The ‘Zero Waste’ race

Extreme examples of “zero waste champions” are great for inspiration; look online and you’ll find an army of devoted minimalist.

Some of them banned any item made in plastic from their home; others managed to fit a year worth of rubbish in a medium sized glass jar. Some swear they won’t buy something unless is second hand or recycled; a few claim their vegetable garden can feed them for all year round, and that they don’t have to go grocery shopping anymore.

I’m happy when these people make to the news because in that way more people can find out about a more simple lifestyle; but if they start thinking about how they can apply that to their life, most people will feel overwhelmed and stressed.

It is not a competition

The truth is, we all need ‘things’, and we are attached to them for different reasons. But the basic concept of minimalism is rather simple: owning fewer things, and start changing your mindset so that you see owning less stuff as an opportunity rather than a sacrifice.

It’s your chance to live more intentionally, and understand what stuff you really need and what’s really important in our life.

No single action is fundamental or sufficient in itself, and our efforts to live a more sustainable lifestyle are affected by our background: where we live, how old we are, our health conditions etc can dictate how we can apply minimalism to our lives.

There isn’t one right way of doing this, only small steps each one of us can take to be happier in our eveyday life.

Don’t complicate, but simplify

So before rushing to your closet and starting to get rid of all your shirts, stop and think.

Why did you buy all those shirts in the first place? How many did you buy because that day you were feeling low for some reasons and you needed an instant gratification? How many did you buy because you actually needed them for a particular occasion? How often did you wear them?

If you feel like all your shirts are meaningful to you, either because they have a practical use in your everyday life or because you have a strong emotional attachment to them, then you probably already are a minimalist without even knowing it.

But if you can’t fit all your shirts in one of the above categories, it probably means you can get rid (read: donate or sell) at least of some of them.

From your closet to other parts of your house, starting applying a minimalist approach to some aspects of your life can improve it greatly.

It will give you more freedom to choose and filter the noise which surrounds you: it will help you focus and pursue your goals; you will be more in control of your finances, getting closer to financial independence; and ultimately you’ll gain the most important thing money can buy: time, to spend doing what you like with the people you love most.

Still not convinced? Here are 6 reasons why you should be a Minimalist

Any of us can find personal reasons in our life for which minimalism can make us more successful and happy.

Here are six reasons (not in order of importance) which will keep you motivated in your journey:

1. Owning less stuff helps you being more organised; you’ll waste less time cleaning and maintaining your possessions, and you’ll have more time to spend doing what you like.
2. By embracing recycling and banning waste, you can start a virtuous spending cycle: all having more control on our money in the process, in the pursuit of freedom from debt and ultimate financial independence. You can get into the habit of selling your old or unused things, and earn some extra cash from that.
3. When you own less stuff you can downsize and live happily in a smaller place, saving money in rent and utilities. You might even be able to afford to buy property debt-free.
4. Minimalism doesn’t necessarily have to translate into a monastic and frugal life, but it should help you understand what really matters to you, give you the necessary drive to achieve it and help you making a realistic financial plan which allows you to fulfil your dreams.
5. By questioning the consumeristic approach to life, you can join a movement of conscious consumers who get informed about where, for instance, their food or clothes come from, and buy accordingly.
6. By declaring war against waste, you can help protect the environment.

Do you agree with this list? Which are your reasons? Write a comment below if you want to join the discussion!