At one point in the documentary, Millburn posits that if he simplified his life, he’d have more time for his health, relationships, creativity, and career; and that he could help others in a more meaningful way. “I understood the benefits of minimalism long before I cleared out my closet,” he says. While this might sound cliché, after several days of trying to reduce the amount of things in my room–in particular my wardrobe–I felt relieved. I also made the decision that I need to place less value on the things in my life and find time during my day-to-day for emotional wellbeing, rather than become buried under an excess of chores and material things.

Bearing these sentiments in mind, decluttering and organizational expert Monica Leed of Simply Spaced weighs in on the practicalities of embracing minimalism in your home and your life.

What is a minimalist?

There are, perhaps, two main ways to think about minimalism: first from a psychological standpoint (e.g., deleting those photos off of the phone), the other a more tangible approach. For Leed, a minimalist is someone who knows and embodies the less is more life. “My particular spin is quality over quantity,” she says.

Benefits of minimalism

As highlighted in Nicodemus and Millburn’s podcast and documentary, the benefits of minimalism can be profound. For Leed, adopting a minimalist lifestyle can lead to clarity of mind, reduced decision fatigue, and increased creative flow. “I achieve 1000 times more with 1000 times less. It’s not just about stuff,” she says.

How to become a minimalist

Ironically enough, there are many roads that lead to minimalism, from clever hacks to daily mantras. The path you choose depends on techniques that resonate. When I ask Leed how one can retrain their mind to think like a minimalist, she points to three questions you can ask yourself: Is this essential? Is this the one? Does this do double duty? “When I’m packing, editing, decluttering, or buying, I always ask myself if the item in question is essential to my wellbeing,” she says. The notion of quality over quantity is also paramount when working toward minimalism. “If I need to buy something, I look for the best version of the thing (within my budget), no matter what it is. I’ve trained my mind to look for products, clothes, even food that’s clean, well made, looks and feels fantastic.”