MINUS Magazine by Anushka Shenoy

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NOV 2019

M I N I M A L LY YO U R S

THE NEW ISSUE

IN THIS ISSUE

What is the KonMari method? Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s how to declutter the Marie Kondo way.

16 FEATURES THE BASICS . pg 10 Minimalism

Introduction to minimalism, understanding and defining the lifestyle for you.

FAMILY . pg 26 Family matters Tips to get your family on board with the minimalist lifestyle.

HOME . pg 58 Classic modernism Sana Rezwan invites you to take a look at how she found a balance between pared down minimalism along with Indian elements in her NYC home.

COVER STORY

REGULARS . pg 22 We Recommend: Watch, listen and read to our favourite picks this issue

Book review: The Paradox Of Choice- Why More is Less by Barry Shwartz

MINIMALISM AND CHILDREN

Tips to create and sustain a minimalist lifestyle along with children

Have and with

. pg 51 Simple Living Conversations: Zoe Kim from Raising Simple

DECLUTTER YOUR ONLINE LIFE

meaningful, mindful balanced relationship technology and devices.

FASHION Week of outfit series A week of cute and corporate friendly outfits from Phoebe Nicette, the conscious blogger behind Phoenomenal

FINANCE . pg 72 Financial freedom 5 difficult steps to get out of debt, create a simple budget and plan for the future.

. pg 71 Essays: Minimalism and anxiety

FASHION 30 Minimalist closet An approachable guide to creating a minimalist wardrobe

HOME 62 Kitchen hacks 10 plastic free kitchen essentials to help you go zero-waste on a budget 67 What is cozy minimalism? And why you should try it

FINANCE 76 Personal finance for side hustles Tips on how to manage your finances well in the gig economy.

IN EVERY ISSUE 8

Editorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s note

26 Conscious vloggers we love Ria Karan: The Whole Happy LIfe 79 Play along Scavenger hunt to declutter 80 The minus shopping edit

ISSUE 01 JAN 2020

EDITOR IN CHIEF Anushka Shenoy Anvesha Kumar

MARKETING Jayanti Upalekar Rishi Nambiyar

CONTRIBUTORS PUBLISHER Cover Co. Publishers ART DIRECTION Anushka Shenoy Anvesha Kumar

DESIGNERS Anushka Shenoy Anvesha Kumar

Riya Panwar Hanna Pumfrey The Minimalists Marie Kondo Becoming Minimalist The internet COVER PHOTO Keira Stevens

MENTOR 401, Level street, Bandra Office , Lunkad estate +91 26785368 www.minus.com

Ranjit Jagtap COPY EDITING Namita Menon WRITING Debdoot Banerjee Srinivasan Dora Sarah Bhalla Aparita Sengupta Meghana Pradhan

E D I TO R S ’ N OT E

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We are delighted to present to you the very first issue of Minus. Our very own magazine all about minimalism. This project is something that is very close to our hearts. It all started four years back, two friends just out of a post graduate program, fresh with ideas brimming constantly. We treated this magazine as our passion project where we worked on it for the since the past four years. Along with a full time 9 to 5 job, Minus took up all our nights and weekends. Minimalism is something that we learned to inculcate in our life as we progressed with the project. This lifestyle did benefit us in all

the ways that the blogs and youtubers talk about. We are yet to figure out our minimalist lifestyle. So, in a way as we progress to publish more issues of minus we look forward to go on a journey with our reader’s. As they figure out what part of minimal lifestyles work for them, we will follow suit. We hope the community created by minus continues to grow and help out other minimal enthusiasts to figure their lifestyles out. In this fast moving world full of consumerism, we believe living an intentional and simple life is a better way of adding value and perfecting relationships. We highly recommend you to watch the documentary “minimalism” from the OG guys “ The minimalists” on Netflix. We are grateful to our entire team for bringing together this project. This would be nothing without our highly experienced and talented writers, photographers, and marketing team. We hope you, our readers join us and continue on with this journey, enabling us to create many more issues in the future talking about all things simple and intentional living.

BASICS

M I N I M A L I S M FA Q s

A N S W E R S TO S O M E I M P O R TA N T Q U E S T I O N S

It means living with things you really need. It means removing anything that distracts us from living with intentionality and freedom.

W H Y BE A MI N I MALI ST?

IS M IN IM A L IST L IV IN G B ORIN G ?

It’s a way to escape the excesses of the world around us — the excesses of consumerism, material possessions, clutter, having too much to do, too much debt, too many distractions, too much noise. But too little meaning. Minimalism is a way of eschewing the non-essential in order to focus on what’s truly important, what gives our lives meaning, what gives us joy and value.

Minimalist living is the opposite of boring. It removes mundane activities that take away from spending time with our loved ones. Once we rid ourselves of the unnecessary, we’re able to decide what will define our lives. Some travel the world full-time. Others will find themselves more involved in their families’ lives than ever before. Becoming minimalist frees us to live a bigger life with a more passionate pursuit of our greatest purpose and goals.

W I L L MI NI MALI SM AUTOMATICAL LY MAKE ME CO N T E N T?

DO E S T H IS M E A N I C A N ’T B E SE N T IM E N TA L ?

Although it is a great start, it isn’t an instant cure. It is a pathway, not the end goal.Becoming a minimalist will give you more time and will free up more of your money than ever before. But we must focus on gratitude every single day in order to see the results. It’s that journey of intentional selfimprovement, and appreciating what we already have, that will bring us contentment.

Remember, less is not the same as “none.” There are no specific rules to simple living and nobody is required to get rid of things that bring value to their life. Most minimalists keep some sentimental items in their life… they just keep less than others. And instead of stuffing our sentimental belongings in a storage unit or a garage, we proudly display them in our own home.

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WHAT IS A MINIM A LIS T LIF E S T Y LE ?

Minimalism THE BASICS

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Minimalism is intentionally living with only the things you really need. It is a lifestyle that helps people question what things add value to their lives. By clearing the clutter from lifeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s path, we can all make room for the most important aspects of life: health, relationships, passion, growth, and contribution

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WHAT?

BASICS

MINIMALIST LIVING IS... Intentionality

It is marked by clarity, purpose, and intentionality. At its core, being a minimalist means intentionally promoting the things we most value and removing everything that distracts us from it. Intentionality looks different for everybody, as no two individuals are the same, but it requires each of us to dive deeper and become more introspective about our values and passions.

Freedom from the passion to possess

Modern culture has bought into the lie that the good life is found in accumulating things—in possessing as much as possible. They believe that more is better and have inadvertently subscribed to the idea that Minimalism doesn’t mean that you can’t indulge happiness can be purchased in the things that you enjoy. at a department store. But they are wrong. Embracing It doesn’t mean that you need to be frugal or that minimalism brings freedom you must always make major tradeoffs. from the all-consuming passion to possess. It steps off the treadmill of consumerism and dares to seek happiness elsewhere. It values relationships, experiences, and soul-care. It lets us see all that we already have and reminds us to be grateful. In doing so, we find a more abundant life.

Freedom from the modern mania

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Our world runs at a feverish pace. We are too hurried, too rushed, and too stressed. We work long, passionate hours to pay the bills, but fall deeper into debt every day. We rush from one activity to another—even multitasking along the way—but never seem to get anything done. We remain in constant connection with others through our cell phones, but true life-changing relationships continue to elude us. Minimalist living slows down life and frees us from this modern hysteria to live faster. It offers freedom to disengage. It seeks to keep only the essentials. It aims to

Freedom from duplicity

Although nobody intentionally chooses it, most people live in duplicity. They live one life around their family, one life around their co-workers, and another life around their neighbors. The lifestyle they have chosen requires them to portray a certain external image dependent upon their circumstances. On the other hand, a simple life is united and consistent. It has learned a lifestyle that is completely transferable no matter the situation. It is reliable, dependable and unfluctuating. It works in all circumstances. It is honest and transparent.

Counter-Cultural

We live in a world that idolizes celebrities. Their lives are held up as the golden standard and are envied by many. People who live simple lives are not championed by the media in the same way. Yet, they live a life that is attractive and inviting. While most people are chasing after success, glamour, and fame, minimalism calls out to us with a smaller, quieter, calmer voice. It invites us to slow down, consume less, but enjoy more. And when we meet someone living a simplified life, we often recognize that we have been chasing after the wrong things all along.

BASICS

Not External, but internal

While decluttering helps people find freedom from external clutter, it does not take the next step of helping people find freedom and unity in their heart and soul. I have learned embracing this lifestyle is always a matter of the heart. After the external clutter has been removed, we create the space to address the deepest heart issues that impact our relationships and life.

Completely achievable

At its core, being a minimalist means intentionally promoting the things we most value and removing everything that distracts us from it.

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A simple life is completely achievable. Typically, I find that those who are generally interested in knowing more and take the time to ask the follow-up questions are drawn to the principles of a minimalist lifestyle. After all, it offers almost everything our heart has been asking for all along.

BASICS

HOW?

DEFINE MINIMALIST LIVING FOR YOURSELF Forget the rules

It’s easy to pitch minimalism as a one-size-fits-all philosophy but it’s not, so don’t be so quick to adopt the rules you’ve picked up from here or there (including here!).

First understand that your less vs. more equilibrium can only be found with a personal Happiness starts with a clear vision for life and the alignment of your actions against that vision.

Write your own

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It could be that the reason it’s so easy to apply other people’s rules to your life is because you’re seeking a shortcut, instead of putting effort into thinking about who you are and defining the life you want to live. Ultimately those shortcuts will lead to more clutter and confusion because you are conforming instead of creating a life you truly desire. Once you can articulate what makes you happy, you can write your own set of rules to better align your life with those things.

Create your motto

It all comes down to differentiating real happiness with suffering in disguise. If an idea, thing, activity, or relationship causes you (or someone else) more bad than good then perhaps it’s not worth having or engaging in. Otherwise, go for it.

So here is a motto that is useful in making judgment calls on balance: do what you want to do so long as you do no harm. This motto is just an example. Try to create your own motto that helps simplify decision-making by considering the areas that tend to threaten your life vision and sense of happiness. There are so many different schools of thought that claim minimalism as their mission that it can be mind boggling to keep track of them all. Ultimately, you should be realistic and empathetic to your own unique set of needs and desires. Write your own definition of minimalist living and

CLOTHES

Many of us have closets full of clothes that we no longer like or no longer fit us correctly. They are just taking up space. The simple exercise of going through your closet and removing all unused clothing leaves your closet lighter, your mornings less stressful, and your wardrobe full of things you love. Give your lighter wardrobe 30 days to work its magic… you’ll never miss those unused clothes.

COOKING UTENSILS

There never seems to be enough storage space in our kitchens. The truth is, we need far less cooking utensils than we currently own. As a result, our drawers, cabinets, and countertops can be far better organized and useful if we simply owned less. To give this experiment a shot, check out this article from the New York Times: A No Frills Kitchen Still Cooks. Then, store all your unnecessary utensils in a plastic bin, put them away out of sight, and see if you just enjoy cooking a little bit more in your new, clutter-free environment.

We introduce 7 areas of life where living with less can be sampled. They are designed to be picked one-byone, risk-free. Conducting each experiment for 3-4 weeks will give a good feel for the practical benefits of minimalist living, but hey, it’s your experiment. You decide the length.

DECORATIONS

Many of the decorations in our homes hold no personal value to our lives. They just simply happened to match the color of the carpet or be on sale when we walked into the store. Take a moment to walk through your home with a discerning eye. Leave only the decorations that are the most meaningful and the most beautiful. Your home will begin to share your story in a beautiful way.

TOYS

Too often, We begin to purchase and collect far too many toys for our children. As a result, our children have no need to learn how to be creative, helpful, careful, or sharing. In that regard, fewer toys may benefit your kids in numerous ways. Although you may want to consult your children before you relocate their unused toys, there’s a pretty good chance that after only a few weeks the old, unused toys will be forgotten.

FURNITURE

It may require some heavy-lifting, but if you’re up for the challenge, removing excess furniture from your rooms will immediately open up significant space and airflow in your home. The rarelyused pieces of furniture in your home are quickly recognizable and taking up more space than you realize. Oh sure, this experiment requires a place to store your furniture during the trial period, but it’s a quick and easy way to remove some of the largest clutter from your home.

TELEVISIONS

According to Nielsen, the average person watches 4 hours, 35 minutes of television each day. There are 2.73 TV sets in the typical home and 2.55 people. We are literally sitting on the couch while life passes us by. Experiment with owning less televisions. As a result, you will watch less. And when you do, you will be more apt to do it together as a family.

COUNTER TOPS

Clutter is a form of distraction. Everything sitting out on your countertops competes for your attention. Unfortunately, we have become so accustomed to these distractions that we don’t even notice them anymore… until they are removed. Experiment, even for just 7 days, with keeping your countertops completely clear. Store things in drawers, cabinets, pantries, or temporary storage boxes. After one week, you’ll likely return some of it for the sake of convenience, but I’d bet my bottom dollar that you won’t return all of it.

Breaking it down like this makes minimalist living seem a lot more approachable. There is no speed requirement of how fast you have to pare down your belongings. No deadline to living with less. Start as comfortably as you’d like.

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7 WAY S TO S A M P L E MINIMALIST LIVING

BASICS

/EXPERIMENT

COVER STORY

ORGANIZE the

Marie Kondo

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way

KO N M A RI M E T H O D â&#x201E;¢

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Debdoot Banerjee

COVER STORY MINUS

Of the various indicators of viral internet fame in 2019, having your name become a verb is surely at the apex. If you’ve “kondo’ed” your apartment in an effort to “spark joy” some time in the last three or so years, you know exactly who I’m talking about: Thirty-fouryear-old organizing wunderkind Marie Kondo.

Kondo has effectively revolutionized the meaning of “tidying,” transforming it from a tedious chore into a vehicle for changing your life (literally, as the title of Kondo’s best-selling book The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up promises in no uncertain terms). Her philosophy has sparked more than just joy, though, generating everything from memes to think pieces to — recently — a Netflix special, Tidying Up With Marie Kondo. I watched a few episodes and immediately understood why Marie Kondo the person is the object of just as much fascination as her signature KonMari Method. Upbeat, optimistic and radiantly curious, Kondo’s aura

could conceivably spark joy in its own right. I was immediately sucked in, eager to conform to whatever lifestyle and corresponding habits her soothing voice prescribed. But more than that, I wished I could sit down with her on a soft couch and pick her brain. I had so many questions — about joy, letting go, regret and all the other emotional baggage that comes with being a keeper of stuff. Scroll down to read our Q&A, and meet me in the comments to further discuss whether Kondo’s magic did, in fact, change your life.

It’s important to bring each and every item you own out and touch it. If it’s difficult for you to connect with your sense of joy when holding your belongings, I suggest starting with an item you really love – and then compare the feeling you have holding each subsequent item to the feeling you had when you held your favorite item. Sometimes you will experience impulsive, fleeting joy when you encounter an item; other times it’s more of an enduring, lifetime joy. Both serve a purpose. The important thing is to be aware of the difference.

COVER STORY

How do you know if something is ACTUALLY bringing you joy?

“Sometimes you will experience impulsive, fleeting joy when you encounter an item ; other times it’s more of an enduring, lifetime joy.”

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There are some cases when an item doesn’t directly spark joy in the present but might in the future. I have had an uncanny experience with many of my clients where they will pick up an item and feel a strong spark of joy – but not really know why. Within a few weeks or months, they report back to me that the item ended up playing a significant role in their lives – one that they never could have predicted! Part of this process involves constantly honing your sensitivity to joy and developing an instinct for what items are going to be necessary for you in the longterm.

COVER STORY

What’s the biggest mistake people make when it comes to tidying? Putting too much emphasis on what to discard. Instead of focusing on what you want to let go of or how much you want to minimize, focus on what’s valuable to you and on what you want to keep in your life.

Did anything about the experience of going through people’s homes surprise you or change your perspective on minimal living?

I’d like to clarify that the definition of “spark joy” depends on the person. Minimal living may spark joy for one person, but not for another. The KonMari Method does not require minimal living. The process of professionally tidying with clients has changed my perspective in that sense. When I first started, I thought that tidying was something everyone could benefit from – and that it would make everyone happy. But now I know that there are people who are not ready to go on this journey yet, and forcing them to does not bring them happiness.

Have you ever regretted throwing something away?

I regret letting go of small kitchen scissors that my younger sister gave to me for my children’s food. I thought I would never use them, so I gave them away to another mother. But now that my children are getting older, I sometimes think those scissors would come in handy and be much easier to use than a knife! The lesson here is that if you’re not sure how an item is supposed to function, it’s important to research it first before letting it go.

Have you ever had a client who’s regretted throwing something away?

I think everyone has an item they regret letting go of – it’s hard to avoid. This could be for a number of reasons, such as deciding to let go of it early on in the process before you’ve really honed your sensitivity to joy, or because you haven’t come to recognize that functional, utilitarian items spark joy because of how they support your life. But regret in this context is a learning experience that teaches you about yourself. I strongly advise against letting go of something impulsively or because you simply don’t want to make a decision. It takes a long time to fully consider the meaning of each item, but patience is necessary in order to make a wise decision.

Do you know anyone who has a lot of stuff and isn’t worried about it?

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I do know people like that. It’s not a good or a bad thing, it just stems from a difference in sensitivities and value systems. If you’re someone who owns a lot of things and doesn’t want to let anything go, I would suggest trying to organize your drawers by folding your clothing in the correct way and see how you feel. You might be surprised to find that having an organized space actually sparks joy.

If you grew up holding onto things because they made you feel financially safe and secure, how do you downsize with that in mind? There’s no need to force yourself to let go of items! Don’t make downsizing your goal – that’s not the point of tidying. The ultimate goal of tidying is to discover how you’d like to live in your home.

COVER STORY MINUS

“My dream is to organize the world”

What’s the one thing you think most people should have more and less of? Less stress, more joy.

RECOMMEND

WE RECOMMEND Watch. Watch. Watch. Minimalism: A documentary about the important things Watch it on | Netflix. This film follows The Minimalists, Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus, on their book tour across the United States as they meet and speak with like-minded people from all walks of life. Through their personal stories, as well as interviews with other prominent minimalists, the film lays out the basics and benefits of a minimalist lifestyle. The Minimalists encourage less compulsory consumption, so that you have space to fill your life with the people, experiences, and yes, even things, that you really love.

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The Girl Gone Green

Watch for | Tips and encouragement for zero waste living Manuela Baron is The Girl Gone Green, and she’s talking about all things zero waste and sustainability on her Youtube channel. Bringing viewers content from abroad, as well as from her home in Florida, she’s on a mission to practice zero waste living regardless of where she’s at in the world, and she encourages others to do the same. Video topics include grocery store hauls, sustainable gift guides, zero waste Q&A’s, plant-based diet inspiration, and intentional living.

Subsrcibe. Subscribe. Subscribe.

Read. Read. Read.

RECOMMEND

Simple Matters: Erin Boyle Erin Boyle lives with her husband and two children in New York City, where she keeps a blog about â&#x20AC;&#x153;slow, simple, sustainable living.â&#x20AC;? Her sensible and philosophical approach to conscious consumption helps make living small accessible. Boyle uses Simple Matters to inspire people to cherish what is truly meaningful, useful, and lovely. Her beautiful photography and flawless writing style partner well with stories of how to improve the environment and personal happiness.

Listen. Listen. Listen. Conscious Chatter with Kestrel Jenkins Ever wonder what kind of impression you will leave on this world? Ever wonder what kind of impression your clothing will leave on this world? Kestrel investigates different ways to be conscious of the clothing decisions we make each time we shop. She interviews so many amazing people from all walks of life, and shares their stories.

Follow. Follow. Follow. With over 61,000 followers on Instagram, Ume Romaan is clearly doing something right when it comes to personal style. Her aesthetic is very much laid-back, elevated staples (think cool knitwear, elegant coats and plenty of camel hues) anyone can get on board with.

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Ume Romaan @umeromaan

BOOK REVIEW RECOMMEND

Daanish Parekh

In his book, The Paradox of Choice, Barry Schwartz demonstrates that having too many choices often leads to feelings of bewilderment and a decrease in life satisfaction. Schwartz argues an abundance of choice is bad both in terms of emotional well-being and the ability to make meaningful progress.

T H E PA R A D OX OF CHOICE: WHY MORE IS LESS

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B A R R Y S H WA R T Z

Like Thoreau and the band Devo, psychology professor Schwartz provides ample evidence that we are faced with far too many choices on a daily basis, providing an illusion of a multitude of options when few honestly different ones actually exist. The conclusions Schwartz draws will be familiar to anyone who has flipped through 900 eerily similar channels of cable television only to find that nothing good is on. Whether choosing a health-care plan, choosing a college class or even buying a pair of jeans, Schwartz, drawing extensively on his own work in the social sciences, shows that a bewildering array of choices floods our exhausted brains, ultimately restricting instead of freeing us. We normally assume in America that more options (“”easy fit”” or””relaxed fit””?) will make us happier, but Schwartz shows the opposite is true, arguing that having all these choices actually goes so far as to erode our psychological well-being. Part research summary, part introductory social sciences tutorial, part self-help guide, this book offers concrete steps on how to reduce stress in decision making. Some will find Schwartz’s conclusions too obvious, and others may disagree with his points or find them too repetitive, but to the average lay reader, Schwartz’s accessible style and helpful tone is likely to aid the quietly desperate.

Q U OTA B L E S

“Unlike other negative emotions—anger, sadness, disappointment, even grief—what is so difficult about regret is the feeling that the regrettable state of affairs could have been avoided and that it could have been avoided by you,if only you had chosen differently.”

RECOMMEND

C O N S C I O U S YO U T U B E R S W E LO V E

Scan the QR to watch our top favourite videos from The Whole Happy Life

R I A KA R A N THE WHOLE HAPPY LIFE

Ria an evidence-based holistic nutritionist with a Master’s degree in food engineering and applied science. She is also an avid follower of minimalism. Minimalism for Riya, is a tool to enhance the way we live and shouldn’t have too many rules and restrictions. The Whole + Happy Life is Riya’s YouTube channel for anyone who wants to live a healthy and positive life with simple, realistic changes. WATCH FOR | Warm and inviting videos about

holisting, simple living and nutrition

TOP 3

VIDEOS

R I A TA L K S A B O U T: – Eating healthy with easy changes – Living with less (minimalism) + becoming more organized – Designing a life you love with positivity

FA M I LY

F A matters M I LY

H O W TO G E T YO U R FA M I LY O N B O A R D WITH A MINIMALIST LIFESTYLE

Srinivasan Dora

You’ve discovered the more in living with less and you want that for your family, too. If you could just get them on board with your crazy minimalist journey. If you’re ready to convince your family that minimalism is right for them, try one of these six things that worked for me

Be mindful of your approach

First and foremost, I think the most important thing is to be mindful of your approach. Minimalism (or any new idea) is going to be better received if your family member feels like they’re part of the decision making process. If you come across as an “expert” trying to show them the error of their ways, they might feel like their current lifestyle is under attack.

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Share your why

Share with your family why you want to simplify. Tell them the more part about owning less. Help them understand that you want to simplify your home (and life) so that you can spend more quality time with them. Give them specific examples. When I first started de-owing, I would tell my kids (sweetly!) that we would have less time at the playground because it took us so long to find what we needed to get out the door. Maybe you want to more family camping trips, more carefree Saturdays together. Whatever it is, share that why with them.

Appeal to their values

FA M I LY

So how should you approach minimalism with your family? By appealing to their values first. After all, remember that minimalism isn’t really about decluttering or how much stuff you own; instead, it’s about making space in your life for the things you value most—so this is where the conversation should begin. Be creative and think outside the box about what motivates your family members— and if you find this challenging, be direct and talk to them. Ask them what they would do if they had more time, money, energy and space in their lives? Find out their pain points and then connect the dots; how can minimalism make their lives better?

Declutter “neutral areas” (with permission)

Once you’ve done the above, I think it’s a good idea to start by decluttering a “neutral” area (a place where the stuff doesn’t really belong to any one person, like the medicine cabinet). But before you begin, there’s one important thing you should do: Ask your family members for permission. By asking your family, you’re including them in the process and giving them ownership over the end results. Even if it’s a small project, you can celebrate the success together.

Stay focused on yourself and you never know; as you start to reap the benefits of minimalism, your family might notice and come to you in their own time. And if they don’t? That’s okay too.

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I think it’s important to acknowledge that ultimately, you can’t make anyone change if they don’t want to. Minimalism might be important to you but at the end of the day, your family might not be interested and that’s ok. Start with the spaces you can control and then learn from the experience—because decluttering is an introduction to intentional living. The same questions you ask about your physical stuff (“What value does this add to my life?”) can be applied to other areas of your life such as your relationships, your spending, and most importantly—your time! Turn your attention inward and don’t get caught up worrying about clutter that’s outside your control. This is actually part of minimalism too: learning to invest your time and energy into things you can change and letting go of things you can’t.

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&C H I L D R E N MINIMALISM

HOW TO BECOME MINIMALIST WITH CHILDREN

Srinivasan Dora

Minimalism with children is entirely possible. However, it does require a little more effort, a little more thoughtfulness, and a lot more patience. As you embark (or continue) on the journey, here are some practical steps to consider:

Explain your decision

Your children are thinking human beings. Therefore, no matter their age (our son and daughter were only 5 and 2 at the time), sit down and explain your decision to them â&#x20AC;&#x201C; include the reasons why you are choosing to become minimalist and the benefits you are hoping to receive from it.

Begin minimizing your possessions first

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Minimize your personal belongings first and your shared family belongings second. It would be unfair to ask your child/ teenager to thoroughly adopt the lifestyle until you have done it personally.

One benefit of minimalism is that you spend less and have more time on your hands – so you should have some extra disposable income and the time to do something with it. Use it to create fun, family experiences. Do something new that everyone will enjoy. Have a practical experience that highlights the benefits of your decision can

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Treat them to fun experiences

Remove the items they do not use first

Minimalism is about paring down to only the essentials. It is about removing the things in our life we don’t need so we can focus on the things that we do. And while most homes are filled with things that are not needed, they are also filled with things that are not even used. Start there. You can begin by removing the clothes they no longer wear, the toys they no longer they play with, and the other things they no longer use. That’s an easy first step. As you begin there and talk them through the process, they may begin to naturally start asking themselves the question, “How much of this other stuff do I really need anyway?”teenager to thoroughly adopt the lifestyle until you have done it personally.

Focus on the poitives

As you begin to see the benefits of minimalism in the life of your children/teenagers, point them out and focus on them. Just because you are observant enough to notice them, doesn’t mean they see it quite as readily as you. Does their room appear tidier? Do they spend less time cleaning? Is it easier to find things? Can you notice less stress or less distraction? Are you more relaxed as a parent? Encourage each other with the positive benefits that you notice.

PAT I E N C E IS KEY Be patient with your family. Offer them plenty of time to adjust to minimalism rather than being pushed into it. Minimalism is a lifestyle that needs to be believed in and adopted. Show them plenty of patience. And after all, if it took you 30 years to adopt the lifestyle, it would be foolish to assume they will fully adopt it in 30 minutes… or even 30 days.

You will still need to buy things going forward. Children will outgrow their clothes, their toys, their school supplies, and their sporting goods. They are not going to stop growing and developing. You are absolutely still going to buy things going forward… you are just going to put more thought into your purchases than you did in the past. Replace “Do I want this?” with “Do I need this?” And help your son or daughter ask the same question. It’s one of the most important lessons they will ever learn

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Choose your purchases carefully going forward.

FASHION

MINIMALIST C LO S E T

AN APPROACHABLE GUIDE TO CREATING A MINIMALIST WARDROBE Sarah Bhalla

Minimalist fashion. It’s one of the most discussed topics in the sustainable advocacy community. Transitioning from a revolving fast fashion closet to a minimalist wardrobe is a meaningful way to practice conscious living, but it can also be incredibly overwhelming, especially when first starting out. If you’re embarking on the slow fashion path and want to create a minimalist capsule wardrobe, here’s our advice for how to begin!

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“Sustainable fashion is not only about supporting slow fashion labels, but also about giving new life to existing items and keeping clothing out of landfills.”

Clean Out Your Closet Start building your conscious closet by taking inventory of what you currently have. Sort and organize your apparel, separating items into three distinct piles: Donations, Consignments, and Clothes to Keep. When deciding what to hang onto, think about how often you wear an item and if it complements the staple clothing you plan to buy. Keep only the garments you love dearly and plan to wear often. Even if they are not made by conscious or ethical brands, if you already own the piece and it is something you love to wear, hang onto it. Remember, sustainable fashion is not only about supporting slow fashion labels, but also about giving new life to existing items and keeping clothing out of landfills. For the garments you no longer wear that are gently worn, set them aside to sell online. Alternatively, you can resell them at your local consignment store. The money you make from these items is perfect for investing in

quality, ethical garments for your minimalist wardrobe. Your final pile is your donation pile. These are your garments that are well-loved and not up to consignment standards. Drop these clothes off at your local charity. For clothing that is damaged beyond wear, get creative and turn them into rags for cleaning. One thing to remember: start slow. We don’t recommend clearing out all your clothes at once. Spend the next year slowly swapping out a handful of garments in exchange for one to two quality pieces at a time. This will make the process less overwhelming and also more affordable.

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FASHION

2 “An authentic and timeless wardrobe should reflect your personality and make you feel most like yourself.”

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Rely on Your Community

A common concern with keeping a minimalist wardrobe is not having clothing for those special occasions or unique seasons in life. Whether it be maternity clothes, wedding attire, or garments for your island vacation, sometimes we need an outfit that is not part of our everyday wardrobe. Our go-to solution is online rental sites. Perfect for unique and infrequent occasions, rental sites offer an affordable and sustainable option by allowing you to rent clothes. Alternatively, we also love swapping apparel with friends. This not only saves money, but

Discover Your Style & Create Unique Looks Arguably the most important tip when creating a minimalist wardrobe: discover a style that is unique to you. Ditch the seasonal trends and style labels. An authentic and timeless wardrobe should reflect your personality and make you feel most like yourself. Begin by asking reflective questions: What do I want my clothes to say about me? What fabrics and fits do I feel most comfortable wearing? What colors, patterns, and accessories bring out my true self and best complement my personality? It’s essential to feel confident and comfortable in the clothing we wear. Discover your style and create unique looks you love. Hang a bulletin board in your room and pin photos of the outfits and looks that speak to you. Pinterest is also great for this. For minimalist style and capsule wardrobe inspiration from women in the ethical fashion space, check out our Week of Outfits Series.

it is a wonderful way to cultivate community and encourage sustainable living. If you’re curious about how to find like-minded women in your area who are also building minimalist wardrobes, check out our guide on hosting a community clothing swap.

“Clothing swaps not only save money, but are a wonderful way to cultivate community and encourage sustainable living.”

Shop secondhand - Contrary to popular belief, thrift stores are not only for cheap clothing and worn-out furniture. Some of our favorite and most timeless pieces have

You can also save for big ticket items and staple pieces. Don’t feel like you need to go out and replace your wardrobe all at once. Start small and begin saving for those expensive items, such as a winter coat or highend denim, months in advance. When you’re building a minimalist wardrobe, remember you’re paying for quality rather than quantity.

“Take advantage of these discounts for a more affordable way of building your minimalist wardrobe.”

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It’s probably no surprise that the biggest deterrent to building a minimalist wardrobe is the cost. Quality apparel has a much higher price tag than clothing at fast fashion stores, which makes sense because ethical companies use sustainable, lasting fabrics and pay workers fair benefits and wages. Even still, shopping for these garments can be incredibly overwhelming and even out of reach for many of us. Here are a few beginner tricks:

been discovered on the racks of unassuming thrift stores or online (here are our favorite secondhand clothing websites). On more than one occasion, we’ve even scored apparel from brands like Everlane and Patagonia at the popular US-thrift store Buffalo Exchange.

5 Care for Your Garments With fast fashion brands, clothes are not made to last for more than a few wears, and it can seem silly to invest in the care for a garment when it cost less than $20. With a minimalist wardrobe though, you’ll want to ensure you are properly washing and storing your apparel. This will not only protect your items from accidental damage, but it will allow you to wear your clothing for years to come. A few tips for care: hand wash delicates, invest in a steamer and wooden hangers, and know what garments you need to take to a dry cleaner. Read tips from a costume designer on how to care for your clothes, and read more here on how to properly clean vintage clothing.

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Save for Staple Items & Shop Secondhand

“Building a conscious, minimalist wardrobe is a journey like anything else in life. It is full of learning curves and adjustments.”

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ELEMENTY DRESS MYRKA STUDIOS JACKET ANGELA ROI BAG COX SHOES

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WEEK OF O U T F IT S S E R I E S:

A WEEK OF CUTE & C O R P O R AT E F R I E N D LY O U T F I T S Week of Outfits Series highlights women that have personally inspired us to shop and live with intention. Each woman takes her own unique approach to slow fashion and demonstrates how beautifully sustainable fashion can come to life. Today weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re excited to share a week of outfits from Phoebe Nicette, the conscious blogger behind Phoenomenal!

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Aparita Sengupta

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NOTPERFECTLINEN JUMPSUIT ST. AGNI SHOES FJÄLLRÄVEN RE-KÅNKEN BACKPACK

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WEDNESDAY

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VINTAGE SHIRT SECONDHAND CULOTTES ST. AGNI SHOES ANGELA ROI BAG

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THURSDAY

MYRKA STUDIOS SKIRT NAGO BODYSUIT VEJA SHOES

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ELEMENTY TRENCHCOAT VANEWONDERLAND SHIRT MONKI JEANS VEJA SHOES

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FRIDAY 45

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JAN â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;N JUNE TRUMPET SLEEVE SHIRT MONKI JEANS VEJA SHOES ANGELA ROI BAG

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SATURDAY

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SUNDAY

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BRANDY MELVILLE DRESS VEJA SHOES DZAINO BAG

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Simple Living CONVERSATIONS

Namita Menon

This issue’s simple living conversations is with Zoe from Raising Simple. These interviews are designed to give you a glimpse into people’s lives who call themselves minimalists, or are pursuing a simple lifestyle or living slow.

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ZOE KIM: RAISING SIMPLE

51 Each issue the bloggers are asked the same questions in order to see the similarities and differences in their experiences. It’s a wonderful way to be encouraged in simplifying our own lives.

Can you introduce yourself to the readers Zoe?

CONVERSATIONS

I’m the author of Minimalism for Families, minimalist mom of four, and the voice behind Raising Simple. I partner with individuals to tackle the challenges of a cluttered home and life. I believe in developing a minimalist lifestyle through positive perspective changes and practical solutions. My teaching and writing style has been described as pragmatic and thoughtful. With that, my goal is to you find the best solution to simplify your home and life. In my recreational time, I enjoy being outside with my kids, swimming and perusing the local farmers market. I currently live outside of Atlanta with my four children.

What initially attracted you to simple living? Z:

Freedom. I first stumbled onto simple living through Bea Johnson’s blog, Zero Waste Home. When I saw photos of her home it spoke freedom to me. Less waste, less stress, more time, more freedom. From then on I never looked back. I realized how hard it is to try and improve your life (eating better, exercising, etc) when you’re taking care of too much stuff. The true weight and cost of my stuff hit me in an instant.

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Why was I holding onto so many things I didn’t even use?

“My children have a strong sense of what enough looks like and they have no reservations about letting go of things they don’t use.”

What are the benefits that you have found in simple living? Z:

Ultimately, living a minimalist lifestyle has brought a new level to every aspect of my life. Intentionality to use my finite resources, such as time and money, in a better way. That has brought greater contentment to my life. I’ve found there are so many things you learn from letting go of the stuff weighing you down. Things you didn’t even realize were weighing you down. I can now make better room for what matters — in my home, in my mind, and in my heart. Living a minimalist lifestyle has also influenced my parenting for the better. I now have the knowhow and tools to teach my children. They have a strong sense of what enough looks like and they have no reservations about letting go of things they don’t use.

If someone wanted to start living simply, what advice would you give them? The whole idea is to begin removing all the things that don’t support your better self. Most people, like myself, start with their physical possessions. This is a practical place to start—it’s hard to change other areas of your life when you’re still stuck taking care of too much stuff. Sometimes starting, and keeping the momentum, can be sticking points for people. Think on your approach. Are you an all or nothing or a slow and steady kind of person? Deciding this ahead of time will better prepare you to choose decluttering jobs that keep your momentum going — which you’ll find out is very important! It really doesn’t matter where you start, so long as you keep going. Start with areas in your home that will bring you the most momentum and motivate you to do it again. Connect with a local or online community living simply for encouragement, tips, and inspirations. As your journey continues you’ll find more ways to live simply — finances, relationships, your calendar and the list goes on. Lastly, minimalism and simple living are lifestyles, not finished place to arrive. So with that, let it grow you.

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DIGITAL

DIGITAL MINIMALISM

HOW TO DECLUTTER YOUR ONLINE LIFE

Debdoot Banerjee

Thanks to Marie Kondo, author of The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying decluttering our homes and wardrobes has never been so popular. This comes as no surprise given the stresses of modern life: our jobs are increasingly taking over our personal lives (and spaces), and thanks to the joys of technology, it is hard to disconnect from the outside world.

“A philosophy of technology use in which you focus your online time on a small number of carefully selected and optimised activities that strongly support things you value, and then happily miss out on everything else.”

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Just as Kondo suggests organising our physical spaces to achieve calm, in Digital Minimalism: On Living Better With Less Technology, Cal Newport argues that we can do the same for our digital spaces. Newport’s “digital minimalists” have learned how to have a meaningful, mindful and balanced relationship with technology – using it to “support” personal goals, rather than letting it “use” them.

Newport – who is an associate professor of computer science at Georgetown University – draws on a wide range of case studies within the book, considering the behaviours of everyone from Amish farmers to Silicon Valley programmers.

PRINCIPLE #1: CLUTTER IS COSTLY

PRINCIPLE #2: OPTIMISATION IS IMPORTANT

PRINCIPLE #3: INTENTIONALITY IS SATISFYING

“Digital minimalists recognise that cluttering their time and attention with too many devices, apps, and services creates an overall negative cost that can swamp the small benefits that each individual item provides in isolation,” Newport writes.

“Digital minimalists believe that deciding a particular technology supports something they value is only the first step,” he explains. “To truly extract its full potential benefit, it’s necessary to think carefully about how they’ll use the technology.”

“Digital minimalists derive significant satisfaction from their general commitment to being more intentional about how they engage with new technologies,” Newport says, adding that this “is independent of the specific decisions they make and is one of the biggest reasons that minimalism tends to be immensely meaningful to its practitioners.”

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THE PRINCIPLES OF DIGITAL MINIMALISM

So how do we become Digital Minimalists?

“Apicipitatia debisiti que nus con corro et velesto custem reheniatet, cum rehenda ndelis rerunt quate etur, ommolorpor aut” lanti quat aut que est, venimillest et escia dolentior susant rem comnis doluptatecat dolorpore

Newport suggests setting aside a period of time for rapid transformation. He calls this “the digital declutter process”. “Much like decluttering your house,” he explains, “this lifestyle experiment provides a reset for your digital life by clearing away distracting tools and compulsive habits that may have accumulated haphazardly over time and replacing them with a much more intentional set of behaviours, optimised, in proper minimalist fashion, to support your values instead of subverting them.” “In my experience, gradually changing your habits one at a time doesn’t work well — the engineered attraction of the attention economy, combined with the friction of convenience, will diminish your inertia until you backslide toward where you started.”

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Not a fan of “quick-fix tales” and “clever life hack[s]”, Newport developed digital minimalism as a thoughtful method for living with technology. “The problem is that small changes are not enough to solve our big issues with new technologies,” he explains in the book’s second chapter. “The underlying behaviours we hope to fix are ingrained in our culture, and they’re backed by powerful psychological forces that empower our base instincts. To re-establish control, we need to move beyond tweaks and instead rebuild our relationship with technology from scratch, using our deeply held values as a foundation.”

DECLUTTER

STEP

YO U R D I G I TA L L I F E

“Put aside a 30-day period during which you will take a break from optional technologies in your life.”

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The first step of the digital declutter process is to define which technologies fall into this “optional” category. Newport defines “technologies” as “apps, websites, and related digital tools that are delivered through a computer screen or a mobile phone and are meant to either entertain, inform, or connect you.” Optional technologies are those that you can go without for 30 days without “harm[ing] or significantly disrupt[ing] the daily operation of your professional or personal life”. This means cutting out your daily Instagram updates or mindless Facebook scrolling, rather than shutting down your vital work email.

At the end of this 30-day decluttering period, you’re left with a list of optional technologies that require specific “operating procedures”: “How and when you use a particular technology, allowing you to maintain some critical uses without having to default to unrestricted access.” This could include timing your Instagram usage to your commute and banning your phone at the dinner table. Newport suggests writing these down and putting them somewhere you’ll see

STEP

Though unpleasant, this detox stage is hugely important in helping you to “make smarter decisions when you reintroduce some of these optional technologies to your life.”

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Once your “operating procedures” have been established, the next step in your digital decluttering is to follow these rules for 30 further days. Newport admits this can be tough. “You’ll likely find life without optional technologies challenging at first. Your mind has developed certain expectations about distractions and entertainment, and these expectations will be disrupted when you remove optional technologies from your daily experience.”

Another important factor of stage two is that it allows you to rediscover what’s important to you. “Figuring this out before you begin reintroducing technology at the end of this declutter process is crucial,” Newport clarifies. “You’re more likely to succeed in reducing the role of digital tools in your life if you cultivate high-quality alternatives to the easy distraction they provide.” Take this as an opportunity to tackle that pile of books on your bedside table or sign up to that fitness class you’ve been thinking about trying.

“At the end of the break, reintroduce optional technologies into your life, starting from a blank slate. For each technology you reintroduce, determine what value it serves in your life and how specifically you will use it so as to maximise this value.” Once your 30-day period has come to an end, the last step of digital decluttering is to bring technologies back into your life. “The goal of this final step is to start from a blank slate and only let back into your life technology that passes your strict minimalist standards,” Newport explains. “It’s the care you take here that will determine whether this process sparks lasting change in your life.” Reintroduced technology should support your values and aspirations, not overpower them. Maybe you’ve found Twitter updates distracting at work, but Pinterest offers great visual inspiration? Now, thanks to the digital decluttering process you know to mute Twitter during your nine-to-five and keep signed in to Pinterest when creativity strikes.

Digital Minimalism: On Living Better with Less Technology by Cal Newport is out now, published by Penguin Business, £14.99.

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STEP

“During this 30-day break, explore and rediscover activities and behaviours that you find satisfying and meaningful.”

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K I TC H E N H A C K S 10 PLASTIC-FREE KITCHEN ESSENTIALS TO HELP ZERO -WASTE ON A BUDGET Namita Menon

Tools For A Zero-Waste Kitchen If you’re just starting out on your plastic-free, zero waste journey—or are somewhere in the middle of things—the kitchen is by far, one of the easiest places to make a significant change. Most of us would only need to open our top drawer to reveal the massive amount of single-use, disposable plastic items (baggies, plastic wrap, food items, and more) that have become a kitchen essential in nearly every household. Yet, as we begin to extract ourselves from plastic’s harmful effects on our bodies and our world, we might be left to wonder what essentials can take its place? The best kind of plastic-free kitchen essentials are beautiful, multi-purposeful and budget-friendly to boot. That’s because they combine plenty of old-school wisdom with new and thoughtful innovations that make your plastic-free kitchen the perfect place for creative solutions and of course, a little elbow grease. Remember, the goal is to work towards zero waste and ditch that all-or-nothing mentality that can quickly sabotage even the best laid plans. Take these small and practical steps towards a more sustainable future and embrace the simple swaps that add up overtime.

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Ready to start? Here are 10 kitchen essentials to help you be plastic-free on a budget.

This plastic-free kitchen staple continues to receive its fair share of attention through the years and for good reason. The mason jar functional, beautiful, portable and versatile. I’d argue that it’s the best item to help you transition away from plastic kitchen storage for good because of its low price and myriad of uses. It’s easy to spot leftovers and cut back on food waste, plus, it’s the ultimate zero waste method for buying and storing food in bulk. So go ahead and stock up on a 4 oz, 12 oz and even a 32 oz mason jar or buy a set of 12 one pint jars for less than $20.

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Mason Jars

Cloth Napkins Don’t be nervous about this simple swap. You can buy a set of 12 cloth napkins for $15 to $20, and skip the plasticwrapped replacements to save money. Reuse them until they are dirty enough to throw in with the rest of your laundry and then embrace the wrinkles and stains! Imperfections add the best kind of character and in this case, it’s a conscious choice that is worth making. White cloth napkins are certainly pretty but darker colors and patterns draw your eye away from marks and stains.

Beeswax Wrap

Dish Brushes Trading your sponge for a dish brush is a change you can make once and will last for a long time. The majority of store-bought sponges are disposable and wrapped in plastic (if you can find one without the wrap, then go for it!) and tend to hold more bacteria. The bristled brushes easily scrub away food without morphing into a bedraggled and brown mess. I love my wooden Redecker Brushes ($11.99) and compost them when they fall apart. There are plenty more budget-friendly options that go for $6-8 each.

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Preserving food in single-use, disposable plastic wrap is for the birds while reusable wrap has gone to the bees (get it?). For less than $20 you can buy a 3-pack of reusable beeswax wrap in various sizes that doesn’t have that nasty BPA (Bisphenol-A, a synthetic chemical used to make plastic and disrupts proper cell function. Food wrapped in plastic has a very high concentration of BPA) or contribute to the trillions of microplastic pieces found in our oceans and waterways. It works just as well as other food wraps and can be reused over and over again. Just remember to wash with biodegradable soap under cold water to keep the wax from melting off!

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Reusable Food Storage Bags From holding a loaf of bread at the bakery to stashing your snacks and even trading places with the plastic baggies that hold your produce at the grocery store, reusable food bags can be likened to a cloth version of mason jars. Versatile and affordable, stocking up on cloth bags can help you take a huge leap towards a plastic-free kitchen. They are also an easy conversation-starter at the store and I never miss an opportunity to (over) share with strangers. Get a set of 7 from Earth Junky for less than $25.

Glass Spray Bottles Once you’ve ditched the toxic cleaning sprays and decided to DIY your own, you’ll find that these glass spray bottles come in handy. I like to keep one on hand for the homemade cleaning solution and one filled with water for a quick wipe down or keeping the plants happy. The going rate for a pack of 2 glass spray bottles costs around $10-12.

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Stainless Steel Funnel Set

Once you begin buying food in bulk, a stainless steel kitchen funnel will help you easily transfer the contents from cloth bags to mason jars. If you are wondering if this is an essential or not, it is! The only thing worse than cleaning up half a bag of oats off the floor is throwing it away. Invest in a set of stainless steel funnels that will help you reduce unintentional food waste. Check out Refill Revolution’s set of 3 different-sized pieces for $14.

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Reusable Coffee Filters A morning cup of coffee is an essential. Plastic-wrapped coffee filters? Not exactly. In an effort to be truly zero waste, I switched to reusable organic cotton coffee filters that are easy to clean and work just as well as the storebought versions. Brew a cup of your favorite drip or pour over as usual and compost the grounds then rinse out the filter. CoffeeSock has affordable options for however you prefer to brew your

Resealable Sandwich Bags

Handkerchiefs, Bandanas And Rags

These simple items have an infinite amount of potential and there are so many ways to use them in your plasticfree kitchen. Put a small container full of bandanas or rags in an easily accessible spot and use them to wipe up a mess, wrap up food for snacks on-the-go, and anything other small kitchen tasks — without the waste of paper towels.

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Nixing the single-use, disposable plastic baggies for good requires a great ecoalternative like resealable sandwich bags. If you’re frequently packing a lunch or traveling and bringing food along, take your zero waste habits up a notch by storing them in a reusable bag. Many have easy-to-clean interiors that are dishwasher-safe and are durable enough that your food won’t get squashed. I had a lot of luck while taking mine along on a recent backpacking trip! Check out Lunchskins version for $7.99.

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The live-edge dining table was the couples only “must-have” item, according to Rezwan.

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HOME TOUR

Classic

Namita Menon

MODERNISM

MEET SANA REZWAN

To help build on the blank slate, Rezwan called on Homepolish designer Alison Causer. Take a tour of the apartment below to see how Causer pulled it off.

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Sana Rezwan grew up surrounded by things -- lots of things. “My parents loved traveling, and would always buy one artifact from wherever they visited -- Africa, Indonesia, Russia, Turkey, and beyond,” she tells ElleDecor.com. “Somehow they were able to combine these treasures (and their stories) with the antique Indian furniture they had collected over time.” But when Rezwan and her husband, Nihar, set out to make a home together in New York City, they decided to take a more pared down minimal approach.

Claire Esparros

Her mission: To give the home a minimalist feel, with

some Scandinavian design elements thrown in, while still showcasing the couplesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Indian heritage in a subtle way.

The challenge: Finding a balance between feminine

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and masculine pieces to create a space that defined the duo as individuals and as a couple.

Claire Esparros

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“We maintained a monochromatic color scheme in each room to tie the entire space together, but we also chose unique pieces that told a story, such as the hand-loomed cushions made by artisans in India and the live-edge dining table made from reclaimed wood by a maker in Brooklyn,” Rezwan says.

An Eames chair in the couple’s bedroom was inherited from Nihar’s bachelor pad.

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“I think my style has evolved since moving to New York – more classic and understated,” Rezwan says. “If you combine that with the time we have spent as a couple, I think the new space reflects where we are in our lives.”

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Co zy

W H AT IS

MINIMALISM? AND WHY YOU SHOULD TRY IT

Does “cozy minimalism” sounds like an oxymoron? If you think it does, you’re not alone. However, this intriguing home décor style is a situation in which opposites definitely attract. The look is steadily becoming one of the most popular aesthetics in today’s landscape—and it’s not hard to see why people are falling in love. If you’re searching for a design style that effortlessly blends comfort with functionality, search no more. We’ve outlined exactly why this look works as well as it does, including a few pointers on how you can pull the look together.

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Meghana Pradhan

Why cozy minimalism works?

Put simply, cozy minimalism is a reaction to extremes. A few decades ago, interior design followed the motto of “more is more.” We saw rooms crammed to the gills with big, heavy furniture pieces, layers upon layers of fabrics, and more accessories than we could count. Rooms often felt cramped, even if they were sizable—it was just a little too much.other with the positive benefits that you notice.

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Then, trends headed in the opposite direction, as ultraminimalism became the style du jour. People began to favor huge, nearly-empty rooms that were based entirely on functionality. Furniture styles became slim and lightweight, and there was hardly an accessory in sight, yielding interiors that often felt stark and overly clinical.

Cozy minimalism works because it’s a happy medium. This look utilizes the best parts of a function-forward design and combines them with just enough aesthetic detail to make your interiors feel comfortable and welcoming.

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The best of both worlds: practical functionality and minimalism, with none of the starkness.

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Accessories give cozy minimalism its personality.

Create a functional base

When building a cozy minimalist look, it’s absolutely key to make functionality the star. Do this by building the room around your furniture. If you’re designing a bedroom, let the bed be the focal point without much else to distract the eye. If it’s a living area, focus your design on one main seating area. The key is to let the rest of your design elements play a supporting role to the furniture, rather than stealing attention away. In terms of which furniture you should use: borrow from a minimalist aesthetic. Focus on choosing pieces that are sleeker, without much visual weight to them. Keep it simple—you’ll have plenty of time to focus on aesthetic additions later.

Layer in some texture

Once you have the base of the room in place, shift your focus to the “cozy” part of the equation. For that, you should focus on layering design elements together. In particular, you’ll layer pieces that create a contrast with each other texturally. Doing so helps the room appear much more interesting, and also helps it feel purposefully put together The photo beside is an excellent example of layering the right way. Remember: texture refers to the way an item looks like it feels. In the photo, a woven rug, a rough wood nightstand, plush bedding, and a soft and furry blanket all intermingle, creating intriguing visual interest.

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Dont skimp on accesories

Other than texture, accessories are the best way to add interest to a cozy minimalist room. An “accessory” is considered as anything that adds aesthetic value to a room. In some cases, it can also serve some sort of functional purpose, but that’s not always necessary. Adding in accessories is all about providing variety while preserving balance. You’ll want to add in enough of these items so that the room feels intentionally designed, rather than hastily put together. However, at the same time, your space shouldn’t feel cluttered. Use your best judgment to find the happy medium between the two, and don’t be afraid to tweak your design as you go along.

Hanna Pumfrey

ESSAYS

Why minimimalism was the answer to my anxiety? As one of the most common mental health issues in the world today, anxiety is being called “the plague of our generation.” Personally, I’ve had it for years, and as I’ve slowly become more comfortable talking about it and how it affects me. In today’s world, we live under the subconscious assumption that life is a process of attainment—that getting promotions, partners, and collecting items will make us happy and secure. But this mindset makes us prone to competitiveness, feelings of insecurity, and reckless spending, which often results in a continuous cycle of anxieties and feeling as though we’ll never have “enough.”

Stuck in a cycle of “things”

Facing my fears

I decided to test out out my theory. If it was true that my stuff acted as a trigger, then it would make sense that my well-being would improve if the stuff that I surrounded myself with went away. Even better: What if the space I decided to surround myself with triggered feelings of calm and happy memories?

Once I realized that having the trendiest jacket or the most fashionable toaster (yes I thought about that) was not what I needed to make me happy, I could free my mind from the daily nagging anxiety that consumed it

Experimenting with minimalism

So I did it. I took a long hard look at everything I owned and split the items I would keep into two categories: those that served a purpose and those that had a psychological benefit. The items that triggered feelings of calmness and contentment—or memories of a time I was happy or at peace—stayed. The rest had to go. And almost immediately I felt a sense of calm. In an obvious example, I observed that the expensive handbag I bought last payday—because I knew it would make me the envy of my friends—was not actually making me happy. In fact, it was causing worry and anxiety because it wasn’t something I could really afford. I also noticed that many of the items in my home, even stuff I bought to decorate, was really just clutter. And it took adopting a minimalist lifestyle to realize all that clutter had been clouding my thoughts and, ironically, making me think about all the things I didn’t have.

Another big lesson I learned was that after I decluttered my life, I had to deal with the root of my problems. I took the time to think about what had been gnawing at me and stopping me from living in the moment; because with so few distractions around me, there was no longer a way to deflect them. When I realized that over half of my wardrobe was bought because it was cool, not because it was an item I loved or because it flattered me, it was an incredible relief.

and be present, enjoying each moment for what it was.

Strengthening my sense of self

Minimalism doesn’t have to mean living with the bare minimum; it means discovering and understanding what your legitimate wants and needs really are. In my world, minimalism means surrounding yourself only with items that serve a purpose or hold beauty. Items that have been acquired mindfully. When you remove yourself from the continuous cycle of attainment and attachment you have time to discover the activities that really soothe your mind and bring you joy. Once you start to differentiate between what is necessary and what’s not, you realize that a lot of what causes you stress and anxiety is simply putting your energy into things you don’t genuinely believe in. Eliminate what doesn’t matter and you may find that the anxiety accompanies it will dissolve, too.

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I was stuck in this cycle, and all the “things” surrounding me seemed to trigger these anxious thoughts and uncomfortable feelings. (Ever noticed how you feel much calmer in open, green spaces?) I wasn’t 100 percent sure, but I was starting to realize that some of the objects around me were visual cues causing my brain to go into overdrive. I started to resent them and I wanted to be free.

FINANCE

FINANCIAL FREEDOM

D I F F I C U LT STEPS TO

The Minimalists

GET OUT OF DEBT CREATE A SIMPLE BUDGET PLAN FOR THE FUTURE REGAIN CONTROL OF YOUR FINANCES

Money. It rips families apart, ruins marriages, and keeps people from pursuing their dreams. Money troubles inject unnecessary stress, anxiety, and arguments into our daily lives, which keeps us in perpetual discontent. We never seem to have enough, and, living paycheck to paycheck, we can’t ever get ahead.But it doesn’t have to be this way.

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We—Joshua & Ryan—know first hand. The road to financial freedom was a long trek for both us. Even though we had prestigious sixfigure careers, we struggled with money back then; and we weren’t financially free for a long time. In fact, it wasn’t until we walked away from those career’s (after devising a plan, of course) that we discovered how to get out of debt, how to eliminate unnecessary expenses, how to plan for our future, how to master our finances.

Taking control of your finances involves making repeated good decisions with the resources you have, changing your financial habits, and living deliberately.

While we all need to make money to live—and there’s certainly nothing wrong with earning a great salary—taking control of your financial life involves much more than adjusting your income upward. It involves making repeated good decisions with the resources you have, changing your financial habits, and living deliberately. A few years ago, overwhelmed by money’s rapacious tug on our lives, the two of us decided to change; we decided to take back control of our finances and our lives. These are the five steps we took, and they are the same principles we use today to ensure that we’ll never again struggle with money.

Most of us have no idea where our money is going. We think we know, but we don’t really know. This is doubly true for those of us who are married or live with a significant other. Ergo, the first step toward financial freedom is establishing a written monthly budget. Note the three key words here: written, monthly, and budget.

Categories.

Identify what’s truly necessary by identifying all of your monthly expenses based on the past six months, and then divide your expenses into three categories: Essentials, Nonessentials, and Junk. Write down every expense (food, housing, utilities, insurance, cars, gas, transportation, clothes, credit cards, phones, Internet, pets, entertainment, etc.); triple-check the list with your significant other or a friend; and then use your Essentials, Nonessentials, and Junk categories to prioritize and cut wherever you can. The stricter you are, sooner you’ll be free.

Teamwork.

Everyone in your household—even your children—must have a say in the written budget. This is the only way to get every person’s buy-in. Working together means taking from one category to fund another (e.g., extracting money from, say, your clothing budget to fund your entertainment budget) until each person is on the same page. Once everybody is on board—once everyone is committed to financial freedom—it is much easier to gain the traction you need.

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BUDGET

Adjust. You’ll have some slip-ups along the

way. That’s all right, it’s part of the process. At first, you and your family should scrutinize your written budget daily, and then eventually weekly, adjusting accordingly until your whole family is comfortable with your set monthly allocations. The first month is the most difficult, but by the third month you’ll curse yourself for wasting so much money during your budget-less days.

Safety. Shit happens, so it’s best to create a

Safety Net savings account with $500–$1000 for emergencies. Now listen: do not touch this money unless there is a true emergency (car repairs, medical bills, job loss, etc.). Your Safety Net will allow you to stay on budget even when life punches you in the face. Over time, once you’re out of debt (step 3 below), your Safety Net will grow to include several months of income. But for now, worry only about the first $500–$1000 to start, which you’ll want to keep in a separate Safety Net account to avoid temptation (more on that below).

PA Y Y O U R S E L F ( I N V E S T ) Most of us hear the word invest and we panic. Investing seems so complicated, so abstruse, so not-something-I-can-wrap-my-head-around. Well, instead of thinking of it as investing money, think of it as paying your future self. And with today’s online tools, you needn’t be overwhelmed—investing is easier than ever. Anyone can (and must) do it. Right now is the best time to start planning for your future. Whether you’re planning for retirement, wanting to start a business, saving for a home, building a larger Safety Net, or focusing on long-term wealth-building, now is the best time to begin. Not next week, not even tomorrow, today. Even if you have no money to invest, you must devise a plan to begin investing in your future self. The best way to do this is to automate your investments using an online service like Betterment, which takes the guesswork out of investing. The future won’t wait. Do it today. Even if that means 1% of your income, or even $20 a month, to start. Your future self will thank you.

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D E B T- F R E E

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Contrary to what some academics might tell you, there is no such thing as “good debt.” Let’s say that again (read it out loud): There is no such thing as good debt. True, some debt is worse than other debt, but it’s never “good.”

The truth is: you will not feel free until you are debt-free. The debtor is always slave to the lender. Besides, it’s feels pretty amazing to have no car payments, no credit-card payments, and no student-loan payments looming in the shadows of your lifestyle. Throughout our twenties we both had excessive piles of debt—more than six-figures each. It was a debilitating feeling—a complete loss of freedom. Although there are no magic bullets, the strategy we’ve seen work best is Dave Ramsey’s Total Money Makeover, a detailed, step-by-step formula that both of us used to create a detailed plan, cut-up our credit cards, and face our debts head-on.

MINIMIZE

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Of course minimalism was a key component in our own journeys toward financial freedom. By clearing the clutter from our lives, we were able to focus on eliminating debt, changing our habits, and making better decisions with fewer resources.

We also learned that by simplifying—by identifying which material possessions weren’t adding value to our lives—we were able to more quickly become debt-free by selling more than half our stuff locally (yard sales, consignment shops, flea markets) and online (eBay, Craigslist, Autotrader).

No, minimalism is not about deprivation— we don’t want anyone to “live without” in the name of minimalism—but sometimes it makes sense to temporarily deprive ourselves of ephemeral satisfactions when we are attempting to move our lives in a better direction.

Everything you own should serve a purpose or bring you joy.

The shortest path toward freedom is: appreciating what you already have. One of the best ways to find gratitude for the gifts you’ve already been given is to change your perspective.

Whatever you do to build your contribution muscle, it needn’t be grandiose; it need only contribute to someone else’s life. If you do this for a few weeks, you’ll realize that your financial problems are tiny compared to many of the problems in To do so, donate your most the world around precious asset: your time. The shortest path toward you. By discovering Bring your family to a local freedom is: appreciating the smallness of soup kitchen, foodbank, or your financial homeless shelter. Tutor what you already have. woes, you’ll feel less-privileged children empowered to take in your city. Help the massive action and elderly with groceries or beat the crap out of your relatively miniature in-home care. Work on low-income houses problems. with Habitat for Humanity. There are more resources than ever to help you contribute beyond yourself in a meaningful way; just do an Internet search for volunteer opportunities in your area.

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CONTRIBUTE

In a short period of time—two or three years— your entire life can radically transform from what it is today. All it takes is a plan (which you now have), determination (i.e., turning your shoulds into musts), and consistent action in the right direction.

CONCLUSION

SIMPLE

AIN’T EASY A

Financial freedom isn’t easy, but you knew that before reading this essay. The exciting part about these five principles is that they apply to anyone, anywhere on the socioeconomic ladder. Whether you earn minimum wage or six-figures, whether you are single or have half-a-dozen children, we have seen these principles work for thousands of individuals—because it’s not about our income level; it’s about the decisions we make with the resources we have.

You are now equipped with a recipe to make outstanding financial changes. You are obviously welcome to add your own ingredients to taste, but when it comes to true financial freedom, these five ingredients—budget, invest, eliminate debt, minimize, contribute—are nonnegotiable. All five are necessary.

Yes, you still have a considerable amount of research and planning and hard work ahead of you; but most important, you have to take action today. Diligence is paramount.

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PERSONAL FINANCE for

Side hustles

Namita Menon

If you’re a tried-and-true Millennial,

there’s a good chance you’re one of the 31% who have a side hustle. Maybe you don’t call it that—but you pick up gigs here or there, channel Sophia Amoruso, and sell your thrift store finds on Poshmark. Or just love illustrating art prints (and happen to sell them on Etsy, too).ahead.

Whatever you call it, if you’re making money on top of your primary full-time job, it’s a side hustle. And it pays: a recent survey from Bankrate shows that for side hustlers, the average monthly income is $1,122. So how are you managing it? For The Good Trade’s personal finance week, here are some tips about how to manage your finances well in the gig economy.

SET YOUR GOALS AND RATES

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What’s the minimum you’re willing to work for, and under what conditions? This is an important question to consider when you’re looking for opportunities. Think through whether your goals are purely financial (you’ll take any job that pays) or strategic (you want to have fun in addition to making money, get more “serious” about your hobby, or simply learn a new skill). Make sure you keep this in mind when you are looking for opportunities and how you set your rates.

If your goals are purely financial, you can start by referencing your current base rate at your primary job (or similar market rates, based on your experience) as a ballpark. Personally speaking, the lowest hourly rate for a side project I’ll take has to be a minimum of 1.25 times my current hourly base salary at my full-time job, in order to be worth my time. If you’re not sure what to charge (or are a newbie), it’s okay to start lower to get projects and build a repertoire of experience. Don’t forget there’s also a “price” that comes with the mental energy necessary to pursue side gigs as well, which usually cuts into your evening or weekend hours. What value would you put on your time?

“There’s also a “price” that comes with the mental energy necessary to pursue side gigs as well, which usually cuts into your evening or weekend hours.”

Most seasoned freelancers will also evaluate their rates on an annual basis—whether that’s your hourly base or refining the types of “gigs” you do. Especially if you have multiple side gigs, it’s important to think about how much income, learning, or enjoyment the work is still bringing. If your barista job at $11/ hour isn’t quite cutting it, but you’ve had an opportunity to become a private tutor for double the rate, maybe it’s time to consider switching up how much time you spend at the coffee shop. That’s just money talking: there are plenty of reasons to pursue side gigs for reasons other than money (for example, if you’ve always wanted to learn how to make latte art!), but if you have a financial goal in mind, you’ll need to be lean about how you value your time.

When you’re doing a side gig, make sure that you are equipped with the right tools in order to track not only your time, but also your expenses. There are plenty of free templates for spreadsheets, invoicing, and other tools online to help you keep an accurate log of your hours and purchases. PayPal and FreshBooks are both great options that have easy-to-follow options for invoicing clients and record keeping.

“There are plenty of free templates for spreadsheets, invoicing, and other tools online to help you keep an accurate log of your hours and purchases.”

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T R A C K Y O U R E X P E N S E S M E T I C U L O U S LY

Some financial advisors also recommend opening a separate checking account to keep track of the ins and outs of your hustle. These are not just paid invoices, but also any materials you might be using to keep your side gig afloat (co-working space rent, a new computer, desk supplies, etc.).

This clean-cut divide—plus up-to-date personal accounting—will help you later during tax season when Uncle Sam comes inevitably knocking. If you’ve been side-hustling for some while, the Form 1099-MISC for self-employed freelancers and gig economy participants alike is no stranger to you. As of 2019, if you make more than $400 net a year, you must pay self-employment taxes. On the bright side, logged expenses will also help you take advantage of tax write-offs. For example, did you know that you can write off the expense of a home office space (that you don’t also use for personal reasons) or mileage on your car that you use for business? So get friendly with the Form 1099-MISC, which employers will provide, and tax deductions.

REINVEST YOUR PROFITS

I intentionally have a tab of my budget spreadsheet titled “Creative,” where I keep track of both expenses and “wish list” items of how I want to grow my skills and side hustle next. Things on there include (finally) splurging for a DSLR camera, website maintenance fees, and registration costs for workshops or conferences I want to attend. While I don’t set a specific percentage of my income to go towards self-development (some experts recommend 3-5%), I do always make sure to keep a running list so I am aware and intentional about it!

“Instead of just thinking of your extra income as disposable income, it can be worthwhile to scale up and re-invest some of your profits into developing your skills or the business itself.”

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You probably hear the “i” word all the time from your parents or workplace HR bulletins, but when it comes to investing in your side gig, we’re not just talking Roth IRAs and 401(k) s. Rather, instead of just thinking of your extra income as disposable income, it can be worthwhile to scale up and reinvest some of your profits into developing your skills or the business itself. Attend a conference. Take an online class. Invest in some nice equipment—or even if your side hustle is peoplefacing, maybe nicer work clothes, too.

EXPLORE NEW SIDE GIGS

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The gig economy allows us not only to derive our professional growth from one job, but from many, and extend ourselves into new fields. For new moms, people with disabilities, or those who just need a change in scenery to spice things up, having a side gig can be empowering and exciting.

Depending on your financial or personal goals, there are always new croppings of side gigs you can take on. If your time allows, or your typical freelance work is experiencing a lull, try some new part-time jobs that allow you to branch out in new ways. The Uber-ization of the service economy has plenty of options you can’t knock until you try—dog walking with Wag, hosting an experience in your city with Airbnb Experiences, or the classics like tutoring and babysitting. If it’s winter time, many local retailers are also in high-demand for seasonal workers for the holiday season. What’s important is that you are mindful of your choices and finances.

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Minimalism

If you want to become a minimalist, simplify your life, or just remove some of the excess, join the scavenger hunt for aspiring minimalists. Even if you don’t want to be a minimalist or call yourself a minimalist, this is a great way to declutter, have a little fun and inspire your simplicity journey.

PLAY ALONG

S C AV E N G E R H U N T While I believe that it’s not your job to convince your friends to simplify, or get your family on board, this is one way to get everyone involved in a really fun way.

YOUR SCAVENGER HUNT ITEMS • 1 small kitchen appliance (toaster, food processor, juicer, blender – if you don’t use it, lose it) • 3 items from your closet that do not fit you • 1 item from your closet that still has tags • 20 hidden items (stuffed in your garage, shed, or another hidden storage area) • 2 coffee mugs • any candle holder that hasn’t held a candle in more than 6 months • 2 winter coats • 5 trinkets • 10 products in your bathroom that you haven’t used in more than 2 months • 2 pieces of art that you don’t like to look at or haven’t looked at in months because they aren’t on the wall

• any unopened, unexpired food in your pantry that you aren’t going to eat (donate this please) • 2 tools you haven’t used in more than a year • 1 collection of goods to support a hobby you gave up (if you stopped camping, sewing, fishing, or coin collecting … it goes) • 5 pieces from a junk drawer that you’ve been saving just in case (even though you don’t know how to use them) • 2 throw pillows that should have been thrown months ago • 10 books • 2 cookbooks • kids toys in storage • 10 mystery items (anything goes)

for kids

• 2 books you haven’t read because you aren’t interested

• 1 movie or video game

• 2 books you read already but probably won’t read again

• 1 toy you don’t play with much

• 1 shirt • 1 pair of pants • 1 of your mom’s shirts

• 1 toy you outgrew • 5 mystery items (anything goes, but it has to be yours and not your mom’s or sister’s) • 1 thing you think another child might enjoy more than you

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SCAVENGER ITEMS

• any expired food in your fridge or freezer (toss this please)

• 1 of your dad’s shirts

Sell or donate your items on your own or with a group. Have fun with the scavenger hunt and enjoy discovering the benefits of a simpler life.

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Shopping Edit

SHOP

Shop from our favourite picks this issue from sustainable brands to earth friendly necessities. We are loving all things beauty, fashion and personal care this season.

BARE NECESSITIES Bare Necessities creates zerowaste products and services. Using a metal straw instead of a disposable one makes a huge difference in initiating a zero-waste, sustainable lifestyle. Stainless steel straw skinny Rs. 170

FAE FAE Beauty is all about being Free And Equal to do with makeup what they please. They are a vegan and cruelty free beauty brand. FAE has buildable matte lipsticks that adapt to every shade of the skin . Too Basic (Everyday Dusty Rose) Rs. 800

THE SWITCH FIX The Switch Fix makes products with high-quality, responsiblysourced ingredients, plasticfree products, 100% recycled paper packaging & zero plastic shipping. Their natural body bars leave the skin feeling clean, healthy and soft. Good Ol’ Charcoal Rs. 425 for pack of 2

NICOBAR

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A super versatile and super-chic bamboo basket with lid is great to hold odds and ends, laundry or trinkets, and adds a touch of luxe design even to keeping your home organised and clean. Twilight bamboo basket Rs. 1,850

NO NASTIES

No Nasties is a ‘100% organic, 100% fair trade clothing’ brand They have a premium range of clothing for both men and women, made from unused fabric at the factories that they reclaim and repurpose. Wrap skirt: MIRA Rs. 2,699

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