What do you have to do to get rid of all those unnecessary things?
From HealthyMortel we believe that it is necessary to talk about minimalism, because there are many people who do not know how to live with less. The advice presented in this article makes it easy to get rid of all those things that we do not need and that, however, are a burden in our lives.
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8 basic tips of minimalism to know how to live with less
The consumerist society in which we live has made us grow up wanting to have things. This is applicable in many types of items, from clothing to decorative objects. However, in many cases these objects bring us more problems than solutions, and for this reason it is important to understand that they are not that important.
Minimalism is a lifestyle that allows us to understand how to get rid of unnecessary things . Hoping that they will be very useful, below are the main tips to know how to live with less, since minimalism solves problems that some do not even know they have.
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1. Gain more time
Time is something that never comes back . It is something that everyone knows, and yet not everyone treats it as the precious commodity that it is. There is no doubt that the money you earn is obtained from the investment of your own working time, so spending a lot of money on trivial things means that you are spending the time of a lifetime. You have to keep in mind, therefore, whether or not it is worth spending this time.
On the other hand, having more stuff means spending more time organizing, cleaning, using, etc. In other points that appear below there are clear examples of how time can be wasted with unnecessary objects.
2. Don’t buy more than you need
Some people enjoy shopping, but this activity can be more harmful than it seems . Beyond the time that can be lost in this activity, the truth is that the most negative thing about going shopping as a leisure activity is perceiving that what is bought is a prize.
These small purchases are actually a way of self-indulgence, and many times you end up buying things you don’t need. This causes things to accumulate over time that actually cause more problems than solutions.
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3. Stop thinking about comparisons
Many people fall into one of the traps of capitalism, which is wanting to have more than the other . There is no doubt that the human being is a social animal and that his identity passes through comparison with those close to him, but this, taken to the extreme, is harmful.
Having a better car than the neighbor or going with the most popular and expensive clothing brand is something that worries some people. Unfortunately, this leads to having to do things that may work against the person, such as working more, having more obligations, etc.
4. Get rid of things
To live with less minimalism they have a clear objective: to have less things . Some may think that it may be a bit extreme to reduce the wardrobe to a quarter or get rid of some items from the crockery, but those who have done it are clear that it is a great solution.
Having a large wardrobe in most cases does not respond to the need to vary clothes, but rather occupies more valuable space than it may seem at first. On the other hand, having many cutlery, plates and glasses leads people to use and clean more objects than necessary, which affects their time.
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5. Not having a car
Not everyone who has a car really needs it as much as they think . Except for clear cases, there are many who lose out by having this marvel of engineering. Having a car implies a series of expenses that go beyond the price of a compa and gasoline.
You have to think about the cost of insurance, technical inspection of vehicles, repairing breakdowns, paid parking, garage, etc. On many occasions, the most practical thing is to use public transport.
6. Having few clothes
Some professions require a wardrobe, but most people do not . Having more clothes than necessary generates many more problems than you might think at first glance.
One of the main problems is that many clothes are practically not used, and yet they are there in the closet mixed with other clothes. Did you know that Mark Zuckerberg wears the same type of shirt every day? This allows you to not have to spend time and energy thinking about what to wear every morning.
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7. Optimize
Minimalism is a way of giving value to our energy . This lifestyle can be understood as a way of optimizing one’s own energy, and with minimalism one learns to take advantage of living with less.
For example, while driving you cannot read or use your mobile phone as in public transport. In the same way, doing laundry or washing dishes takes away effective time to do other things.
8. Keep accounts of what is spent
Some people do not control what they spend, and this is counterproductive in many ways . The tendency to buy unnecessary things can be increased if what is spent during the month is not displayed in a table or a notebook. Thus, it is very useful to establish percentages for food, rent, leisure, etc.
On the other hand, buying with a card also accentuates this. Different studies have been done in this regard that show that using cash makes you more aware of what you buy. Therefore, using bills and coins and recording all expenses is a good way to implement minimalism and learn to live with less.
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Bibliographic references
- MacCarthy, F. (1981). TheSimpleLife. Berkeley (CA), USA: University of California Press.
- Marshall, P. (1996). Nature’s Web: Rethinking Our Place on Earth. London, UK: Routledge.
- Wilson, C. (2015). Epicureanism: A Very Short Introduction. United States of America: Oxford University Press.
To the classic question “what do you do?” I always answer “basically I am a psychologist”. In fact, my academic training has revolved around the psychology of development, education and community, a field of study influenced my volunteer activities, as well as my first work experiences in personal services.