#minimalism masterpost

a lot of minimalism blogs/youtube channels are directed at older people with houses and jobs, rather than students living with their parents going to and from school; but that doesn’t mean minimalism can’t be for students/teenagers too!

I thought I would write some tips and tricks for being a student minimalist and why it’s worth a shot:

how to:

1. cook with friends rather than buying takeaways or go for walks instead of sitting inside watching films. make the most of the time you spend with friends (and spend less money while you’re at it)

2. stop scrolling and turn off notifications. I’ve switch off all notifications on my lock screen (except for essentials like text) and have muted all non-essential chats so I only have to know about them if I have chosen to go on my phone for that purpose. this is a really easy way to get rid of distractions

3. practicality > aesthetic. I agree that colourful beautiful notes are lovely but they aren’t necessarily worth your time. use your time effectively and don’t rewrite pages of notes just because you had to cross something out and now it’s ‘ruined’. 

3. trade your busy life for a full one by doing one thing at once. learn to focus on one task at a time and give it your full attention. this isn’t just about studying, but also about social events. if you’re meeting a friend, spend the time with your friend, not on your phone. devote yourself to each thing you’re doing and plan your time

4. remember: just because its on sale doesn’t mean you need to buy it. just because you have money doesn’t mean you need to spend it. 

5. say no. its easier to take back a no than it is to take back a yes. don’t feel obliged to sign up for everything and do everything for everyone. put yourself first and don’t feel guilty

6. try the hanger trick. hang all your clothes on hangers facing the same direction. twist the hanger around after you wear something. after a month, donate everything that hasn’t been twisted round to charity 

7. cleanse your social media: unfriend people you don’t know anymore. unfriend people who are negative. delete the apps you don’t use. unsubscribe from channels/newsletters that no longer interest you. declutter your online life

8. cleanse your real life relationships: stop spending time with people who put you down. end your unhealthy relationships. be honest with people you care about. put yourself first

9. record your favourite show or watch netflix. avoiding adverts frees you from the endless cycle of always wanting to have the next big thing

why it’s worth a try:

1. teaching yourself to switch off from social media and learning to spend more quality time with people face-to-face is liberating

2. everything is easier when you have a clear(er) head. having less means you have less to worry about

3. you’ll save money surprisingly easily. the money you spent on takeaways or shoes you thought you needed because everyone else had them can be put towards bigger things that will make you happier e.g. travelling or can be saved for the future

4. you can focus on your mental and physical health more when you aren’t distracted by your phone buzzing all the time and aren’t basing your happiness on keeping up with the latest trends

N.B. don’t expect to ‘get’ minimalism overnight. I definitely still haven’t cracked it. start small and slowly implement minimalism into different areas of your life. figure out what works and what doesn’t. minimalism is personal so there is no ‘right’ way of doing things.

just because minimalism can be about having less, doesn’t mean you have to throw away your beloved book collection. if it makes you happy, keep it; if it doesn’t, let it go.