My #1 Practical Tip for Becoming a Minimalist

I’ve written before about the day I first realized minimalism might be something that worked for me. Before that experience, I felt that the minimalist lifestyle was too stark and too prescriptive for my life. What I’ve since learned is that minimalism is a highly personal thing. My version of minimalism might feel like way too much for some and not nearly enough for others.

For me, minimalism looks like a mantel with only four items on it. It looks like wearing black pants and an Express Portofino shirt to work 90% of the time. For me, it’s about minimizing the number of decisions I have to make in a day. It’s about being a mindful, responsible consumer.

It’s about avoiding Target.

There it is, folks. My #1 practical tip for being a minimalist is avoiding Target.

Maybe Target isn’t your kryptonite. Maybe it’s Nordstrom or Home Goods or heck, maybe it’s even a place like Home Depot. What I’m saying, however, is to know your weakness. For me, it’s the unplanned trip to Target.

Last weekend, I realized we were low on the face scrub that both my husband and I use. It was a Sunday morning. Our son was napping and our daughter was playing happily with my husband, so I decided to run to Target to get more.

I went there for face scrub. I literally walked out with almost $400 worth of stuff. I got a few things from the Dollar Spot, a candle, three wall frames, three items from the Universal Thread line, frozen mac & cheese, diapers, laundry detergent, curtains, a shelf, a stuffed swan to hang over my daughter’s bed, and other things I’ve already forgotten.

Know what I didn’t get? Face scrub. I am not joking.

As I was walking around, I laughed to myself because I was a walking stereotype – the mom in leggings, pushing an overflowing cart while drinking an iced coffee. I felt wonderful because it was just so nice to be out of the house by myself, but as the trip wore on, I started feeling other things.

Overwhelm, because there’s just so much stuff there.

Frustration at how heavy the cart was.

And finally, guilt. The money I spent could easily go further just about anywhere else. By the time I got home, I felt awful. I made the trip on a whim and literally paid the price.

What made it more annoying is that I KNOW BETTER. I have a history of overspending at Target. Even when I go there with the best of intentions (I’ll only get the items on my list, I’ll only stay in there 15 minutes max) I leave with more than planned. That’s why avoiding Target is the easiest way enable minimalism in my life.

When I’m mindful about shopping, I take my time deciding on a purchase and do what I can to avoid going into Target. If I want a new pair of earrings, there’s a cute local boutique that carries jewelry; I could go there instead. New clothes? I feel good when I buy from Everlane and the clothes last forever. Food? I try to stick to Kroger so I’m not tempted by non-food items.

If you’re considering minimalism for yourself, think about your weak spots. Do you struggle at Target too? Is it another store? Do what you can to avoid setting foot inside. Maybe it’s online shopping is where you find yourself spending money and accumulating stuff. I had trouble with that at one point too; unsubscribing from all sales emails made a huge difference. Without those store names in my face all the time, they tended to fade away.

As for me, I’ve identified about $100 worth of stuff from that Target trip that’s going back. The rest of the items are staying and I’ve hereby banned myself from Target for the foreseeable future. My house is far from spare. I have more than anyone needs, something for which I’m grateful every day. And I’ll be reminding myself of that the next time I’m in the car and I see that glorious red and white bullseye up ahead.

I’ll whisper “I have enough” and I’ll drive right by.