As a senior my high school requires me to do a 'Senior Inquiry Project.' We get to pick anything to research and create a project on for the entirety of our senior year. At first thought it seemed like the easiest project ever, then I realized how broad it actually was and began to panic. There were so many things I could choose from, I don’t want to have any regrets. Naturally I procrastinated my topic decision until the very last minute and even changed it within a day. I came across my final idea while perusing through Pinterest- while procrastinating this very idea believe it or not- and decided to do it on minimalism.

Initially minimalism seemed like a great topic to choose. I mean I can do an entire project based on how to clean my room. Minimalism, however, is not as simple as it seems. It takes a lot of belief on your part, and you have to be comfortable with getting rid of a lot of your things. Minimalism can be different for everyone, so for my purpose I decided to pursue it in the most minimalist of forms.

The motto of minimalism is: less equals more. It leads to a sense of purpose and freedom from anything holding you back. Henry David Thoreau and Gandhi are two of the pegged “creators” of minimalism, yet there is really no formal creator. Minimalism is one of those millennial movements that take shape in generations of young adults. We live in a society that values owning things over making memories, minimalism puts those values back in their true place.

I started out by cleaning my room. Once I managed to get everything off the floor, I moved to my closet. A good rule of thumb of really cleaning out your closet is if you haven’t worn it in a year, get rid of it (unless you are keeping it for sentimental reasons). I also asked myself the question, if I were shopping right now, would I still buy this? If the answer was no, I got rid of it. Then I established a rule of whenever I buy something new, something old has to go out. I got rid of two trash bags full of clothing and repeated the process with my shoes. I inspired my sister to do the same though she has no idea I did it for a project. My parents have even caught on as my dad got the cleaning bug a few days back and we cleared our kitchen counters for the first time in years.

As you can see, I can’t exactly call myself a minimalist, I haven’t done the 100 Thing Challenge or started my own minimalist blog, but I have slowly become happier. Without so much clutter in my room, it has been much easier for me to relax and feel content. I believe minimalism can do so much more, and can’t wait to continue exploring how I can apply it to other aspects of my life. My advice to keep those New Year’s Resolutions on track is to keep it simple. If you wish to join me in taking on a minimalist lifestyle, start with cleaning out your room. Then create white space in other areas of your home. Set goals and let others know about them (this goes for any resolution); make sure you are held accountable for what you want to achieve. I hope 2017 brings the transformation you’re looking for and remember to, “Simplify, simplify,” Henry David Thoreau.