bags do you really need to live by.

These are only a few things in your spaces that you can have a let go kick off. Create a clutter free spot in your house to also free yourself from distractions and stresses of the disorders. Once you’ve done it, keep practicing it until it becomes a habit.

Minimalism is a practical and simple way of living. It does give you a chance to ponder what it really means to be happy and contented thus, it gives you the opportunity to feel those feelings. You’ll be amazed to find what the real pleasures in life are!

Give it a whirl!