I decluttered a few years ago, and felt that I was on the path towards minimalism. However, I didn't change my buying patterns enough and most of the junk slowly reentered my life. Since my second declutter, I've found a key phrase that stops me when I start thinking about a new purchase.

Enough.

I have enough. I am enough. This new purchase, as alluring as it may be, won't make me happy. Two months from now, I will probably regret it or barely remember it.

I want to hear what others think about this, how do you evaluate your potential purchases and talk yourself out of buying the shiny new thing that has your attention?

Hi everyone!

I'm just beginning to explore minimalism more seriously. My partner and I recently moved into a smaller apartment, and although we have less space than before, we're genuinely happy with our new place. It's made me think about how we use our space, what we actually need, and what kind of life we want to build together.

I'm also at a point in my life where financial stability matters a lot to me. I want to be more intentional about how I spend money, avoid unnecessary purchases, and focus on things that genuinely improve our lives rather than constantly feeling the need to buy more.

I like the idea of having a home that's simple, functional, and peaceful. I'm drawn to a minimalist aesthetic, especially clean lines and industrial elements, but I'm even more interested in the philosophy behind minimalism: learning to distinguish between what adds real value to my life and what I can live without.

I'm not trying to get rid of everything I own. I'd rather develop a sustainable way of living that makes sense for my circumstances and helps me focus on what really matters.

For those of you who have been practicing minimalism for a while, I'd love to hear your experiences. How has minimalism changed your relationship with money, your home, and your priorities? And if you were starting again today, what would you do differently?

I'm looking forward to learning from this community and sharing my own journey along the way!

I sold my iPhone 14 because I was constantly having to buy replacement cables for it, and honestly, the battery life was horrible.

I decided to get a Realme 15 Pro instead, and for the most part, I'm happy with my decision. The camera is more than good enough for me, and I've taken some genuinely great photos with it. I also get a 144Hz display, a massive 7,000mAh battery that lasts all day, and more storage for my needs.

But sometimes I still feel like I made the wrong decision, simply because people keep asking me, "Why would you sell an iPhone for a Realme?"

I know iPhones are considered premium phones, but honestly, I find them overrated and less convenient to use, at least for my personal needs. I wanted better battery life, more storage, and a phone that suited my daily usage better.

What I struggle with is how much people seem to care about owning a flagship. Sometimes, it feels like you're supposed to keep an iPhone just because it's an iPhone, even if another phone makes you happier.

Tbh, most of the photos I take with my Realme 15 Pro look great to me. They only start looking bad when I deliberately search for flaws, compare them side by side with iPhone photos, or nitpick every little detail.

How do you guys deal with people making you feel like you downgraded just because you switched from a flagship to a midrange phone?

I want to enjoy the phone I chose without constantly wondering whether I should have kept my iPhone just because other people think it's the better phone.

I shower every day. I use shampoo only once a week, no conditioner. I exfoliate with a pumice stone about twice a week. Only cold showers, 7-9 minutes (if I'm not exfoliating or shampooing). I stopped using antiperspirant/deodorant more than a decade ago and it's been totally fine. For some reason, I sweat a lot less as I got older. I liked using body sprays (Axe Essence and Kilo, Japanese version) but now I'm fine without them. I don't need moisturisers unless I'm in a cold climate that dries my skin.

Addendum: Thanks to those of you who shared your habits. I'm disappointed by the few with judgemental comments. As someone already noted, people's hygiene requirements vary depending on genetics, activity level, climate, etc. Don't make the assumption that people who don't shower everyday are automatically malodourous. I had a flatmate who didn't shower everyday. His room didn't smell. He didn't smell. As for the minimalist connection, I don't want to get into semantics about minimalism/asceticism. I think there are parallels between the two though they're not the same thing. Specifically, using less products in my body care routine is minimalistic.

i wanted to switch to futon so i can put it away during day cuz my bed just takes up so much space and collects so much dust.

but from what i read im not sure if it wont be too big of a comfort downgrade. i already sleep on quite shitty setup with quite hard 10cm mattress. and im a side sleeper. if futon will be any less comfortable then that, that might be issue.

i was considering futon that has 6cm cotton 4cm latex and 6cm cotton. (also its advertized as it using cotton plates instead cotton balls or something like that?) idk how well thats gonna do. most people seem to use cotton only futons. hopefully this one is as good as the mattress i got?

https://www.futonshop.sk/p/futon-natural-latex-kaucuk#2284

For example, when I got married, I thought I wanted to host parties and dinners. I had place settings, glass drinking glasses, barware, serveware, etc. Now, I dread people coming over and I only host things reluctantly. The thought of having a ton of people in my house now feels like a lot of work and stress.

I've also had family and friends be really off-put by china plates, glass drinking goblets and table linens. We come from a lower-income area, and a lot of our family and friends really never dined like that. I've even had friends put their plates back in the cubbard and go get a Corelle plate because they were worried about breaking the china.

Over time, I stopped putting it out and it collected dust. I realized that it was meant to serve an idea of who I wanted to be, not who I was. I donated it all, and hopefully blessed an enthusiastic host somewhere with my collection. I really don't miss it, honestly, and it makes moving a lot easier.

Now that I've trended more toward minimalism, I'm happy that I'm no longer living with failed past versions of myself every day.

I'm trying to pare down our 4-person family possessions, while keeping things fun and festive for my kids (and myself).

I was always a huge fan of seasonal and holiday decorating, but it's gotten so out of control these days. The amount of holiday junk in stores is astonishing. I'm too busy and tired to deal with much more than a pumpkin or a Christmas tree these days, anyways.

I recently realized that some of my kids books are seasonally themed, and I can make a little book display with them every couple of months on top of their living room shelf.

It doesn't need to be books we own, either -- sometimes it's library books! Our fall/Halloween one is super cute.

It looks festive, helps with book rotation, and doesn't involve more knickknacky decor. Just sharing for any parents or book lovers who might do the same.

Trying to preserve my clothes and keep the shirts in good condition. I try drying using the drying rack but they smell I guess it's not warm enough here.

Does anyone have any recommendations i.e. putting the laundry in the dryer on air dry for 20 minutes then hanging then out to dry?

I find the joggers at the waistband never dry properly when using the hang only method.

Thought I'd try to get further insight on this matter thanks!

Like emergency food and gear. It actually can look redundant if you live in city. Shops are everywhere. Like last storm here cut electricity in locations around city and left city with electricity and else running normally. Can't really remember any other supply cuts in last 5 years honestly. With previous being few hour electricity cut in city. For myself I don't see a point in buying more than I could consume in next week.

I have been on a journey towards a simple and sustainable life. Nothing flashy. Nothing fancy. I deleted social media back in April and life has been brighter. I initially ditched my fake nails and routine service appointments to just save money. Then I started to prefer my natural beauty. Now I feel ready to also stop wearing makeup. I’ve discovered eye cream, self love and sunscreen. I’m even thinking of switching from glasses to contacts. :) I love who I am without the extra stuff hiding my beauty and I feel better without a constant mentality of accumulating every paycheck to be a “better” person. I started decluttering clothes and cleaning out drawers. But how do I ditch the what if feeling? What if I need the dress.. what if I want to wear those shoes again. I know it’s unrealistic because I haven’t even thought about the stuff since I bought it. I still have a lot of toxic social media ideals. I feel like I can’t wear the same outfits over and over and be an attractive person (even though I feel the prettiest dressing simply girly and modestly). I’ve become comfortable with who I am but like I also know it isn’t considered optimal grooming to be bare faced as a lady in meetings at work :\ things like this trip me up. I also get asked if I’m okay or tired without makeup. I’m not a type A person but I really want to be more organized and I love the way I feel with a clean, feasible and simple life. I’m going to keep at it but I have some concerns. How much longer will this feeling be here? Or does this mean I only liked the idea of minimalism?

Hi hello. My bf and I were discussing cellphones and their lifespan. I was a tech enthusiast and used to switch phones semi regularly but not that I adapted minimalism in my life i have stopped. What’s your upgrade cycle and which phone are u using now?

Is there a list of the comfortable medium for what to own without it becoming embarrassing? Case in mind, plants, kitchen stuff, books, electronics, clothing, crafts, hardware. Moving. Already shredded a lot but need more motivation.

hi guys! im almost 21 and just moved across the world for the second time, back to another city in my home country. when i was packing up all my things before moving again, i was upset and disgusted by just how much i own. i ended up freaking out and throwing out almost all my stuff. my boyfriend felt the same about his things and our shared things. we’re in our new apartment with almost no stuff except our suitcases and furniture. in our positions where would you start? i used to be a huge shopper but being broke forced me to stop (thank god!) i wonder how you guys do it and what your tips are?

I have a 10 month old. Its so hard to keep everything clean. I'm also just having more and more stuff as a new parent. How do I maintain order with a new baby? My parents help babysit so we can catch up on chores but on days it's just me and him, it gets out of hand real quick. My mother in law is also moving in. She is disabled but loves to shop. She buys a lot of stuff and packages come into the house daily and it can pile up really quick. She has a tendency to buy and then the whole house gets cluttered and then she declutters everything and gives it all away. It's a whole cycle after it gets out of hand. My husband had to clean her house every time he went to visit. Now we are living together.

I know I'm generalizing and it depends on where you live. A lot of places tend to be expensive as far as rent. I don't know if you cut out a lot of spending or material stuff and just stick to your basic needs that it changes a lot or if its just expensive no matter how much you try to save.

I've been wanting to buy a minimal phone for a while. So I bought the nokia 105. I actually wanted a flip phone, Ig this might be a start for now. I'm trying to use my phone less and slowly adopt a more minimalist lifestyle. One thing at a time. For those of you who've tried minimalist living, what are some simple changes you've made that actually made a difference in your life?

This is the third time in five years that I’ve had to move because of water damage in my appartement. Every time it’s been an entire moving truck full of stuff. How is it possible that owning things can limit me so much and keep me from being free?! I don’t want this anymore and now it’s all gone!

I have 2 suitcases left. One with clothes, the other with bedding, jackets and shoes. One box with folders and electronics, one box with personal belongings, one box with household items and one box with tools and car stuff. That's it!

The whole process took about four weeks. I bought a scanner and digitized all my paperwork (I kept the scanner though). I sold a few things, but only things that sold quickly, mostly furniture. I gave away quite a lot for free, especially clothes and decorations. The main goal was to get rid of everything quickly.

I made sure my clothes were functional and easy to mix and match. Anything you can only wear “once a year for a specific occasion” had to go. My "new" wardrobe has fewer than 50 pieces. The old one, well I stopped counting at 300...

I actually wanted to keep my TV because it was new. But of course, in the middle of all that chaos something fell on it and broke it. Now I’m almost glad it happened. One less huge thing to deal with and I can watch movies on my tablet anyway....

And suddenly, I can handle the entire move on my own because I have so little stuff left. The new apartment is furnished, smaller and cheaper!! There are literally only upsides. It still feels weird, I'm still shaking a little and I'm a bit scared that maybe I went too far... But the relief outweighs everything else.

My friends didn't react all positively to this change. But they’re not the ones dealing with the stress and cost of moving over and over again, so... I’ve already told them that from now on, I only want gifts that can be used up or consumed in some way.

Minimalism has fascinated me for a long time. But other than occasionally decluttering a little here and there, I never really managed becoming minimalist because I was still emotionally attached to my stuff. But this time something just clicked, probably because I just couldn't deal with the stress of moving anymore.

I really hope things work out. It somehow feels like the beginning of a whole new life...

I feel like I can't be a minimalist because I have many items kept as “backstock.” For example, different sizes of sheets of paper kept in under-bed storage because I’m still in design school and might need them. Along with that, things like glue and paint and other materials or tools that I’ve kept organised in boxes, but can’t seem to let go of the “just in case.”

I got rid of many jewellery but the stuff I still have (& do wear) is “a lot.” A container of perfumes, a drawer of makeup. A shelf of bags inside one another and another container in storage of the extra straps that come with them. It all feels like a lot but I don’t know what to reduce from them. One thing I know I should declutter but don’t is the sentimental papers, books, and photos from childhood.

I do go through my room periodically and always get stricter with what I should let go of (my biggest declutter was last night and I’m happy with the empty shelves and drawers now, being much more discerning with what I actually want, and what is kept bc I feel guilty about spending money on it), but looking at other minimalists’ rooms and seeing how little storage they have just feels like something I deeply want to achieve but never can. I live in a multigenerational home, so everything that is mine is in my room. But I can’t tell if that’s just how many things I have to have to live/study/work, or if there’s still a way to be even stricter with myself. The way I see it is by imagining if I had to pack up my room right now, and how many boxes I would need to do so. At current, it would be many more boxes than I wish to have to do it in, and there’s a sort of shame I feel with that.

edit: Don’t want to clog up the thread replying to every comment, so I just want to thank everyone here for the very kind words and assurance! :)

I have a bit of a dilemma. I really love manga, books, and art books. I sold most of my collection, and now I only keep my favorites or things I still want to read.
But lately I’ve been wondering if I really need to keep them. I do love these books, but I could read them digitally and keep my physical collection to a minimum.
The problem is that I can’t just let go of them. I have an emotional attachment to books, and they mean a lot to me. At the same time, sometimes I want to buy new ones, and then I’ll eventually run out of space again.
I only have one IKEA KALLAX with 8 compartments, so my space is pretty limited.
I don’t know… maybe I shouldn’t put myself in such strict limits? Has anyone else struggled with this?

They remind me of little me.

Been thinking about photobooks but there's something special about touching them.

I've also saved every birthday card I ever received. On the fence between making an album that I can continue to fill or just tossing 99% of them.

I’ve never personally enjoyed crafts. I feel like I’m creating something (garbage) that I need to keep because I worked hard on it, and everything requires a bunch of supplies. It just feels chaotic to me. Fast-forward, I’m a parent, I have a small craft drawer for my kids. Basically an eight pack of crayons, an eight pack of markers, some paper, scissors, and a glue stick. Yet, I feel like we don’t have enough. We were reading a kids magazine and there was a cool craft that involved making stuffed animals out of felt, a needle and thread, and stuffing. So now do I go buy all that? To do just one craft? And then I have to keep the homemade stuffed animal around forever because it’s their special project? Help I hate it

EDIT: the people thinking this is child abuse can’t possibly have children. If you buy your kid 1000 toys to keep them busy, you’re not really helping them at all developmentally. Minimalist principles apply to kids too. Montessori does great with this and says often the best thing is just nature and stuff outside, maybe a few open ended toys inside and they learn to play with them in different ways, or just repurpose household objects. It’s an extremely valid way of raising children. I was more asking how to branch off of those same principles for specific art supplies.

Me again. I'm still doing battle with the "stuff". Saying that, I was able to find and check that all 57 pieces of a mini lego set are still around earlier very quickly despite being messed with by three kids last weekend so its somehow ordered chaos.

Been feeling the need to pack a one bag recently. I don't need to have the holiday booked (I dont have one atm), but just had the pull to order things in the bag. Didn't do it.

In the process of back to processing as we had a whole lot of new boxes and things come in and we need to get them OUT. Spent ten minutes cutting up used wrapping paper received last week to wrap what we are giving out the next two weekends.

PS random note, for the little ones birthday we got her second hand books, a notepad, a Turkish towel and a cheap mermaid costume. We also baked enough cakes for her to blow out the candles three times.

I’m looking for YouTube channels that incorporate minimalist principles without being strictly about minimalism itself.

I’m not particularly interested in the usual minimalism-adjacent topics like decluttering, simplifying finances, slow living, frugality, not-buying lists etc. I’m more interested in channels where minimalism is reflected in someone’s lifestyle, approach, principles, or creative process, rather than being the main subject of the content.

Some examples of topics I’d be interested in are minimalist travel, urban lifestyle, photography/videography/music production, design, interior design, fashion or style, maybe some productivity or self-improvememt.

Essentially, I’m looking for channels where minimalism is more of an underlying philosophy than the subject of the channel itself.