More and more people are interested in minimalism, and that’s a very good thing! Because being a minimalist is, above all, about simplifying your life. It’s about choosing to get rid of the superfluous and live only with what is essential. Our society pushes us to consume more and more, to the point of filling our homes with things we don’t really need. Being a minimalist means stopping the pursuit of money solely to buy new things. Adopting a minimalist lifestyle means choosing to consume less, living better with fewer things, and focusing on what truly matters to us.
But how does one become a minimalist? What steps are involved in completely transforming one’s lifestyle and consumption habits? How can one adopt a new way of thinking and let go of old habits? What obstacles might arise, and how can one overcome them? Let’s explore the 9 key steps to becoming a minimalist.
1. Becoming a minimalist begins with taking stock of your current life
Most of us have been immersed in consumer culture since childhood. And this consumerism persists today. Just look at the number of gifts children receive for Christmas, birthdays, and all other traditional family events. It’s staggering! Often, they are so spoiled that they wouldn’t have enough time in a lifetime to try out all their toys. Consumer habits become ingrained, especially when you’ve been surrounded by them since you were a child. It’s important to reassess their true significance and consider their impact on your life. What kind of consumer are you? What role do objects play in your life? Are all your possessions truly useful? Do they make you happy?
Personally, I was born into a middle-class family. I was a rather spoiled little girl who regularly received gifts, even for no particular reason. A trip to the zoo or an amusement park, a journey, or even just a simple walk was enough for me to invariably bring back a little souvenir in the form of one or more objects. It was practically a tradition, a rite of passage. I felt almost sad if I came back empty-handed. As I grew up, I naturally imitated what I had been taught, with the only difference being that I gave myself my own gifts!
2. We must then become aware of our attachment to objects, which is an obstacle to a simple life.
By constantly receiving gifts and collecting all sorts of objects, our brains develop an addiction. We become dependent on these things and can’t help but buy them, again and again. They make us feel good, make us happier. Besides, between you and me, buying something is rather enjoyable. When you feel the need for a new pair of shoes, you first imagine them, then you search for the perfect pair, the one that will flatter you, make you look better, make you happier. Once you’ve found it, you buy it and take it home. This precious object is yours and yours alone. Unfortunately, the promise of happiness that comes with owning an object is never fulfilled. Do you remember the last time an object changed your life?
I myself quickly developed an addiction to objects . They became comfort objects, tokens of affection and love, friends, and companions for life. They made me feel better when I was down, soothed my sorrows, and often filled a void of loneliness. When Christmas came, I would make lists as long as my arm, hoping that these new toys would change my life. When I was old enough to have my own money, I remember my mother advising me to buy myself “a little something” to cheer me up when things weren’t going well. Indeed, when you buy something new, you turn away from your life and your problems to focus on the novelty for a few moments. But very quickly, the effect fades, and you return to your life and your worries.
3. To simplify one’s life, it is necessary to observe one’s interior carefully.
As the years go by, we start accumulating things . We surround ourselves with more and more objects, and since we keep them all, they multiply! As a result, we buy more and more wardrobes, chests, and boxes to store everything. When you’re lucky enough to live in a spacious house, you might have an attic and a basement, and that’s fantastic! You can pile everything up there without having all your clutter constantly in view. But every time you open a wardrobe, a drawer, or go up to the attic, you think, “Why do I have so much stuff?” Take the time to observe your home carefully. Don’t hesitate to look in the wardrobes, in the nooks and crannies, in the basement and the attic. Everywhere you accumulate things. And realize the scale of the problem.
Personally, I’ve always loved tidy spaces, despite my addiction to objects. In fact, that’s what helped me at one point. I realized it was difficult to reconcile order and clutter. Whenever I tidied my room and closets, things never stayed tidy for very long. Why? Because as soon as I looked for something, I had to move other things, creating chaos. That’s when I realized something was wrong with my organization and that I needed to change a few things.
4. Read books and articles on minimalism
When we realize our home is cluttered, we don’t necessarily know how to go about it or where to start to tidy up and declutter . We do it our own way, as best we can, but the results aren’t always very convincing. We can try talking to people around us to exchange ideas, ask questions, and gather some advice. But often, we can feel quite isolated or even misunderstood by those around us . It’s often at this point that we do more in-depth research and come across articles or books about minimalism . And then, it’s liberating, a relief. We realize that someone else has already asked themselves the same questions we’re asking, and the answers are right at our fingertips!
Personally, the book that had this effect on me was Dominique Loreau ‘s “The Art of Simplicity,” which I discovered in 2011. Reading it immediately made me feel very good, and I wanted to do the same because I could feel her pleasure and well-being through the pages of her book. I thought to myself, “I want to experience this too; I want to free myself from objects and the constraints they bring into my life. If Dominique Loreau did it, I can do it too!”
5. To become a minimalist, you also need to ask yourself the right questions!
Reading various articles and books on minimalism motivates us and makes us want to dive headfirst into a major decluttering project. Before diving in headfirst, we must first ask ourselves the right questions to avoid making mistakes and to successfully simplify our lives . Throwing things away just for the sake of throwing them away is pointless. It’s easier to work room by room. In your closet, ask yourself if you have too many clothes, too many shoes. Do you actually wear everything you own? Are there items that have been gathering dust for years and have never seen the light of day? Do the same with the mementos you keep from your childhood. Is it really necessary to keep all your childhood toys? What use are those old school notebooks to you? Do you look at them regularly?
Personally, I started with the objects in my parents’ attic. That’s where I kept most of my memories and where the boxes were piled up the most, so much so that you could barely move around. I went through all my toys, all my old clothes, I reread all my old school notebooks, and I questioned the necessity of keeping them. Why was I keeping them? Did they make me feel good? Did I really need them? And so on.
6. Next comes taking action: decluttering your home is essential to becoming a minimalist.
After addressing the essential questions, it’s time to take action and declutter your home . We generally want to get rid of everything to finally feel free. But in reality, it’s not always that easy. Between the sentimental attachment we feel to certain objects, the fear of parting with something we might need someday, and the guilt associated with getting rid of gifts we received, it’s not always straightforward.
Start with “easy” items, those you’re not particularly attached to. Once you’ve practiced with those, the next ones will be easier, and so on. Remember that decluttering, like any sport or intellectual discipline, requires practice. You’re not born a minimalist , you become one! This process can take several weeks, or even several months, depending on the amount of stuff you’ve accumulated, but don’t give up!
As for me, I started with the toys stored in the attic. I decided to keep only a few and set a maximum number. I must admit it wasn’t easy because several times I was afraid I’d regret parting with certain toys that reminded me of my childhood. I told myself I could pass them on to my children later. In reality, those are just convenient excuses. In reality, children want to play with toys from their own generation; they don’t necessarily appreciate old toys. I did, however, take photos of some of the toys to at least have a visual record – that, at least, doesn’t take up any space!
What also helped me a lot was knowing I was going to donate them to a charity, and that they would then go to children who needed them more than I did. They were more useful to children who would play with them rather than just sitting in a box gathering dust. It took me two weeks to sort through all my keepsakes stored in the attic. Then I moved on to my room.
7. Adopting a minimalist lifestyle also requires reviewing one’s consumption habits
Yes, to keep a house clutter-free and uncluttered, you shouldn’t buy new things every week. The goal of decluttering isn’t to empty out in order to fill it up again! If you constantly refill your home, you’ll have to start the sorting process all over again, wasting precious time and energy. If you do that, you’re not truly a minimalist . It’s not necessarily easy to embrace a path of reduced consumption in a society that constantly pushes us to consume. It’s like being on a diet and living in a candy store. It requires a lot of effort.
If you don’t have chocolate in your cupboards, you’ll have to eat something else. There’s no point in testing your willpower every day because eventually you’ll give in and relapse. To reduce your consumption, cut down on your trips to the mall, avoid TV commercials, and stop browsing online shopping sites.
I remember that at first, I had a lot of trouble cutting back on my purchases. I was often tempted by the “bargains” on websites. My spending was mainly on clothes. What I did to drastically reduce my purchases was stop going to the shops every week—I only went once a month—and I greatly reduced my visits to online retailers.
8. Knowing how to manage relapses is essential for being a minimalist
Life isn’t always smooth sailing, and Rome wasn’t built in a day. Minimalism is a long-term journey because it’s meant to last. Living a simple life is an endurance race, not a sprint. There will inevitably be times when you’ll splurge on a pair of shoes or a decorative item you don’t need. If you beat yourself up about it then, you’ll feel bad and you’ll splurge even more. Remember that most people buy things in bulk because they feel insecure, bored, or lonely.
I too have relapsed (and it still happens, though less frequently) and bought things just for the sake of buying, without any real need. In those cases, I would write down in a notebook why I had given in: out of boredom, feeling unwell, sadness, etc. Thanks to this, I identified a pattern that repeated itself exactly. I often bought unnecessary things when I felt bad about myself, when I was a little sad. Knowing this allowed me to be more careful when I was feeling down and to avoid, for example, browsing online clothing sites.
9. Enjoy your new minimalist lifestyle and share it with those around you
Once you’ve experienced the minimalist lifestyle , you won’t be able to live without it. Minimalism can extend to every area of your life: work, friends, activities, leisure, family, and more. Once you’ve decluttered your home, you can declutter your activities, personal relationships, and professional life. This frees up time and allows you to spend quality moments with the people you love. You rediscover the pleasure of simple activities and are no longer held captive by possessions. You may also feel the need to share this new minimalist lifestyle with those around you. And the best way to introduce someone to the benefits of minimalism is simply to lead by example.🙂
Personally, embracing minimalism is one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I’ve never regretted my old life, and I’ve never wanted to go back. I no longer feel attached to my possessions, and as a result, I feel much freer. Minimalism is a beautiful path that I encourage you to explore at your own pace. It’s a path that not only simplifies your life but, more importantly, allows you to focus on what’s truly important to you.
Please share this article with your loved ones to introduce them to the minimalist lifestyle!
