Cheapism / iStock
Minimalism is all the rage lately. It's all about simplifying your life and home to make things feel less overwhelming and more manageable. Minimalists shy away from fluff and filler and stick to simplicity instead. There are plenty of things they wouldn't bother buying due to their lifestyle, and we've highlighted 12 that make sense for those outside the minimalist realm to implement too.
Whether you choose to rely on your local library, rent movies on a streaming service, or read ebooks, there are plenty of ways around having a bunch of DVDs, books, and magazines clogging up the shelf space in your house.
There's always that person who follows the "You can never go wrong with a comfortable throw blanket" philosophy when gift shopping for someone they love. Minimalists are not those people, and you won't find a bunch of pillows and blankets crowding their couches.
You don't have to buy nothing on your vacations, but avoiding those cheesy souvenirs that just cause clutter is a good rule of thumb.
Companies like Stanley, Yeti, and Starbucks release the same cup in multiple colors, convincing consumers that they need to buy one of every color. A minimalist would tell you to only get one or two at the most to reduce clutter in your cabinets.
Are gadgets like garlic presses and apple corers handy? Sure. But since they can't do much else, they're pretty much a waste of space.
If "50% off" is a magnet and you're the steel, you might want to change your composition because buying thing just because they're a good deal is a great way to end up with too much stuff.
Some people have so many subscriptions they can't even keep track of them all. Not minimalists. They limit how many services they subscribe to which keeps them from paying for services they aren't using enough to justify the cost.
Walk into any true minimalist's bathroom and you will see a modest amount of products, and you may not see a single one of them on the counter. If your own bathroom counter is home to 101 different types of makeup and hair products, consider dialing things down a bit or investing in some under-the-sink organizers.
For more thrifty tips, sign up for our free newsletters.
Dish cloths, kitchen towels, and fabric napkins get the same jobs done and you can keep washing and using them, unlike the disposable disposition of paper towels and napkins.
There are so many cute and fun toy options for kids and pets alike, but minimalists don't fill the toy box to the brim. Instead, focus on purchasing a couple of quality toys and consider a toy rotation to limit how many toys are out at one time.
We know doing the dishes sucks, but repeatedly purchasing plates, cups, and utensils when you already have cabinets and drawers full of them at home isn't actually all that practical.