Living the minimalist lifestyle can have some major advantages—including making your home easier to clean and maintain, and reducing waste. But one of the biggest? It can help you spend smarter (and usually much less), so you can expand your savings account—not your need for storage space.
If you’re ready to commit to a more minimalist lifestyle, consider crossing these items off of your shopping lists, stat.
If you find yourself already burdened by a collection of one of these items, there’s a smart strategy to dig yourself out of the hole. “Keep the best of the best,” says Jamie Hord, founder of Horderly. “Focus on one item at a time when deciding if it’s a keep or donate. Looking at the entire pile at once can be overwhelming, and it’s too easy to say ‘just keep it all.'”
Specialty Appliances or Tools
There always seems to be a fun new specialty appliance or new must-have tool out on the market. But minimalists tend to look for multipurpose basics, and think critically about how much use they’d really get out of that seltzer maker or air fryer. If it won’t make their daily life better, they’re going to pass.
Knick-Knacks and Souvenirs
Souvenirs don’t tend to “spark joy” for minimalists—and a commemorative mug that gets dusty on the shelf isn’t going to bring back that vacation vibe for them. Don’t look for them to have a half-dozen vases stashed in a cabinet or a collection of snow globes. If they do decide to splurge on a souvenir, it’s more likely to be something consumable, like food or spices.
Books
We’re not saying that minimalists aren’t literate (or avid readers!). But they don’t tend to pack their bookshelves to the gills—especially if you’re talking about a book that they likely won’t pick up or reference again. (And let’s be honest—there are probably only a handful or two of books on your shelves that you’re reading over and over again.)
Instead, minimalists tend to frequent the library. If they do buy books, they’ll use an e-reader to help keep clutter at bay—or share the wealth by donating books after they’re done to a little library or charity.
Duplicate Items
Exactly how many pairs of sneakers or jeans—or how many different types of baking pans—do you need? For minimalists, the answer may be just one or two. Then they’ll replace the items only when they really need to.
Trendy Clothing
That blink-and-you’ll-miss-it microtrend? They’ll definitely miss it. Minimalists invest in just a few classic pieces that’ll last them for years and are timelessly chic.
This may be one place where being a minimalist may actually cost you a little bit more—as that trendy fast fashion will be cheaper (and more cheaply made) than a high quality item that’ll serve you for decades to come.
Excess Accessories
This is another place where minimalists tend not to splurge. Just a few key pieces—like a signature necklace, a timeless watch, and a classic bag—are all they need to dress up their capsule wardrobe.
Disposable Items
Disposable water bottles, paper plates, and other single-use items take up lots of space while you’re waiting to use them—then lots of space in the landfill when you’re done. Minimalists would rather invest in more lasting versions, like reusable water bottles and ceramic plates.
Organizing Products
You’d think that a minimalist probably doesn’t need too much in the way of organizing products—and you’d be right. But if they do need to corral a few items together, they’ll wait until they’re fully done cluttering, and choose organizing products accordingly.
Anything Just Because It’s on Sale
We’ve all seen that too good to be true sale, but if it’s not something you need in the moment, it’s likely going to be relegated to storage—and end up creating clutter. Minimalists only shop when they absolutely need something, whether it’s on sale or not.
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