24 days to minimalism

A Minimalistic Lifestyle - Less is More

The how to, to make your life more minimalistic.

Minimalism means different things to different people. To me it means quality over quantity.

We once travelled through Bali and I was inspired by the people of the country as they had so little valuables yet they were fulfilled in their lives. I soon came to realise that I don’t want to rely on possessions to make me happy and so I have adopted a minimalistic lifestyle. It took a good amount of time but I try to upkeep it.

Every holiday I spend a good amount of time to declutter. I like to start each term on a fresh note.

I like to downscale my possessions but I also like to take my time in getting there. I plan every step. I tend to break down daunting tasks into smaller steps instead of overwhelming myself and to ease into it.

If you don’t have a lot of time on your hands you can do one thing at a time.

Each day you can do a few things to make your life more minimalistic. There is no right or wrong way in doing this. Some people prefer to do it within one to two days. You might need a few extra days to do it or maybe a month. There are no deadlines when it comes to this. You might find yourself declutter more with time.

You can physically hold an item in your hand and ask yourself: “Does this item hold any value to my life? Does it make me feel good? Does it spark tons of joy?”

Here is a day to day planner that might just help you out.

You can send me an email to request a free calendar to help you plan.

Day 1

Bags and purses

You can start off by cleaning out your bags and purses and to give it a good clean.

Day 2

Clothing items

I then start to declutter clothing items. You can declutter by clothing category.

Create three piles to categorize your items. You can have a ‘yes’, ‘no’ or ‘maybe’ section for your items just to help you sort them out. You can donate all the clothing items you put in the ‘no’ pile. Pack away all your ‘yes’ items into your cupboard. Your ‘maybe’ items you can pack in a bag, vacuum seal it and pack it away. If you don’t miss those items within 3 months, kindly donate them. Repeat this method with all your clothing items. It is a good idea to sort your clothing items according to seasons. This is really helpful if you have limited space available. I usually vacuum pack the items I don’t use until seasons are changing or I am traveling to a place with opposite seasons.

Day 3 - Undergarments and shoes

Sort out and declutter your undergarments.

Put aside the shoes that are uncomfortable or worn out and donate them.

Day 4

Beauty products

Declutter your beauty products such as your skin products, make-up and hair products.

Day 5

Accessories

Declutter all of your accessories. Donate items that you don’t wear anymore. Free up some space in your cupboard. If you have expensive items you no longer wear, you can sell those items.

Day 6

Your office space

This is a space that can get quite messy if you have a lot of files, papers and stationary. The more open and organised your space is, the better. Donate all books that you have read. It is so easy to rather just read online instead of piling up all the books and textbooks. If there is a specific book you would like to read and can’t find it online, visit the nearest library and request the book.

Day 7 - CDs/DVDs

Who uses these nowadays, right? Declutter your CDs and DVDs and make use of amazing apps on your smartphone or laptop. If it is something personal, make a copy of it to your personal hard drive and keep it all in one place.

Day 8 - Documents

I tend to use organised expanding folders with headings so that it is easy to find a specific document.

Day 9 - Electronics

We tend to pile up all of our electronics, try to sell it or recycle it safely.

Clean up your laptop and phone. If you do this often it will save you a lot of time. In the beginning it took me two days to work through all of my SD cards and hard drives. Clean out apps you don’t use anymore and photos or video’s you no longer need. Make back-ups of your important documents, photos and videos. Clear out emails you no longer need. It really helps to do this on a daily basis once you start with a minimalistic approach.

Day 10 - Stationery and supplies

Declutter all items that you no longer use and donate them if you are able to.

Day 11

Household items

The drawer filled with junk.

Yes, we all have these ones and before you know it they are filled up right to the top.

I clean this out on a weekly basis but you can choose a day to do it like we are doing here on day 11. Try to declutter and organise the drawer. Find an appropriate place for all the items in the drawer and try to upkeep it.

Day 12 - Furniture

I have recently sold a few items that I had in my house and to be completely honest, I have so much more open space and everything is so much easier to keep tidy and neat. I honestly don’t miss those specific items. Evaluate the items in your home ask yourself a few questions regarding the item: “Does it add value? How often do you make use of it? Does it sparkle tons of joy?”

Day 13 - Linen and towels

I have donated a few towels and linen items which were quite old but still usable. I was just not using them and they just gathered dust and overtook space. I kept one or two which I cut up and turned into cleaning rags.

Day 14 - Cleaning products

I tend to have a lot of empty bottles but I also try to re-use them or re-fill them. I try to use chemical-free products. Clean out the cupboard with all of your cleaning products. Try to finish one bottle at a time and place your cleaning products in a sliding container that is easy to reach and easy to keep neat.

Day 15 - Counter tops

For some reason counter tops are forever cluttered. I try to keep my counter tops clean and tidy. I give it a wipe-down every day and pack everything away that should not be on the counter tops. Luckily we have enough drawers and cupboards in the kitchen and each item has its home. Declutter items you no longer need or use by finding a new friendly home for it.

Day 16

The kitchen

Day 16 - The fridge

Declutter your fridge by getting rid of expired or unused items. Give your freezer a good clean and organize all the items. It is a good idea to do this on a weekly basis as you purchase new items.

Day 17 - The freezer

Declutter your freezer by getting rid of expired or unused items. Give your freezer a good clean and organize all the items you have frozen.

Day 18 – The pantry and medicine cupboard

Clear out any expired or unused items. I often make use of organising jars or containers.

Day 19 - Kitchen cabinets

I often unpack the kitchen cabinets and give it a good wipe-down. This way I know exactly what is in each cabinet.

Day 20

Hobby supplies

Clear out your hobby supplies such as dried out paint, broken sport equipment that serves no purpose.

Day 21

Sentimental items

It can be extremely hard getting rid of sentimental items. You can donate the item to a new friendly home where it will serve a purpose.

Day 22

Holiday decorations

I keep all of my holiday decorations in one container. Take the time to go through each item and ask yourself if it still sparkles joy in your home. If not, donate the item to a new home. I try to keep these items limited.

Day 23

Your car (if you own one)

Sometimes a car can become messy inside or just dusty. I try to keep only essential items in my car such as a puncture set and a cloth to wipe down the dust particles. I also keep one jacket in my car for a rainy or cold day if I am at work.

Day 24

The most import day of all – your mind.

Take the day to declutter your mind and re-set.

Relax and just enjoy the day.

Please email me to request a FREE 24 DAYS TO MINIMALISM calendar.