A Simple Monthly Exercise To Keep Your Minimalism on Track

Because even long-time minimalists need a reminder every now and then

My journey into minimalism started quite randomly.

I didn’t know it had a name, nor did I actively pursue it. I just happened to move often and travel constantly so, naturally, I restricted my belongings to the essential ones.

Fast forward eight years, I still like to think of myself as a minimalist, even though I have been living in the same city for almost 3 years, and I don’t travel half as much.

When you have a sedentary lifestyle, minimalism doesn’t come as naturally. You start accumulating things. A kitchen blender, a milk frother, a kettlebell, a comfy cushion, a cozy blanket. I didn’t have any of these things throughout my early adulthood but now I can see them all from the table where I write this.

The first step for a minimalist life is to say no. No to the free gifts that don’t add any value to your life, no to the new clothes when the old ones still fit, no to the fancy gadgets that will sit in a drawer forever.

But even minimalists make poor decisions.

Sometimes, these things end up in our homes. And sometimes rightfully so, we do need them at that moment. But life changes, and what we need today might be useless in six months.

That is why I do this simple exercise every month.

I decide I need to get rid of 3 things. And then I search the house, trying to find useless stuff I don’t need anymore.

Sometimes, it’s hard, which is a good sign. Other times, 3 minutes are enough to find my items. Sometimes I focus on a room (kitchen day, for example), other times it’s the whole flat.

After finding my items, I assess them: can they serve anyone? If the answer is no, they go to the bin, or the recycling bin if possible. If they can still be useful for somebody, I donate them.

Practicing this regularly won’t make a drastic impact on your life, after all, it’s just 3 things per month. But those are 3 things less that clutter your space. Minimalism isn’t about big bold decisions, it’s about the intention you apply to your everyday life.

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