Minimalism for Beginners – 6 Easy Tips on How To Downsize Your Stuff

Downsizing your stuff is a great way to simplify your life and make time and space for the things that matter to you. In this video we're sharing our 6 best tips for beginners to help you with the transition into a minimalist lifestyle.

Tip 1: Set a Goal
Tip 2: Trust Your Instincts
Tip 3: Set Aside Your Favourite Things
Tip 4: Choose a Downsizing Method
Tip 5: Downsize Responsibly
Tip 6: Change Your Consumption Habits

We hope this video helps make downsizing an easier, more accessible process. We know it can be hard, but with some planning, goal setting, and a lot of listening to your instincts, we think minimalism can help a lot of people in many positive ways.

We've benefitted from minimalism because it's made it easier for us to move around, travel, clean less, save more money, and consume less stuff.

Thanks for watching!

Mat & Danielle

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SUBTITLES AND CLOSED CAPTIONS
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A very special thank you to our subtitle and closed captions contributors!

Portuguese closed captions translated by Lívia Monteiro Silva
Korean closed captions translated by Gaedong Kim

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VIDEO CREDITS
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Music & Song Credits:
All music in this video was composed, performed, and recorded by Mat of Exploring Alternatives.

Editing Credits:
Mat and Danielle of Exploring Alternatives

Filming Credits:
Mat of Exploring Alternatives

[valenciacuttriss]

My daughter decided to give me memories instead of stuff for gifts.She takes me to movies or dinner and l am loving it.

[Noukz]

I'd just add that for future purchases, start buying the best quality products, so they last longer. That's one bad habit I had from before, buying cheap stuff that fell apart quickly and became useless waste.
peace

[diysy]

I think 💭 the quote that inspires me the most is collect memories not items 😩

[turkeybowlwinkle]

I started minimalizing about 8 years ago and while I'm still not where I want to be I must be getting closer. A few months ago I had a carpet cleaner do my carpets and when he first came in he looked around and said it looks like no one lives here. I laughed and took it as a compliment.

[chillinretreat]

Great tips!!! Got rid of 60000 dollars of debt...now working at optimizing and minimalizimg our home while working towards retiring!!

[Scott-J]

Another way to purge, or just tidy up, is the Konmari method. You approach things functionally. Put all of your clothes in one place. Pick the things that make you happy to wear (or you need for work). Get rid of the rest. Put all of your books in one place. Repeat. Next group, next group, etc... I find when I work room by room I tend to redistribute items to other rooms. So I end up chasing the same junk from room to room. Good tips, good video, thanks!

[ellentaylor-king]

Tip 1 - set a goal
Tip 2 - listen to your instincts
Tip 3 - set aside your favourite things (sentimental items)
Tip 4 - downsizing
Tip 5 - downsize responsibly
Tip 6 - change your consumption habits

[susanbehring]

If someone asks me what I want for a holiday I tell them a gift certificate to one of my favorite food or coffee places. Hair salon's certificates are great too.

[Derpster]

Two year rule: If you haven't used some item in two years, throw it away. It's very much not essential.

[pinkysworn]

So far the most useful tips I’ve been trying to use are the ones about being a more conscious consumer and boxing up the things you think you want to get rid of. I have tiny closets in my house, but one is at least half full of clothes I haven’t looked at since I moved in. It’s going to be nice to get rid of all of them so that I have room for more “probably get rid of” types of items. Slow and steady.

[puddinggeek]

“Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.”
― William Morris

[MelancholyMoondancer]

Great tips! After experiencing a fire (we lost almost everything) I started to become a bit of a minimalist. I have struggled on and off over the last ten+ yrs between having stuff again and getting rid of it. I think you saying right at the beginning that minimalism is individual is great advice! While I don't want a lot of stuff being a knitter, sewist ad geeks it can be a challenge.

[lovelearn]

While watching your video, I recalled that I have a drawer full of things, mainly clothes, that I wasn't sure whether I'd use again. I paused the video and have just removed all of the things for recycling!. I'll start refilling the drawer gain and put a reminder in my phone for 6 months time! I'm pleased with this small step in the right direction towards decluttering and simplifying.

[elliebee]

This is by far one of the most helpful videos I've seen!

Other videos of tiny bare apartments and having only two pairs of pants, 3 shirts and so on had me very stressed and discouraged about my own success at minimalism so far, but I'm glad to see that it doesn't have to mean getting rid of everything you own so much as being mindful of what you really need and what makes you happy. 🙂

[abnormal]

This was a great video on this subject. Short, sweet & to the point. Good job and thank you!

[lindatait]

Stopping going shopping as a habit on Saturdays is wonderful! We spend less money and have more time. If we need something we will go directly to the specific store and get it. Why did we not start doing this years ago, so much wasted time, energy and money 😱

[thatgrumpychick]

I like the "this is what we do and what we recommend" elements of your video rather than "this is what you SHOULD do"

[TealHouseFarm]

Thank you for sharing! I don't consider our family minimalists, but we've greatly de-cluttered our lives over the last year. It is such a freeing feeling and makes home life less stressful. Keep up the great work!

[silverfoxjohnson]

Timing is everything, just moved from 2 bedroom to a studio, so much waslet go but now I have a plan to downsize and minialize my things! Thank you so much for the tips and tour!!

[alexise.]

I'm working on the awareness phase with reducing things coming in. I've had several great moments where I've put things back or left with nothing. This is the area I'm focused on this month. Great, great video!