Yesterday we took a look at some steps we need to adopt in order to live a more minimalist lifestyle.
So we said, set your rules for minimalism, start with a clean slate and use it or lose it.
Today we continue with a few more steps.

Organize items by category
The next step in your minimalist journey is to organize and declutter your home.
Some people like to organize everything by location. In this scenario, everything in the living area gets organized, and then everything in the kitchen, and then everything in the bedroom, etc.
But think about all the places in your house where you might keep a writing utensil. That’s where the KonMari method comes in. It’s one of the hottest cleaning, decluttering, and organizing methods out there right now, and one of the golden rules is to organize items by category, not by location.
Doing so allows you to easily get rid of the duplicates. You’ll see exactly how many spoons, towels, blenders, sunglasses, shoes, and books you have. Then you can make more educated decisions about what to keep and what to toss.

Ask yourself the hard questions
Sometimes we are too emotionally tied to our sentimental items. Minimalism forces us to let go of those emotions, and focus on functionality.

When you find yourself struggling to decide if an item should stay or should go, ask yourself these three questions:
• Is it useful?
• Is it the only one I have?
• Does it bring me joy or love?
If you answer yes to any of the above questions, then it can stay.
You wouldn’t throw away your only blender if you use it weekly, and you don’t have to toss your grandma’s old teapot. But you could throw out the second blender that you have, and don’t ever use.

Combine uses
If you’re trying to have less, then it makes sense to have items that serve more than one purpose. This is especially easy to do with kitchen utensils and appliances (like a four-in one-grater).
It can also be done with other items, such as these space-saving furniture ideas for every room in your apartment. You can also buy a duvet cover that can be used unfilled in the summertime as a light comforter, and then filled with a heavy duvet in the winter.

Minimize space
Struggling to minimize items? Minimize the space they take up instead.
Hang your paper towel roll or mugs under a cabinet. Get wire shelving to maximize space in your cabinets. This will allow you to be creative and you will be amazed at how much fun you will have doing this and how much space you will be able to save.

Bring in less
Once you’ve minimized the amount of things you own, make sure that you start to limit what you bring into your home, as well. You didn’t do all this work to be undone by a few impulsive shopping sprees.
Try removing one piece of clothing from your closet for every new item that you purchase. Set yourself a spending limit for new items each month. And be sure to cancel those magazine subscriptions that you don’t read.
By adopting a more minimalist lifestyle and applying it to your future purchases, you can actually save money.
Minimalism doesn’t have to be complicated. Make these easy changes to your lifestyle, and you’ll enjoy living with less in no time.