Today a blog you can get started with right away, it's about minimalism. Nothing better than starting the new year tidy for more peace in your mind. Don't put this off any longer, start right now when you have time. You don't have to have a minimalist lifestyle overnight, but do it in small steps and make the first one today.

What is minimalism anyway?

Minimalism originally started as an art movement, but has now become a lifestyle for many people. Minimalism is very broad, but for the most part it means having less stuff. Making that which is really important to us and getting rid of anything that doesn't help with that. Later in the blog we will give you practical tips on how exactly to go about this. So you can make minimalism very tangible, but you can also relate this to your mindset. Minimalists focus mostly on what makes them truly happy instead of looking at what's missing. They stop paying attention to things that don't energize them. Choosing minimalism gives you space and peace of mind, but it has even more benefits. For example, you also have a smaller impact on the environment by having less stuff. This is simply because the production of every product has an impact on the earth. The less stuff, the smaller that impact. This also means you save money, which is a win-win situation. Minimalism is already more sustainable, but if you also make sustainable choices regarding the things you do buy, you are doing twice as good. This could be choosing slow fashion, using less plastic or eating less meat.

How do you do that?

But how do you apply all this to your lifestyle? Again do it one step at a time. First, pick a room in your home where you want to start and then a specific item in the room. For example I choose to tackle my bedroom first and I start at my makeup drawer. Put on some nice music or a podcast and start somewhere. When decluttering, ask yourself the question: how often do I use the product and do I really need it. If you can't remember the last time you used the product, maybe it's time to get rid of it. It's best to first make sure your environment looks calm and you're left with only the stuff you really care about. If you are left with a nice minimalist selection, you will find that your head immediately becomes a lot calmer.

Marie Kondo

When you think of minimalism, you may also think of Marie Kondo, as we do. This Japanese tidiness coach is known for her "KonMari" method. This method puts focus on stuff that makes you happy. According to her method, you go through five categories in a certain order:

1. Clothing

Go through all your clothes that you own. So not only the clothes hanging in your closet, but also those bins that have been under your bed or in your closet for a while. Also take all your shoes, socks and underwear.

2. Books

Without realizing it, there may be books lying all over the house. Books you've read once or cookbooks that are never used. Make a critical selection.

3. Paper

While it may not take up much space, it can cause a lot of anxiety. All the paper you have kept that is scattered around your home. Think of tax bills, old birthday cards and magazines.

4. Komono (other)

This category actually includes everything else. Often stuff that is in the storage room, garage or kitchen. Work on this one room at a time. For example, go through your bathroom to see what all can go away there.

5. Sentimental objects

This is probably the most difficult category because here you often want to keep everything. The items have a value to you and getting rid of them is therefore difficult.

The method is fairly simple. You pile up everything in a category and go through it piece by piece. You ask the question, "Does this item still make me happy?" If yes, you keep it, if no, you get rid of it. The Marie Kondo method also involves thanking the item for its service if you do decide to get rid of it. This may sound strange, but for many people this makes it easier to get rid of the product. After you have made a selection of the items you keep, you will also start cleaning them up Marie Kondo style. The most important thing here is that you give everything a home. A permanent place. That way you will always know where to find something and where to put it away again. Make sure all your clothes are visible. Try to stack as little as possible and make sure you can see all your clothes at a glance. That way you avoid wearing the bottom shirt in the pile never again anyway.

Minimalism in the closet

At Sophie Stone we naturally stand for timeless items of good quality, which is right up our minimalist alley. Fewer items that you can combine with each other and that last a lot longer. A good tool that can help you clean up your closet is to create a capsule wardrobe. In this blog about a capsule wardrobe and how to set it up, but in short it is a compact timeless closet with only essential garments. You can wear the basic collection for seasons and supplement it with seasonal pieces so you have something to wear every occasion. You can divide a capsule wardrobe into three categories: the basics, key pieces and show ponies. With these categories consisting of about +- 30 garments, you have endless looks.

What do you do with the stuff you no longer want?

After you have tidied up wonderfully, you are naturally left with things you are going to part with. Of course you would prefer to get rid of these as soon as possible, but try to do this in a good way. Maybe someone is just looking for that one product you are getting rid of and you can make them happy. Nowadays there are many platforms where you can offer your clothes and other items for sale, such as Vinted and Marktplaats. Set yourself a goal for how long you offer the products for sale and if they are not sold after that time you can donate them to, for example, a thrift store or clothing bank and make someone else happy. Very sustainable.

Want to read/know more about minimalism?

Are you interested in minimalism and want to know more about it? There are many people sharing knowledge and experiences about their minimalist journey. For example, there are books, podcasts and documentaries on the subject. Here are some tips:

• Book: 'Everything Left Over' - The Minimalists
• Book: 'Get rid of it' - Dennis Storm
• Book: 'Tidy' - Marie Kondo
• Book: 'Essentialism' - Greg McKeown
• Podcast: 'Final Bosses' #117 Jelle Derckx (growthinkers) - On minimalism, sustainability and personal growth
• Podcast: 'Lobkes Podcast' #3 More through less with Mariëlle Markgraaff
• Documentary: 'Minimalism, a documentary about the important things' - The Minimalists

Minimalist mindset

A tidy house is guaranteed to make you feel tidy in your head as well. You can further relate minimalism to your entire mindset and life. The list of things you can do to start thinking minimalist is endless. One of the first steps you can keep in mind to think like a minimalist is to get rid of indecision and negative thinking. Strive for a calmer body and mind, and you will realize how easy it is to leave negative thinking and indecision behind. Minimalism also encourages living in the moment. Try not to spend hours worrying about the future, but spend the present working toward a bright future. Here are some helpful tips to get such a minimalist mindset:

1. Be grateful

Nowadays everyone just wants more and we don't dwell on what we already have. This applies to stuff but also to other possessions and people around you. Be grateful for everything you have, the big and small things. You don't know how much happiness and peace you are missing by not choosing gratitude. Try writing down briefly every night what you are grateful for that day. This can be small or big things and gives you a chance to reflect and dwell on what you are grateful for.

2. Complaining less

Complaining is something everyone does from time to time, and there is nothing wrong with that. Just make sure not to overdo it. It will create a negative atmosphere and nothing will change the situation. Reality is what it is, and there is nothing you can do about it. The situation is just the way it is. Try to put it in perspective and ask yourself "how bad is this really" and does it make sense to complain about this. The answer is usually no. This will make you more positive and naturally give you a calmer mind.

3. Go with the flow

Try to do only the things you really want to do and are 100% behind instead of the things that might be expected of you. Above all, listen to yourself and your own body. Are you not happy with that 9 to 5 job? Find something that does make you happy. Try not to weigh it all down. Something doesn't work out today? Tomorrow, another chance. Ask yourself, are you doing things because you want to or because it is the way it is?

Hopefully, after reading this blog, you will have enough tools to get started with your minimalist lifestyle. This will ensure that you go into the new year with a tidy house and head.