On Becoming a Minimalist
June 30th, 2008 | By sashwhy

Kendra and I have been doing a lot of talking/thinking about being minimalists – parring down on what we have and living on less.
We hope to randomly be able to post on this subject (I think both of us have plans on minimizing our closets soon!
) every now and then. We’d also love to hear from you all if you have ideas on the subject or have any goals that you’ve decided to tackle in this area yourself.
If you are like us, and want to get rid of “stuff” and start living a more simple life, here are a few baby steps to consider:
1. Get rid of unnecessary stuff (sell it or give it away…don’t throw it away unless it’s truly trash)
Instead of having 10 pairs of shoes, try parring is down to 5…or even 3 or 2. If you haven’t used that kitchen gadget for at least three months, it’s probably not a necessary item to keep in your home. Just take a look at what you have and really analyze what you have/need and start shedding the “stuff”
2. Buy more “permanents”, less disposables
3. Buy quality, rather than “convenient” or “cheap”
Cheap things often break quickly…then you have to go out and buy a new one! Focus on buying quality (for a little more money) and holding on to it for the long haul, making repairs or mending it as it wears down. Use money that you are saving from buying less disposables, to buy permanent, quality items.
4. Resist “buying”
Resist the temptation to buy something simply because it’s on “sale” and you “may need it someday”. If you have the urge to buy something, consider writing it on a wish list , then revisiting the list in a month to see if you still actually “want” it. Often times, you don’t want it anymore.
5. Mend, repair, call the company
Instead of just throwing something away because it broke, be a good consumer and call the company. Challenge them to make quality products and to repair/replace your product (unless, of course, it has been put to good use and has lived a long, useful life). If you don’t know how to repair or mend something, look it up or have someone teach you how.
![]()




