During college it’s easy to get used to dorm or apartment living where the furniture and other necessities are already provided for you. Even though I have yet to graduate from college, I found myself starting to think about the investments that I am going to make and how to save for them ahead of time.
One of the common misconceptions of minimalism is that it means owning the least amount of materials possible. In reality, it simply means consuming with intention. In this way, you have to think through each purchase that you are considering in order to determine how much you would use this item on a daily basis. Since minimizing my life, all of the items that I have in my dorm room are things that I use consistently on a daily basis. Everything has a purpose, and everything is being used regularly.
I want to continue this lifestyle once I graduate from college, as it has been refreshing and rejuvenating to have only what I need for day-to-day life. In thinking about what I want to invest in once I leave college, I came up with a list of items that I think would be important to research and invest in for an apartment or living space post-graduation. When researching items to invest in, one of my main considerations was purchasing something that would last for a long time and be of high quality.
As someone who loves quality sleep (because in college quantity can often be lacking…), investing in a mattress is one of my primary considerations. This is something that very few people think about until moving in to a new space, but doing research beforehand is definitely worth it! I personally like really soft and supportive mattresses for my sore muscles at the end of my long college days. Casper mattresses come in all sizes and they even get shipped to your door! They also have sheets and pillows so you only have to shop in one place for everything. They are space-saving mattresses with a convenient, and there is only one model so you don’t have to do extensive research to figure out which mattress to buy! They combine softness and support, which is perfect for many different preferences. They even have dog mattresses, which is perfect for a dog-lover like me!
Another worthwhile investment, both monetarily and time-wise, is an indoor herb garden or herb jars. As someone who is passionate about plant-based living, fresh ingredients, and cooking, having fresh herbs to reach for many recipes would be well worth the effort. They make your space look bright and fresh, and also make fresh ingredients readily available and inexpensive! Along these lines, investing in cookware and environmentally friendly food storage is also very important. I know that I will want to invest in environmentally friendly cookware that has many functions, having the fewest number of high-quality cookware items as possible. Ecolution and other brands have different lines that allow you to pick and choose what you will use the most (for me it’s soup pots and sauté pans). This will give you reliable cookware that will last, and serve many purposes.
Dishware, bakeware (measuring cups, etc.) and spices are also worthwhile investments. I like to think about what I do every day (sleep, cook, work, and exercise) and base my purchases off of this. I’ve always wanted to have a small space, but have it encompass all of my favorite things within easy reach. I also like to support smaller businesses (especially for spices and cooking oils), and the products are very high-quality!
I hope that these suggestions help to get you thinking and budgeting for what you want to invest in post-graduation! Do you have any minimalist spending tips or favorite investments that you have made? Share them in the comments below!
©2017 The Wise Willow and Alyssa DeBella. All rights reserved.
*This is not a sponsored post, and all thoughts and opinions are my own 🙂
