Even though the ‘new year, new me’ mantra is a bit of a cliché I can’t help but feeling there’s new energy and motivation at the beginning of a new year. Most of us have had a nice relaxing break over Christmas, and you’ve toasted a happy new year with your friends.
I don’t change my life around on the 1st of January and I normally don’t set myself new year’s resolutions but more often than not I will have some sort of idea of what I want to achieve in the new year. In the last few years this idea has mainly reflected the kind of person I want to be, what I want to spend my time doing, and what kind of citizen I want to be in this world. And this has led me to living a more sustainable, conscious and minimalist lifestyle, which in turn has led me to feeling more content as well as more determined of how I want to lead my life. And it led me to start writing this blog – to have an outlet for my research and thoughts, and to hopefully inspire others to make more conscious decisions.
If you’re thinking that 2017 might be the year to start being a bit more conscious with what you buy/eat/do but not sure where to start, then the below may send you in the right direction.
Declutter. Start the year with a bit of a stock take and a clear out of things you don’t want anymore or haven’t used in ages. You can donate, recycle or throw away (if they can’t be fixed or re-used), and it might take a while but start by clearing out one thing per day or a few things each week. Eventually you’ll be left with things you love and things that are useful, and you’ll be on the path towards minimalism heaven.
Buy less but better. Once you have decluttered it’ll then be easier to be more conscious of the things you buy. Instead of getting stressed about buying the latest of everything, take a step back and look at what you’ve got already and what you actually need. And when you do buy something, take the time to find things that you really want, that are beautiful, and that will last for a long time. Maybe spend a bit more on each product than you normally would, but buying less and of better quality means you’ll save money in the long run.
Don’t buy new things. Looking after your things, and fixing them when they break is one way of decreasing the amount of new things you need to buy. And even when you do buy things, they don’t always have to be brand new. Vintage shops and local charity shops are good places to start, or you could attend a clothes swapping event, or even organise one yourself with colleagues or friends. Swapping clothes with friends or giving them clothes you don’t want anymore is the best way to clear out your wardrobe as donations sometimes end up wasted and textile recycling isn’t quite as developed as we would like. Essentially we need to buy less as we can’t just rely on recycling.
Ask who made it. Being more conscious of where things are made, and by whom, is key to be able to make more ethical choices. Ask questions. Has it been made locally? Who made it? Were they paid properly? When it comes to fashion, join Fashion Revolution and ask Who Made My Clothes?
Ask what it’s made of. Look for certified organic cotton when buying clothes, or check whether your beauty products have been approved by the Soil Association. In the textile industry there’s loads of exciting new developments with new types of more sustainable fabric, and skincare is going for a more natural look, so check labels and read on the back of bottles to be better informed. This is something I’m excited about for 2017 – learning more about what things are made of, especially the products we put straight on to our skin, so I guess that’s a new year’s resolution for me.
Take little steps. Changing your life and all your habits over night is never going to happen, and it probably shouldn’t. It’s healthy to take your time to adjust and to figure out what kind of lifestyle you want, as you’re then more likely to stick to it for longer. But set yourself some goals/motivational pointers, like, no new clothing purchases for three months, or to only buy ethical birthday presents this year, or to do Meatless Mondays.
Take your time. Don’t stress about it and don’t compare yourself to others. And don’t pressure yourself to do things you don’t want or get rid of things you love. Finding your own way of being more conscious is key so do let it take the time it takes. Maybe spend a few cold winter evenings reading up on minimalism, or do some research into ethical brands and start there. The more you know the easier it’ll be and you’ll feel more empowered, even if you’re just taking little steps at a time.