Minimalist Living at University

Minimalist Living at University

As a university student, minimalism may be attractive to you for several reasons. Firstly, it means you’ll spend less, especially on things you don’t really need. Secondly, a less-cluttered space makes it easier to find what you’re looking for. Finally, a minimalist space is often better for your mental health. There are fewer distractions, allowing you to focus better, and the items you do have mean more to you, bringing you joy. Here are a few things to do if you want to experiment with minimalism at university.

1. Get Rid of Items Before You Leave Home

Start preparing for your minimalist lifestyle before you move into your new apartment. Think about every item you currently own and decide if it has any value (practical or sentimental). Dispose of or donate anything that doesn’t. You’ll find this makes packing much easier!

2. Share Items with Roommates

Even if you’ve never met your roommates, it’s best to coordinate with them before you move in to avoid bringing multiples of basic household items. For instance, one person could bring a coffee maker, another a vacuum, and another a coat rack.

3. Borrow Electronics

Instead of purchasing things like a printer, find out if you can use the equipment on your campus library. If cost is your main concern, ask your school if it’s possible to rent a laptop.

4. Put Every Item in Its Place

Minimalism is about more than having only a few things: it also means keeping a tidy living space. To achieve this, you’ll need to assign every item a spot in your apartment and make sure you always put it back where it belongs.

5. Change How You Think About Purchases

You’ll quickly revert to your old ways if you fail to change your mindset. It can be tempting to browse online stores in your free time and add items you don’t actually need to your cart. Plus, you may see a friend with a new gadget or accessory that you’d love to have yourself. In these situations, remind yourself that you’re trying to live with less.

6. Constantly Reassess Your Belongings

While purging your collection of belongings is a good start, it can’t be a one-and-done activity. You’ll find that you quickly accumulate items without intending to if you don’t frequently reassess what you own. Make it part of your routine to periodically go through everything you have and decide what you actually want to keep.

7. Swap Your Clothing

Instead of growing your wardrobe every season, donate any clothing you’re unlikely to wear again to your local thrift store. Alternatively, organize clothing swaps with other students who are interested in pursuing a minimalist lifestyle.

8. Feel Free to Give Up on Minimalism

If you try minimalism for a few months and decide it’s not for you, that’s fine! Some people simply feel more comfortable having more things. It may be that you like having personal items to express who you are, you find it hard to part with belongings, or you just like keeping up with the latest trends. It’s worth giving minimalism a shot — but it’s also fine to give up. Whatever the case, you’ll have learned something about yourself.

It’s difficult to practice minimalism when you’re living on campus, since you’ll need to combine your own style with that of your roommate. If you’d prefer to have full control over your living space, a better option is to search for rooms for rent. Oshawa students have 17Hundred. Our student housing is fully equipped with everything you need, but without unnecessary extras cluttering up the rooms. Check out our photo gallery to start imagining how you could turn a suite into the perfect minimalist living space.