Some simple tips to help you reduce waste as a minimalist.
Written by Cora Gold, Editor-in-Chief of Revivalist
After adopting a minimalist lifestyle, you may be eager to find other areas to eliminate clutter and improve the planet. After all, minimalism goes hand in hand with zero waste. Both concepts embrace less junk, putting experiences before belongings and living with a less-is-more attitude.
There has never been a better time to do right by the environment. If you’re ready to make a difference, these tips will help you declutter more sustainably to lower your carbon footprint. How does being a minimalist give you a leg up in eco-consciousness?
The Minimalist Mindset
The minimalist mindset is one of simplicity. Although initially a challenging transition, those living with less are often happier and more organized. It doesn’t mean you eliminate the need for consumption, but it leads you to change your buying behaviors overall.
According to one study, 79% of consumers are willing to change their consumerism habits to help the environment. There are several ways minimalism aligns with reducing waste, including:
- Emphasizing intention around consumerism — focusing on what you actually need instead of what you want.
- Investing more in durability and quality, reducing the amount of landfilled trash.
- Fixing damaged items before replacing them.
- Selling or donating used goods.
- Giving a second life to used and unnecessary items.
Minimalists already live more consciously than the average person. Therefore, lowering your environmental impact makes sense. You get to reduce the number of possessions you hold onto while improving the planet.
6 Tips to Reduce Waste as a Minimalist
Reducing waste as a minimalist should be second nature. The real difference lies in how you remove excess from your life more sustainably. Here are six tips for a minimalist, zero-waste approach to living.
- Repurpose Goods
Holding onto something you don’t need might sound counterintuitive as a minimalist. However, you reduce waste if you can repurpose it, ensuring you don’t have to replace anything or add to your possessions. For instance, old clothes may come in handy as dust rags, or you can use them to wrap fragile items for storage.
Are you wondering what to do with an old shower curtain? Create a sun shade by cutting it to size and attaching magnets to adhere it to a metal windshield frame. You could also use it as a drop cloth for painting.
- Embrace Reusables
Research indicates 75-199 million metric tons of plastic waste in the world’s oceans, expected to increase to 23-37 million tons annually by 2040. Often, single-use plastics take hundreds or thousands of years to decompose, affecting wildlife and ecosystems.
Although you may end up with a few more items than when you initially decluttered your home, reusables are much better for the planet. There are numerous reusable items on the market, including water bottles, tea steeping balls, utensils and glass jars.
The key is to limit how many of each reusable item you own. For example, you don’t need five metal straws, but one or two should suffice.
- Prioritize Experiences Over Possessions
Minimalist behaviors include avoiding souvenirs on vacation and encouraging friends to pass on housewarming gifts. Instead, they learn to lean more into experiences over possessions. Those with zero-waste habits do the same.
You can significantly eliminate goods when you place more value on making memories. Bea Johnson, founder of the Zero-Waste Lifestyle Movement, is a prime example of someone who has refrained from accumulating possessions. She and her family produce only one jar of waste annually, emphasizing the importance of refusing anything that can lead to waste.
Although her achievements might sound extreme, they demonstrate anything is possible when you choose to have less and focus on people and experiences.
- Declutter Regularly
Minimalists are master declutterers — but reducing waste forces you to consider the environment. Throwing things away in excess can become wasteful if you’re not careful. Declutter regularly, but do so sustainably in the following ways:
- Donate clothes and accessories to thrift stores for someone else to gain use from them.
- Send your shoes to an upcycling program like GotSneakers.
- Trade in or recycle electronic devices at Costco, Best Buy, Walmart or Staples.
- Donate old books to your local library or sell them online.
- Sell unwanted goods on eBay, Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, NextDoor or similar platforms.
- Donate arts and crafts or office supplies to local schools.
Decluttering with intention is just as crucial as creating purpose around purchases when reducing waste.
- Buy Higher-Quality Items
Even a minimalist must buy clothing or other goods occasionally. However, you should purchase more expensive, quality items over cheaper ones to maintain your minimalist zero-waste lifestyle.
The fast fashion industry has a significant environmental impact, from overconsumption of water, high emissions and excessive scraps. Americans landfill enough textile waste to fill the Mall of America — the largest in the U.S. — every six days.
Quality items last much longer than cheaply made ones. For instance, a poorly made shirt might endure a few washes, whereas a more expensive article of clothing will keep its form if you care for it properly. You’ll also bring fewer items into your home when they’re pricier.
Suppose there’s a formal event coming up. It would help if you rent formalwear rather than purchase a one-time outfit to save money and space in your closet.
- Plan Your Meals
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Americans waste 30%-40% of the food supply, much of which occurs at the consumer level. Plan your meals and shop for groceries using a list to prevent excess spoilage.
Set aside one day each week to decide what’s for dinner and the ingredients you need. You should also consider what to pack for lunch during the week. Essentially, this is no different from meal prepping for healthier living, but with zero waste at its core.
Avoid straying from your shopping list. If you plan accordingly, you’ll remember to grab everything at the supermarket. Likewise, store your food in airtight containers to maintain freshness. You can also take it one more step by composting leftovers.
Live Your Best Minimalist Zero-Waste Life
Adopting a minimalist approach may have been challenging. Fortunately, it already supports zero-waste living. Reduce your environmental impact by embracing a minimalist, zero-waste lifestyle. All you need is greater intention for your items and stress to vanish.
About the Author
Cora Gold has a passion for writing about life, happiness and sustainability. As Editor-in-Chief of women’s lifestyle magazine Revivalist, she loves to share her insights and find inspiration from others. Follow Cora on Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter.