21-Day Minimalism Challenge: Your Practical Guide To Intentional Life

Feb 18, 2024

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A minimalist lifestyle is intentionally living with fewer possessions—it’s about living more simply and focusing only on what you need and what truly matters.

In a world where we are constantly bombarded by information, ads, and the pressure to accumulate more, minimalism helps clear both our physical and mental space. Furthermore, it encourages us to pause and re-evaluate our priorities.

If you’re ready to simplify your life and focus on what truly matters, you’re in the right place.

In this post, I’m excited to share 21 practical, easy steps that will guide you on a 21-day journey toward minimalism living. Specifically, these steps are designed to help you declutter your surroundings, streamline your daily routines, and create a space that reflects your true priorities.

Whether you’re just starting out or looking to deepen your minimalist practice, this challenge offers a path to a more focused, intentional, and fulfilling life.

Before we dive into your 21 daily actions for simpler living, let’s first explore what minimalism is all about:

Owning fewer possessions: Curate only what is essential or truly valuable. Also discard unnecessary clutter and make thoughtful choices about what you keep.
Simplifying routines: Seek to simplify their daily routines and eliminate unnecessary tasks or commitments, so as to reduce stress and focus on what truly matters.
Prioritising experiences over things: Place higher value on meaningful experiences and relationships rather than accumulating material items. Thus, invest in activities and connections that enhance your life.
Living sustainably: Adopt eco-friendly practices and avoid overconsumption to reduce their impact on the environment.

In summary, it’s all about focusing on what truly matters—own less, live more, and embrace meaningful experiences while taking care of the world around you.

How can a minimalist lifestyle improve your life?

First of all, a minimalist lifestyle helps reduce clutter and stress. In our busy, consumer-driven world, having too many possessions can feel overwhelming and increase anxiety and depression.

By keeping only what is necessary, we create a calm space that lets us focus on what truly matters. Moreover, this approach saves money and supports a healthier environment, leading to better mental clarity and well-being.

If you are interested in this topic but don’t know with what to start, try these simple every day assignments to get started.

The challenge is comprised of 21 simple daily tasks that will help you simplify your home, schedule, and improve mental wellbeing.

Get rid of 1 item per day for 21 days:
Make it a daily habit to remove one item that no longer serves a purpose. Even a single object can add up over time, so eliminating one item each day gradually reduces clutter. Consequently, by the end of the challenge, you’ll see a noticeable difference in the tidiness of your space.
Try a “no spend” challenge for 3 days:
For three days, commit to not purchasing any non-essential items. This challenge helps you break the impulse to spend and highlights what you truly need. It’s a great way to reflect on your consumption habits and appreciate what you already own.
Declutter your kitchen: choose one drawer and get rid of unused or unnecessary items:
Focus on one drawer at a time to avoid feeling overwhelmed. Go through its contents and remove items you rarely use or that are simply redundant. As a result, this small step can make your kitchen more organised and efficient.
Simplify your bathroom routine by reducing the number of products you use. Choose at least one shelf and clean and organize:
Evaluate the products you use daily and keep only those that are essential. Pick a shelf, clear it out, and organise what remains, discarding any expired or unused items. Thus, this creates a cleaner, more calming bathroom space.
Try a digital detox and limit your screen time for a week:
Challenge yourself to reduce screen time over the course of a week. Use this break to engage in offline activities and reconnect with the real world. Limiting digital distractions can help improve focus and reduce stress.
Pick 1-5 things that you can donate from your home:
Identify a few items that are in good condition but no longer needed. Donating these items not only clears clutter but also benefits others who might find them useful. It’s a small act that makes a positive impact both at home and in the community.
Clear out your bookshelf and give away books you no longer need or want:
Sort through your books and separate those that you no longer feel connected to. By giving away or donating these books, you create space for new reads and share knowledge with others. Consequently, this helps keep your collection focused on what truly inspires you.
Clean your phone from apps you don’t use:
Go through your phone and uninstall apps that no longer add value to your daily routine. A streamlined digital space not only frees up memory but also reduces digital clutter. This can lead to a more focused and less distracting experience with your device.
Clean your personal email to free some space:
Take time to organize your inbox by deleting old emails and unsubscribing from newsletters you no longer read. A tidy email account makes it easier to manage communications and find important messages. Moreover, it also creates a sense of digital order and clarity.
Get rid of excess furniture and create more space in your home:
Assess your living space for any furniture that isn’t essential or rarely used. Removing extra pieces can open up your home, making it feel more spacious and inviting. This not only simplifies your environment but also improves the overall flow of your space.
Eliminate duplicates and get rid of unnecessary multiples (such as multiple sets of dishes or bedding):
Look around for items that you have in excess, such as extra dishes or bedding sets. Keeping only what you need helps reduce clutter and makes organization easier. Fewer duplicates mean a more manageable and intentional collection of belongings.
Practice single-tasking. No multitasking 🙂 One thing at once!:
Focus on one task at a time instead of juggling multiple activities simultaneously. This approach can increase your efficiency and reduce stress by allowing you to give your full attention to each task. Also, embracing single-tasking encourages mindfulness and clarity in your daily activities.
Say no to something:
Make a conscious effort to decline one commitment or request that doesn’t align with your priorities. Saying no helps safeguard your time and energy for the things that truly matter. This small act can lead to a more balanced and intentional life.
Get rid of old or expired items in your fridge and pantry:
Clean out your kitchen by discarding expired or stale items from your fridge and pantry. This habit not only ensures food safety but also reduces waste. An organized pantry makes meal planning and cooking a more pleasant experience.
Turn off non-essential notifications:
Review your phone and computer settings to disable notifications that aren’t critical. This helps minimize interruptions and creates a calmer digital environment. Fewer distractions allow you to focus on what’s important and reduce stress.
Write tomorrow’s to-do list before going to sleep:
Spend a few minutes each night outlining your priorities and tasks for the next day. This simple practice can clear your mind and set a positive tone for the morning. Knowing your plan ahead helps reduce anxiety and improves productivity.
Get rid of unused or broken electronics and appliances:
Go through your home and identify any gadgets or appliances that no longer work or are never used. Removing these items frees up space and can even lead to recycling or donating items that might still hold value. It’s a practical step toward maintaining a clutter-free home.
Spend 10 minutes unsubscribing from emails:
Dedicate a short period to unsubscribing from email lists that no longer interest you. This small investment of time reduces digital clutter and simplifies your communication channels. A cleaner inbox helps you focus on the emails that truly matter.
Choose one living room drawer and clean it, sort it and throw away old stuff:
Select a single drawer in your living room to organize and declutter. First, empty it completely; next, sort through its contents; and finally, discard anything that’s outdated or unnecessary. As a result, this focused effort can lead to a more organized and stress-free living area.
Create a habit to put back things once you take them (e.g., your toothbrush after washing your teeth, outdoor clothes back in the closet after coming home):
Develop a simple routine of returning items to their designated place after use. This habit prevents clutter from building up and keeps your space orderly. Consistency in tidying up makes maintaining a minimalist environment much easier.
Get rid of sentimental items that no longer serve a purpose in your life:
Carefully review sentimental belongings and consider letting go of those that no longer hold significant meaning. While these items may remind you of cherished memories, keeping only the most meaningful pieces can help reduce clutter. It’s a way to honor the past without being burdened by it.

Each task is designed to gradually simplify your life, making space for what truly matters.

These challenges are just a few examples, but there are many other ways you can incorporate minimalism into your life.

Ultimately, whether or not a minimalist lifestyle is right for you will depend on your personal values, goals, and preferences. However, for many people, living with less can be a powerful way to simplify their lives, reduce stress, and create more time and space.

Download the schedule below and enjoy the journey.