We all know that living in college comes with many challenges, but the biggest challenge of all is finding the right balance between work and play. One way to improve your coliving experience as a student is to embrace minimalism and pare down on nonessential objects and activities.
In this ultimate guide to simple living as a student, I will explain how to maximize your coliving experience by embracing minimalism. From getting in touch with intentional living, living expenses, decluttering common spaces in your coliving home, to selecting furniture that meets your goals for daily productivity and relaxation, this article covers it all!
Why should you practice minimalism while living in college? Those who adopt this lifestyle report improved mental clarity, reduced stress levels, better financial independence, an improved relationship with their roommates and better academic performance!
What is Minimalism?
Not everyone is familiar with minimalism and we understand that. In case you too, our dear reader, are not familiar with the concept of minimalism, then here is a definition for you.
Minimalism is simply living with few possessions and only what you need. It's a lifestyle of focusing on your most valued items, experiences, and relationships while disregarding the rest.
By purging your home of all that is unessential, you create a sanctuary — one where meaningful conversations take place, where peace prevails, and where creativity flourishes! and for college students, that is definitely helpful!
As a bonus your standard of living becomes a lot more sustainable and stress-free for you!
Paradoxically, by having fewer things to choose from each day, much stress is released. Your choices become simpler because you have fewer objects or commitments to sort through in any given moment.
You will find yourself less inclined towards impulsive purchases and more likely to come up with creative solutions since there's more room to think with less stuff around. As an added bonus, you will save money that can be used for other purposes.
Why is Minimalism Helpful to College Students
When you’re a student in coliving, or even if it is just a studio apartment, minimalism can help you make the most of your college experience. Minimalism is an effective way to maximize the experience and make sure you have enough room for all the things that are important.
Who wouldn't love that?
As a student, having only essential items with you encourages more creativity as well as ensures that you don’t feel too cluttered in your living space. You may discover unexpected solutions or new ideas when working with limited resources.
Minimalism allows students to focus and prioritize the important items instead of getting overwhelmed with too much stuff. It also gives them less to worry about by transforming managing their possessions into maintenance-free lifestyle and raising their standard of living in general.
Also, constantly living within a ‘minimalist mindset' teaches students how to better manage their finances while they are at college as well as instils discipline when it comes to resisting impulse buys without putting too much thought into it.
The Benefits of Minimalism
Decisions made easy
Living with minimalism is easier said than done. It takes discipline to stick to your decisions and follow through.
That's why it's important to make decisions ahead of time which will help you stay on track and accomplish your goals.
Making decisions in advance allows you to focus on what matters most and let go of distractions that waste your time and energy. Once a decision has been made, there is no need for further deliberation since the answer is already known!
Minimalist living encourages taking responsibility for our choices, as well as streamlining them in an organized way so that each day brings more clarity rather than more clutter. So start by making clear cut decisions, then enjoy the freedom to take simple actions without having to wade through indecision.
Not as much clutter to clean
When you live minimally, there's far less clutter in your living space. This has the pleasant side-effect of making it easier to keep the place clean because there are less items that require cleaning.
Less items also mean that you'll need fewer cleaning supplies and tools to do your chores. That will save you both time and money so you can redirect those savings into other areas of your life!
So, not only does having less stuff make it easier to clean, but it also keeps your room feeling brighter and more airy with plenty of open space. It's much easier to get motivated to clean your coliving room if it looks stylish, organized and smells fresh from being recently cleaned.
Finally, with a minimalistic lifestyle, the little amount of items that do need regular care becomes much easier to manage on a weekly basis. When there are a lot fewer things lying around, cleaning them up is a breeze!
Minimalism is college budget friendly
One of the biggest advantages of minimalism is that it's college budget friendly. You don't have to buy a ton of stuff to live comfortably and start your coliving experience.
In fact, it can be the smartest way to make ends meet during those lean college years when budgets are tight.
By opting for quality and investing in fewer items for your place, you can save money and create a comfortable living space with less clutter.
This also extends to daily choices; when you adopt minimalism, it forces you to choose what's important and prioritize what matters most instead of buying things impulsively or without thought.
This way, you'll get more out of life by decluttering physical spaces and reducing emotional baggage, leaving you healthier (financially and mentally) during coliving!
In other words, this eliminates any additional cost that you can save put into your cost of rent for example!
Blooming mental state
Living a minimalistic lifestyle is a great way to maximize your coliving experience as a student. Once you declutter, Marie Kondo style and get rid of all the extra stuff, you'll start to notice a blooming mental state.
When physical space is simplified, suddenly there's more energy available to pursue your dreams. Plus, since minimalism encourages you to get rid of distractions, you tend to have a greater focus on what really matters.
This kind of simplicity creates time for nurturing relationships with housemates, exploring social networks outside of your coliving space, and bearing witness to new cultures and experiences.
Overall, learning how to live minimally can be immensely rewarding in terms of self-growth which will ultimately bring lightheartedness and joy into your living experience as a student.
How to be minimalist as a college student
Go on a search for free-use technology
As a coliving student, you might be on the hunt for cool technology to help make your life easier. One great way to save money on tech is to search for free-use or open-source technology.
Open-source technology is software that users create and share with anyone who wants to use it. It's often bug tested, regularly updated, and heavily supported by a passionate community of developers.
You'll find masses of open-source tech in many different industries including web design, content management systems, code libraries, programming languages and graphics tools. Additionally, lots of cutting-edge online tools are also available which do not require a download or installation!
What’s even better? They’re free! All you need to do is search around the internet, start exploring forums, and get creative with what you can find outside the tech stores.
Thrifting is your best friend
Thrifting is your best friend while living in a coliving situation. Not only is it an easy way to find unique furniture and decorations, but it will also save you tons of money, so it can save you a lot of those living expenses that you don't need to spend all that money on!
The best part about thrifting furniture for a coliving home is that the options available are practically limitless. From vintage chairs and couches to funky side tables, you'll be able to customize all of your roommates' spaces with remarkable pieces!
It's important to remember that everything can have a second life as long as you have the creativity and skill set to make it work. Don't hesitate to search for treasures at thrift stores — your effort will be well worth the savings!
Additionally, when it comes time to upgrade from your coliving digs or move out, you won't have to worry about selling off expensive furniture — just take what you bought used with you!
Bike or Bus to get around
Biking or taking the bus may not be the most glamorous way to get around, especially if you were trying to look cool in front of your college friends, but for a minimalistic student, it's often a great option. The cost of gas and car insurance can really add up, so taking public transportation or cycling is a wise investment.
Plus, biking or taking the bus to school likely means saving time! You won't have to worry about traffic jams or finding parking when you leave your bike at home. Instead of spending hours in traffic, hop on the bus and get some studying done - or take in the views as you zoom by on your bike!
Walking is another great option if you're not traversing too far from campus. Stroll through town and take in all of the sights and sounds – an experience you would miss if you drove!
Final Words
By embracing minimalism and utilizing the tips outlined in this article, you can optimize your coliving experience as a student, and manage the cost of rent and your standard of living more effectively!
Ditch the clutter, get organized, and cherish the time spent with friends and new roommates in a coliving setup by taking advantage of everything it has to offer.
Bringing simplicity into your shared student living space is sure to make it enjoyable for everyone involved!
So that's it for today, we hope you enjoyed reading.
As you know Harrington Housing is one of the biggest co-living companies in the nation so if you like to check some of the best co-living options in 11 cities then visit our website and see all available units.
At Harrington Housing we are offering affordable furnished housing for those moving to big cities. Take the hassle out of finding studio apartments, roommates, and moving furniture with our help.