

MINIMALIST DEFINITION FOR FREE
Just make sure it is worth the effort.Ĥ // Offer for free – Whether you post online or sit something out at the end of your driveway with a ‘FREE’ sign on it, offering something for free before choosing the donation route will also help you find it a good home.

When you choose to get rid of things, you’re doing it in a sustainable way by using the following options:ġ // Repurpose – Is there another way you can use this item?Ģ // Repair – Are you only letting it go because it needs repairing? If so, take the time to repair it.ģ // Sell – Selling ensures that something gets a great new home. Less is moreĬreating space in your life for only the things that add value to it is a great way to be an eco-friendly minimalist. It is easier to do this by shopping with a list and committing yourself to stick to it. Only shop for things you’ve thought about and truly need. However, you still need to be mindful of how much you consume. Shopping secondhand first is the best way to become a conscious consumer, because you are giving a second life to things others no longer want. This can be difficult thanks to marketing, but it is possible. The first place to start is curbing your consumer mindset. – Deanna Pratt, founder of Eco Ally Key Values of Eco-Minimalism Conscious consumerism I really like this simple definition by Deanna Pratt:Įco-minimalism takes the basics of minimalism and transforms them through the lens of being environmentally conscious. It is about consuming intentionally in ways that promote the planet’s health.
MINIMALIST DEFINITION HOW TO
Short on time? Save this post to Pinterest now and learn how to find and keep the motivation to declutter later! What is eco-minimalism?Įco minimalism is combining an eco-friendly lifestyle with a minimalist lifestyle. This is just another example of how minimalism is good for the environment. You don’t have to be a minimalist to get creative with your consumption. Renting wedding supplies, a car, a boat, or a house is far more economical than buying them for a short period of time. The same goes for weddings or taking an extended vacation. When you know you will only wear a dress once, it is often more economical to borrow or rent a dress versus buying one. What I mean by finding creative ways to consume is through borrowing or renting things you may need one or two times a year versus buying it new or even used. You aren’t purchasing a lot of things you don’t actually need, because you’re more conscious about your consumption. Minimalism focuses on only having in your life what adds value to that and once you really define what those things are, finding contentment is easy. When you reduce what you consume, you also reduce the resources needed to produce those things, which is great for the environment. Minimalism is about reducing consumption and getting creative with how you consume. However, the minimalist lifestyle and what it stands for, I do believe is good for the environment.

Neither of these examples is sustainable nor environmentally friendly. While I don’t have exact stats for you, there are many who don’t want to deal with decluttered items and just throw them in the trash to send to the landfill. Īnother valid point is that many decluttered items aren’t properly disposed of. Looking at clothing specifically, most clothing is either recycled or shipped to third-world countries for them to sell. The impact shipping secondhand clothing to Africa has is enough to validate this question, because many secondhand items aren’t sold in secondhand shops. With there being so much focus on removing the things you no longer want, can it really be good for the environment? I’ll explain all of my reasoning within this post, including the key principles, the difference between minimalism and eco-minimalism, how they clash and balance each other, where to start, and more! Is minimalism good for the environment?įirst, I want to start by answering if minimalism is even good for the environment. I do believe that focusing on eco-minimalism can save our planet and improve our lives. When you learn what it means to be an eco-friendly minimalist and how to balance the two lifestyles together, you not only create a beautiful lifestyle for yourself, but you’re also serving the health of our planet well. However, they can complement each other quite well. The truth is that it isn’t always easy to focus on eco-minimalism because combining eco-friendly living with minimalism often creates a lot of crashes. While I am not the biggest fan of labels, I’ve found value in this one. Recently, I’ve received a lot of questions about how I balance homesteading with minimalism, and the answer to that is because of my focus on eco-minimalism.
