Is minimalism right for you?
Are you wondering if minimalism could make you happier?
Here are three simple, quick and easy steps to test the possibility;
- Choose a few items that you seldom use.
- Wrap them in one or more gift parcels.
- Give them to others less fortunate.
When the experiment is complete ask yourself one simple question;
Did giving these unused items away make me happier than keeping them?
If keeping them would have made you happier, don’t be a minimalist!
But if giving unused 'stuff' to others makes you feel happier than keeping them, minimalism will make you happier, guaranteed! It just did and it will again.
How I do it.
I have very few clothes but I like the look and feel of new clothes. So I buy a few new clothes each month. Buying and wearing new clothes makes me happy.
I also like great deals like the almost-new blue blazer I purchased at an Op-Shop in Australia; good enough to wear to my daughter's wedding. I paid $10 for a blazer that would easily have cost $150 new. Nice deals like that also made me happy.
But instead of hoarding clothes, every new purchase allows me to select older items to give away. When I buy a new set of clothes, I make up a gift parcel with the same mix of older clothes; these older clothes are still in excellent condition as most are only a few months old.
It’s a double win!
I feel happy buying and wearing new clothes but I feel even happier when I give a parcel of ‘almost-new’ clothes to someone who would appreciate a new set of clothes. Add a haircut and a shave to the gift and someone who is down on their luck could be be better prepared for a job interview. Makes you think, doesn’t it?
Minimalism enables us to be more generous.
It’s that simple. Try it.
What could you do?