Food For Thought

Top 20 Habits of A Minimalist – Find out If You Are One

What are some of the minimalist habits?

Recently, there has been much discussion and debate on the ‘minimalist lifestyle,’ and there are even memes about it. So, everyone has a slight idea about what minimalism is.

Today, we will be talking about the habits and some things that minimalist followers apply to their daily lives.

With the rise in materialism and consumer culture, humans got surrounded by lots and lots of stuff. People work two jobs to buy themselves a fancy refrigerator with an in-built ice cream maker.

People were caught up in a rat race. Working day and night, caught in one or many unsatisfying jobs, and buying more stuff (usually unnecessary) on loan. Even so, the debts kept piling up.

When all this debt circus was at its peak, minimalism raised its head. The idea of an ice cream-making refrigerator suddenly seemed unappealing against a debt-free life and spacious homes.

Slowly and steadily, the idea was popularized and applied in every aspect of life. We see minimalism everywhere, from architecture and interior to wardrobe and even digital elements.

What Exactly Is Minimalism?

Before we head on to a detailed discussion on the practices of tenets of minimalism, we will take a brief look at what the culture exactly is.

Minimalism was started as an art movement in the 1950s. It started as a reaction against abstract expressionist art as well as modernist art.

Top 20 Habits of A Minimalist - Find out If You Are One 1
By: Aleutie/Depositphotos

So, the original concept had nothing to do with getting rid of junk, buying less, or rooms bare of furniture. It was an art movement that, like every other art movement, found its way into literature, theatre, architecture, and every possible aspect.

Now that you know what minimalism exactly is, you can research more about the contemporary context. Click here to read about its modern meaning and application.

And finally, let us get into the list of –

Top 20 Habits of A Minimalist

1. Buy Less

We’ll begin with the apparent predisposition, and that’s buying less. Minimalists have it sorted when it comes to buying stuff.

They think it over a few times if they NEED something. They also consider the space it will occupy and if it’s a good investment.

They also do not buy groceries or other stuff in bulk. They will buy only the stuff that is necessary for the night’s dinner and the next morning’s breakfast.

By Natee Photo/ Shutterstock

Similarly, they will buy only a few sets of clothes (but good quality ones) and only a pair or two of shoes.

2. More Space

If you have ever seen a minimalist home, you will notice that they have very small items. They only keep the things which are super necessary like fridge, stove, or whatever is required for modern-day survival.

A minimalist living requires only the essentials in the empty space and clutter-free space; even these small things make real-life simpler, one of the beauties of a minimalist mindset.

3. More Saving

Obviously, minimalists tend to save more. They do not spend money on items like unicorn flip-flops or three dresses of the same color but in different patterns.

You won’t spot a minimalist at an ‘end-of-season sale’ to hoard accessories that you’ll need next summer.

So obviously, minimalists save more.

4. A Sorted Life

Minimalists practice minimalism in almost every aspect of their life. They will have their bag, desk, wardrobe, kitchen, and mobile phones sorted. Some might also go to the extent of sorting out their wardrobes by color and occasion.

By John C Evans/ Shutterstock

Even while socializing, some minimalists tend to be selective, and they might also sort people into neat little categories.

5. Priorities

A typical minimalist will have his priorities clear. One knows what has more importance in life. For them, experiencing and enjoying life comes first.

And for that, life should be peaceful and stress-free. They give importance to their hobbies as well as health and fitness.

6. Hassle-Free Life

Mostly, a minimalist is desirous for hassle-free life. Minimalists tend to have a life devoid of the hustle and bustle.

Since their wants are limited, they tend to save more. They require a lesser amount to go by. Hence they work only one job, unlike other people who work in their everyday life, day and night.

They don’t need to earn much as they don’t need extra money.

7. More Time

Obviously, a minimalist has a lot of time on their hands since he/she doesn’t have to organize wardrobes or clean up any mess daily.

Source: Unlimphotos

They also do a single job, so they have more time to pursue and practice their hobbies.

8. Organized

A minimalist is usually an organized person because he/she has very little to assemble. They will have their desks and workplaces sorted.

One of the best minimalist habits is making mindful purchases to avoid any physical clutter while living life.

They will have their files laminated and color-coded. They declutter their houses, wardrobes, offices, and drawers regularly. This practice makes it easier to organize and clean.

9. Zero Junk

A minimalist is not a heartless person to toss away all prized possessions or items of sentimental value.

But minimalists are a little more pragmatic than others. They throw away all crappy belongings. I mean, why would anyone need eight colors of sticky notes and 24 shades of highlighters?

Another important thing that they do when buying stuff is replaced things instead of upgrading them.

10. Quality Over Quantity

Just like we discussed above, minimalists tend to focus on experiencing life rather than gathering stuff.

By Floral Deco/ Shutterstock

They always look for quality products rather than anything cheap. For example- they will buy a $3000 denim and use it for a year rather than buying $300 denim every month.

Or just buy a good quality, durable backpack that will last for a year rather than buying a lot of cheap bags. But the downside about this is that not everyone can afford a $3000 denim or a branded backpack.

11. Experience

A minimalist is keen on gaining experience in something. That is swimming, hiking, or eating at a fancy restaurant. Minimalism advocates enriching the quality of life. It also encourages attaining inner peace and lessening mental burdens.

12. Less furniture

Another common thing that you will notice in a minimalist home is that the rooms are bare. There’s very less furniture.

I have come across people who say they eventually grow tired of looking at the same furniture daily for years. It becomes old and dull with time. Plus, the junk that accumulates only adds to the dry feeling.

But there’s a simple minimalist solution: don’t buy furniture at all. If you need it, go for something with soothing colors and durability.

13. Multipurpose Stuff and Recycling

By amilovedesign on Pixabay

A minimalist would go for a thing that has many uses. Maybe they’d go for something cool like an electric toothbrush with a built-in razor blade rather than buying them separately.

These people also reuse and recycle stuff a lot. Not only the minimalists but anybody can recycle a few items in your household.

For instance, you can paint and reuse old CDs as tea coasters or cup lids. You can also use old tin cans or cups as pencil holders.

14. Smaller Stuff

Minimalism is concerned with the idea of minimizing and reducing stuff around you. This also means that they reduce the size of their house.

A smaller own home is more affordable and easier to clean and maintain. A minimalist would always opt for less furniture, so having a more modest home makes sense.

If you are living alone, you might consider using a bicycle or a motorcycle instead of a car. You can also opt for public transport instead of using private vehicles.

15. Financial Freedom

Switching to a minimalist lifestyle comes with its perks. And one such significant benefit is financial freedom. Yes, you might have figured it out by now that minimalists love organizing stuff, and yet they manage to keep it simple.

The same is the case when it comes to their finances. Unlike us, they manage to save a substantial amount. But they will only keep one bank (savings) account, one account for emergencies, and just a checkbook and an ATM card.

They do not keep a bunch of accounts in different banks. Having a single account makes it easier to keep a check on spending and saving.

And with the advanced internet banking system, it just gets even more comfortable to track all the transactions.

16. Less Financial Burden

By now, you must be familiar with the basic idea that minimalism advocates having smaller and lesser things. And the main perk of keeping it small and less is that you are financially secured.

A smaller home would mean lesser rent, which means more savings. Similarly, if you do not own a car, you will obviously save up a lot on its maintenance and repairs.

Also, why would you buy a car when you can just book one anytime, anywhere, with a few clicks on your phone?

Image by Nattanan Kanchanaprat from Pixabay/Copyright 2017

In addition to this, you will also save a lot on furniture and other such petty expenditures. After all, these little savings grow into significant amounts as we go on saving.

16. Aesthetic Appeal of Minimalism

Everybody has seen those minimalist homes with soothing wall colors and bare rooms. Even if the house is devoid of any furniture, the minimalist interiors are pleasing to the eye. They immediately radiate a relaxing feel and welcoming vibes.

17. Need Something Extra?

Well, what about the time when a few guests show up? If you are a loyal tenet of minimalism, then you would not have those extra dishes or spoons and even forks.

And let us not forget about additional sleeping bags and pillows. Minimalism is often criticized for being selfish. The criticism is based on the idea that minimalism preaches selfishness. It does not think about others or social services.

18. Flexibility and Intentionality

Switching to minimalism does not mean that you should turn heartless and start tossing away all the sentimental items.

You should always keep a few things that mean a lot to you. Also, you should not forget your main goal while saving money and energy.

By: Patrick Foto/Shutterstock

For instance, if you are running late for office, you cannot afford to think of energy-saving by carpooling or public transport.

Your main goal is to reach your work quickly and not save money. Thus, you should practice minimalism after considering your requirements and intentions.

19. Declutter

Another essential principle of minimalism is ‘Decluttering.’ It just means tossing away all the things that you have not used in the last decade, as well as the things that you won’t be using in the coming decade.

It also means getting rid of all the junk in your desk drawer regularly.

Decluttering is an essential principle of minimalism. It is one of the starting points when you switch to this lifestyle.

20. Travel Light

And the last but one of the most vital aspects, travel. It is obvious that minimalists practice minimalism in traveling too.

Since minimalism shifts focus on experiences, traveling is an integral part of the lifestyle. But the followers of this lifestyle prefer traveling light. They will pack only the bare essentials.

So, these were some of the things that minimalists practice in their day-to-day lives. Minimalism is also criticized on various grounds.

It is said it does not talk about the welfare of society or helping others. It does not consider the fact that you might need some extra stuff around the house.

Photo by Philipp Kämmerer on Unsplash
Copyright 2017

People also have many predilections about lifestyle. They believe that adopting minimalism means giving up on all modern comforts or detaching oneself from material desires.

They also deem it dull and boring. They are even skeptical about the whole idea of tossing away belongings.

It is indeed challenging to get rid of the mindset of holding and possessing things. But again, you can just adopt whatever principles appeal to you and practice them. It is unnecessary to practice it full-fledged. Here is why minimalism is criticized.

So these were the top 20 habits of minimalists. Are you a minimalist? If yes, do share your experience with us! Do you want to switch to minimalism?

Then do let us know if this article was helpful to you. Tell us what you think in the comment section below!

Published by
Nitisha Upadhye