This is why it should be exactly the way you like it, regardless of how old it is.

So, if you are someone looking for minimalist room décor to give an old room a refreshing feel, don’t worry!

Without wasting any more time, scroll down further, read till the end, and enjoy! 

8 Minimalist Ideas to Make an Old Room Feel New

Below you can find some useful tips that will effortlessly help you go creative with your space.

1. Measure Things Out

When you start with making an old room feel like new and incorporating minimalist room décor, always pay attention to measuring things you are bringing in to make sure they will fit the space.

That way you get to know precisely how you can shape the space you have got.

You might be surprised to know that, if dealt with strategically, minimalism can thrive at best, even in small spaces.

All you have got to do is be mindful about what will go best with your room instead of what caught your eye while shopping.

2. Keep What’s Necessary

Minimalism doesn’t always mean that you can’t go creative with small steps. Therefore, always remember that for your minimalist room décor, it’s okay to open things a bit up.

By this, we mean that here you get to decide what to keep and what not.

Or you can also do so by changing the layout of your room’s furniture the way you want.

This will give you a wide space to enter and feel refreshed all at once.

3. Add Life To Corners

Since we have just talked about opening things up in your room, here’s another thing you can do to welcome liveliness in your minimalist room décor.

That is, by going creative with the corners of the room.

Again, you don’t have to invest too much to give an old room a refreshing feel.

All you have got to do is wave goodbye to your old curtains and welcome in the new ceiling to floor-length ones. Or you can also bring up an old drawer to one of your favorite corners of the room, and there you have it!

4. Only Add Precise Yet Beautiful Things

Minimalism doesn’t mean you are supposed to get rid of everything and close doors on anything that might add a refreshing vibe to your space.

This is just not the case.

Instead, minimalist room décor means choosing cool things for your room that are solely enough to fill your space with aesthetic beauty and provide you with exactly what you need.

This can be anything ranging from a beautiful wall-hanging, minimalist candle holder, or lights that give you a cozy feel every time you hit the bed after a long day at work.

5. Comfortable Seating Is The Key

Now coming to our next tip for minimalist room décor, here we will focus mainly on comfortable seating.

Whether you have a small or large space, it will help you out in both cases.

All you have got to do is decide whether you like to keep things grounded or go for simple sofas.

If you choose to use your floor for sitting purposes, then a simple rug with comfy cushions of contrast color will help you in a long way.

Similarly, if you choose an otherwise option, try to go for sofas that don’t take up much space and look eye-pleasing in their simple monochromatic colors.

6. Display Art That Is Close To Your Heart

Your minimalist room décor will always feel empty without displaying one of your favorite art pieces on the wall.

Here, you don’t have to be specific about what your choice should be.

Both a vintage piece or anything full of pop colors against an off-white painted wall will look great!

7. Store That Clutter Away

Regardless of how much you take care of scaling and space things out, you will always end up dealing with day-to-day clutter.

This is where finding a storage solution will help you out in your minimalist room décor.

Be it the back of the door, space underneath your bed, or utilizing the space above your closet, you have got plenty of ideas to try out!

8. Always Find A Balance

Lastly, it is very important to balance out the colors for your minimalist room décor!

For example, if you choose to keep the wall paint in neutral or pastel tones, then your furniture and everything in between should be in dark hues.

Matching colors is definitely not recommended because it will give an already small room a more cramped and congested look.

Feedback Time:

What are your thoughts on the above-mentioned minimalist room décor tips?

Do let us know in the comments section below and help us improve!

The post Make An Old Room Feel New – 8 Minimalist Ideas appeared first on Rebi Simple Living.

Benefits of Minimizing Your Life

Minimalism clears not only your space but also your mind and time.

There are many benefits of minimizing your life and these are just some of them:

• Less time spent on cleaning
• More peace & freedom
• More free time
• Good for the environment; sustainable
• Good for your wallet
• Increased productivity
• Cost-effective (quality over quantity approach)
• Easy to find things and get ready

If you tend to feel anxious in cluttered and messy places, then minimalism may be your answer to living a more stress-free life.

How to Start Minimizing

In order to start developing any new habit, you need to develop it gradually. 

I advise starting with a 30-day minimalism challenge. This challenge will make you question different parts of your life and slowly bring you into the minimalist mindset. 

After you complete the challenge you will be able to decide for yourself if minimalism is something that you want to pursue in the future. 

This challenge is also a great way to quickly minimize parts of your life.

Minimize Your Home

Following the Pareto principle, 80% of the things you regularly use make only 20% of your overall belongings. 

This is just disheartening. That means more than 50% of the things you own you don’t even use. 

Where do you even start when your home is packed full of things? 

Follow our simple tips to minimize clutter in your home and start implementing minimalist principles when it comes to your house.

1. Clear out surfaces

Keep your counters and other surfaces clutter-free. Utilize your cupboards and other storage spaces and organize your belongings within those closed spaces. As soon as your surfaces are clear you will feel more at ease and your home will look much cleaner.

2. Evaluate your home decor

Do you really love everything in your home? Are there too many chachkies that somehow made into your home? Take a good look at your home decor and evaluate which one you actually like and which one you only keep out of habit or guilt (gift guilt).

3. Create hidden storage

You can never have enough storage even as a minimalist. Having a lot of storage space at home helps you keep it organized and the clutter hidden from everyone’s sight. Take advantage of hidden storage spaces like a bed or a couch that has storage underneath.

4. Learn how to fix things yourself 

Minimize your life by learning how to repair things yourself instead of buying the latest gadgets and appliances. This way you can save a lot of money, but also minimize your home. Use a simple rule as a guideline: as long as it works, use it.

5. Discard things responsibly

Once you decide to get rid of something, discard it responsibly. You can recycle, donate, or even sell items you no longer need. Throwing them in the trash should be your last option.

Minimize Your Wardrobe

For most people, their wardrobe and closet space have spiraled out of control due to mindless shopping. That’s why minimizing your wardrobe is a separate category here.

Remember, 80% of the stuff you use makes 20% of your closet.

Your wardrobe, if not minimized to a reasonable size, will give you a headache and you will spend a lot of time getting ready and searching for a specific item. 

Here are a couple of simple ways to minimize your wardrobe and make more space in your closet.

6. Remove seasonal items

For a quick win, use this trick. Remove all out-of-season items from your closet and store them somewhere appropriately. If you currently don’t need them, don’t keep them in. They only cause more clutter.

7. Complete a closet purge

This is not a quick win but is most rewarding. Take everything out of your wardrobe, go through each item, and declutter what’s no longer wanted or needed. Check out this 7 step guide to complete your closet purge.

8. Get to know your style

Explore the idea of a capsule wardrobe to get to know your style. Once you know what you like and what fits your body type most, shopping for new clothes will be a piece of cake. You also won’t have any more issues with buying something and not wearing it.

9. Take care of your wardrobe

Cherish what you have, and take care of your wardrobe so it serves you for a long time. Learn how to tend for your clothes, shoes, and accessories, it will pay out in the long run.

10. Be very selective what you bring in

Once you’ve decluttered your wardrobe be very careful what you bring in afterward. Implement the “one in one out rule” so that your closet stays clutter-free. That means you can’t bring something new in until you get rid of something old. 

Minimize Stress

Fast living and many obligations can cause a lot of stress in our everyday lives. 

Although you can’t escape your duties you can implement a couple of tricks to minimize stress levels.

Learn how to simplify and minimize your life to be more productive, and efficient, and therefore less stressed out.

11. Keep the noise level down 

Sound pollution is a real thing. Keep the noise level down at night and wake up earlier to do more important things in the morning when the rest of your house is still asleep. 

12. Plan ahead

Try to save one or two hours each day by planning ahead and automating how you do things. From your meals, outfits, makeup, to your tasks at work, plan in advance and thus always be prepared for what’s coming your way. 

13. Declutter your mind

Declutter your thoughts by practicing meditation and breathing exercises. Learn how to not take things personally and stop comparing yourself to the rest of the world. Keep your mind unblemished by critique, the news, and toxic people.

14. Clear out your inbox

Unsubscribe from junk mail mailing lists and store emails. Keep your inbox clear and keep only important messages that you need for future references. Digital clutter is a real thing and even though we can’t physically see it, it influences our stress levels a lot.

15. Focus on what’s important

Focus on what’s important and stop wasting time with distractions like TV, social media, etc. Learn how to prioritize tasks in order to stop working too much and be more efficient.

***

Minimize Your Life and Be Happier

Once you have purged your home of clutter, cleaned out your closet, and got rid of distractions, you can now reclaim those hours that would’ve been spent looking for misplaced items. Use this newly freed time to do what makes you happy and enjoy life.

No one has to live with clutter and the nonessentials in their lives. A little bit of planning goes a long way when you’re trying to minimize your life.

It’s not about how much you own or how minimal you can get your possessions, but how much better you feel once you have minimized your life. 

The post Minimize Your Life in 15 Simple Ways appeared first on Rebi Simple Living.

7 Best Minimalist Shopping Tips To Stay on Budget

When it comes to minimalist shopping, there are a few tips that can go a long way in helping you reduce your overall spending when going out. If you enjoy thrifty minimalist shopping and simply want to shop with intention, then check out the following list for a handful of minimalist shopping tips!

1. Research a store before going 

Every minimalist has their own way of getting what they need without spending too much money and time.

Research stores ahead of time so that you know what they offer and at what prices. Some stores carry the same stuff at much lower prices than others. It pays out to compare prices between stores and buy things a bit cheaper. And don’t forget to check their 

Also, when you research a store before going in you spend less time in there and go directly to buy the item you came for. This way you save time but also money by not buying anything extra.

2. Buy only what you need

The core of minimalist shopping is simply about buying only what you need without spending too much money. 

This means thinking before buying anything and knowing what you want before going! 

Go in with the plan and stick to it. If you come prepared you won’t fall into accidental purchases and later regrets. 

3. Wait till the item is on sale 

If you plan on buying something pricey wait till it’s on sale and then buy it. Know the real worth of something and don’t accept to pay full price on it. 

Pro tip: add an item to your cart while shopping online and leave it there without buying. Chances are you will receive a discount for it through email or Facebook ads.

Minimalist shopping is the best kind of shopping because minimalists are quick at making decisions and always get what they want without breaking the bank. 

If you see something you need and like on sale then use the occasion to get it for cheaper. 

4. Make a shopping list

Shopping lists are what minimalist shoppers rely on, and you should too. 

The simple reason is that shopping lists help you save money by only buying things that you need. They also prevent you from cluttering your home.

Always make sure to make a shopping list (or a wishlist) before going to the store and before online shopping (really important)! 

This will help you plan your expenses in advance, make sure you stay on your minimalist journey and keep you on track with your finances.

5. Quality over quantity

When it comes to minimalism, quality truly matters more than quantity so when you go shopping be sure to think about how much wear and tear any given item can go through.

If something isn’t a quality item it’s better to skip buying it until you find something more appropriate rather than getting something that may only last a few days or weeks!

Check out: Quality Over Quantity Explained by a Minimalist

6. Try a no-spend challenge

When you eat too much for a longer time you need a detox, and the same goes with shopping. If you feel like your shopping habits have spiraled out of your control do a no-spend challenge.

A no-spend challenge is a perfect way to get to know your spending habits and to learn how to control them. You can choose to do this challenge for a week, a month, or even longer, it’s up to you!

Check this article for all the details on a no-spend challenge.

7. Shop with the intention

Don’t use shopping as a hobby, go shopping only when you’re looking for something specific. 

Develop criteria for buying an item, like its material, quality, durability, price, etc. 

You can also ask yourself certain questions before buying:

• Do I really need it?
• Do I really like it?
• Do I already own something very similar?
• Do I have a place to keep it in?
• Would I pay full price for it?

Be strict with the items you bring into your home and you will enjoy them for a long time.

***

What Do Minimalists Buy?

As already mentioned, minimalists like to invest their money into things that will last them a long time, they really love, and that serve their function.

This can vary from extreme minimalists who prefer to have as few belongings as possible, to relaxed minimalists that still enjoy their hobbies and have collections of things they cherish.

Things I still buy as a minimalist

There are some things that I buy regularly even though I consider myself a minimalist. Here is the list of things I choose to invest my money in.

Skincare 

In the past, I had skin issues so skincare products are something I highly value. For me, it’s more important to spend money on skincare than on makeup.

I prefer the minimalist makeup look and to pull that off I need to have clear skin because I don’t conceal it. 

Quality food

You are what you eat and I choose to spend more money on local and fresh foods instead of convenience food.

I value my health and decide to take the approach of better safe than sorry when it comes to my nutrition.

Furniture

We are still in the stage of renovating our apartment so we mostly spend money on furniture. 

Our criteria for the furniture are that it’s multifunctional (so that we can use it in other rooms too), high-quality, and economical.

We make sure to think well before any purchase and prefer to slowly redecorate our place instead of doing it all at once.

Cat toys

I admit cat toys are my frivolous spending. I just can’t resist and love to surprise my cat with new toys which keep her active.

Items to take care of the stuff I already have

I pride myself on the collection of items I have to take care of my stuff, mostly clothes and shoes. 

I have a fabric shaver, a steamer, an iron, a shoe cream, a shoe deodorant, etc.

Some might find this redundant but I strongly believe that if you tend to your possessions properly they will last you a long time.

Entertainment

Minimalists value experiences more than physical belongings. 

I love going to the cinema, concerts, museums, and galleries, and love to treat my people with tickets to fun experiences. That’s how memories are made.

Home gym equipment

Since the pandemic started, I exercise at home so in order to keep my home workouts more fun I decided to invest in some home gym equipment. 

It’s nothing major but enables me to do different strength workouts which I find to be more effective for my body type.

Netflix subscription

My fiance and I love to spend most of our nights watching TV shows so a Netflix subscription is something essential to us. 

For the price of a monthly subscription, we have an unlimited number of shows and movies always available. Priceless for us!

Fresh flowers

This is another frivolous spending, I admit. But I love, love, love how the fresh flowers look in my home and they are my favorite home decor. 

Over the years, I learned a trick how to keep them fresh longer – just add a spoon of sugar to the water you keep them in!

Practical Minimalist Shopping Tips 

These minimalist shopping tips are simple to follow and are really useful when it comes to saving money.

They will also help you develop a more mindful mindset when it comes to shopping and your home will be clutter-free.

Hope you find these minimalist shopping tips helpful and that you will apply them in the future!

***

You might also be interested in:

15 Things I No Longer Buy as a Minimalist

15 Minimalist Life Hacks for a Simpler, More Meaningful Lifestyle

30-Day Minimalism Challenge: Getting Started with Minimalism

Minimize Your Life in 15 Simple Ways

Material Things Will Never Make You Happy – Here’s Why

The post The Best Minimalist Shopping Tips for People on a Budget appeared first on Rebi Simple Living.

Home Minimalist Life Hacks

Your home should be your oasis of peace. Make it a cozy retreat devoid of clutter by using these home minimalist life hacks.

1. Declutter one room at a time

Once you have the minimalist mindset, identify a room to start with and begin decluttering it. Start small and go from there. It’s easier to tackle one room at a time than your whole home.

2. Find a minimalist organization method that works for you

It’s also important to find a minimalist organization method that works for you. Some people like storage closets, while others love the minimalist look of open storage. If you can’t decide, try different types of minimalist organization systems to see what works best in your home.

3. Donate or sell anything you haven’t used in the past year

Look through your items and identify anything you haven’t touched in a year, maybe even longer. If it’s something you haven’t used recently or at all, consider donating it to charity, selling it online, or passing it on to someone else who can use it.

4. Declutter by category, not location

Try a minimalist organization method of decluttering your home by category rather than location. That means you sort through all of the similar items at once no matter where you keep them in your house.  Divide them into piles for “keep” and “toss”. You can then distribute those items throughout your house as needed before tackling another category.

5. Purge your home of “extras” 

Look through each room and identify anything extra you have. For example, if you have many backup beauty products that you don’t plan on using anytime soon, consider purging them. This minimalist lifestyle trick isn’t as hard as you might think: just don’t buy “extras” before you actually need them.

Minimalist Life Hacks for Your Daily Routine

Minimalism is not just about your personal belongings, it’s more about the mindset. These minimalist life hacks will improve the quality of your daily life by switching your priorities.

6. Prioritize quality over quantity when it comes to relationships

Another minimalist habit is to prioritize quality over quantity when it comes to your closest relationships. Sometimes it is better to have a smaller but closer community of friends and family than a bigger but distant one.

7. Limit commitments to what is truly important to you

Minimalist living also involves knowing your priorities and boundaries. Once you know what is most important to you, it’s much easier to say “no” to something that doesn’t really matter to you.

8. Take time for yourself every day

Another minimalist lifestyle tip is to take time for yourself every day. This is especially important if you are one of those people who finds it hard to slow down. Minimalist living doesn’t mean that you can’t do anything but work or relax, only that the time you devote to each activity should reflect your personal happiness and satisfaction.

9. Set your personal priorities

Take some time to consider your priorities in each area of life, which can include family, work, hobbies, and so on. After you’ve determined where your values lie, it’s much easier to let go of things that don’t align with them.

10. Be grateful for what you already have

Identify what you already have instead of focusing on what you don’t. It’s easy to complain about how little space your apartment has, but it’s more important to be grateful for the roof over your head and the bed in which you sleep at night.

Develop a Minimalist Mindset

By developing a minimalist mindset you start to question things around you and notice things you haven’t before. The minimalist life hacks below will help you develop a more critical mindset towards the world you live in.

11. Become an active consumer of information and media

Our minimalist piece of advice is to become an active consumer of information and media. Instead of watching TV while you eat dinner or listening to the radio on your commute, try something new like podcasts or audiobooks that can provide a fresh perspective and teach you new things instead of wasting time rehashing the past.

12. Pursue what is important, not just immediately gratifying

Another minimalist approach is to focus on the things that are truly important, whether it’s your personal relationships, your career, or something else. Don’t be afraid to put in the work necessary for meaningful pursuits but also avoid spending too much time on short-term gratification when you know it will hurt you in the long run.

13. Get to know yourself (and know what you can do without)

It’s also important to understand who you are and what you really need. This minimalist living hack can be especially helpful in combatting consumer culture, which encourages all of us to buy more than we need or want because it makes us feel better about ourselves.

14. Maximize the positive aspects of minimalism

Minimalist living isn’t for everyone, but finding minimalist lifestyle tips that work for you is entirely possible. Just remember to identify the good and bad aspects of minimalist living in your own life so that you can maximize the positive ones while eliminating or mitigating the negative ones. 

15. Form minimalist principles on your own terms

Finally, minimalist living is all about making choices on your own terms and not letting others dictate what you should or shouldn’t do. As long as you know why minimalist principles work for you and what they mean to you in your life, it’s easy to make them a part of your everyday routine. Don’t let anybody tell you that you have too many or too few things in your home.

***

Final Thoughts

These minimalist life hacks can make a big difference in your life and it’s easy to find minimalist tips that work well specifically for your lifestyle. Just remember to keep your priorities straight, take time for yourself, and pursue what is important to you as well as knowing what you can live without.

The post 15 Minimalist Life Hacks for a Simpler, More Meaningful Lifestyle appeared first on Rebi Simple Living.

The minimalism challenge consists of 30 days, each with a different topic, and its purpose is to ease you into your minimalism journey. It’s not so much about decluttering, but more about the minimalist mindset and philosophy. After this, you’ll never look at minimalism the same way again.

Minimalist Philosophy

Minimalist philosophy teaches you about what is most important in life.

Minimalists believe in quality over quantity in everything they do. That means that they own less stuff but the things they decide to keep bring value or function in their life. Everything they own serves its purpose.

It’s not only about decluttering

They look to minimize their belongings in order to live more simply and have time to focus on what’s more important to them. That can be spending time with family, traveling, work, or something else; it completely depends on their own personal preferences.

Minimalism should more be looked at as a useful tool in your everyday life than a lifestyle. It’s something you can utilize whenever in order to clean clutter both in your home and mind.

Jump to the 30-day minimalism challenge.

Minimalism for Beginners

When you think about minimalism don’t focus only on material belongings. It’s so much more than just decluttering.

Minimalism as a mindset is about keeping your life simple, both physically and mentally, in order to have the time and energy for the things that matter to you.

Minimalism is also, completely personal. Whereas it means one thing to one person, it means something totally different to another.

Don’t focus on the number of things

Yes, to start with material belongings is the most obvious way to begin your minimalist journey, but it can get too overwhelming too soon and many give up before they even give it a proper try. 

That’s why you shouldn’t focus on a specific number of belongings you should have, but rather get to know what you like and work to clear your life (both mind and space) of the unwanted things.

You can consider yourself a minimalist and still love your books, clothes, or other collectibles.

Don’t get easily confused, minimalists can have collections of stuff they cherish, and the people who judge some minimalists for having “too much stuff” are simply wrong. 

Your minimalism journey as a beginner should start with you getting to know yourself and your lifestyle preferences. Learn what you like, what your goals are, what’s preventing you from achieving them, etc.

Minimalism is not for everybody and it shouldn’t be. If you are interested to try minimalism for yourself a 30-day minimalism challenge is a great way to see if a minimalist lifestyle is something that resonates with you.

How do I become a minimalist in 30 days?

You don’t. Minimalism is a journey that takes time and in 30 days you can check whether you like minimalist philosophy and lifestyle. 

In the first month, you can start working towards minimizing your belongings but for the real change in your mindset to take place it can take months.

30-Day Minimalism Challenge

The goal of the 30-day minimalism challenge is to help you understand minimalism better and decide if it resonates with you.

Minimalism game is for:

beginners to get acquainted with minimalism and start implementing it in their lifestyle

people who have been on their minimalist journey for a while but need a little push to get in the groove again

This minimalism challenge focuses not only on material belongings but also on your relationships, mindset, and daily distractions.

It encompasses all spheres of life. Every day you will work your way through a different part of your life and simplify it. The tasks will be simple and (most of them) short in order not to take a lot from your day.

After these 30 days, you will be able to make conclusions for yourself and hopefully, continue your minimalist journey with even more zeal!

Day 1: Create a bucket list

Create a big list of things you would like to do and achieve in your life. This exercise will help you see your goals and wishes more clearly. You will also have a physical reminder of your deepest desires.

Day 2: Get inspired

Sometimes it’s hard to just start. Minimalism is a long journey so you’ll need as much inspiration as you can get. Read through minimalist quotes by prominent minimalists and learn more about their minimalism motivation.

Day 3: 10-minute cleanout

Set a timer for 10 minutes and collect things around your house. Put them to place or throw away what you don’t need. Sometimes even a short cleanout session can make a lot of difference at your home.

Day 4: Plan your day for tomorrow

Plan your day in advance. Take the time in the evening to go through your plans and tasks for tomorrow and wake up with a game plan already set up for you. Notice if it makes any difference in your mindset.

Day 5: Be thankful

There are many benefits of gratitude like lower anxiety and stress levels, and better sleep. To practice gratitude makes a gratitude list of all the things you are thankful for in your life. Try to list as many as you can in one sitting. Use this list as a prompt to get you going. 

Day 6: Evaluate your purchases

Go through your bank and card statements from last month and notice where most of your money goes. Evaluate the unnecessary purchases and promise yourself you’ll be more careful with your money in the future.

Day 7: Minimize your finances

After you find out what you spend the most money on, you can work towards minimizing your expenses. Create a monthly budget and roughly split your income into different categories: housing, utilities, groceries, discretionary expenses, savings, debt, etc. It’s easier to simplify your finances when you have a budget to stick to.

Day 8: Clean out fridge / pantry 

Go through your fridge and pantry and toss the expired food. Donate what you won’t eat and take a mental note of why you didn’t like it. Disinfect all the surfaces and organize the left food for easier usage. 

Day 9: Take a hard look at your diet

Now that you have cleaned your kitchen, take a look at your day-to-day diet. 

Can you cut something out? How healthy are your eating habits? Can you switch unhealthy food with a healthier alternative? 

Look to simplify your diet and incorporate more whole foods. You will feel much better and have more energy throughout your day.

Day 10: Make a meal plan for next week

Create a meal plan for next week. Plan to prepare your meals at home and make a list of groceries you need to prepare them. Also, incorporate time when you’ll prepare all the food in your calendar.

Day 11: Turn off notifications

It’s time to get rid of unnecessary distractions. 

Turn off notifications for all apps that aren’t essential to you. For example, that can be to all social media and mobile games. When you want to check those apps you’ll see all the notifications, there’s no need to get bombarded with information all the time.

Day 12: Clear out your inbox 

Go through your e-mails and delete those that you don’t need anymore. Answer those that you still haven’t. Unsubscribe from newsletters that are cramping up your inbox. E-mails can pose a lot of distractions daily.

Day 13: Go through the photos on your phone

Today we take so many photos of one and the same thing. There are surely so many duplicates of photos on your phone. Go through them and delete those that you don’t need. You’ll feel so much lighter.

Day 14: Limit social media usage

While at the topic of distractions, social media might be the biggest one. 

Did you know that your phone has a setting to limit social media usage? You can set an allowed time period for social media apps after which those apps are blocked on your phone for the rest of the day. 

Day 15: Erase unused phone contacts

You probably have many contacts stored on your phone that you don’t even know where they came from. Delete those unused phone contacts and make space for new ones. If you don’t remember who that person is you don’t need their number.

Day 16: No phone in bed

Before going to bed leave your phone in another room. Staring at the screen before bed can postpone sleep and prevent you from reaching the deep sleep phase. Notice how much more rested you feel in the morning.

Day 17: Purge your closet

This is a harder task. Go through your closet, take everything out, and purge your closet from unwanted clothes and shoes. Check out this closet purge guide for detailed tips and tricks.​​

Day 18: Tend to your clothes

After you purge your closet you should take care of the clothes that you decided to keep. Wash them, sew the holes, iron them, polish your shoes, etc. Tend to your clothes and they will last longer.

Day 19: Make a wishlist 

You’ve decluttered your closet and during that process noticed you miss a couple of key pieces to complete your wardrobe. Make a wishlist of items you would like to buy. Make sure you invest in quality items and wait for the sales to acquire them.

Day 20: Toss out expired beauty products

If you have a large collection of beauty products that chances are there are a lot of items that expired. Go through all of your makeup, skincare, and beauty products and toss out those that are expired. Your skin will thank you.

Day 21: Create a makeup routine

By creating a daily makeup routine you will save a lot of time in the morning getting ready and always look put together. Check out our guide to an easy minimalist makeup routine and get inspired.

Day 22: Clean out your junk drawer

Everybody has a junk drawer in their home where they put all sorts of random stuff in. Go through them, declutter them, and return things to where they belong to. Chances are you will find something that you thought is lost.

Day 23: Go through your papers

Paper is a massive category for most people because it not only contains important documents and receipts but also random pieces that you somehow decided to keep. 

Focus on all of the papers in your home today and carefully declutter them. Work to file important documents in one place where you’ll always be able to access them.

Day 24: Declutter books

Books take a lot of space in your home and unless you are a bookworm you probably don’t cherish all of them. Keep the books you really love and depart from those that just don’t resonate with you anymore. You can donate them to your local library.

Day 25: Clean out your car

Most people work so hard on clearing out their homes but they forget to clean their cars. Today focus on your car, declutter it and wash it thoroughly. You’ll enjoy the smell of a freshly washed car in your next drive!

Day 26: Evaluate your relationships

Minimalists cherish their relationships and invest a lot of time in people they love. Evaluate the relationships in your life and see if there is somebody you need to let go of. Don’t waste your time on toxic relationships. Focus your time and energy on people who bring you joy.

Day 27: Call your mom

Your mom (or dad) is the one person who will love you unconditionally no matter what. Take some time in your day today and call your mom to ask her how she’s doing. She will appreciate it a lot.

Day 28: Have a coffee with your best friend

How long haven’t you seen your best friend? Today is the perfect day to make plans to have a coffee with your best friend. Even if you don’t have time today, you can at least set a date when you’ll meet with them.

Day 29: Stop comparing yourself to others

Comparison is truly the thief of joy. It can lead to feelings of inferiority or superiority but neither creates a healthy surrounding for human beings. The only person you should compare yourself to is yourself. Today make a deal with yourself to stop comparing yourself to others.

Day 30: Make a list of your successes

You made it to the last day of the 30-day minimalism challenge! Today’s task is to compile a list of your successes. 

The first one can be the completion of this challenge and the rest of them can be anything you consider a success from your whole life.

In the end, you’ll be left with a big list of wonderful things that you can look to anytime when you feel unsure about yourself. It’s your ticket to feeling good at any place any time!

***

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You Completed a 30-Day Minimalism Challenge

Congratulations! You’ve completed a 30-day minimalism challenge! How do you feel?

Now, take some time to analyze the whole experience and make a conclusion about minimalism. Is that something you would like to pursue in the future? Does it go with your lifestyle? Or is it something that just doesn’t resonate with you but you are glad you tried it out?

Share your thoughts in the comments!

You might also be interested in these articles:

Minimize Your Life in 15 Simple Ways

The Best Minimalist Shopping Tips for People on a Budget

15 Minimalist Life Hacks for a Simpler, More Meaningful Lifestyle

The post 30-Day Minimalism Challenge: Getting Started with Minimalism appeared first on Rebi Simple Living.

If you’re looking for minimalist advent calendar filler ideas for adults then continue reading to see what I came up with.

DIY Eco-Friendly Advent Calendar

I wanted to create an alternative to the traditional advent calendars that we use once and throw away after Christmas. This DIY advent calendar is eco-friendly, almost zero waste, and reusable so that I can use it in the following years too.

Last year, my sister bought a tea advent calendar that came in a cardboard frame, and each day the tea came in a small cardboard box. After Christmas, she was left with those empty cardboard boxes and the frame and felt bed to just throw them away.

Since she knows me well she asked me if I wanted to have it to DIY something for the next year. I immediately jumped at the opportunity and stored it for this Christmas season.

Advent Calendar Filler Ideas for Adults

Since my fiance also wanted to participate in my little DIY project, we decided to split the calendar between the two of us. I took the odd days, and he took the even days. So my task was to fill the odd days with little surprises for him.

We also bought three packages of small chocolates that piqued our interest and split them among the two of us.

Apart from chocolates, we didn’t want to buy anything else that would be wasteful. Since chocolates are consumables and make us happy we didn’t feel too bad about getting them.

The list of thoughtful filler ideas for him I came up with:

• Surprise cinnamon rolls in the kitchen
• An evening with a hot chocolate
• Let’s take a walk on a cold winter day!
• Christmas playlist
• I love you notes
• Mistletoe
• Cute tree ornament
• Coupons for little treats, e.g. massage
• End of the year recap prompts (to start a conversation)
• An order for a kiss!

In the end, I added a couple of chocolates to each odd box, with a personalized note including one of the filler ideas mentioned above. I also added an inspirational December quote from my post to each note to give it that extra holiday touch!

How to Make a Minimalist Advent Calendar

To create an eco-friendly and minimalist advent calendar you need to think outside the box. Think about all the things you have at home and come up with creative solutions for an advent calendar. Try to buy as little as possible.

You can use an old advent calendar, like I did, or make your own using old cardboard boxes, socks, envelopes, jars, cans, or even sew your own from scrap material. The possibilities are endless!

An advent calendar doesn’t have to contain candy or physical items, it can be filled with fun activities you and your partner can do together. 

You can surprise him throughout December with his favorite cake, drink, music, movies, etc. Make this advent a joyful experience for both of you and spend some quality time together.

Hope you got inspired by my DIY advent calendar and decide to make your own!

***

For more eco-friendly and minimalist Christmas content check out these articles:

How to Celebrate a Minimalist Christmas and Decor Ideas 

55 Amazing Christmas Gifts for Minimalists: Gift Guide for 2021

23 Minimalist Gifts for Kids of Different Ages (Fun & Clutter-Free)

The post Minimalist Advent Calendar: Eco-Friendly Filler Ideas for Adults appeared first on Rebi Simple Living.

My Minimalist Laundry Routine

Ever since I moved out of my parents’ home (some 8 years ago) I have been trying to find the laundry system that would work for me and my lifestyle.

I wanted to develop a minimalist laundry routine that wouldn’t take a lot of my time in the day and would make my clothes fresh and good-looking for a long time.

After many years I finally have my laundry routine down to a T and I share my secrets with you in this article.

Jump to: Everything you need for a minimalist laundry routine

7 Minimalist Secrets to Best-Smelling Laundry

Spend less time cleaning and more time enjoying your life. After you complete your closet purge make sure you know how to take care of the clothes you chose to keep.

Here are my top 7 minimalist tips for a weekly laundry routine.

1. Separate Clothes into Piles

I separate my clothes into four main piles: white, dark, colored, and hand-wash, and wash each pile separately.

All of the colored clothes can be washed together if you wash them under 140°F / 60°C and have already been washed previously. 

If you have bought something new and are not sure if it will leak color, then hand-wash it first just to be sure.

Although all our clothes are easy to maintain, there are still some clothes I prefer to hand-wash to make sure they last me a long time and don’t shrink. Those are clothes like formal dresses, knitwear, and blouses.

Wash rags, blankets, kitchen towels, and similar household items separately from your clothes.

2. Wait till You Have the Whole Load

Try to wash each pile once a week or rarer. I recommend waiting till you have enough dirty clothes for a whole load of laundry. Running your washing machine half full is wasteful because it still uses the same amount of energy as a full load. 

Overloading the washing machine is also not good for your clothes. It can prevent detergent from dissolving properly and leave marks on your clothes. 

How to not overload the washing machine?

To be sure you have just the right amount of items in the drum use the one palm rule. After you fill your load your palm should also fit into the drum without any problem.

3. Check the Labels on Your Clothes

Always check the care labels on your clothes before washing and don’t forget to follow them! Don’t make the same mistake as I did when I was younger and when I shrank my favorite sweater to the size of one for a teddy bear. 

When buying clothes make sure they are easy to maintain. If you want to invest in something special, like a silk blouse, be extra careful when it comes the time to wash it.

Here is a helpful video where you can learn how to read the care labels on your clothes.

4. Use Only One Kind of Detergent 

I use only one kind of detergent for all of my clothes and textiles, and that’s it. I opted for a liquid detergent because it works much better and doesn’t leave any residue on my clothes. 

It is guaranteed that you don’t need a different detergent for different piles of your laundry. You will keep the vibrant color of your clothes much longer if you wash them in cold temperatures than by using all sorts of different detergents. 

*To see my detergent recommendation check the end of the article.

It might surprise you but I also use a fabric softener. I tried to minimize and not use it but the clothes just smell much better when I use the fabric softener, so I decided to keep it in my laundry routine.

5. Use Bleach on Your White Laundry 

Don’t hesitate to use bleach on your white laundry from time to time. I use it every couple of months to keep my whites looking fresh and as-new.

I know it can sound intimidating, but if you follow the instructions on the packaging your clothes will be fine. This trick has helped me to tend to my white clothes, especially in the summer when we have a lot of sweat stains (TMI, so sorry!). 

If you love wearing white like me, you’ll love this secret!

6. Don’t Use High Temperatures

Don’t wash your clothes at high temperatures, unless they are really stained or smelly. Hot temperatures can cause colors to fade and materials to shrink. 

Washing at high temperatures also requires a longer cycle thus using more electricity to heat up the water.

To keep the brightness of your colored clothes wash at 68°F / 20°C for best results. It’s also smart to wash clothes stained with blood or wine at cold temperatures because high temperatures will set the stain.

Cold temperatures keep the shape of your clothes as they are for longer and are perfect for clothes that are not heavily stained.

You can wash any heavy-duty textile (like workout clothes) at a temperature of 140°F / 60°C, it’s proven to be enough to kill any germs and bacteria.

7. Line Dry Your Clothes

Washing clothes in the washing machine leaves a massive carbon footprint, especially when using the dryer. 

According to The Guardian, a load of laundry washed at 104°F / 40°C, dried on the line emits 0.7 kg of CO2, whereas the same amount of laundry washed at the same temperature but tumble-dried in a vented dryer emits an astonishing 2.4 kg of CO2. 

And we’re talking only about one load of laundry here. Think about how much it is during the whole year.

By line-drying your clothes you’re not only being good to our planet but are also saving money on the electricity bill and keeping your clothes in a good condition for longer.

Using the dryer is one of the top ways to ruin clothes, causing them to shrink and lose elasticity.

Pro tip: Do not leave your clothes in the washing machine for too long after the cycle is done. Take them out as soon as you can, so they won’t have a stale smell after they dry. 

Everything You Need for a Minimalist Laundry Routine

Below you can find every product you need for a minimalist laundry routine. These are my recommendations for items I tried and liked.

Please note that this article contains affiliate links, and that means that I may earn a small commission if you buy something at no additional cost to you. Read my full disclosure here.

Minimalist Laundry Hamper

This rolling laundry basket is super convenient because you can easily transport it into any room. It comes in four different colors perfect for the four piles of different laundry. Amazon’s Choice.

Collapsing Laundry Basket

A collapsing laundry basket is a really practical solution for small apartments. You will need this to carry the wet load of laundry in. It’s much handier than carrying it in your hands to the drying rack.

Portable Drying Rack

The drying rack is a practical solution for line-drying your clothes. It’s economical and can be used both indoors and outdoors. It fits a whole load of laundry and is foldable for easy storage.

Biokleen Natural Laundry Detergent

Biokleen detergents are eco-friendly, plant-based, and don’t contain any artificial colors or preservatives. They are completely safe for children and pets. This big package is enough for 300 washes. 

Botanical Origin Plant-Based Fabric Softener

Botanical Origin fabric conditioners are free from parabens and dyes. I chose the relaxing scent of blooming jasmine and wild lavender, but you can opt for another one. It leaves your clothes super soft and smelling nice at less cost to the environment.

Bookmark or Pin it to always have at hand:

Want to know more about minimalism? Check out these articles:

The post Minimalist Laundry Routine: 7 Secrets to Best-Smelling Laundry appeared first on Rebi Simple Living.

Well, if either of these situations sounds like something that’s happening in your life right now then this post is for you! 

In this article, I’m sharing 7 simple and easy steps for a successful closet purge and organization.  

Purge Your Closet Successfully Every Time

We all have closet spaces that could use an update. Sometimes, you just need to take everything out and start fresh to see what you’re working with. 

In order to help you purge your closet successfully every time, I wanted to address the most common questions first. 

Check out the answers below.

RELATED ARTICLE: How Many Clothes Do You Need?

7 Simple Steps for a Closet Purge and Organization

Closet purge and organization don’t have to be something you dread every season. It can be a simple, yet effective process that you will successfully complete every time by following my 7 step guide.

Follow these steps in the order they are listed below and enjoy your clean and organized closet all season long!

1. Take everything out

Take all of your clothes, shoes, and bags out of not only your closet but also all the storage spaces you keep them in. Put everything on your bed or floor.

This way you can really see everything you have in one pile and be shocked by the amount of stuff. Am I right?

Taking everything out at once makes it actually easier and faster to complete this process than going through shelf by shelf.

2. Wipe down the closet

You are doing a clean-out of your closet so the next logical step is to wipe down all the surfaces in your closet. If you started this list from the beginning, you can easily do that.

Disinfect all the surfaces, remove the dust, and get it ready for a wardrobe update.

Once your closet is clean and fresh you will appreciate it more and try harder to keep it organized and tidy.

3. Organize your clothes into 5 piles

You are probably wondering what you should do with that big pile on your bed right now. You will organize it in a way that will make this closet purge really simple.

Organize all your clothes, shoes, and bags into five piles:

• Keep
• Donate
• Toss
• Repair
• Store

You can also opt-in to add one more pile called Sell if you have more high-quality items than you didn’t use.

Then, go carefully through all the items and put them into one of those five piles.

When selecting what to keep and what not you can use the Marie Kondo method and ask yourself if it sparks joy. If it doesn’t then it’s time to thank the item for its service and let it go.

If that approach is not something you resonate with, you can use a more thorough way and try everything from your closet. Once you have it on you can see whether it fits, the condition of it, and if you like it.

Once you go through everything, check the piles one more time and make a final decision on where each item from your wardrobe belongs.

Please note that this article contains affiliate links, and that means that I may earn a small commission if you buy something at no additional cost to you. Read my full disclosure here.

4. Put clothes back in your closet

This is the fun part! It’s time to revamp your wardrobe. Take a good look at your closet space and assess the best way to organize your items so they won’t produce clutter. 

I recommend keeping everything in one place, if possible. 

That means all of the in-season clothes, shoes, and bags should be in your closet space and not in different places around the house. 

***Of course, that’s not the possibility for everyone’s living space and that’s completely normal. I’m just pointing out the ideal solution.

Tips for utilizing your space:

• Hang what you can. This takes less space and keeps the clothes wrinkle-free.
• Fold clothes Marie Kondo style to save on space (see the picture below).
• Use every inch of the space. Add hooks, organizational storage, baskets, boxes, vacuum bags, etc.

Bonus tip: to prevent your clothes from getting destroyed use moth repellents or lavender bags on each shelf of your closet.

MothPrevention Powerful Moth Traps for Clothes

Cedar Chips and Lavender Sachets

Pro tip: Never hang your knitwear on the hangers because they easily lose shape and adapt to the hanger. Instead, fold them nicely and keep them on a shelf or in a drawer.

5. Tend to your clothes

Take care of your clothes and they will last you a long time. 

First, wash everything that needs to be washed. Be careful when dealing with sensitive materials and hand-wash them.

Take the clothes from the repair pile and fix them if you can. If you need someone else to do it then bring your items to them as soon as you can. The sooner you get them repaired the bigger the chance is that you will wear them.

Tend to your shoes as well, clean them, apply shoe cream on them to keep their color shine longer, and use shoe deodorant if they smell bad.

FeetPeople Premium Shoe Cream in Various Colors

Natural Shoe Deodorizer Foot Odor Eliminator 

Pro tip: Did you know that you can wash your sneakers in the washing machine? Yes, this won’t destroy your sneakers and after the wash, they will look as good as new ones.

For keeping the knitwear nice looking I use a fabric shaver. After every winter season, I go through all of my sweaters and store them for the next season. This way, each time I take them out in the fall they look amazing!

The final step is to iron the blouses and shirts that need ironing.

You want to make sure that after the closet purge all your clothes are clean, nice looking, and ready to be worn immediately!

6. Store off-season clothes

Since I am limited with my closet space, I like to take the seasonal approach when it comes to storing my clothes. I keep everything that is in season in my closet, and that includes clothes, jackets, shoes, and bags. 

Everything that is off-season I store in a storage space underneath my bed in vacuum storage bags.

I never store my off-season clothes before I go through all the five steps before this one. 

That way I know that the next time I take them out I can instantly wear them and put them in my closet. They wait for me fresh, clean and taken care of.

Vacuum Storage Bags have proven to be a really effective way to store clothes. They minimize the space they occupy and they are the perfect solution for small apartments and small closets.

I keep the shoes and bags I don’t need in the boxes also underneath my bed.

My advice is to find those extra storage spaces underneath the bed, couch, or on top of a wardrobe to store off-season clothes if they don’t fit in your closet.

7. Buy what you lack

Congratulations! You have completed your closet purge

Keep inventory during this process and note what you lack in your wardrobe. Then go shopping for the items you need to complete your closet revamp.

When you buy new clothes make sure that you know your style and create a kind of capsule wardrobe in your closet where each piece matches the rest of your clothes.

That way you will regularly wear each item in your closet and won’t have odd pieces that don’t match anything and you never wear. 

Bookmark or Pin for later!

Revamp Your Closet Like a Minimalist

I know that this guide might seem too long or some steps redundant, but I can guarantee you that if you follow each step in this exact order you will successfully complete a closet purge, organize your closet, and have a system in place for each closet clean-out in the future.

Your clothes will be well taken care of, last longer, and you will have items in your closet you truly love and wear.

The more you appreciate your belongings, the longer they will serve you.

To get you motivated to start a closet purge I leave you with this inspirational video:

When was the last time you cleaned out your closet?

The post 7 Steps to a Successful Closet Purge and Organization appeared first on Rebi Simple Living.

In the following paragraphs, I go over the basics of goal setting and tips to keep your resolutions this year, but if you want to skip directly to the beginning of the list click here.

What Is a Resolution?

A resolution is a decision to do or not to do something; it’s a goal that you set for yourself to achieve. People make resolutions in order to change bad habits in their lives. 

Since the New Year marks the beginning of a new life cycle it’s a perfect time to set goals and resolutions, but many people don’t manage to keep their New Year’s resolutions.

Why? Because they make too many resolutions and put too many expectations on themselves in the beginning. They go hard at first but soon they get burned out and quit.

Think about how many times you decided to lose weight and for the first week or two you followed a strict diet and exercise routine, but quit before the first month was out. Why is it always like that?

Because strict plans that make you give up so many things are not sustainable. You cannot expect yourself to work out every day and eat only salads for longer than a couple of weeks, if you also work a full-time job, have kids, and/or other responsibilities.

What Are Good New Year’s Resolutions?

Good New Year’s resolutions are manageable and actionable goals that don’t require a lot of everyday effort to achieve. 

For me, minimalist New Year’s resolutions are good New Year’s resolutions whether or not you live a minimalist lifestyle. 

They are simple, positive, and healthy actions that will (if you keep up with them) improve the quality of your life significantly. 

How to Make (And Keep) New Year’s Resolutions?

Don’t put too much stress on yourself this year. Go minimal with your New Year’s resolutions. It’s better to focus on a few goals and achieve them than to set 10 huge goals and set yourself for failure already in the beginning.

Here is how you will keep your New Year’s resolutions this year:

Make Realistic Resolutions

Keep it simple. You can make healthy and positive changes in your life even with small, actionable goals.

You should be able to do these things regularly so make sure that the New Year’s resolutions you make are realistic for your lifestyle.

The list of minimalist New Year’s resolutions below will give you ideas on what achievable resolutions look like.

Write Your Resolutions Down 

Be intentional while you are making the New Year’s resolutions. Really think about what you want to achieve in the following year and how you can get there. 

Once you decide on your resolutions write them down somewhere where you will look often. When you write something down it becomes almost official, and you feel more responsibility to stick to it.

If you don’t write your resolutions down you will more likely forget about them before January ends.

Make Your Goals Actionable

Any goal you make should be actionable and measurable. What does that mean?

For example, if you want to lose weight don’t just write I want to lose weight. 

Set a measurable, more specific goal like lose 10 pounds. 

Then divide that goal into smaller actions that will lead you to achieve your bigger goal step by step. That could be to exercise 3x a week, drink more water, consume 500 calories less than you used to, etc. 

***Take a look at how I formulated minimalist New Year’s resolutions below. All of them start with a verb, and they are active, i.e. something you can do. Goals can never be passive or just wishes.

This way you can more easily track your progress and feel more motivated along the way. There is less chance for you to give up if you regularly achieve small goals.

Give Yourself Enough Time

It takes anywhere between 18 and 254 days to form a new habit, and 66 days for a new behavior to become automatic.

Don’t get discouraged if you find it hard to implement your resolutions daily. Persevere, and do them as often as you can. Once you repeat specific action so many times it will become automatic, but you have to stick with it for some time.

Think of yourself as a piano player. You would have to practice one piece over and over again until you can play it perfectly. It’s the same way with your New Year’s resolutions. Give yourself time to get used to them and you will succeed.

Pin it for later!

15 Truly Good Ideas for Minimalist New Year’s Resolutions

While compiling this list of minimalist New Year’s resolutions I wanted to include simple, yet life-changing goals that will in a not-so-obvious way impact your life for the better. 

I also wanted to come up with ideas for minimalist New Year’s resolutions that can inspire anybody whether:

• you are just starting with your minimalism journey, 
• you are an experienced minimalist, 
• or you just want to simplify your New Year’s resolutions this year.

Hope you find value in them.

1. Complete the Minimalism Game

Are you just starting out with minimalism and don’t know where to begin?

Try our 30-day minimalism challenge that focuses not only on your material belongings but also on your wellbeing in general.

It’s comprised of 30 different everyday assignments which will ease you to a whole minimalist lifestyle.

2. Say No More Often

Do you find yourself often stressed out by all the appointments and tasks that you agreed to? In 2022, be more selective with your time.

Say no to the appointments that will not bring you any value, and ditch the tasks that don’t contribute to the quality of your life.

Focus your time and attention on the most important things and actually give yourself enough leeway to finish those key projects.

3. Make Better Purchase Decisions

Whether you’re a minimalist or not, frivolous shopping doesn’t benefit anyone. A good New Year’s resolution is to make better purchase decisions.

Be intentional. Go shopping only when you need something. Know your budget.

When you’re considering if you should buy something ask yourself the following questions:

• How many hours do you need to work to pay for that item?
• Can you postpone the purchase until the item is on sale?
• If the item wasn’t on sale would you pay the full price?

Those three simple questions do the trick for me while I’m trying to be smarter with my money. 

By practicing minimalism, I organically stopped buying some things for good, if you want to know more about it, click here to read the article.

4. Limit Your Screen Time

Do you spend your whole day looking at different screens? Not only does that worsen your eyesight and gives you headaches, but it can also lead to severe health problems like obesity, anxiety, and sleep problems.

While you cannot limit your screen time at work (assuming you work an office job), you can definitely limit it in your free time. 

Choose to spend your free time doing activities that don’t include your phone or computer. Make a rule not to bring your phone to bed and don’t look at any screens at least an hour before going to sleep. 

5. Practice Mindfulness

Mindfulness is the ability to be fully present at the moment and to turn on all your senses in order to fully experience life. 

Mindfulness practice includes different meditations, which bring a lot of health benefits and help cure different conditions, such as:

• Anxiety
• Insomnia
• Depression
• High blood pressure, etc.

If you want to improve the quality of your life immensely make mindfulness your core focus in 2022.

6. Find the Workout You Like

For a lot of people, exercise has become a chore they start to despise just because they feel like they HAVE TO do it in order to stay healthy and fit. 

But that’s not the point.

Working out should make you feel happy. It’s time only for yourself and you should look forward to it.

In 2022 make it your goal to find a type of workout that you actually like. That can be anything from yoga and pilates, to weight lifting, but also a simple walk around the park. 

It doesn’t have to be anything elaborate or expensive.

Give yourself time to try out different types of exercise and see what you like. Once you start enjoying your workout you will see results much faster.

7. Read Every Day

Reading enables you to discover new worlds without leaving your couch. It opens you up to new points of view and makes you escape your daily stresses.

It’s also an activity that doesn’t include any screens and helps your brain wind down.

Incorporate daily reading as your minimalist New Year’s resolution. You can read a couple of pages each day before work to relax before the day starts. Or you can opt-in to read before bed to fall asleep more easily.

Whatever you choose, it will improve your life a lot through the year.

8. Volunteer

Helping out others not only feels good, but studies have shown that it can be good for your health too.

Find a cause you believe in and offer your time and help. Start volunteering and see how you feel. 

There are so many people in the world that could use your help that it feels really good to be useful to someone. And it’s probably the most rewarding New Year’s resolution out of all.

9. Start a Gratitude Journal

Gratitude is a feeling of thankfulness for something. While you can feel gratitude without putting any effort into it, you can also be intentional about it and reap more benefits. 

Gratitude can increase your long-term happiness, improve sleep and physical health, and also improve your relationships. 

It’s a good idea to start a New Year with a gratitude journal and note the things you are grateful for daily. This doesn’t have to be anything fancy, you just need a notebook and a pen.

Start simple and write each day 5 things you are grateful for. Sometimes it will be hard to come up with anything, in those moments look at this list of things to be grateful for to get you going.

10. Declutter Mindfully

Decluttering is a most common minimalist New Year’s resolution and there is so much advice on decluttering online but I often find myself thinking how wasteful it is.

I don’t like how decluttering has almost become a race or a competition on who will declutter more and have less stuff. Minimalism is NOT about that.

That’s why I want to introduce a new approach – mindful decluttering.

When you start the process of decluttering truly think about the items you want to get rid of. Check if you will maybe need those things in the future and if they are easily replaceable. Things don’t always have to spark joy, they can just be useful.

Don’t throw away things mindlessly because you’re on a decluttering high. 

If you plan to donate items put the time in the research on who needs those belongings the most. 

*Personally, I like to give stuff to people I know because I know they will actually use those items. When you donate to a big charity you will never be able to put a face behind a person who received your belongings. Also, sometimes they receive too much of the same things which cause an even bigger issue for the poor countries. 

11. Prioritize Your Mental Health

The past couple of years have been hard on everyone and it’s completely normal to feel anxious and uncertain about the future. 

The year 2022 should be the year when we finally start to prioritize our mental health. If you don’t take care of yourself, who will?

You can’t move forward in life if you constantly feel burned out or depressed. 

Seek out help and do those small things that make you happy.

Incorporate a self-care routine into your week and notice how much better you feel!

12. Grab Hold of Your Finances

Are you someone that lives from paycheck to paycheck? Nobody should live with that level of stress.

Make 2022 the year when you finally grab hold of your finances and start being smart with your money!

Write all your expenses for a month and analyze them. Notice where you spend the most money and where you can cut down expenses. Create a monthly budget for yourself and put a specific percentage of your paycheck towards debt or savings each month.

Don’t spend your hard-earned money on things you don’t need.

13. Make Most of Your Meals at Home

Prepare homemade meals for yourself and your family. Try different recipes and have fun in the kitchen. Incorporate healthy produce and enjoy the food you cooked.

Not only are homemade meals more healthy, but they are also much less wasteful and will save you a ton of money throughout the year.

Planning in advance is the key to success here. 

Go grocery shopping once a week and buy everything you’ll need to prepare the meals you want to eat that week. Take a day or two each week when you prepare the bulk of your meals and store them properly. 

That way you always have a delicious, healthy meal on hand.

14. Incorporate Meatless Mondays

Do you want to consume less meat but don’t know where to start? Incorporate meatless Mondays into your New Year’s routine. 

Decide not to consume meat one day a week and try different vegetarian and vegan dishes.

Experiment with your food and you might find yourself eating more and more plant-based meals than you started from.

15. Do the No-Spend Challenge 

Challenges are always a fun way to change something in your life! Get to know your spending habits and save more by doing a no-spend challenge.

You can do it for a month, a week, even just a weekend. Some decide to do a whole no-spend year in order to grab hold of their finances.

If you want to learn more about how to do a no-spend challenge I’ve written an article with tips to successfully complete a no-spend challenge.

Top New Year’s Resolutions for 2022

I listed my top 15 ideas for minimalist New Year’s resolutions in this article that I believe are truly achievable and will improve the quality of your life throughout not just this year, but your life.

These are goals that will help you along your minimalism journey and will put you at ease and not stress you out even more. 

I don’t believe in failure so even if you start implementing one of these minimalist New Year’s resolutions and give up along the way because you found something that works better for you – EVEN BETTER! 

Minimalism is just a tool on your self-discovery journey and as long as you keep working on bettering yourself then you are a true success story in my eyes!

My Minimalist New Year’s Resolution for 2022

In 2022, my top New Year’s resolution will be to limit my screen time. 

I’ve been spending too much time watching Netflix and TikTok than I would like to admit to myself. So, next year my main goal is going to be to leave my phone in another room before going to sleep. Simple, and effective, but will improve the quality of my life immensely!

Share in the comments your New Year’s resolutions, I would love to know!

New to minimalism? Check out some of my most popular articles to help you along the way!

Quality Over Quantity Explained by a Minimalist

How Many Clothes Do You Need as a Woman? Find The Exact Numbers

Extreme Minimalism: Is It Worth the Trouble?

Minimalist Travel Packing List for Women: Ultimate Guide

The post 15 Ideas for Minimalist New Year’s Resolutions (& Tips to Keep Them) appeared first on Rebi Simple Living.

Dressing up for Halloween doesn’t have to be expensive and time-consuming. Use what you already have in your closet and create beautiful and elegant last-minute costumes! Perfect for a female minimalist.

Minimalist Halloween Costumes for Women

This short guide includes steps to recreate iconic looks from three very famous female movie characters: Holly Golightly, Wednesday Addams, and Princess Leia. 

I chose these three because they are elegant and classy costumes with normal clothes that you wouldn’t be embarrassed to walk around in the middle of the day. 

I also wanted them to be easy costumes you can put together in a couple of minutes for which you can use items you already own. You also don’t need any special skills when it comes to hair and make-up to recreate these simple looks.

However, in case you don’t have everything you need for any of these costumes, I added links where you can buy all the components of these outfits and included video tutorials for each of these ladies.

So, let’s start!

Holly Golightly 

Holly Golightly is a legendary character from the movie Breakfast at Tiffany’s portrayed by lovely Audrey Hepburn.

The most famous look from the movie features Holly wearing an elegant black dress, a statement necklace, and a tiara. This look solidified the little black dress as a staple piece of any woman’s wardrobe and is the perfect minimalist Halloween costume.

Now is the time to take your best black dress for a walk!

Steal the look:

Form-fitting Black Dress

Accessory Set: Necklace, Earrings, Gloves

Black Flat Shoes (so you can easily walk)

Updo Tutorial

Wednesday Addams

The Addams Family is a cult Halloween movie, and Wednesday Addams is a legendary daughter whose look is recognizable by many.

It is fairly simple to recreate her look and turn it into a sophisticated and minimalistic Halloween costume. By dressing up as Wednesday Addams you will epitomize the scary essence of Halloween and maybe frighten a couple of souls!

You will need a Peter Pan collar black dress and a pair of Mary Jane pumps to create this perfect Halloween costume.

Steal the look:

Peter Pan Collar Black Dress

Mary Jane Pumps

Hair and Makeup Tutorial

Princess Leia

The legendary heroine of Star Wars, Princess Leia, is the perfect character to dress up as if you want a simple and minimalist, yet effective costume.

The hardest, yet essential part of her costume is her hairdo. You will have to tinker with your hair for a bit to get those Princess Leia buns. However, I linked to a simplified tutorial down below to make it easier for you.

Other parts of her costume are pretty straightforward, a long white dress and a wide belt and you are good to go!

Steal the look:

​​Long-Sleeve White Dress

Wide Elastic Belt

White Boots (completely optional)

Easy Makeup and Hair Tutorial

Last-Minute Minimalist Halloween Costumes for the Win

There is nothing better for a minimalist than to utilize what they already own for a new purpose.

This year use our simple and easy Halloween ideas to recreate one of these legendary looks using the clothes you already have.

You will feel comfortable wearing these costumes and will get no weird looks even if you decide to wear them in the middle of the day.

No waste and no stress equals maximum fun for every minimalist!

Tired of holiday anxiety? Celebrate simple, minimalist holidays this year!

Check out our minimalist holiday guides:

How to Celebrate a Minimalist Christmas (+ Decor Ideas)

55 Amazing Christmas Gifts for Minimalists: Gift Guide for 2021

23 Minimalist Gifts for Kids of Different Ages (Fun & Clutter-Free)

Minimalist Thanksgiving: Prepare Your Home for Guests in 3 Simple Steps

The post Minimalist Halloween Costumes for Women: 3 Easy Last-Minute Ideas appeared first on Rebi Simple Living.