"Minimalist tips"
Oftentimes, my fellow humans ask me to share some minimalist tips. I've been on a journey of living more sustainably for the past 15 years or so. Reading a recent comment by a fellow human encouraged me to finally write this entry.
What I will share is based on my personal experiences.
My lifestyle is not a benchmark. It's not perfect. I believe that each human being needs to step on their own journey and constellate different practices and principles for themselves, to create a mode of living that works for them both in the short and the long term, a mode of living that is gentle towards nature and non-humans and also towards oneself. For me, my practice is a space for growth. It's not a sacrifice.
I find it very helpful to be honest with myself about the reasons I practise this mode of living. For me, my main reasons are ecological (I want to live in harmony with nature and I advocate theory/practice consistency [I'm a sustainability researcher]), spiritual (non-material things matter in life) and aesthetic (I love all things simple and natural). Other reasons are health (I live with a physical and mental health conditions) and my financial health (in my experience, living with less is less expensive).
I also find it helpful to supplement minimalism with other ideas from various movements such as voluntary simplicity, slow living, deep ecology. More recently, I've felt very much inspired by Seneca too.
When I ask myself, what tips can I share with my fellow humans?, I like to think about these tips across the four domains of social being. These four domains come from critical realism, a philosophy of science perspective I use in my work. This four domains model is useful because it's holistic, so our practices of, say, minimalism, are not reduced to only one thing (such as decluttering or spirituality).
The four domains are: (1) our material transactions with nature, (2) social relations, (3) social structures, (4) inner being. The first domain makes me think immediately about, for example, zero-waste practices and having less. The second domain reminds us that minimalism (or any other sustainable lifestyle) is not just personal. The third domain is a reminder that our practices are constrained and empowered by various social systems. The fourth domain is our inner world: I strongly believe that minimalist practices must go hand-in-hand with changes in our soul, in our attitude towards the self, human and non-human beings, and nature.
Tips (the list will not be exhaustive)
Material transactions with nature:
Sufficiency list. I started reducing the number of my possessions with a playful sufficiency list. I sat down and sketched a list of everything that I really needed in my life. Over time, I donated and gave away the rest. Some fellow humans prefer to take a longer path towards living with less, but I wanted to start living with less as soon as possible and navigate that space.
Experiment when travelling/relocating. Before I began to live with a very small number of items, I travelled extremely lightly to see how it felt. When I moved countries, everything fit into a tote bag and a backpack.
Smaller apartment. It's less expensive, easier to keep warm, and easier to look after. In Sweden, I lived in a 20 sq. m. studio apartment. My apartment in Finland was 29 sq. m. Our current apartment is very small too. It doesn't feel too small, because we live with very few things.
A box. It might be helpful to put some items that one is unsure about into a box and wait for some weeks or months to see if these items are truly needed or not.
Durable goods. It's always better to invite high quality, durable items into one's life. And then repair them.
Avoid counting. I don't know how many items I live with exactly, especially because some of them are shared. I don't think there is a perfect number of items that makes one a minimalist. At times, my fellow humans ask me how many things I own. It's less than 50 personal possessions. Around 10 items of clothing.
Excluding categories. I found it helpful to exclude whole categories of products from my consumption. For example, I don't consume jewellery, makeup, special occasion items, home décor. I don't have a car, a tv and many other things.
Wearing a uniform. Perhaps surprisingly, wearing a uniform was liberating for me. I felt a sense a freedom rather than deprivation. Every day, I wear my most favourite outfit in my most favourite colours and fabrics.
Regift/donate gifts. I donate most of the gifts that I receive, because I feel that I have enough. I don't like keeping the items I don't use.
Public transport. This doesn't apply to every fellow human, but if there is an opportunity to live without a car, I think humans should take it. Personally, I don't even own a bike. I walk everywhere or use public transport.
Travelling locally. Because I combine minimalism with environmentalism, I nurture love towards my local area. I don't consume places. At times, we travel by trains and ferries though.
Electronic clutter. I try to have the same approach to my electronic files as I do to my material possessions.
Multi-use items. Some of my most favourite items that I live with are the ones I can use for different purposes. For example, I can eat most dishes from a bowl. I can drink anything from a glass jar. I can use a simple bar of soap for my hands, body, and face.
Upcycling. I use glass jars (that came with food) for tea, storage, and flowers.
Local, simple, seasonal food. Simple living is a way of being, so I prefer my food to be simple and whole.
Natural fabrics and textiles. I think they feel cosy and look beautiful, not to mention they don't release microplastics into nature.
Social relations:
Borrowing. It's much easier to practise minimalism with others. Before buying something, it's good to see if you can borrow it from someone. From family members, neighbours, colleagues, swap shops (byttestationer in Danish).
No-buy groups. It's a good idea to organise a local no-buy group so one's unwanted items find a new home.
Learning from others/sharing tips. I love talking about sustainable living with my friends and colleagues. Even though I have practised this mode of living for a long time, there is always something new to learn. It's wonderful to learn from elderly fellow humans who remember the times when many zero-waste practices were the norm. Fellow practitioners of minimalism, frugal living, simple living, slow living, eco-community living, etc. can be incredibly encouraging.
Talking about sustainability. When a fellow human asks me why I wear the same thing every day, I gently explain it to them. My partner and I always make it clear to our family members that we don't need anything. When it comes to gifts, we ask either for food or donations to environmental charities.
Social structures:
Recycling. Whenever I move to a new country, I read about the structures and alternative organisations that are in place and that can help me live more sustainably.
Libraries. Some institutions empower people to avoid buying, such as libraries, repair cafes, and swap shops.
Public transportation systems. They help me live well without a car.
Education. I'm an academic. There is so much knowledge that can be shared with fellow humans. Some helpful knowledge may include understanding how capitalism works and encourages people to overconsume and feel like we are perpetually lacking in something. Reach out to researchers, ask them about workshops and lectures that one can attend to learn more about sustainability.
Healthcare. Some of my consumption is associated with poor health. I try to address any new health issue early, so that I can avoid consuming, say, strong medication later.
Social media. Many minimalists try to avoid social media. I think one can make social media work for oneself too. I limit the number of social media platforms I am on. Within social media spaces, I connect with likeminded fellow humans only.
Local politics and politics in general. If one has an opportunity, they can get involved in local politics to promote sustainability and get help with establishing alternative organisations. I would love to see more policies that encourage minimalist living, such as universal basic income and universal basic services.
Inner being:
Reading. Some literature can empower one on a minimalist path. I'm thinking of, for example, Seneca's Letters and Walden by Thoreau.
Being with nature. I experience immense inner growth and self-transcendence when I spend time with nature and non-humans. For example, a cat inspired me to wear a uniform.
Being with oneself. It's helpful to have gentle, compassionate inner dialogues about one's practice. This is because living differently in the current system requires much strength and commitment.