How To Become A Minimalist In 30 Days

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If you’ve ever wanted to declutter your home but didn’t know where to start, then this article is for you. After all, who doesn’t want a clean, organized space? In order to get started on living more simply and intentionally each day, Start trying for 30 days. This is a great way to get started decluttering your home. Simply set a timer for 30 minutes and make sure it doesn’t stop until you finish the task at hand.

Day 1 – Start by writing down your goals.

Here are the steps you’ll need to take in order to become a minimalist in 30 days:

• Write down your goals. Your goals should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound (SMART). For example: “I will save $10 per day for one month so that I can buy a new laptop.”
• Write down your goals in the present tense, even if they are not yet a reality. For example: “My desk is empty of clutter.” I am proud of this because it shows the power of visualization at work!

Day 2 – Clear out your handbag.

• Handbag:
• Purse/Wallet:
• Clutch/Tote:
• Backpack/Briefcase:

Day 3 – Deal with your business cards.

• Deal with Your Business Cards

Once a week, take an hour to go through your business card pile. Get rid of any that are outdated or have been replaced by someone new in your life (we’re looking at you, Michael). If there are cards that have special meaning to you, like ones from people who made a difference in your life or helped you out when you needed it most—you know they’ll come back if they need something—keep those but put them somewhere safe where no one will mess with them!

• Do not keep them in a wallet or purse because then they take up valuable space and create stress when trying to find one at the end of shift. If this happens often enough, throwing away all those cards becomes more than just an annoyance; it becomes an ordeal! In addition to wasting time and energy rummaging through pockets/bags trying find one specific piece of plastic instead focusing on what is truly important: time spent with loved ones (and pets!).
• Recycle them if possible by giving them away if someone comes into the shop asking for directions again: “Here’s my card!”

Day 4 – Clear out your purse or wallet.

Today, you’re going to clear out your purse or wallet. This is one of the most challenging parts of minimalism because it’s hard to see things that we carry with us every day as clutter. We carry our keys, wallets and purses so often that they become invisible—but they don’t have to be!

By taking a good look at what’s in your wallet or purse on a daily basis, you’ll discover all sorts of things that aren’t necessary: receipts from restaurants you’ve been meaning to return to (but never will), expired coupons, old business cards and other items that no longer serve their original purpose. All these unnecessary items take up space but provide little value in return.

Make sure that whatever wallet or purse you use fits your needs perfectly—whether it’s an oversized bag filled with everything but the kitchen sink or just a small clutch for evening outings. A good rule of thumb: if there are less than three items inside on any given day (keys included), then this could be considered “too much.” Also make sure there are enough slots for all your essential cards and cash so as not to cause another clumpup when something new gets added later down the line!

Day 5 – Start to declutter your desk.

You may have heard that a clean desk is a sign of an organized mind, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, keeping everything on your desk makes it harder to keep things in order. If you don’t use it, get rid of it.

As for stuff that’s not on your desk but in your office (or home office), ask yourself if it adds value to your life or if there’s another place where it would be more useful? Do you really need these extra items? If not, donate them or throw them away immediately.

Day 6 – Take the time to declutter your closet.

Take the time to declutter your closet.

In order to become a minimalist, you need to know what items you want and need in your wardrobe. You also need to be able to differentiate between the two. If you haven’t worn something in over two years and you have no intention of ever wearing it again, why are you keeping it? If an item doesn’t fit properly or is damaged beyond repair (i.e., ripped jeans), get rid of it no matter how much money was spent on it at one point in time!

If we’re being honest with ourselves, most people don’t know what they wear half the time anyway. I used to think that all black was necessary for my daily wardrobe (it’s not), so when I finally started wearing more colors I realized just how many unnecessary items were sitting around my house!

Day 7 – Clear out your jewelry box, or keep it simple and use a simple jewelry hanger and one necklace stand.

• If you have a jewelry box with compartments, keep only the jewelry you wear.
• Use a jewelry hanger or stand to organize other pieces that are not in use.
• Don’t keep any jewelry that is old, broken or expensive if you don’t wear it regularly.

Day 8 – Deal with your makeup box.

Okay, so you might be thinking, “But I can’t live without my makeup!” Well, I am here to tell you that you can. In fact, I did it myself and it was one of the best decisions I ever made. It’s hard to imagine life without makeup at first — but once you let go of all those products and put them away in a box somewhere, it’s amazing how much lighter your life becomes!

In order to make sure your makeup box is doing what it needs to do: keep your favorite items readily accessible while being able to hide away everything else until they’re needed again (or never). If this works for all of us who are trying out minimalist living together then maybe we’ll be able to achieve something great over time.

Day 9 – Clear out the linens in your bath area.

To prepare for this task, start with a clean sink. Your bathroom may not be a mess, but you’ll want to make sure that any old makeup, lotions, and creams are put away before you tackle this one.

Bath towels: Donate all your bath towels that are small or worn out. You can replace them with one nice new large bath towel (that you don’t mind getting stained) and two washcloths for each member of your household to use as hand towels when exiting the shower or bathtub.

• If you have a guest room where no one lives, it’s probably worth keeping extra guest towels around just in case someone comes by unexpectedly. Other than that though…get rid of ’em!

Linens: The same goes for bedsheets and blankets—if they’re small or old enough that they’d look dingy even after washing them – donate them! You may also have some old bedspreads lying around; consider donating those too if they’re not something special like an heirloom quilt passed down from grandma’s grandmother (and so on).

Day 10 – Get rid of all those old samples of shampoo and conditioner.

• Donate or throw out.
• If you’re getting rid of samples of shampoo and conditioner, chances are you have a bunch of other samples that need to go too. If this is the case, don’t let them pile up in drawers or cabinets. Get them out of there! Throw out any expired products you find and donate the rest to charity if they’re still usable; otherwise just toss them in the trash or recycling bin.

Day 11 – Sort through all those receipts you’ve been holding on to.

It is time to sort through all those receipts you have been holding on to. Receipts are not like the other paper in your life; they only have a temporary purpose and then they are gone forever. They take up space and clutter up your wallet, so why do you need them? The only reason is to make sure that you can prove what purchases were made when returning or exchanging an item at a later date. The rest of the time, they just sit there taking up valuable real estate in your life.

Most people don’t realize how much financial information is contained on these little slips of paper until identity theft becomes an issue later on down the road. If someone were able to get hold of all of your receipts, they could use them to gain access into any accounts tied to debit card transactions or even credit card payments that were made with these pieces of paper over several years’ time!

Day 12 – Sort through all those letters you’ve been holding on to.

You’ve been holding onto them for years and years, but today is the day you’ll finally get rid of them. You can either donate your letters to a local school, library or charity organization—or if you’re feeling crafty, use them to make something beautiful like an art installation. Either way, let those old letters fly free!

Day 13 – Get rid of just one subscription you no longer use that comes in the mail each month, like a magazine or catalogues you don’t need anymore, or any other type of subscription service like Netflix, Google Music Play, Spotify, etc., which can all be cancelled online easily. If you don’t want to cancel anything, then go through a month’s worth of bills and make sure everything is charged correctly and that you’re not being overcharged for any additional fees or services that you didn’t ask for or know you were being charged for in the first place.

Now that you’ve gone through your mail, it’s time to make a list of all the subscriptions you have. This includes magazines, catalogues, newspapers, newsletters and any other type of subscription service like Netflix or Spotify (if this applies). If there is something listed in the mail that comes to your house on a regular basis but isn’t really important or helpful anymore (maybe you don’t even remember how long it’s been since they last sent anything) then it’s time to cancel those unwanted subscriptions. You can do this online easily by looking up their website and clicking cancel next to the account information. If there are no instructions for cancelling online then call customer service at 1-800….

Day 14

Day 14: Think about how things make you feel

You’ve seen it before: the bookshelf, cluttered with all manner of wonder and meaning. Or maybe it was that little chest from your grandmother’s house, filled with old trinkets and stories that have been passed down through generations. You’re happy to have this treasure, but what if you had to get rid of it? What would happen if you found out your grandfather wasn’t really who he said he was and didn’t come from Ireland at all? Would this throw off the memories surrounding these objects?

Much like we discussed yesterday when talking about our mindset in relation to our possessions, we should consider how others will feel when they see our belongings—especially those that are meaningful or sentimental. If they give us pleasure by reminding us of someone or something else (but do not provide any practical function), then perhaps it’s time for a change in perspective.

Day 15

Step 1: Gather all of the clothes that are currently in your closet but not on a hanger or folded neatly.

Step 2: Sort these clothes into the following categories:

• Clothes you don’t wear anymore (and if they haven’t been worn in over a year, they’re probably not coming back)
• Clothes you don’t like any longer (or never did)
• Clothes that no longer fit you as well as they used to (for example, maybe your shirts are too big now but would be perfect for someone else)

Day 16

If you’re still not ready to cancel anything, then go through a month’s worth of bills and make sure everything is charged correctly and that you’re not being overcharged for any additional fees or services that you didn’t ask for or know you were being charged for in the first place.

Then, look at your budget and see what can be eliminated. If there are expenses that don’t fit into your minimalist philosophy, remove them from your monthly spending plan (for example, if you like eating out once per week, cut out one meal each week and use the savings to buy groceries).

Day 17

This is the day you’ve been dreading. It’s time to get rid of all those old magazines you have stacked up in your living room, all those books that you haven’t read since college and every newspaper that has been piling up on your coffee table for months.

If you love reading, this may be one of the hardest things to do today. But if you want to become a minimalist and make more space for what’s important in life, then it needs to happen (even though I understand). Letting go of these items will give you the freedom to choose what stays and what goes in other areas of your home or life!

Day 18

Day 18: Get Rid of Clothes You Don’t Wear

The majority of your wardrobe should be made up of clothes that you wear regularly. If you find yourself not wanting to wear an item, then it’s time to let it go. You don’t have to keep every single shirt or pair of pants in your closet—only the ones that fit well and make you feel great when wearing them. Your goal is to create a small number of versatile pieces that can be mixed and matched with each other on a daily basis.

Day 19

• Get rid of the old shampoo and conditioner samples you’ve been saving. If they’re still full, give them to a friend or family member.
• Sort through all your receipts. Keep the ones that are essential to filing taxes, and throw away the rest.
• Sort through all your letters! Do you need to keep every birthday card from your grandmother? No! Just keep one or two for sentimental reasons if you like, but otherwise toss these papers into recycling/trash bins immediately after reading them.

Day 20

Day 20: Get rid of old magazines.

The last few days have been about getting rid of stuff, but the items you’re using today are ones you probably don’t even realize are still around. The next time you flip through a magazine, take note of how many ads and articles there are that aren’t relevant to your life or interests anymore. If it’s more than 10%, feel free to pitch it into the recycling bin or trash can with reckless abandon—you’ll feel better for doing so!

Day 21

• A business card is a great way to be remembered by someone and to show that you care about them.
• Your business card should be a reflection of who you are as a person, so make sure it has the information that’s most relevant to your job and personal life.
• Create an inventory system for all of your existing cards, then decide which ones are no longer applicable (i.e., if you’re not working with or for someone anymore). If there are any duplicates, consider giving one away at events where people may need some extra business cards. Then throw away those that aren’t needed anymore!

Day 22

Today’s task is to get rid of any clothes that are damaged or torn. If something has a hole in it, toss it out. If something has a stain on it, toss it out. This can prove challenging because we’re all hoarders by nature, but resist the urge to hold onto any stained or tattered items for sentimental reasons and just get rid of them!

If you haven’t worn an item in the past year then it’s time for the trash bin as well. Don’t make room space for things that you don’t need or use anymore—it’s just clutter!

If a piece doesn’t fit properly then get rid of it too; if an article makes your shoulders look wide or accentuates your hips then toss it into the donation pile (or burn them if they’re really bad).

Finally: only keep clothes that truly make you happy when they’re on your body! You deserve nothing less than feeling good when getting dressed each morning; so go ahead and let go of anything else.

Day 23

If you’ve been following along, you should now have a minimalist wardrobe. It should be free of clutter, and it should include only the things that make you feel confident, beautiful and ready to take on the world. Now it’s time to turn your attention to your bathroom cabinets and medicine cabinets.

First, get rid of anything that isn’t essential for your daily hygiene routine. You don’t need three different types of toothpaste—just pick one kind that works for you and stick with it! Same goes for shampoo/conditioner combos (unless your hair is very damaged), face masks, lotions and creams—if there’s an ingredient list longer than three items long… toss it! If a product hasn’t been used in over six months or has expired (check the expiration date!), toss it too! Finally: if there are any products whose packaging looks like this…

…toss them immediately because they’re probably full of chemicals that will kill us all someday soon anyway so why wait?

Day 24

Today, you’ll get rid of any old makeup and beauty products you no longer use. This includes:

• makeup that has expired or dried out (if it’s in an airtight container)
• perfume or cologne that isn’t your signature scent anymore
• body wash, shampoo, conditioner and other beauty products if they’re not ones you love using. You might also want to consider cutting down on how many types of these things you have on hand at once so they don’t become overwhelming to store.

Day 25

You’re not going to use them. You don’t even like the brands you have. Why keep them around? Get rid of them today and replace them with something you will actually use.

Day 26

You’ve probably heard that you should do a closet purge once in a while. You might even have done it before—maybe in the past few weeks, or maybe when you were cleaning out your house after moving into your new place. But how often are you going through your closet on a regular basis? And how long does it take for the stuff to build up again?

The great thing about dressing like a minimalist is that there’s no downside. You can change out of something as soon as you start feeling uncomfortable, so there’s no reason not to wear what makes you feel good all day long. In fact, if everything fits well and looks good together (and remember: less is more), then having too many options may actually make things harder! So today’s task is simple: clear out some of those clothes!

Day 27

Let’s get rid of all the stuff you don’t use.

• Closet: This is your chance to go through all your clothes, shoes and accessories and make room for new additions or donations. If you’re not wearing it right now, chances are you won’t need it anytime soon—so get rid of it!
• Drawers: Take this time to organize everything from socks to cosmetics in an orderly fashion so that you can find what you need when you need it.
• Medicine cabinet: It’s time for a good cleaning out here as well—from vitamins and supplements to pain relievers (trust us on this one), if there’s any expired medication lurking in those bottles, toss them out immediately!
• Junk drawer: If your junk drawer looks like more than one thing at once—a catch-all for random items that might have been important once upon a time but aren’t anymore—then it might be time for an overhaul! Get rid of anything that doesn’t belong here or belongs somewhere else entirely (like under the sink). You can also clean out things like old pens/pencils/staples etc., while we’re at it.

Day 28

You will have to do this on your own.

This is the most important step in the entire process, and it’s also probably going to be the most painful. You are going to have to go through every room of your house—including the closets, bathrooms, kitchen cabinets, and even your car—and clean everything out completely. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by this task at all then I would recommend taking some time off from Minimalism 101 and reading some more books or watching more videos about minimalism before proceeding any further. This may sound like a lot but it really isn’t too bad if you do it gradually over a few days or weeks as opposed to trying to do everything all at once (which is just asking for burnout).

Take an afternoon each day for 28 days and focus on one area at a time: clothes closet first followed by makeup bag then jewelry box etc until all rooms are done! For example if today was Monday then start with cleaning out your closet tomorrow which means Tuesday will be bathroom day etc until Friday when we’ll finish up with cleaning out our purses/wallets/car trunks/offices/garages etc

Day 29

Today is a big day. You’re going to go through your closet and get rid of the things you haven’t worn in the last 6 months. This is an important step towards being a minimalist because it helps you get rid of items that are crowding your space and sucking all of the energy out of them. If you haven’t worn something in six months, chances are that you won’t wear it again or need it at all.

If there’s anything left after today’s purge, ask yourself if this item sparks joy for you (hint: if not, then get rid of it).

Day 30

Day 30: Reflect on the Past 30 Days

Now that you’ve completed the first 30 days of your minimalist journey, it’s time to reflect on what you learned and how those lessons will continue to influence your life. Ask yourself these questions:

What did I learn from this experience? What did I change about my life? How can I keep these changes going into the future? What are my new goals for the next 30 days?

Conclusion

We hope that you have enjoyed this brief guide to becoming a minimalist in 30 days. Remember, it’s important to keep things simple and do what works best for your lifestyle and personal preferences. The most important thing is to stick with it! Good luck!