Everyone has a different way of becoming a minimalist and it depends on your minimalist mindset. Before knowing how to become a minimalist, it is important to write down the reason(s) you want to become a minimalist. A minimalist lifestyle can be for example: owning a limited amount of stuff, minimising space, decluttering space, or completely downsizing. For a teenager this is not always possible.
These are my steps to minimalism:
- Declutter my room
One of the reasons I want to live minimalist is because I have a lot of stuff lying in my drawers which I don’t actually use but I still think about. This is why my next step is to declutter all my stuff. This includes clothes, books and decorations. My closet is very full but in reality I only use about 40% of my clothes. I am not such a bookworm and most of my books are from when I was younger. I also like to decorate my room but this makes my room look messy.
- Make a sketch of what I want my room to look like
I have been wanting to paint my walls and some furniture and this is a good opportunity to do so. I am also getting rid of stuff which means I do not need as much furniture. I also want to make my room look more simple. To envision and plan what I want my room to look like, I am going to make a detailed sketch.
- Make changes to my room
The next step is to make the changes to my room. I think it is important to do this as sustainable as possible. Therefore I am not going to buy any new furniture to make my room more simple. I do not need inventive furniture to live minimalist, although this could be necessary or useful if your room is very small.
- Organise the stuff I want to keep
After making the changes in my room I need to organise all my stuff. Again, I am not going to buy any dividers or boxes because I do not think it is sustainable. Moreover I already have a few so I do not need more.
- Look back at what I wrote down
After I have done all those steps, I am going to look back at the reasons why I want to become a minimalist and reflect if I achieved living minimalistic. If I want to change anything then I can think about this.
I hope this is helpful for you! These steps might change throughout this journey but I will keep you updated.
Do you recommend any other steps I should take?
I’d love to read it in the comments!
Sources
Breaux, Adrienne. “9 Simple Ways to Start Living a More Minimal Lifestyle.” Apartment Therapy, Apartment Therapy, LLC., 4 May 2019, http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/seeking-simplicity-how-to-start-living-a-more-minimal-lifestyle-210936.
“10 Super Simple Steps For Beginner Minimalists (+ Free Declutter Checklist).” The Wallet Moth, 31 Mar. 2020, http://www.thewalletmoth.com/10-ways-get-started-minimalism/.
Teen Minimalist Journey 