Can Minimalist Have Pets? How to Enjoy a Life of Minimalism with Pets

The art of minimalism has been slowly but surely taking the interests of people.

It can be incorporated not just in how we ‘tidy up’ or design our home, but also in the way we dress. It can even be applied to intangible items such as how we spend our time, or in the relationships that we currently have.

Starting this lifestyle would require drastic changes to most of us. It could involve giving up on a lot of things (and people).

But eventually, the pros would outnumber the cons. After all, these changes would clear up not just your home but your mind as well.

Simply speaking, minimalism revolves around living with only the things you need and feel happy about. 

Minimalism and Owning Pets

So, you would like to live a minimalist lifestyle but is also interested in having your very own furbaby? 

You may be thinking, “Wouldn’t having one mean more things which contradicts the meaning of minimalism?” 

Admittedly, having furbabies would mean more things. But, there is no need to choose between the two.

Everyone has their own modification of this lifestyle. It all revolves around having the things that genuinely give us joy, after all. 

Surely, paw-rents would not want to ‘minimize’ their pets out of their life. 

So how would you be able to adjust your lifestyle if you plan to bring a new member into your home? Read on to find out how to enjoy a life of minimalism with pets.

Things to Consider First

Before bringing home the pet you fell in love with during your visit to a pet shelter, maybe it’s best to check yourself first if you are ready to commit yourself to have one.

Can you afford to have a pet?

Having a pet may look all sunshine and rainbows, but the additional expenses alone may make your eyes watery.

To ensure your pooch would be able to be healthy and happy, some of your hard-earned money would need to be set aside regularly.

Try creating a budget for her food, regular vet visits, vaccinations and checkups, grooming supplies, and a one-time purchase of dog beds, food bowls, and the like.

Would you still be able to save enough and live comfortably with these additional costs? If not, maybe it’s best to reconsider your plans.

Do you have enough time to spend with your pet?

If you are already living a hectic life, chances are having a pet would just add up to your never-ending to-do list plus a lonely pooch who badly wanted your affection.

If you are sure of getting a furbaby, treat it like how you treat your family members. Keep her company and make her feel that she is loved, and cared for.

These two questions would greatly affect your decision of owning a pet or not. If your answer is yes to both of these questions, chances are, you are good to go!.

Steps to a Life of Minimalism with Pets

The steps to a life of minimalism with pets follow the same core practices that are already familiar with. The steps are as follows: 

Declutter

If you’ve been a paw-rent for a while, you may have noticed a huge amount of clutter (mostly toys) that you have accumulated over the years.

Thus, decluttering should be one of the first things to do when living a minimalist life with pets.

Donate items that are still in good condition and recycle or dispose of any items that can no longer be repaired. 

When all her things are sorted and the unnecessary items are purged, you’ll be able to enjoy the sight of the amount of space you’ve opened up in your home. 

More posts on decluttering:

• How to Declutter When You Are Depressed
• How Decluttering Gives You More Time in Your Day
• 10 Ways to Declutter When You Are Stuck at Home
• The 3 Times of Year to Declutter with Kids

Prioritize the necessities

To be able to determine the needs between the wants, it’s probably best to first list down items your pet would need to have a happy and healthy life. 

To be honest, our pets don’t need much. The most important ones would be food, water, shelter(your very home counts as one!), medicine, and grooming supplies.

A sturdy harness, a pooper scooper, some waste bags, and a dog first aid kit are a second priority but should also be included, most especially when you enjoy traveling with your pup.

These items shouldn’t take too much space in your home.

A large bag of food along with their grooming supplies would probably just take a drawer in your kitchen. Meanwhile, their food and water bowls would occupy just a corner of your home. 

Limit on the wants

But what about toys? Your furbaby could be adorable in all the cute accessories she could wear or the toys she could play around with – but does she need that many?

More often than not, we buy these toys to please ourselves – not because our furbaby wants it. (Ever had a time when you bought something for her but it was only left ignored?)

If you want to have her some toys to play with, you can limit her to one or two at a time. Don’t let her adorable puppy eyes manipulate you!

What Our Pets Really Need

If you still wonder if minimalism and pets can be mixed, ask yourself: what are the instances when my pets purred happily or wagged her tail in excitement?

Because most often than not, the reason isn’t from owning something new.

Dogs, for instance, would be extremely happy just from seeing you come back from work or from taking them out for their daily walk.

Cats would be content enough getting their naps or playing with a ball of yarn. 

Heck, just stroking their fur the way they wanted would be enough to complete their day.

Truth is, what your pet really needs is you, her owner. Just make her feel that she matters would greatly help in earning her trust, making it easier for her to listen to you when needed. Make sure to never stop showing your pet that you care. 

With just quality time and minimal cost,  you’d be able to properly practice the life of minimalism with pets.