Many people will miss the joys of minimalism because they are afraid to begin. Often, they fear that if they remove an item from their home, they will regret it in the future if they need it again. While that rarely happens (you need so much less than you think), if that fear is preventing you from getting started, try this alternative method instead.
Begin by simply reducing the excess things in your home. For example, your family needs towels so you will never remove them completely… but you could simplify your life by just reducing the number of towels in your home. This step completely removes all risk.
Once you take that first step, you will start to experience the benefits of minimalism in your life. You will enjoy the refreshing feeling of a less-cluttered linen closet or bathroom drawer. Soon, you will notice countless other things that can easily be reduced in your home. Before you know it, you will have made significant progress in your journey towards a more simplified life.
To better understand the potential of this simple, risk-free step, I compiled a list of 101 Things That Can Easily Be Reduced In Your Home. This list is not meant to overwhelm or frustrate you, it’s simply meant to give you an idea of how significant a step this can be – just choosing 10 things on this list to start with would result in a noticeable difference in your home.
- Glassware
- Cookbooks
- Kitchen gadgets
- Kitchen appliances
- Pots / pans
- Mixing bowls
- Tupperware
- Water pitchers
- Magazines
- Newspapers
- Books
- Over-the-counter medicine
- Make-up
- Barretts / hair clips / ponytail holders
- Cleaning supplies
- Personal beauty appliances (hair dryer/curlers, electric razors)
- Bottles of shampoo/conditioner
- Photos
- Photography supplies
- Sewing supplies
- Craft supplies
- Scrap-booking supplies
- CD’s
- DVD’s
- Decorative items
- Candles
- Figurines
- Crystal
- Vases
- Audio/visual components
- Audio/visual cables
- Computer equipment
- MP3 players
- Furniture
- Video game systems
- Vdeo games
- Video game accessories
- Shirts / shorts
- Pants
- Coats
- Dresses
- Hats
- Clothes hangers
- Shoes
- Winter gear
- Jewelry
- Purses
- Coins
- Pillows
- Towels
- Linen sets
- Candle Holders
- Televisions
- Items on your bulletin board
- Magnets
- Artwork
- Mirrors
- Home office supplies
- Pens/pencils
- Old batteries
- Tools
- Hardware
- Rolls of duct tape
- Coolers
- Manuals
- Phone books
- Coupons
- Sporting good supplies
- Sports memorabilia
- Aluminum cans
- Glass bottles
- Automobile fluids
- Automobiles
- Scrap pieces of lumber
- Brooms
- Rakes
- Shovels
- Garden tools
- Plant containers
- Empty cardboard boxes
- Board games
- Puzzles
- Decks of cards
- Unused wedding gifts
- Baby clothes
- Baby supplies
- Old schoolbooks/papers
- Army men
- Bath toys
- Toy balls
- Toy cars/trucks
- Toy musical instruments
- Stuffed animals
- Plastic toys
- Childrens’ old school papers
- Suitcases
- Soda
- Alcohol
- Processed foods
- Christmas / seasonal decorations
- Cable channels
Go ahead. Give it a shot. You’ve got nothing to lose.
If you are just beginning the journey towards simplicity, I recommend our e-book: Simplify. 7 Guiding Principles to Help Anyone Declutter Their Home and Life. You will find the principles of simplicity to be encouraging, uplifting, and completely within your reach.
{ 26 comments… read them below or add one }
Wonderful list, Joshua. You’re right — the opportunities we have to pare down are practically limitless!
AWESOME post! I am going to try to reduce! Also, is it OK if I use the beautiful picture you have at the top of the green field with yellow flowers on my blog (whatsthebestthatcanhappen.blogspot.com)? Thanks!
This hits exactly where I’m at. I’ve been slowly going after these…one layer at a time…thinking about whether I may use it or really love it. This motivates me. Thanks
Hm. Start today with item #1, tackle one item per day, and you’ve done the list by August 14.
This list is exactly what I needed! I have been working on so many of these items lately and am grateful for the organized list!
It’s interesting to look at this list and think that at one point in time I considered almost everything on it a perfectly acceptable possession.
Now I look at it and cringe.
All about perspective I suppose.
I’m sending this list to my mom, hopefully input from someone besides myself can finally convince her that knick knacks are not decorations.
@Bard in GA: I like that idea! This is a great list, and we’ve already trimmed down many of these items, but I would love to use this list as a step-by-step project. I might try to do more than one item per day, though. ^_^
When I read “No. 28 Crystal” I very nearly burst out laughing. I know you mean Crystal glasses and such, but I found it hilarious because of my name.
It’s an excellent list of things that I’ve notice often become part of the background and get overlooked when decluttering. This is a good reminder, and I noticed several things that I need to work on.
hello i found your blog after reading an article in a romanian newspaper about you. http://www.evz.ro/detalii/stiri/viata-redusa-de-la-consum-excesiv-la-fericire-minimalista-894250.html
after reading some of your articles i can say i live in a minimalist house and i didn`t even know. we just moved in the new house in december and both i and my husband hate loads of stuff that`s never used.
living with less clutter and things to clean the dust from is really good, more people should take your advice!
madalina,26, romania.
Dude, you wrote “candles” twice ;D 26 & 52
But awesome! My mom could definitely learn from this. I don’t live at my parents’ house, but when I’m there I’m trying to get rid of stuff I never use, and she constantly tries to stop me with “are you REALLY gonna throw that out!? But you liked it sooo much when you were a little kid!”. That’s kind of the point… I likeD it when I was a KID.
So I told her that everything she keeps me from throwing away that I don’t want, I will not be held responsible for storage and maintaining of
She thought I was a bit silly, but she accepted it ^^
I must already live a minimalist life as most of the itmes on the list are already in very spare amoutns in my house. The one BIG exception are books. I easily have 750 plus and will not be giving them up! I love to read, re-read, and really good ones read once again.
And I will not reduce my over-the -counter medicine we have on hand. I live 7 miles from town and sure do not want to have to drive to get something when I am sick…
@Bill – thanks for picking them that up. i corrected the mistake.
Wow, just looking at that list laid out there puts a lot into perspective. Now if my wife would just look at it from a minimal view…
It’s funny you mentioned towels, because I just realized a couple of weeks ago that my towel situation is a bit out of control. I even mentioned it on my blog then. (You’ll remember that I’m the one that fortunately or unfortunately shares the same Wordpress theme with this blog, although I’m thinking of changing.)
I started my decluttering and simplifying in the kitchen. There are only two people in my house and I’m the only one who cooks, so why do I need a whole cabinet full of pots and pans? I’m about to eliminate some drinking glasses now. Two people? Fifteen glasses? Come on. That’s just not right.
I’m about 20 weeks into a big decluttering project, and the results are amazing!
Thanks. I have been removing one item from my home each day. And was feeling good about my progress…until this post.
With the exception of three items, I have stuff to remove from the other 98 items… Sigh…
I got rid of my army men a while ago…
This is the best minimalist site I have found.
God has done a big work in my spirit in the last few years and is slowly shedding all things that distract me from living for Him. Your blog is a blessing – thank you for investing in our lives by sharing what truths you are finding in life.
Serving Christ,
mrs. d.
I reduced so much stuff in my basement that now you can see all the dust
Fortunately did not throw out the vacuum…
Is there any way to minimalize DUST??? All these new expanses of empty space show the dust more, and there’s no clutter to distract the eye!!!!
Josh, will there ever be any comment on why you’ve started using capital letters?
I like this list and have printed it out. We’re already at zero on the televisions, cars, army men and baby stuff, but I’d like to go all the way through the rest.
@Mara — they say dust is mostly dead skin (though in some buildings I think there’s also a lot of grit falling from ceiling tiles), so there’s not a lot you can do about its building up. You can hire a cleaning person to come by every 2 weeks though.
@Rachel – I wasn’t planning a comment, but since you asked…
I decided to start using capital letters while running a few weeks ago. I had just had a conversation with my wife who had run into a friend that had been reading the blog. Her friend commented that she loved the site but the lack of capital letters was “driving her crazy” and made it diificult to read. While I was running, I thought to myself, “I don’t want to drive anyone crazy.” So, I decided to start using capital letters. That’s it really. Nothing too exciting.
Great list except for #22 and #24.
You’ve got a great list here! I’ve downsized our possessions quite a bit, and there are still things on here that I’ve got an excess of. Things like books/DVDs/CDs could be purged completely. That’s what libraries are for!
I’m starting with my glassware. I’m about done! feels good!
We are in the process of moving, and this article is a godsend. Instead of packing clutter to the next house, and we can start anew with physical and mental space. Keep the great insight coming! I love this site.
I do not own a comb. I use my fingers. I became tired of clutter and couldn’t stand to see useless items taking up space.
I am working on this . My friend calls it inventory reduction. Must be a sign of our tes that we have so much stuff.
You should add that many of these things can be donated and written off as a tax deduction or given away through your network of friends or Freecycle.org
I like the minimalist idea but I want to keep it green, too!!!
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