I tried minimalism for a week

I love recommending what I call healthy habits “test drives.” They are short commitments, of typically a week, which make them easier to stick to. At the end of the test period, you get to decide how much, or if any, of the healthy habit you want to work into your lifestyle. You’ll be making these decisions with the benefit of actual experience and not doing it because I or someone else say it’s good for you.

Way to be your own guru!

You decide what to take from the experience and how much. That’s just what this BuzzFeed host did after she tried minimalism for a week. The insights she had during her experiment made it easy for her to decide what changes she wanted to keep.

So, if you’re trying and failing to get onboard with a healthy habit like drinking more water or to start a monthly saving plan, try doing “test drives.” Practice for a period long enough for you to experience benefits and short enough for you to stick to.

Dealing with less stuff!

Minimalism is not necessarily for everyone but if you’re feeling overwhelmed because you have too much stuff, it’s worth checking out. Others find that it’s easier to go through life with less stuff—emotional and otherwise. Plus, with less stuff, we tend to get more done.

Try it for a week

Try living with your at least two of your main rooms stripped down, typically that’s bath or kitchen and the living area. Some people report that they felt lighter in rooms with less stuff. Others appreciate that it makes housekeeping easier. Minimalism has also been shown to reduce stress. I personally felt like it upgraded my home and brought more style to it. For all the possible benefits, I believe it’s worth trying out for at least a week.

Minimalism is also used as a productivity tool to help procrastinators manage resistance. As with any habit, you have to figure out for yourself, how to use it to best benefit you.

A week is all it takes to help you decide if minimalism is right for you, and how much.