Minimalism: The Art of Living with Less
Minimalism is everyone's dream, right? This concept of a pared-down life where everything is perfectly organized, where every object has its place, and where we get rid of everything that serves no purpose.
But let's be realistic: we're not all ready to become Buddhist monks and live in a white room with just a cushion and a bowl. We still have clothes (way too many clothes), a mess of books collected from your many flea markets and of course, this collection of mugs, travel souvenirs.
So, how do you achieve minimalism without feeling like a hermit living in a cave? It's simple: start with small steps, without pressure, and above all, with a good dose of fun.
1. The Overflowing Wardrobe
We've all experienced that moment when our closet is overflowing and, paradoxically, we find ourselves screaming. "I have nothing to wear!" because 90% of the clothes we own are either too small, too big, or completely out of style. Minimalism isn't about throwing out all your clothes (unless you really have no idea what even fits you anymore), but rather sorting through them. A good tip: if you haven't worn it in a year, it probably doesn't belong in your life.
Take a moment to take out each item of clothing and ask yourself: “Do I really like this thing?” If the answer is no, then off to the sale or donation! We're not here to get attached to objects as if they were members of the family, we're making room for what really matters.
2. Papers that take up a lot of space
Paperwork is the evil of the century. Between bills, receipts, tourist brochures for places you'll never go, and instructions for your vacuum cleaner that you've never used, you probably don't need any of it. Do a major clean-up. If a document doesn't do anything useful for you, it doesn't deserve to be filed away like a relic. Get a box or folder for the really important papers and throw away the rest.
If you have a six-month-old bakery receipt, frankly, it's not a travel souvenir to frame.
3. Useless gadgets
So there, it's the attack of the “a little bit of everything to make sure you don’t miss anything”Your fridge might be full of useless kitchen gadgets you bought with grand ambitions. Maybe you don't really need a bread maker if you don't even know how to turn on your oven, or a juicer that's taking up all the space in your cupboards.
If you use something once a year, ask yourself if it's really worth keeping. " thing " permanently. Maybe you could also stop filling your kitchen with useless gadgets and focus on simple but effective items. And if you can't live without it, well, keep it. But remember, it has to be useful, not just something you bought out of curiosity.
4. Dubious memories
We're talking about those little trinkets you accumulate to remind you of every place you've been. Okay, it's nice at first, but after a dozen useless souvenirs gathering dust, you realize that a nice photo album or a small magnet on the fridge would do the trick just as well. If an object no longer brings you joy (or if you don't even know where it came from), it's time to let it go.
There's nothing wrong with keeping a memory or two, but free yourself from excess.
5. “FOMO”
FOMO, or the fear of missing out, is what makes us buy things we don't even need, just because everyone's talking about them. As a result, you end up with tons of stuff you don't even use.
If you haven't used something in six months, it's unlikely you'll ever need it. The idea here is to realize that owning less means being freer. Fewer distractions, less stuff to manage, more room for what really matters, like your comfy couch, your favorite show, and good conversations with friends (without having to dust for an hour beforehand).
6. The “digital detox”
You don't just have physical items to declutter, you also have digital stuff. Because your inbox is overflowing and your phone is full of poor-quality photos you've never looked at. Digital minimalism also means deleting unnecessary apps and emptying your inbox of newsletters you've never read.
Because we all know that a tidy phone is like a tidy room: it's good for the mind.
In short, minimalism isn't about throwing everything in the trash or living in a sterile environment. It's simply about learning to detach yourself from the superfluous in order to better appreciate the things that matter.
So, start small: one drawer, one item of clothing at a time. And even if you're not ready to throw away everything around you yet, it's worth starting with a little sorting. Who knows, it might just change your outlook!
