How to Effectively Downsize for a More Simplistic Lifestyle
With the global and national economy at a critical juncture, it’s high time you start considering how to reduce lifestyle costs that aren’t necessary. If you’re dependent on many amenities and luxury, downsizing to a more simplistic lifestyle might initially seem a bit difficult.
Still, with time you will see the obvious benefits. If you haven’t considered downsizing your lifestyle already, here’s a rundown of the basics of downsizing and how to do so in the easiest manner possible.
What Exactly is Downsizing?
In simple terms, downsizing means removing unnecessary parts of a system or process to make the system/process more effective. Downsizing can be applied to almost anything, from manufacturing goods to our daily routines, relationships, and habits. It usually requires a lot of analysis and critical thinking to ascertain which aspects of a process or system need to be reduced.
Here are six easy and effective ways to downsize your lifestyle into a more simplistic one.
Understand Where Your Money Goes
To accurately gauge what things you need to eliminate from your lifestyle, you need to determine where your money is going. Once you’ve ascertained that you can plan how to reduce effectively, so you have more savings, determine how much you are spending on your fundamental necessities – rent, bills, groceries, and utilities.
Once you’ve figured out that amount, focus on figuring out the money you’re spending on luxuries and hobbies. Any cost reduction that you have to make should happen from this non-essential category of expenses.
Determine the Motivating Factor for Downsizing
After figuring out the costs, you need to determine what are your motivations for downsizing to a more simplistic life. If your reasons are spiritual or ethical, then forgoing many excess expenses will depend entirely on how much control you have over yourself. If it’s because you want to meet a goal, plan on how to reach there step-by-step.
But if your motivations are financial reasons, then you need to actively find out ways to downsize your living expenses by only spending on the best products and services that don’t result in ancillary expenses. You can look up the top 10 lists of the best products and services on the internet for different categories and pick the ones best for you.
Stop Acquiring
To simplify your lifestyle, you need to let go of the mentality of craving for worldly possessions. Not having the latest iPhone or the trendiest sneakers doesn’t matter if you have your basic necessities covered.
You can also avoid purchasing expensive houses and instead rent a comfortable and budget friendly apartment to avoid spending high amount of money on purchasing a house. For example, you can look for apartments for rent in Macon if you are living in a nearby area. If you can get out of the habit of acquiring things, you’ll find that your lifestyle has become much simpler.
Dispose of Things That Do Not Make You Happy
Don’t limit yourself only by stopping acquiring unnecessary things; you should also let go of possessions that you currently own but don’t need. You should also let go of things that don’t make you happy. By letting go of unnecessary attachments, you make it easier for yourself to find joy in the simpler things in life.
Make Your Routines Simple
Another thing you should work on to simplify your life is simplifying your daily routine. If you have a lot of unnecessary possessions and hobby-related expenses like streaming services, your routine will often get cluttered up. This clutter often results in an individual unable to put time and focus on things that need to be done. With a simpler routine, you avoid this problem.
Set Boundaries
If you’re a sociable person or someone who can’t say no to others, you need to learn to set boundaries to make your life easier. Your time and energy every day are very limited, so it’s important to prioritize it properly to remove stress from your life. People who set boundaries often report being much happier in life than those who don’t.
Learn to say no more often and be selective of the people you help. Not everyone asks for your help because they need it; a lot of people you interact with on a daily basis often try to use you to save their time and effort.
Don’t Rush the Process
Though it might sound easy on pen and paper, downsizing your life is definitely not an easy task. So make sure you’re committed to the prospect of simplifying your life because you’ll most likely fail if you’re not serious enough. But on the flip side, successfully transitioning to a simplistic lifestyle will make you a happy and content person in the long run.
