Mum swops mindless shopping for minimal waste lifestyle

A stay-at-home mum has revealed how a book on simple living made her swop “mindless shopping” for minimal waste and mindfulness.

Cassie Tomesek from New South Wales, Australia was constantly buying items she did not need just to “keep up with the Joneses”.

“I’d see someone who seemed happy and successful and I’d think, ‘If I buy this, I’ll be happier and more successful like them’, but that just wasn’t the case.”

In 2017, Cassie’s life changed after reading a French book titled L’art de la Simplicité: How to Live More with Less by Dominique Loreau. The book encourages people to discover the magic of simplicity and declutter their lives.

The 34-year-old mother of two has since embraced minimal living and is showing others how clearing their homes of unnecessary items can be good for their minds.

“I used to suffer with social anxiety. But since I started living a more minimal life, my anxiety has eased off. I think the saying, ‘tidy house, tidy mind’ is very true,” she said.

Cassie has adopted a zero-waste lifestyle: she uses as little plastic as possible; has no ornaments, side tables or sofa cushions; has fewer clothes than her husband and only owns eight pairs of shoes.

Cassie shares advice online and has made it her mission to help others improve their well-being.

However, Cassie is not yet done with her eco-friendly process as she is constantly trying to evolve and declutter. “It’s an ongoing process … people need to take each day little by little.”

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