I talk a lot about how minimalism is addictive because it’s so true! Every week I read posts in my Facebook group from women who are experiencing the crazy freedom simplifying brings and they can’t stop.

You gain this incredible momentum and it leaks into every area of your life. For me, it started with purging the kids’ toys, then I moved into the kitchen, then our clothes, then the closets and linens, then the drawers and cabinets, then my house was done and I found myself living more minimally with my calendar and schedule, and my relationships, and my eating habits. It’s crazy how this catches you and changed your entire life, all because you were tired of the clutter.

Often, I get this question from newbies who are trying to figure out if this lifestyle of less is right for them.

“How does minimalism apply to the rest of your life outside of your home?”

Ohhh mama. I can’t wait to tell you about this. Today’s Minimalism Basics post is all about how minimalism helps you in areas other than your household clutter. Let’s do it.

Your calendar

Applying minimalism to my calendar has probably been the biggest game changer outside of the kids’ toys and laundry. When you learn to think minimally about what’s taking up space in your house, it becomes habit. I started thinking minimally about what I was putting on my calendar soon after I’d purged my house. I’d get asked if I could make it to some event and go to put it on my iPhone calendar app and think “wait… do I want to go to this? Really?” It was liberating.

To implement minimalism to your calendar, ask yourself a few key questions.

1. Why am I thinking of attending this? (is it out of obligation or guilt?)

2. Is this a good use of my time with or away from my family?

3. Does this event line up with my purpose in life?

By getting real with yourself before you say yes to something, you’re forcing yourself to evaluate whether or not this event is worth your limited time. How we spend our days ends up being how we spent our lives, so this stuff matters.

Your relationships

Think about the people in your life. Are any of them toxic to you? Why are you allowing them in? Because they’re related to you? Because you feel obligated to tolerate them?

There is a huge difference between being forced to have someone in your life (because of family ties, etc) and allowing them to take something from you. Put up boundaries where you need to. Is there someone who sucks the life out of you and harms you emotionally to the point where you feel anxious, upset, or super down after spending time with them? You need boundaries. I want you to understand that this is your one and only life! Be a kind person, but don’t be a doormat. Pick up this book and make reading it your priority, then get minimal about the toxic relationships in your life.

• Do you need this relationship?
• How can you put up boundaries around yourself with this person?
• What is this relationship adding to or taking from your life?

Set up boundaries for a life you love living, and don’t let another person steal your joy.

Your health and fitness

The weight loss industry generates $20 billion a year in the US, mostly from diet books. There are approximately 108 million dieters in the United States right now.

I believe losing weight and getting healthy have been way over-complicated. I know that if I want to be smaller, I need to cut out my Taco Bell runs during late night writing sessions. But honestly, I love me a chalupa.

Eat clean, get moving, be healthy. It’s as simple as that unless you have a serious health issue, which I guarantee 108 million people in my country alone, do not.

You can absolutely implement minimalism in your health and fitness routine. This is why I don’t share meal plans and cooking routines on my blog (it’s not just because I hate cooking). I don’t have any of that stuff. I just go to the store and buy healthy foods that fit a clean eating/Paleo lifestyle, and prepare it, then eat it with my family. I don’t spend an hour a week writing out what we will eat, we don’t get sick of the food we eat. We just make basic dinners and rotate them based on what sounds good that night. That’s it.

Clear the mental clutter of which foods should be eaten with which other types of foods and when is it the best time to workout and what kinds of arm workouts are best for this kind of arm fat. Just shush. Buy healthy food at the store, pair a little meat (if that’s your thang) with a ton of veggies and maybe a little healthy starch. Get moving at least once a day, try not to sit much, and drink water. There you have it.

Minimalism is so much more than an uncluttered house. It’s an intentional life without extra crap sucking up all your time, and that absolutely applies to other areas of your life. What starts with the physical clutter in your space leaks into the emotional, mental, and relational clutter that you didn’t even realize was bearing down on you with such a heavy force. 

Take the philosophy of less and run with it! See where it takes you 😉

What areas of your life other than your home have you implemented minimalism? Share in the comments!

Wanna cut the chaos and do this thing for real? My course will walk you through every room, every area of your overwhelming house. Let me take the guess work out of decluttering for you and help you come out on the other side- a life of LESS so you can live MORE.