In the past few years I’ve been trying to live a more minimalist life, and it isn’t just because my apartment is tiny. Starting a handmade business made me think a lot more about the things that I do and don’t buy, and the businesses I support.

What is minimalism?

I’m not talking about the art movement (though it’s pretty cool too), but about a way of living. Minimalism is all about less but better, quality over quantity. It’s about choosing that one thing that you really love, instead of five that you kind of like. While that one thing may often cost more than the what you would normally spend, it’s worth it.

How does Fitzy embody minimalism?

1. Quality Materials
2. Durable Products
3. Timeless Design
4. Local Suppliers

For Fitzy minimalism means making simple high quality products that will stand the test of time. I want the products you buy from us to last a really long time, and for you to love them for a really long time. I try to use the highest quality materials possible, purchased from ethical supplies who operate as locally as possible.

How do I live minimally in my own life?

1. Buy Less
2. Buy Better
3. Edit, Edit, Edit
4. Appreciate What I Have
5. Buy Ethically
6. Shop Locally
7. Shop Small

I try very hard to only buy clothing, and household items that I truly love. I’m also always editing my possessions. I frequently go through my closet, and get rid of anything I don’t wear, don’t love, doesn’t fit properly etc. and the same goes for my household items. Currently I run Fitzy out of my tiny home, so I can’t afford to fill my space up with too much stuff. I try to shop as locally as possible, from other small businesses.

Minimalism can certainly seem expensive at times, though these days I actually prefer to pay more for things. I feel badly when I think something costs too little. I think about what the price of an item means. How much was the person who made it paid? If something seems too good to be true, it probably is. Who ended up losing money so that this thing could be so cheap? I certainly get that everyone is on a budget, and not everyone can afford to pay what things are worth. I’m on a tight budget too, and my new purchasing philosophy means that I simply just don’t go shopping as much as I used to, and I love shopping.

This is to say that from time to time I don’t buy a shirt from H&M, but it happens a whole lot less than it used to. Less but better is a goal that I always working towards, and I’m certainly not perfect. Shopping is a very culturally loaded activity, it can be social and emotional, it’s not always about buying new socks because your current ones have holes. For me it was (and sometimes still is) an impulsive activity. Feeling crappy? Buy a new dress, and then feel better. Cheap disposable fashion lends itself well to shopping as an impulsive activity because it costs less. You probably don’t have to save up for a few months to buy a new dress from H&M, but you probably do have to save up to buy a dress that was made in your hometown. Minimalism forces me to make more mindful decisions about what I buy, and plan them in advance.

What do I love about minimalism?

1. It Clears My Head
2. Less Visual Clutter
3. More Space at Home
4. I Love the Things I Have
5. I Can Buy Expensive Things Because I Buy Less

There are so many different ways to employ minimalism in your life besides the way you shop. That’s just the way that I, as a maker and small business owner, approach minimalism in my own life. So what you do you think about minimalism? What’s one way you use “less but better” in your own life?