With Spring upon us, it’s a great opportunity for you to simplify your life and declutter. Why not give minimalist living a go? Save money by sticking to only 50 things that you really need in your home.
Minimalist living has huge benefits, both for your peace of mind and wallet. When you have less, you get so much more out of life.
So start decluttering now and start to live a minimalist life. Reward yourself by selling your unwanted stuff.
Think of how nice it’d be to get some cash back. Save most of it if you can or use it to pay off bills.
If you’re thinking of getting cash back fast, read my 19 tips to make your yard sale a roaring success and subscribe to get my checklist to make your yard sale a breeze.
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So what are the 50 things that you really need in your home?
- Oven and cooktop
- Fridge and freezer
- Basic kitchenware
- Food
- Water bottles ( Safer to get those that are eco-friendly and BPA-free)
- Bowls
- Cutlery
- Plates
- Drinking cups
- Food Storage containers (These glass containers are much safer for you).
- Garbage bin
- Kitchen towels
- Curtains
- Mirror
- Desk with a chair
- Dining table and chairs
- Couch
- Bedside table
- Pillows
- Sheets
- Beds
- Recycling bin
- Basic tool kit
- Light bulbs
- Cleaning rags
- Vacuum cleaner
- Broom and dustpan
- Clothing rack or closet
- Clothes hangers
- Clothing and shoes
- Hats
- Toiletries
- Bath mat
- Bath towels
- Dryer and clothes line
- Iron and ironing board
- Hamper for your dirty laundry
- Washing machine
- Laundry supplies
- Tool kit
- First aid kit including standard medication like painkillers
- Trash bags or shopping bags
- Stationery
- Self-Improvement books
- Document trays and magazine holders for files
- Indoor plants ( Essential for healthy homes. They’re super easy to care for. Resell them for profit when they’ve grown larger).
- Garden tools
- Shelving units
- Digital essentials like computers, smartphones, modem, cable, extension cords and chargers
- Toys. If you have kids at home, this item needs to be number one on the list.
Many of these ideas are inspired by Rachel Aust in ‘Less. A Visual Guide to Minimalism’. Click on the book below to learn more.
Now that you know what you need for your home. It’s time to take action.
Ten Savvy Decluttering Tips
Use these 10 savvy decluttering tips to make it easy for yourself. Begin your minimalist life now.
Source: Anna Shepard, Express Housekeeping.
Click on the book below to learn more.
#1 Get ready boxes and bags
Get ready several shopping bags and cardboard boxes.
Your shopping bags are for collecting things that are obviously rubbish.
To simplify, sort out your stuff into 3 main boxes first.
A box for the things you want to keep, a box for a yard sale ( if you’re having one ) and the last for donation.
What to do with the stuff you feel guilty about letting go?
If you’ve an old chest your favorite aunt gave you, take a photo of it. Say a grateful thanks for it in your heart, the time it has graced your home and a fond farewell.
Keep the photo as a memento and sell the old chest for cold cash 🙂 especially if it’s taking up too much space in your home.
#2 Label
Remember to label your things.
It’s easier if you put ‘similar’ things together. For example, I store my child’s Lego toys in the same box, rather than mixing them up with clothes.
As you put things in these boxes, label them with sticky notes. The other way is to just write straight on the boxes with markers.
I’ve included this marker for your convenience. Click on it to learn more.
For example, your master sheet has different categories like Kitchen, Garage etc.
Let’s say you’ve decided to put the box containing Lego toys in your child’s bedroom.
On this master sheet, under the heading of ‘your child’s name’s bedroom’, write Lego’.
In this way, you can track where your things are without having to check the labels of all the boxes in your house.
Isn’t this a great idea?
The other trick is to stick a master sheet on the door of your child’s bedroom and write ‘Lego’ on it so you know his Lego toys are stored in his bedroom.
#3 Clean as you go
Just give flat surfaces a quick wipe once when you’re decluttering. There’s no need to clean thoroughly as your aim here is to declutter.
# 4 Be Ruthless
You have to get practical. This is not the time to get sentimental.
Decide which items you really need and whether you’ll be using them.
#5 Clarify
Ask yourself these questions:
Do I use this item at all? How often do I use them?
Then decide if you’ll keep it for future use, recycle it or give it to someone else or donate it.
#6 Decide on new items
If you have no use for new items, you can also choose to give them away as presents. Put a note to remind yourself who you’ve received it from to avoid giving it back to that person.
#7 Use the One in / One out system
For every new item that you bring into your home, you choose another that you can do without or recycle.
Remember not to delay this. Do it within the same day.
When you get into this habit, you’ll think twice about buying more things and this can help you curb your spending too.
You don’t have to remove a similar item. Say if you’ve bought a pair of shoes, you can choose to get rid of a cup or a book.
#8 Break it up
Never try to declutter your entire home in one sitting. You run the danger of being overwhelmed.
Do it room by room each time and limit your time for each session.
In this way, you won’t get so put off by this activity.
Remember to reward yourself after each session. A glass of wine sounds good!
#9 Be Brave
Don’t be afraid to make a mess. You’re probably thinking, ‘I’m supposed to be decluttering and making things tidy, not making such a huge mess!’
The thing is you DO need to make a huge mess first before you can declutter.
So be brave, drag out all your things in that room and place them in the centre of the room. Then get on with what you have to do.
#10 Have the Final Say
Who’s in charge?
You have the final say. Be firm and decide whether your items are for keeping, recycling, donating or for selling.
Wrap Up
All set to declutter now? Good.
Set a date, organize and get started. Remember to congratulate and give yourself a reward that you’ll enjoy at the end of the whole process.
Are you interested in selling your stuff online too? Check out these 14 places to net you more money when you sell your stuff.
Found this helpful? Share it to help others save too! Thanks.
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