The less you own, the more you have

Here is the trick: if you start owning less things, you’ll start realising the real value of each of them: you become more attached, and you’ll be less prone to replace them with their newer versions.

When they break, you won’t throw them away without thinking, but you’ll first check if and how they can be fixed.

If you take the time to choose every single object you use in your life, each object will matter more to you; and you’ll learn to apply the same reasoning when deciding to buy new things, avoiding impulse purchases.

Be honest with yourself

One of the critiques against minimalism and the zero waste movement is that people often end up spending more money to buy those new and expensive “green” items often publicised by influencers and bloggers.

Greenwashing is denitely a problem, and many companies are overpricing some items riding the new zero waste wave: but it’s also true that anybody can train their mind to apply a “long-term value” to everything we own, and apply the same method when going shopping.

By asking yourself which ones of the things you own really and practically supports your lifestyle, you’ll start realising how many things don’t; and you’ll be less willing to buy useless crap next time you go shopping.

Be true to yourself, and you will be very unlikely to fall into marketing traps, as running away from consumerism will be a staple in your pursuit of a simpler and fuller life.