20 Common Things You DON’T NEED (save money, less clutter) | Minimalism & Simple Living

What would you add to a list of things you don't need? :)

I keep a physical library because the experience of reading a book is essential for me. It's a kind of self reliance as well.

Things I don’t need 1. Make up 2. Any more earrings 3. Any more perfumed until used up 4. No more handbags ( kipling for the win !!) 5. New shoes 6. Magazine subscription (I prefer kindle unlimited) 7. Impulse purchases ( that’s why I have an Amazon wishlist) 8. Useless kitchen gadgets - a knife usually does the trick 9. Beauty / nail appointment 10. Pillows/ cushions Things I’m still trying to reduce 1. Takeaways 2. Disney items when we go to Florida ( I want one of everything!!) 3. Tv - I watch way too much!

Things I don’t need: Office clothes and shoes Designer handbags Container Store items- ridiculously expensive Too many furniture

Great list! I would add bath/shower products; those can really start to accumulate. Figure out which ones you really like and stick to those.

I agree with you 100%. We don’t realize how much of those items end up in a landfill. I try to use functional items instead of dust collectors. Mugs, may be used to hold pens, toothbrushes, make up items, remote controls, etc. I use empty pasta jars for lemons,etc. they may even be used to store silverware. As far as seasonal decorations, I keep some red, white, yellow throw pillows covers which can be used through out the year. I think it’s time we all adapt and teach our children a minimalist lifestyle. We would save so much $ if we put aside as little as $5 and save it, instead of giving into impulse buying. Even at the Dollar store people tend to get arts and crafts and tons of items that would just end up in a trash bin or collecting dust. Thanks for your advise!

Ok, but I need my books. Need's maybe a strong term, but it brings me an overwhelming amount of joy to walk into a room and be greeted by a collection of my favorite books and unread ones I'm excited to read. I'm often reading about 15 books at the same time and finish about 1 a week.

This is a great list. I would add different hair gadgets. Like multiple hair straighteners, hair curlers, electric brushes etc. I fell into that trap a few times out of pure boredom and emptiness I felt inside. I spent so much money on them that I’m never gonna get back. I still keep the gadgets and use them from time to time but I know now that 1-2 gadgets like that are more than enough for hair styling. Lesson learned. And for that emptiness inside I actually needed therapy and NOT more stuff 😅. I’m so glad I’m doing that now. Therapy is one thing that‘s helping me immensely on my minimalism journey because I am slowly learning to be content with the things I already have and to also find better and healthier ways to deal with my emotions. So I’m hopeful that my „need“ for overbuying and overspending is going to lessen over time.

We dont need exercise equipment. We need to exercise in the first place 🥇

I buy the essentials & the store can keep the rest of it

Thank you for saying that you don't need special clothing to exercise in. I have friends who insist they must wear hiking gear for hiking, cycling gear for riding a bike, yoga wear for doing yoga.....NOPE, I can do all of those things wearing regular clothing. As long as I'm comfortable, why should I be buying ( and storing) clothes that only have one purpose/place to wear them? The only One-Purpose-Only-Clothing-Item I've purchased was my wedding dress.

Forget about the latest phone, it's the phone boxes I need to throw out! And omg, as a crafter, I find it so hard to throw away those neat little sturdy boxes because "they will be useful for something in the future" I need help.

I would be lost without my planner! My schedule is crazy busy. I keep myself on track with my planner 😊

I keep my Christmas decor to a minimum - just in the living room and outside on the banister and around our front door. This way is doesn't disturb my house everywhere and I don't have to store the rest of my decor and dig it out after the holiday. I do not buy or put out other decor for the other holidays or seasons, except table centerpieces and napkin holders for Thanksgiving and Easter. It just makes life easier for me. We borrow puzzles at our library and stream audio books from the library too. No more storing or buying puzzles and books. I use the questions - do I NEED this or just WANT it? Is this USEFUL or just a dust collector/space invader? Thanks for your advice. Keep at it.

something I purchased that did help with clutter- my Kindle E reader. I love it!

I love scented candles and I use them from autumn to spring. However,I stopped buying low quality ones and I made it my mission to find the candles that make my whole house smell good. I now have 5 big candles (250 grams and a 400 grams one) with 5 different scents that I love and rotate depending on the season. However,I make sure that they don’t burn for more than an hour and I always open the windows after putting them out. And then my house smells like clean air with a hint of whatever the scent I lit that day. What can I say,they bring me comfort 🙂

I loved the suggestion for books I recently decluttered my books and found so many that were o honestly no longer things I would read, yet I'd never cracked the first page. Thank you so much for sharing this list.

My husband and I have for our phones the Samsung Galaxy S9…the latest version is an S-23! Yes over 4 years old. Works ok for what we use them for. 👍🏻 When it comes to books I thrift them - certain stores only charge $1.00 for paperbacks and $2.00 for hardbacks always checking the reviews online first. I do read them and like the feel of a book in my hands rather than a Kindle or my iPad. Do you! ❤ Great post!

Your beagle is adorable playing with the yoga mat.

I usually wait until trends have ended up at the thrift store. Then I'm not so upset at myself if I don't end up liking it. It can just go back to the thrift store. So true about books I haven't read yet and am not currently reading (I start feeling guilty for not reading them!) and planners that apparently work for other people but not me.