Minimalism and sustainability are two buzzwords we hear a lot. But what is minimalism exactly? Can minimalism help us achieve sustainability?
Minimalism is a lifestyle that promotes living more by owning less. The idea is that by removing unnecessary clutter, we can focus more in building a life that truly matters to us.
The practice of minimalism is incredibly eco-friendly. Choosing to buy less things and become more intentional about what we own can reduce our impact on the environment. By consuming less, we produce less waste. By being mindful, we can make better lifestyle choices daily.
Combining being green and being minimalist can help us live simply, waste less and maintain a sustainable lifestyle.
Here are 3 easy ways to become a green minimalist:
1. Let go of things that no longer serves you
You may sell or donate them. Find a new home for items that no longer gives you joy and is only becoming a clutter at home.
One method of doing this is to have 2 boxes that you may fill with nice-to-keep or good-to-go items.
Each month, go through your things and review which items are nice-to-keep (like sentimental and handy items) and good-to-go (items that you may have not used in the past six months).
2. Buy quality over quantity
Prioritize what matters most to you and invest on pieces that are long-lasting and sustainable.
Do you want to support local sustainable fashion?
Do you want to invest in reusable and durable items?
Get the most from what you purchase by investing in better quality, well-research and meaningful products!
3. Spend on experiences than stuff
When Amit Kumar and his team monitored the emotions and purchasing behavior of 2,635 adults, they found that consumers are happier when they spend on experiential purchases than material purchases.
What’s interesting is, regardless of when happiness was measured (before, during or after consumption), the results remained the same. Experiences make a more lasting impact on people than material things.
No wonder it’s easy to forget a new purchase than our feelings from a new experience!
Do you agree that the practice of sustainability and minimalism goes well together?
Which of these ideas are you excited to try?
