A is for Art
A is for art. Minimalism is an art built on the ethos “less is more” and applied to lifestyle, art, fashion, architecture, interior design, literature, and music. Elements of minimalist design include white space, geometric shapes, and the absence of clutter and complexity.
B is for Balance
B is for balance. It’s important to maintain a work-life balance. Is life is making you feel disappointed? Exhausted? Are afraid of living a fulfilling one? it’s time to make some changes. Restore your energy with our life-work balance guide.
C is for Capsule Wardrobe
C is for capsule wardrobe. A capsule wardrobe is a thoughtfully assembled collection of timeless pieces that work seamlessly together. The purpose of a capsule wardrobe and minimal style, in general, is to simplify the decision process around what to wear. Build a capsule wardrobe to fit your lifestyle with our guides on work, eco-friendly, and budget capsule wardrobes. Strategies such as layering, monochrome, and the rotating capsule wardrobe can help you on your minimalist style journey.
D is for Decluttering
D is for decluttering. Decluttering is removing unnecessary items from an overcrowded or untidy place. You can declutter spaces in your physical world such as your home, office, and beauty regimen. You can also declutter your digital world, organizing your technology such as your phone and desktop.
E is for Essential
E is for Essential. Minimalism is learning to live with just the essentials. Essentials are people, activities, and things that you care about the most. When you learn to prioritize what’s most important to you and eliminate the complex, you begin to lead a fulfilled enjoyable life.
F is for Feng Shui
F is for Feng Shui. Feng Shui is a collection of rules related to the design and layout elements of a space to provide the optimal flow of energy. Modern-day Feng Shui principles include flowing freely, incorporating natural elements in your space, and arranging objects in a particular way to create peace, restoration, and happiness.
G is for gratitude.
G is for gratitude. Gratitude helps you cherish the good that has passed and puts you in a better position to experience more good in the future. The art of gratefulness provides life-changing benefits that transform your mental, physical, and emotional well-being as well as your relationships.
H is for Happy Thoughts
H is for happy thoughts. It’s important to think happy thoughts to stay positive. An optimistic frame of mind helps you get through a life fraught with challenges. Commit to a positive frame of mind, get rid of things that drag you down, be mindful of the things you have to be grateful for, set short-term and long-term goals, and don’t be afraid to ask for help.
I is for Intention
I is for intention. Intention is living a life full of meaning and purpose. Setting an intention is helpful for the simple living journey. Discover what intention is best for you and read our article on 15 simple living intentions.
J is for Japanese Aesthetics
J is for Japanese aesthetics. Minimalist Japanese concepts are great for inspiration on your simple living journey.
Wabi focuses on simple natural beauty. Shibui is about mastering subtle elegance. Iki is about effortlessly chic. You can apply Japanese minimalist concepts for both aesthetics and for life in general.
K is for Keep everything simple
K is for keeping everything simple. Simplicity is key to living a fulfilling and freeing life. If you’re just starting out on developing a minimalist lifestyle or looking to reinvent your current routine, look to our simple living formula for guidance.
L is for Less is More
L is for Less is More. The decluttering process is a freeing one. Living in an organized space with minimal material items is freeing mentally, emotionally, and of course physically. Life becomes less stressful and more enjoyable when you learn to live with less.
M is for Mindfulness
M is for Mindfulness. Mindfulness is focusing on what you’re sensing and feeling at the moment, without external interpretation or judgment. The act of mindfulness is not limited to just the mind but to the body as well.
Mindful eating is about creating healthy eating habits and connecting with your food. Even in today’s hectic on-the-go lifestyle, mindful eating can still be achieved. Read 6 ways to practice mindful eating here.
N is for Necessity
N is for Necessity. Necessity is defined as the fact of being required or indispensable. Oscar Wilde spoke the words “everything in moderation, including moderation”. As you go through your minimalist journey you will learn what those necessities are for your wardrobe, home, self-care, travel, and life.
O is for Organized
O is for Organized. Lynda Peterson once spoke the words “with organization comes empowerment”. Decluttering is critical for organization. Your kitchen, phone, beauty regimen, and more areas can all be decluttered to achieve an organized and simplified life.
P is for Personal Growth
P is for Personal Growth. Minimalism is not limited to physical space to the mind and body as well. Personal growth is a strategy or tactic used to develop skills, further your learning, or enhance your life.
Q is Quality over Quantity
Q is Quality over Quantity. When it comes to buying new items for your capsule wardrobe, going for an item that’s higher in quality with a higher price tag may be cheaper in the long run. A great way to judge this is by calculating the cost per wear. It’s also a more sustainable way to shop.
R is for routine.
R is for routine. Routines are important, specifically morning routines. Morning routines have a critical impact on how your day goes. There’s no one-size-fits-all perfect morning routine however, these steps and tips are useful to cultivate a routine perfect for your lifestyle.
S is for Sustainability
S is for Sustainability. Sustainable living is about making conscious lifestyle choices that are beneficial to yourself, the environment, and society in both the short and long term.
Particular minimalist values are also sustainable ones. Similar to minimalism, becoming sustainable does not happen overnight and extremes do not have to occur to be more sustainable. Interested in how to become a sustainable minimalist? read our popular guide here.
T is for Taking care of yourself
T is for Taking care of yourself. Self-care consists of health and wellness activities that rejuvenate you mentally or physically. Self-care is necessary to maintain your health and wellness throughout your mind and body. Making lifestyle changes, even small ones can go a long way in protecting and improving your health.
U is for Ubiquitous
U is Ubiquitous. Minimalism is ubiquitous, defined differently by everyone. Some people view minimalism as an aesthetic, some as a lifestyle. There is no right or wrong definition. We believe minimalism is a mindset that can be applied to any area of your life to improve it for the better.
V is for Values
V is for Values. Utilizing values can help guide you along your minimalist journey. What your core values are differ from person to person and it can be tricky determining where to start. Our Minimalist Values article helps guide you to finding your values including advice such as creating a mantra and how to turn values into action.
W is for Walking for self-care
W is for Walking for self-care. One of the simplest ways to improve your mental and physical health is walking. Walking is important. 3 million deaths can be traced back to 90% of people sitting inside in the United States.
We’ve found 21 benefits for walking for self-care including preventing heart disease, cancer, high blood pressure, and type two diabetes. Other benefits include weight loss, a decrease in stress, and a more stimulated brain.
X is for X-ing out excess
X is for X-ing out excess. Okay, kind of a cop-out for the letter X. However, a message that rings true when it comes to minimalism. Removing the unnecessary, although not the easiest, is freeing. Beyond our guides, we also offer a decluttering bundle that includes everything you need to declutter your physical, digital, and mental worlds. Our bundle also includes the best strategies to maintain an uncluttered life.
Y is for Your life made simpler
Y is for Your life made simpler. Minimalism allows you to find happiness, growth, and productivity through simplicity. Whereas many lives may be filled with chaos and clutter a minimalist life is fulfilling and freeing.
Z is for Zen
Z is for Zen. Zen is a state of calm, in which one’s actions are guided by intuition. A great area in the home to create a Zen atmosphere is the bathroom. The bathroom is often overlooked in minimalist design however, it’s where we start and end our long days.
Our Minimalist Bathroom Trends Guide helps you to incorporate Zen elements into one of the most important rooms in your home and achieve much-needed peace and tranquility.
