Once I decided to reduce the amount of belongings in my home, there were some things I stopped buying right away. Here are just seven of these to inspire you if you are just starting out on your minimalism path.
Books...
Books- I no longer buy books- I borrow them from friends and family and I check them out from our local library. If I can’t source them from either of these places, I make a list and ask for them as gifts for my birthday or Christmas presents. I always ensure that when I ask for them, I know I really want to read them, so they don’t get left on the shelf and eventually donated.
Greeting cards- I used to stock-pile greeting cards. I bought them when I saw ones that were appropriate for people I would normally send them to. I had years of cards for each person in my family. Now I just buy them as I need them because I no longer want to have a ‘card drawer’ in my home. Plus people change- so what might be appropriate for someone now might not be in 12 months’ time.
Gifts- I used to buy gifts all year round and then I would buy more near Christmastime and birthdays because I had forgotten about the ones I had already spent money on. So, I spent much more than I intended to once I totalled it all up. Now I stick rigidly to a budget and I only buy once the celebration comes around. This again, saves me having to sacrifice space in my home for gifts all year long.
Magazines- I found I was buying magazines, never reading them and then putting them in the recycling or giving them away. Now I have banned myself from buying them because I know they will be a waste of money and only read books now.
MORE: Seven things that happen when you reach your minimalism sweet spot
Jewellery- I looked through my existing collection and decided to make the most of what I already had, which was both good quality and versatile. Because I am naturally drawn towards silver pieces with neutral stones- this style goes with a multitude of items in my wardrobe so there is no need to have a matching set for every outfit.
Decorative things for my home- Ornaments, trinkets and single photo frames were a great source of stress for me because I had to move each item to dust around it, which I believed to be a huge waste of my time. I decided that all my photographs would go up on the wall so I can still enjoy them but they don’t take up any space on surfaces and donated anything that took up room on the tops of drawers, tables and cabinets.
Bulk items- I used to buy things in bulk if they were on offer or just in case I ran out of a certain consumable product. Now I buy as I run out of things which means my cupboards no longer look like shelves in a supermarket. If I know something is running out, I will make the effort to go out and buy a new one.
Tagged in Books Minimalism