2017 is all about the minimalism lifestyle
…not because I’ve turned hipster (I’m too old for that), but because clutter is annoying. You’d think that extra storage would help, but I already have more storage space than I need, which is terrible because then I’m buying more stuff to fill the space, and it’s an endless cycle of Clutter Hell™. So as cliche as it sounds, this new year I’m all about getting rid of old baggage (literally) and that minimalism lifestyle.
I’m ashamed to admit that I don’t read nearly as much as I should (except fanfiction, because I’m such a Digimon fan girl it’s embarrassing), but one book I love and am re-reading is The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo. Her idea that you should only be surrounded by things (and people, but that’s another subject for another day) that bring you joy really reasonates with me, because I realized that despite my multiple decluttering attempts last year, I’m still surrounded by too many non-joy-bringing-regret-inducing crap. So how did that happen?
- It was on sale. I’m 99% sure my brain has been wired to think sale = money saved = YASSSS. Except that money spent on stuff I don’t really love, even if it’s on sale, will always be money wasted. Stupid brain.
- Retail therapy. When I’m stuck in a no-buy period for too long, I crash and go on a spending binge. It’s like yo-yo dieting, except instead of my waistline, it’s my wallet that gets destroyed.
- I didn’t set a strict budget. I have a general (read: vague) idea of how much money I have left after savings and bills, but I’ll conveniently forget the amount when I’m on my binges. Selective memory at its finest people.
Yes, clearly I have a spending problem (more like several), but you know what else I realized? 1) I’m hopeless at keeping things organized 2) I’d be much happier with a minimalistic lifestyle and less stuff, as long as each item brought me joy. Quality over quantity my friends.
My pride, my joy, my bae. I may or may not love this bag more than my husband….just kidding!…sort of
Case in point: ever since I splurged on my ultimate unicorn handbag last summer, I haven’t thought about another handbag since. Even with my upcoming Paris trip, the Mecca of handbag shopping, I have no desire to buy another bag, and I’m totally ok with that. My husband on the other hand, is ecstatic.
Anyways, after determining my spending weaknesses, I realized explicit rules were necessary in order to reach my less-is-more-quality-over-quantity-let’s-do-this-2017 minimalism goals:
- Set a daily spending budget with the Daily Budget app. I love this app because you can input your earnings, set expenses (utilities, rent, etc), and how much you want to save, and based on these values the app tells you your daily spending budget: $44 in my case.
- Add items to a wishlist first. Rather than buying something immediately, I first add it to Giftry with a note on why I want it. Heck if I can’t even convince myself why I need something, then clearly it’s a bad idea. Do not add to cart, do not pass go, do not collect $200.
- Ignore the item price. As in, cheap ≠ good. Looking at my past purchases, I’ve never regretted buying the things I loved, even if they cost $$$$. But I’ve definitely regretted many of my impulse sale purchases, even if they were only $10 a piece. It’s like drinking cheap alcohol and the regret that comes in the form of a head-splitting hangover. We’ve all been there and it ain’t pretty.
- Double check the return policy. Because as hard as you plan and try, sometimes things just don’t work out, so thank God for free returns, aka the undo buttons of shopping.
No more 20-step skincare routine either, the minimalism applies to all aspects of my life
Granted we’re only 19 days into 2017 and my wishlist has already gotten inappropriately long, but spending wise I’m doing damn good. Yes I’ve already splurged, but my daily budget is still at a positive, we’re paying our bills on time, and I’m putting more than 50% of my earnings into savings and investments. Yay for successful adulting!
What are your thoughts on living minimalistically and your viewpoints and spending? Seriously, I’d love to hear from you guys and if you have any tips or advice! Lastly, I know this is mostly a beauty blog, but let me know if you’re interested in more of these adulting lifestyle topics Have a great weekend!
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Beautiful pictures as usual Jenny! And yes to more adulting lifestyle topics! :) I love your writing style, and I think the tips you gave are great! God knows I’ll need them once I go to college this fall, haha.
I think a minimalistic lifestyle is the way to go, I enjoy having things but then it gets bothersome when I can’t organize everything neatly. When I was younger I was definitely an impulse buyer, but over the years of regret I’ve learned. My friends always tell me to just buy something if I want it, but want doesn’t equal need. Honestly behind every purchase there’s always a long, internal debate xD I make my buying decisions mainly on need and frequency of usage, although occasionally I let myself splurge and buy something I just really really like.
Speaking of decluttering, that’s definitely still something I need to work on >__< And I agree, it does affect my happiness level as well. Although based on your pictures, you always seem so organized!
Thank you so much Gloria, really appreciate the feedback!! ??
I totally agree that want doesn’t equal need, but I think if you really love something and you know that item will make you happy in the long run (I’m totally thinking shoes and bags right now, haha), I’m ok with splurging. The danger is buying something on impulse that you don’t need, and you’re getting the rush from the act of buying rather than from the item itself…it’s definitely happened to me way too many times, and I’m always like “uh…why did I buy this again??”?
I try to keep my space as clutter-free as possible, one because it makes taking photos easier ? But I find the minute I let my guard down, the clutter quickly gets out of control!
Good luck with your new minimal living outlook :D I’m trying to do the same, but I’ve already been doing some of your tips! Like the wishlist thing, for bigger purchases, I definitely put them aside and think on it, but with certain things, I just buy after thinking on it for like an hour LOL Case in point, when I finally found a designer bag that appealed to me, I researched a bit and then bought it when I found it with a good price. I’d been hunting down for a bag for a couple of years, so this was something I’d been sort of taking my time on :) And now that I have my Kate Spade bag, I don’t need more than one designer bag, so I’m set!
Things on sale can be dangerous, though. It does take control to stop and think, “Do I really need that?” That’s what I try to do now, and I always ask myself, “Will I use this, or will it just collect dust?” Asking that helps me and prevents me from overbuying, with the exception of video games, mangas, and some ebooks, haha!
Thank you Tara! The discipline of not buying things immediately is something I’m really working on because I love instant gratification, but I know it often results in bad decisions and money not well spent ??? Those are some great questions to ask, especially the “will I use this?” question. No I don’t need another pair of shoes, but hey, if I know I’m going to be using (wearing) them a lot and I have the budget for it, then why not? ?
I feel like you took a peak into my life and am writing about me, Jenny! LOL! Oh gosh, don’t I know this struggle all too well. I used to be frugal, very calculative and careful about my spending but that has since went out the window this past two years. Two weeks ago I sat on my bathroom floor and looked at the amount of beauty products I had to throw out and donate away because I never ever reached for them…I was ashamed. Did I need that many? No..so why the impulse shopping for all the wrong reasons? I plan to stop all that in 2017. This is the year where I want to invest in proper skincare and clothes and finish using my current makeup collection so there’ll be a lot shopping my stash. Wish me luck!
Thanks so much for reading Shireen! ?
I definitely had the same feelings when I decluttered my beauty products last year, and while it was rough, I think it also strengthened my resolve to change my spending habits for the better! It’s interesting because I used to be quite frugal in my spendings a few years ago as well – I think the prevalence of social media definitely increased my urges to shop exponentially ?
Best of luck to you, and let’s keep each other accountable! ??
Yeah, the amount of readings is scary. :( I’m already behind my readings. :'(
I have a budget that I didn’t really follow. :( Guess I am not very disciplined in this aspect… Oh well… I do need to declutter my room too.
You have 20 steps for your skincare routine? Wow, that’s quite a bit. I don’t really spend so much time on my face so I guess I only have less than 10 steps and I am already complaining… Haha
Of the many things I miss about school, reading is actually one of them, haha ? I’ve never been good at following budgets myself, which is why I need a daily reminder of the exact amount I have to spend. Seeing this number makes me less inclined to splurge, plus I get the satisfaction of seeing that number increase for each day that I don’t spend!
Haha, I actually don’t have a 20-step routine, that was an exaggeration. But if you count all the masks and serums, the total number of products can be in the double digits on certain days. ? I actually enjoy spending time on my routine, but I found that the complexity actually made it less effective, and was causing me to break out more. Plus it’s expensive having so many products! Less is definitely more in my case, and honestly if having a simple skincare routine works for you, there’s absolutely no reason to change that, regardless of what the current trend is. ?
Wow, you miss reading? I can pass you some of my law readings to read. Hahahaha. I wish I can outsource someone to read my readings but that is probably not going to help me in my exams. Oh well.
Haha, I think those will work very well for nights when I can’t sleep, I’m sure I’ll pass out 5 minutes into reading them :P
This is such a refreshing post – I agree with you completely, for me it’s makeup hoarding! I cannot possible finish any of the items I have but I insist on getting a new item “to treat myself”. The worst part is that I’m a sucker for not only sale items, but value set! Whether it is skincare, makeup or even grocery – if it’s part of a deal (and even if I don’t need it), I always end up getting it!
The good news is that I’m actually pretty good about returning things :P Usually when I feel like I’ve spent too much that month, I’ll end up returning a few items that I shouldn’t have gotten in the first place!
Thank you for reading Stephanie! ?? I totally understand your struggles, especially since makeup in general has a longer shelf life than skincare! Deals are always the hardest to resist, because I’m thinking “well if I don’t buy this now, I might have to pay full price for it later, and that would be ridiculous” ? Thank goodness for the generous return policies at Sephora though (because that’s usually where I give in to my weaknesses), I’ve definitely returned my fair share of impulse (or just bad) purchases!
“not because i’ve turned hipster” LOL oh my. but you can still turn into one though! Hahaha gahd, who am i kidding…i actually hate the whole hipster labeling. “oh you listen to indie songs and artists? such a hipster!” “oh you wear thick framed glasses? what a hipster!” “you like plaid patterns? what a hipster!” pfft, seriously…it’s so stupid. i don’t think minimalism has anything to do with hipsters. i know “hipsters” who are into psychedelic things that look like it’s art high on weed so pfft…
anyway, on a different note that is related to the post… good luck on your way to pursuing the minimal lifestyle! i do agree about the whole cluttering hell. the thing with being a hoarder, at least for me, especially when it comes to beauty products is how you always look at something and you say “i want that” and then you have like 18270293 mascaras in one go. pfft, i know i’m sorta kinda guilty bout that because the drugstore is my definition of retail therapy. i’m not an impulse buyer most of the time though but sometimes, i like to get 1-2 mascaras when i still have one that’s currently open and isn’t expired yet. it may not seem much to someone like me who doesn’t go out and wear makeup that often, having 3-5 mascaras at once is just not a fancy idea. good thing a part of me is a rational thinker and i will hesitate before cashing out hahaha i think people who can lead the minimalist, less is more lifestyle without hoarding something are really amazing. how can anyone resists temptation!? did they meditate for it? LOL.
Haha, definitely not trying to turn into a hipster. I honestly still don’t get the whole hipster deal (maybe I’m too old now?), but I feel like minimalism would be something they’re totally into, along with vegan-gluten-free-cage-free cheese and other new age, obscure, and expensive things ???
While I don’t have a million mascara, I make that up in lipsticks (and skincare products), and I definitely feel guilty when I think about it. Some people just naturally aren’t drawn to material goods and instead like spending money on experiences, which as I get older, I appreciate more. Good memories are priceless, and they make me happier than most material things I own. It’s definitely a change in your perspective, which is always the hardest. But I think if you really commit to it, your actions can influence your mind, which then changes and influences your actions…it’s like the circle of life! Meditation might help too, at least when you’re meditating you won’t be distracted by things you want to buy ?
This is also my aim this year to live a minimalist lifestyle and travel a lot for fun not work.
I agree with you unless you are purchasing something you have wanted for ages on sale, there is no need to buy anything g during sales if you really want it you will pay full price for it anyway. Ps thank you for sharing g that app I will download it God knows I need it.
Yes to traveling more! I definitely wish I spent more on experiences rather than material goods when I was younger, but it’s never too late to start changing your priorities ? Totally agree with you on the rule for buying things on sale – you know you truly want the item only when you’re willing to pay full price for it!
I’ve been using the app for 2 weeks now and it’s definitely keeping my spending under control. Hope it helps you too!
I love posts like this in addition to your skincare posts. I don’t know if I’ve ever commented but I read your blog regularly so I thought I’d chime in. I also love your website posts! :)
Aww, thank you so much for reading and commenting Jeanine! It’s always nice to hear from a reader what type of posts they enjoy, definitely makes it easier for me ? When you say website posts, do you mean the ones under the geekiness category? I have a couple ideas for new posts, but I’m always worried that it’d bore people who don’t have blogs ? This is good to know though, thank you!
You know, I realized that comment was incredibly vague after I posted it and I should have replied to clarify. I do mean the posts in the Geekiness category. I’m a blogger though so I don’t know if it would appeal to non-bloggers. I especially like the ones on how to develop/improve upon a website or blog. I used Blogger for a million years and am struggling with some WordPress items that weren’t an issue before but I can’t seem to figure out.
I think for the minimalism posts, they resonate with me as I’ve been clearing out my stuff for the last 4 months. I’ve also been working really hard to use up my extra skincare products so I like to hear about other people’s journey and strategies. :)
No worries! I think there are a few readers here who are bloggers themselves, so I’ll try to include more WordPress related posts :) I feel the same way about reading other people’s minimalism journey, they’re very inspiring!
I LOVE that book. I need to re-read it. I want to get rid of all this junk I have around!
But seems like you’re off to a pretty good start!
Thank you Maroon! I’m hoping to really keep this up for the entire year, but like you said, so far so good for January! ?
That handbag is absolutely fantastic! It looks like it’ll go with anything, which is what I look for in a bag!
Aww, thank you so much Ela! That is one of the many reasons I fell in love with this bag in the first place, it’s definitely the most versatile bag I own! ?
I’ve been trying to live more minimally! What do you do when people keep buying you stuff or merchandise as gifts and don’t believe in consumable gifts (toiletries, bath bombs) or gifts for the home (I really need a heated airer or a new iron… – must be getting old) because they’re “boring” gifts.
I’m doing a lot better at not buying stuff I don’t need and better at donating or selling things I no longer use.
Hi Kim, thanks for reading! People are usually good with including gift receipts, so I usually just return what I don’t like/need. If I don’t have a gift receipt….then I either regift it or try to sell it on eBay :)
I love the idea of living a minimal lifestyle and I have been trying to practice that for a little while now, so I agree with you completely. I am trying not to hoard so much makeup or skincare and only truly buy what I need and what I know I will reach for on a regular basis. Too many times I’ve purchased something because it looks pretty or because everyone has it and it does me no good. The last few months, I have been pretty good though. All of your points/tips are spot on and these are thing I also try to practice. Great post! xo
Ann-Marie | http://facetocurls.com
Thanks so much Ann-Marie! I still have a weakness for pretty packaging, so it’s something I have to be consciously mindful of!