For the last few months, I have been adopting various minimalist habits in order to live a simpler, clutter-free life. The new documentary from The Minimalists was just released this month on Netflix, so I thought it was a good time to share 10 items that I CAN’T live without!
These are all things that I brought to my life with intention, and that are purchases I am very happy to have made! Everyone’s list will obviously look different, but I thought this would be interested to create and read :) I hope you enjoy it!
My Kindle Paperwhite
The very first thing that popped into my head when I thought of this idea was my kindle. I obviously can’t put a bunch of books on this list, so my Kindle is the next best thing! It is one of the best purchases I made in 2020 (and just my life in general). I’ve gotten a lot of e-ARCs from publishers over the 5 years I’ve been blogging. How did I read all of them? On my phone. It was not a fun time. My eyes would always hurt and I would get distracted by notifications, and it was just uncomfortable.
Not only does my Kindle solve all of those issues, but it also means I don’t have to own as many books. I have been unhauling lots of books over the last few months because all I want in my collection is books I absolutely adore. If someone were to look at my shelves, I want them to see an accurate representation of my reading tastes, which means I no longer want to keep books I think are just mediocre. The Kindle allows me to read a lot of books while also making sure I don’t accumulate too many in my physical space.
Scrivener
As a writer, my greatest investment so far has been this program. Scrivener is an amazing tool that allows you to organize your novel into different files, allowing you to easily switch between chapters, notes, character outlines, and more. It really ensures that none of your writing gets lost, and everything is easy to locate when you need it.
There are tons of YouTube videos online about how it works, so if this interests you, I highly recommend looking into it. You can even get a discount if you win NaNoWriMo!
Spotify
I have to admit, I’m not a huge music fan. I have a few favorite artists who I play on repeat, and I listen to music in the shower and while doing work. But what I love about Spotify is just how much it offers! With my student plan, I get Spotify and Hulu every month for the equivalent of a cup of coffee from Starbucks.
Not only can I play music, I can also listen to podcasts and audiobooks from this one application! It is amazing. I also love that you can create playlists with friends. Sorry to any Apple Music users, Spotify is just the superior choice!
Macbook Pro
I’ve owned a Macbook since 2014. Before that, I used various Windows computers, but none of them even compared to this Apple product. That laptop lasted me SEVEN YEARS! Unfortunately, it finally died on my over the summer, and I had to purchase a new one. But that laptop survived iced-tea spills, a couple of falls, and hundreds of travels.
This computer has just never failed me, and I don’t see myself ever switching to another brand again.
Journal
I’m not too picky about this, but I can’t live without a journal of some kind. I need to have one with me almost at all times, and I usually have multiple ones for different things. As I began a minimalist lifestyle, I really narrowed down my collection of notebooks, but I still own more than an average human. I will never tire of pen and paper. I think it’s so great for getting your thoughts sorted out, and there’s something so comforting about writing in a journal.
Candles
I’m pretty surprised that this has made it onto my list, if I’m being honest. It wasn’t until a few months ago that I began really loving candles. I’ve always owned them, I’ve always used them, but it was more of a sporadic thing for me. But around October, I began lighting one every single day, and it became a soothing way to end my day. When I light a candle, it signals to my body that it’s time to rewind and get ready for bed. I’ll light one and then read a book or watch a movie for a couple of hours, and it makes me so happy.
Moisturizer
I have very oily skin, but moisturizer is still so so important. I can’t believe that I didn’t have a set skincare routine in high school, and then wondered why my skin was always really off balance. I can’t go a single day without doing my skincare routine, and the moisturizer is by far my favorite part. My skin is happy, and therefore I’m happy!
Carmex
This is the best chapstick I’ve ever used. I discovered it about 4 or 5 years ago, but since then, I’ve never used anything else. I’ve gone through at least 15 tubes of this thing because it’s just that good!
Bananas
I thought long and hard about what food I would not be able to live without, and I have finally come to the conclusion that I need bananas in my life more than any other fruit, vegetable, grain, or other food. I put bananas in my oatmeal, on my toast, in my smoothies and protein shakes. I make pancakes out of them, and the most phenomenal bread, and I eat them just as they are for a snack or pre-run meal.
I always have way too many bananas in my house, and I don’t see that ever changing.
Iced Coffee
The final item that I can’t live without is iced coffee. Are you surprised? This is an addiction that started surprisingly late for me. It wasn’t until my freshman year of college that I started drinking it, and even then it wasn’t regular for me until sophomore year. But now I have at least one cup a day, if not more. I don’t even drink it for the caffeine, I just really love the taste.
I’ve tried cutting back on my consumption quite a few times, but I always come back to it at the end of the day. It’s just so dang good.
What’s the number one item you can’t live without? Is there anything on my list that you would put on your list, too? I’d love to hear what it is!