The benefits of living a simple and minimalist life

The first of March marked the meteorological start of spring and the time of year when we start to think everything is possible with the promise of longer days ahead. Very often we mark the start of Spring with a good old clear out – to wipe away the Winter cobwebs and enter the season with a clean slate.

There’s a saying that most of us have everything we need, if not everything we want. This suggests our desire to have things surrounding us often detracts from what we need to really make us happy.

Minimalism is the practice of living with only those things you need. It is said to enable you to focus on what you most value in life, without being distracted by things.

Some practising minimalists claim that getting rid of 'stuff' can actually set us free. So, this March why not take the opportunity to go to town on your Spring clear out?

For every item you remove from your house, you release trapped energy. People often talk about feeling as though a weight has been lifted when they've got rid of some of their things, so we’ve developed some tips for getting started:

Break it down into chunks

If your house is like most others, your clutter will have built up over years, rather than weeks. So sometimes the thought of trawling through it all can be quite daunting. Don’t let this put you off. Simply break the big task down into smaller chunks. It doesn’t matter how long it takes, every step towards a more minimalist environment is a step forward. Set yourself a time – once, twice, three times a week – to get stuck in and peel off the layers of clutter one at a time.

Sell, sell, sell…

It can be hard to simply give away all the stuff you’ve spent your hard earned money on and that’s one of the reasons we hold onto things for longer than we need to. Don’t despair, there are loads of ways of making cash out of your old stuff. As well as eBay, there are Facebook groups, car boot apps, companies that buy unwanted CDs and DVDs, etc. Remember, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure, so if you’ve got the time, make the effort and get some cash back for the things you no longer use or need.

Charity begins at home

Don’t be afraid or embarrassed to offer things you don’t need to friends and family. Look out for small charities or organisations in your local area that are in need of a helping hand. Give old toys to nearby schools, nurseries or children's charities; books and DVDs to the library. It feels good to know that the stuff you no longer needs is being valued by someone else. Charity shops are also always on the lookout for quality donations, with pretty much all of the money they raise from your goods going to a worthy cause.

The transition from living a life of plenty to living a more minimalist life doesn’t happen overnight – and we’re not saying you need to rid yourself of all your worldly goods in order to live a long and happy life. What we're suggesting, however, is that we recognise the difference between the things we want and things we need, then try to separate the two.


For more tips on making the move to minimalism, read this: http://www.becomingminimalist.com/creative-ways-to-declutter/