Tips For Experimenting With Minimalism Without Fully Committing

Maybe you've heard about the minimalist movement -- the lifestyle in which you give up all possessions except those you really need. Some minimalists own just 100 or 150 things, while others simply live without clutter. If you're interested in trying minimalism but are not quite sure whether it will work for you, there are ways to experiment with this type of lifestyle without fully committing and throwing away all of your stuff. Here are some ideas to get you started.

Rent a storage unit.

Rent out a storage unit, and spend a weekend going through all of your things. Put everything you don't absolutely need into the storage unit. This way, the items will be out of your life, but if you go back on your decision and decide you do want or need them after all, you can just pull them out of storage.

If you decide to go this route, give yourself a few weeks to adapt before deciding whether or not minimalism is for you. After three months or so -- if you don't find yourself wanting your things back -- you can donate or sell them.

Start with one room.

Another option is to start playing around with minimalism in just one or two rooms to see how you like it. For instance, you could start in the kitchen. Get rid of all of your gadgets and all of your extra pans. See how you like getting creative and cooking with just a basic set of knives, a bowl or two, and a two or three pots and pans. If you decide that kitchen minimalism suits you, then you can move forward to experiment with minimalism in other aspects of your life such as in the bedroom and bathroom.

Take a minimalist trip.

A third option is to travel with minimalist gear and see how you like it. Either you'll return home and instantly be inspired to get rid of your things and continue on with minimalism -- or you'll be so thankful for your items when you return home that you realize you never want to give them up.

Pack just one or two changes of clothes, basic hygiene items (no extra makeup or cosmetics), and your technology into a backpack, and spend a week in a destination of your choice. Force yourself to make do with what you have, and go from there. If you enjoy minimalism on the road, you'll probably enjoy it at home, too.