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MINIMAL
10 Things I No Longer Buy As A Minimalist
WE COULD ALL DO WITH A LITTLE LESS. THE QUESTION IS, WHERE DO WE START ?
In the last few years, we have become accidental minimalists. As we moved into our camper-van, we narrowed down our belongings drastically, keeping enough to be comfortable but avoiding everything else, and not allowing it to grow back !
As a result, not only have we saved a lot of money but we have kept clutter at bay and it has been incredibly refreshing. Something pretty amazing happens when you start leaving material belongings behind. Your mind is clearer, you living space is less crowded and it allows you to go find out where happiness truly belong..
SO HERE IS A START WITH TEN ITEMS (INN NO PARTICULAR ORDER) THAT WE COULD ALL PROBABLY DO WITHOUT !
1. CLING FILM AND PLASTIC FREEZER BAGS.
Getting rid of those came with a desire to have a plastic free kitchen. The result is clean and organized cupboards, beautiful beeswax wraps to replace them and a lot more space gained.
2. NEW CLOTHES
I grew up in Paris, and I use to buy clothes all the time. I loved having a huge wardrobe with endless pairs of jeans, seven different coats and more shoes that I could actually wear.
I still love clothes, don't get me wrong, but in a less extensive way.. I decided not to get anymore new clothes for several reasons.
- Every time I travelled, I realized all I needed was a carry-on to play around and create new outfits without with what I had. I felt so free, to be able to jump on a plane with such a tiny bag of belongings..
- I still have a decent amount of clothes, leftovers from years of frenzie shopping, but I only kept the ones I actually love. I know that what I have suits me well, that I can pair them with just about everything and that I don't actually need more.
- I spend the money I use to allocate to clothes into other forms of self care, like treatments, restaurants, experiences and delicious food.. And it feels so good.
- My conscience is at ease. Knowing the conditions in which my clothes were made, on top of the weight for the environment got me to reconsider my habits, and I'm very grateful !
LOUISE HERE !
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Instead, I shop second hand either online or in vintage shops, I make some of my clothes (scarves and hats) and I fix and mend what I already have !
When I really need something and I can't find it in second hand (a pair of leggings this month), I shop with brands I can trust, for both their quality, sustainability and humanity.
Check out my amazing friend Emylou's brand of ethical yoga wear - Organic Movement.
3. NEW PHONES & TECH
Phones are not necessary the most durable of objects, but we can certainly help them last longer, by cleaning them regularly, taking them to the shop to add memory, change battery or fix the screen.
I have had the same Iphone for six years, and do most of my photography and video editing on it. I just recently changed it when it finally broke (after the ultimate fall down the stairs..), for a second hand phone. It's five years old, has had one previous owner and is simply wonderful. His name is Kevin.
Same goes for computer, I've had the same on for years, my camera was a gift from a friend who didn't need it anymore and all of my lenses are second hand.
It is so easy to save money, space and give Mother Earth a break by skipping the new gadgets and fixing up our perfectly good ones !
4. FEMININE PRODUCTS
I have one and only menstrual product, my moon cup. I talk about how life changing switching to a cup has been for me in our reduce waste in the bathroom article !
5. CLEANING PRODUCTS
We make all of our cleaning products with three or four ingredients, and we basically have one that we use for everything. It means that our cleaning cupboard became a cleaning box, and that just makes me so happy.. See our recipe for the best multi-surface cleaner in our ebook !
6. TEA BAGS
This might seem like an odd one, but using loose tea leaves has allowed me to free my cupboards of boxes and boxes of tea bags. I store tea leaves in little jars to make teas however I want them, mixing herbs and flowers as I please, and simply toss the leftovers in my compost bin. Magical.
7. PRE-MADE SAUCES AND DIPS
I don't really get extra points here as Joaquin loves to make sauces. He has learnt how to make his own barbecue sauce and hot chilli sauce that we love. We make homemade hummus and dips such as aubergine and olives or garlic ourselves as well. It's been a game changer for taste, price and ingredient control, but also clearing our cupboards of so many different sauces that stayed half eaten for months on end.
8. STORE BOUGHT DEODORANT AND SOAP
I have been making my own soap for over a year now and it is the easiest, most rewarding thing in the world (recipe in our ebook). Recently, Joaquin has been grating it and mixing it with distilled water and glycerin to make liquid soap (recipe to come !).
Our bathroom essentials have drastically reduced in size, and so did our trash !
9. NEW BOOKS
This is probably what I struggle with the most.. I love to read and I love to re-read books. I still buy some, but mostly second hand and I make sure each time I add one to the collection, another one makes it's way to the donation pile. This helps me keep my book piles manageable (and my husband happy..)
When we stop in the same place for a while, I usually go and borrow a few books from the library too !
10. BOXES FOR MY THINGS
I read this a while back : if you have to go and buy boxes for your things, then you might own to many things. And it painted quite the image..
I use to buy lots of little boxes for jewelry or candles, bigger boxes for pens and note pads, or for trinkets and what nots that I didn't know what to do with. My apartment was full of them.. I gave some of them away and kept others, but I definitely stopped buying them, and somehow, I stopped needing them too.
No more boxes of junk lying around, and no more junk either.. Life is so much better with less !
Although I regularly go through my things to give some away, I find that there is less and less to get rid of. Everything that I own, I love, and there is a place for every piece of clothing, book and keep safe in my life.
DOWNSIZING LIKE THIS HAS BROUGHT ME A LOT OF MIND SPACE AND ACTUAL PHYSICAL SPACE - AND I HAVE TO SAY THAT LIVING IN A SMALL SPACE, I'M VERY GRATEFUL FOR THAT !
