Going Zero Waste? Be A Minimalist

Minimalist living, you might have heard it before. From the Minimalists to Marie Kondo, minimalism has gained traction in popular culture. But do you know that this lifestyle is also a springboard to going zero waste? 

Be a minimalist! It’s simpler if you relate it to a zero-waste lifestyle. 

Minimalism (minimalist living) is a new freedom. 

Why Be A Minimalist?

By shifting to a minimalist lifestyle, you are slowly freed from societal perceptions. What perceptions, you ask? Society in and of itself seems to dictate members to act a certain way, look a certain way, or do things this and that way. Hence, we live in a highly capitalist world where people are encouraged to buy more than what they need which implicates a high standard of living. Average households are full of stuff, most of which cause a lot of stressful clutter. 

Mere cleaning of a cluttered household is stressful and could steal bonding time from family, friends, and even from oneself. It could even ruin one’s planned schedule. Also, some people cannot do other things unless they finish organizing their place. Thus, they can’t be productive in other things which may lead to frustration. Nonetheless, there is a better way of handling it, if you only dare to choose it.

Be a minimalist and go zero waste. Live simpler!

This minimalist movement encourages an individual to live with fewer things that are most needed. One needs to change the focal point of one’s life. It’s not the stuff that makes life worth living but the memories themselves. Appreciate even the littlest things life has to offer.

That is why it goes hand in hand with a zero-waste lifestyle. Both lifestyles advocate the discipline of the person to lessen expenses and focus more on saving, acquire less furniture, and keep a healthy lifestyle (i.e. walking or biking instead of driving a car). Here are some of the key principles that coincide between these two environment-friendly disciplines. 

Core Principles of Minimalist Living and Zero Waste Lifestyle 

Refuse

Take a moment to pause and do not easily indulge yourself in purchasing fancy things that become useless later on. Always assess if you need these things if you can use it for a long time and the purposes it presents to you. 

Use these questions to guide your decision-making:

• Do you need it?
• Will you use it more than once a week?
• Does it have multiple purposes?
• Is it unique?
• Will it enrich your life?

If the answer to any of those questions is NO, then it’s not that worth it, and better not to get that item. Never give in to your wants, if it can’t be justified by a present or future essential purpose in your life.

Reduce

Let go of things that you don’t need in your life. Declutter. Take a week or more to assess the things you have. If you found yourself with excess stuff, you may donate it or give it to someone you know who might need it.

Freeing yourself from these things can help you become stress-free. Use the same questions above to guide your decision-making while you clutter or you can go with the Kondo method of “What gives you joy?”

Repair

Now that you’ve narrowed down your items to what you actually need in your life, always ensure that these are well-maintained to keep them in great shape. If these are neglected, you’ll end up in a vicious cycle of purchasing and damaging. This is a clear sign that you are not consuming less.

Upcycle

Use your creative juices to turn some of your belongings into another item. As an example, instead of purchasing an organizer for the cables of your devices, make use of toilet paper rolls or shoe boxes. Plastic bottles can be a good substitute for plant pots.

With your imagination, you can recreate items on your own. This DIY attitude helps you to spend less while minimizing the products harmful to the environment.

Unsubscribe from newsletters

Especially from e-commerce companies. Exposure to such companies can be tempting as it makes you buy things that you might not even need. If you’ll unsubscribe yourself from such alluring sites, you’ll help in lessening plastic packaging, reducing the production of a paper receipt, and even decrease the gas consumed into transporting the items to your destination.

This might sound immaterial and funny but we’re talking to all of the consumers to participate in this way of living which entails improvement.

Purchase high-quality products

Admit it or not, we’re all a fan of cheap products that has a short lifespan. Actually, we are more concerned about product prices than the quality and lifespan they present. However, instead of resorting to cheap items with compromised qualities, always opt for high-quality items even if it can be quite expensive.

Not to generalize, but usually expensive products are definitely made from superb materials that ensure longevity. Live by the principle of “Buy It Once, Use it For a Lifetime”.

Conclusion

 It takes a lot of practice and discipline to become a minimalist and live a zero-waste lifestyle. Always ask yourself, what should be enough for me? Practice decluttering instead of dwelling on unimportant things and avoid items that you know as “something you might need later on”. Living a simple, clutter-free life would not only help save the environment but also guides you to become an organized and wiser person.

It will alter your focus from unimportant things to the goals you’d like to achieve. At the same time, you’ll be taught to live a life that sustains the life of the planet as well. Ultimately, you need to put in mind that your life must focus on the things that matter most, including taking care of the planet we call home.