Over the past few years, minimalism has reshaped my perspective on life, especially in 2024. By simplifying and decluttering, I’ve realized how much of my energy was tied to things that didn’t truly matter. Now, I’m taking that same mindful approach and applying it to sustainability—a journey of being more intentional about how I consume, what I waste, and the impact I leave behind.
This shift isn’t about perfection or extreme rules; it’s about making small, meaningful changes to live more consciously and in harmony with the planet.
The Turning Point: A Minimalist Foundation
Minimalism taught me to question everything I owned and consumed. This mindset naturally led me to think about how my habits affect not just my personal growth but the environment around me. I started noticing the waste I generated, the convenience-driven choices I made, and the resources I often took for granted.
It became clear: sustainability isn’t just about saving the planet; it’s about living in a way that aligns with the values of mindfulness, simplicity, and intentionality that I’ve come to embrace.
What Sustainability Means to Me
For me, sustainability is an extension of minimalism. It’s about:
- Consuming less but choosing better.
- Thinking twice before buying, using, or throwing away.
- Appreciating quality over quantity—not just in physical possessions but in experiences, food, and relationships.
It’s not about giving up everything or striving for zero waste overnight. It’s about finding balance and taking steps that feel right, however small they may be.
How I’m Trying To Become More Sustainable
Here’s how I’m starting to make sustainability a bigger part of my life:
- Mindful Consumption
- Choosing reusable, durable items over disposable ones, especially 1 time usage items.
- Waste Reduction
- Minimizing food waste by meal planning and simplifying my diet.
- Recycling and finding creative ways to repurpose items.
- Digital Sustainability
- Reducing unnecessary energy use with my devices.
- Unsubscribing from digital clutter (emails, apps, subscriptions) to minimize my digital footprint, the accounts I have and use online.
- Energy & Resource Consciousness
- Turning off lights and unplugging devices when not in use.
- Using water mindfully, taking navy showers, using my own bottle and using less plastic.
Challenges Along the Way
Sustainability, like minimalism, is a journey, not a destination. Some changes are harder than others—breaking habits of convenience, finding sustainable alternatives, or even just staying consistent. But every small step feels rewarding, and I’ve learned that progress matters more than perfection.
How Sustainability Continues to Shape My Life
Much like minimalism, sustainability is now a mindset I try to carry with me every day. It’s about thinking long-term and making choices that align with my mission to live a more intentional and mindful life.
By combining these two approaches, I’ve discovered that sustainability and minimalism go hand in hand. Together, they create a lifestyle rooted in purpose, freedom, and growth—one small step at a time.
What I do to be a little bit more sustainable?
My sustainability journey truly began during my 3-month stay in Thailand in 2024. Living in an apartment hotel, I became hyper-aware of the waste I was producing. My room had three different garbage cans, and every Wednesday and Sunday, the cleaning staff would come by to empty them. Like clockwork, all three bins would be completely full by then.
At first, I didn’t think much of it—it seemed normal. But the more I observed, the more I realized how much I was throwing away in such a short period of time. Packaging, plastic water bottles, single-use items & a lot of PLASTIC —it added up quickly. It was a clear signal that I wanted to become a little bit more mindful of my consumption.
That experience was a turning point. I started asking myself important questions:
- How can I reduce the waste I create?
- Do I really need to use disposable items so often?
- What habits can I change to live more sustainably?
These reflections sparked a deeper commitment to sustainability and inspired me to take more mindful actions in my daily life.
What I changed since the Thailand trip?
During my time in Thailand, I became more mindful of the waste I was creating. I took a hard look at the areas where I relied on single-use items and came up with sustainable alternatives. Here’s a list of changes I’ve made since then:
1. No more plastic cups for coffee
- Change: Switching to instant coffee powder.
- Why: Eliminating the need for disposable plastic cups reduces waste and the energy needed for their production. I used to drink 2 cups of coffee a day, and I know this is maybe not much but this also meant I was throwing away 2 plastic coffee cups as well a day: 730 a year.
2. No more single-use toothpicks
- Change: Invested in a water flosser.
- Why: A more sustainable and effective alternative to daily single-use toothpicks, helping to reduce plastic waste. I used to use 1 to 2 toothpicks a day and then throw them away. Now trying a water flosser to just reduce my daily waste. This saves me: 365 to 730 toothpicks a year. And yes, now I use a little bit more water a day because the water flosser needs water.
No more plastic water bottles
- Change: Started using a reusable Dopper water bottle.
- Why: By carrying my own water bottle, I’ve drastically reduced plastic waste and the need for disposable bottles. This is already what I did back in the Netherlands, but in Thailand you can’t drink the water from the tap. So I was buying 6 x 1.5 Liter plastic bottles every few days and throw does away after usage. Completely wasting plastic. I could have bought also bigger bottles and then just fill my own reusable water bottle. But that is what I’m now thinking and not when I was in Thailand.
No more conventional toothpaste
- Change: Switched to toothpaste tabs in a glass bottle.
- Why: Less packaging waste and a more eco-friendly option for oral care. This is just a thing that I saw on the internet and I wanted to try it out. So far I enjoy it a lot and I didn’t know this was a option. Because I’m so used to just buying plastic toothpaste every 1.5 month because this is, how I grown up a “normal” thing to do.
No more liquid deodorant
- Change: Opted for solid stick deodorant.
- Why: Solid deodorants typically use less plastic and last longer, reducing overall waste. This is what I’ve read on the internet, so I bought one.
Reduced total items to fit in a carry-on suitcase + weekend bag
- Change: Streamlined my belongings to fit into just two bags.
- Why: This is part of my minimalism challenge and also reduces the environmental impact of overconsumption and unnecessary packing.
Reduced electricity usage
- Change: Started using energy-efficient devices and consciously limiting electricity use.
- Why: Reducing energy consumption helps lower my carbon footprint and promotes sustainability. Because it’s so hot in Thailand I was sleeping with my air conditioner on the whole night. Completely wasting a lot of energy but without it on the room will get so hot that my bed basically became a swimming pool, I will not get into more detail but you hopefully get the point. I needed to cool down the room but also found it a little bit wasting energy. So yeah, now I’m trying to be a little bit more mindful of my energy usage.
Limited gum usage
- Change: Started brushing my teeth more often and using a water flosser to keep my mouth fresh.
- Why: Reduces plastic waste from gum wrappers and unnecessary consumption. I’m not addicted to consuming gum, but every few days I needed to buy new gum because I like the taste and also feel fresh when I have mint gum in my mouth. When I now think about writing this I had made it a habit to consume a piece of gum after every meal, after a coffee to get rid of the taste. So maybe 5 to 7 a day. That means: 1825 to 2555 gum a year that I’m throwing away. This is only the gum, when the can consist maybe 15 to 30 pieces, that means I’m throwing away: 121 / 60 cans away when I consume 5 gum a day. That’s a lot haha.
No more plastic toothbrush
- Change: Switched to a bamboo toothbrush.
- Why: Bamboo toothbrushes are biodegradable and reduce plastic waste that ends up in landfills and oceans. This is what I saw on the internet to replace my plastic toothbrush that I had for now maybe 6 months, so I bought a bamboo toothbrush.
No more moisturizer and scrubs in plastic containers
- Change: Replaced with coconut oil for body lotion, moisturizer, and face wash scrub.
- Why: A natural, multi-purpose alternative that comes without plastic packaging and is gentler on the skin. This is what I read on the internet aswell, so I’m now trying it out to see if it’s good for my skin.
No more paper napkins
- Change: Started using a reusable cloth napkin.
- Why: Reduces the need for disposable paper napkins and cuts down on overall waste. Back in my parents house the kitchen paper is always ready to grab and use if you spill something, need to blow your nose, or whatever you need to do with kitchen paper. I now try to reduce this a little bit and try to grab a reusable cloth napkin instead of using a kitchen paper for a very tiny drop or spillage and then throwing it away.
I’m very new to this whole sustainability journey, and I don’t aspire to be the “sustainability guru.” I’m far from perfect—I’m just experimenting, learning, and gradually adjusting my lifestyle to be more mindful of what I consume and discard on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis.
Looking ahead to my dream of starting Van Life, I know I’ll need to be even more conscious of my waste. The thought of having to empty a garbage can every single day because of excessive waste doesn’t appeal to me (and honestly, I’d rather not deal with it). This is about taking small, intentional steps toward living more harmoniously with the planet, without striving for perfection.