- 1). The first thing you must do is assess what is necessary and what is not. For me, a computer is a necessity, but a car is not. Don't think that minimalizing your life means you have to stop everything you love to do. In fact, reducing clutter will help you focus on what you love to do. Who wouldn't want that?
- 2). I'd advise you to make three piles: Dump/Donate, Maybe, and Keep. Make sure that the Dump/Donate pile is larger than your Keep pile. Be realistic. Ask yourself if you will really ever use this item again. Maybe you already have an item that will do the same thing. Keep in mind that you only need one thing for one process.
- 3). Then take a good look at your Keep pile (and whatever made it over from the Maybe pile) and find a permanent home for it. It is no secret that clutter forms in large part because an item doesn't have a home. If you can't find a permanent home, go back and get rid of more stuff.
- 4). Once you have everything settled and items have a home, make sure not to populate your home with more clutter by buying more unnecessary stuff. Not only are you wasting your money, you are also failing at being a minimalist. Be strong, put the plastic away.