I have a lot of hobbies! I learned to sew when I was 13 and I love to make unique and beautiful dresses.
Before that, I took painting lessons from a good friend my mom paid with taco dinners every Monday night.
When I was fifteen I started fiddle lessons and I still play the violin today. I also have an Etsy website for my handmade jewelry and I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember.
When I first moved into a small studio apartment as a newlywed I felt like I had to give it all up but I learned that I couldn’t. In fact, I learned that hobbies for minimalists are essential to my happiness.
Can Minimalists Have Hobbies?
But wait! How can minimalists have hobbies. What hobbies for minimalists are there? Don’t all hobbies bring a bunch of extra stuff into your house?
You are right, hobbies tend to come with stuff and minimalists don’t like to have a lot of extra stuff. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t any hobbies for minimalists. In fact, minimalism gives you time and energy to increase creativity and enjoy any hobby more.
In fact, if a minimalist is going to be happy, they must be creative. One of the key tenants of minimalism is to seek experiences over things. That is where creativity and hobbies come into play.
Hobbies provide hours of entertainment and experiences you can share. When you learn to get involved in experiences and creativity it will enhance your life more than anything you could buy.
So how does the minimalist lifestyle increase creativity? Are there any special hobbies for minimalists? How can arts and crafts help you keep it simple? I know you’re picturing a little old lady drowning in yards of fabric, skeins of yarn, and tchachkies. That’s not what I’m talking about!
Hobbies for Minimalists:
Hobbies for minimalists can include almost anything! Just keep it simple and focus on the experience not the supplies or the product.
- Jewelry making
- Sewing
- Clay art
- Knitting
- Crochet
- Painting
- Drawing
- Play a musical instrument
- Sing
- Dance
- Writing (journal, blog, story)
- Gardening
- Cooking
- Baking
- Kayaking
- Biking
- Hiking
- Exercise you enjoy
Learn to Enjoy ACTIVE Entertainment
Passive Entertainment
Have you ever heard of passive entertainment? That’s what most of us are used to doing. We watch TV or a movie. Maybe we scroll social media or watch Youtube videos. You could even call going shopping passive entertainment and it can be an addiction for many.
Passive entertainment is anything where you sit and wait to be entertained without putting anything into it. You are the audience. Your job is to consume what is put before you. Nothing else is expected. And that’s just how we like it. Sometimes.
Active Entertainment:
Active entertainment on the other hand involves you. This kind of entertainment is more old-fashioned. What did people do before TV and the internet? They read, wrote, drew, did crafts, made artisan food, gardened, cared for animals, crocheted, enjoyed nature, and more. People used to involve themselves in pursuits that required brainpower but also gave them enjoyment and enrichment. They had hobbies.
What if you did the same thing? What if, when you are bored, you didn’t ask yourself what you could watch or take in but rather what you could create and participate in?
You may think it will bring more stuff into your home. That is true. But the items you use for your hobbies will create experiences that will involve you for much longer than any consumerism-based entertainment ever could. And that’s why hobbies for minimalists are so important! Now let’s find the right one for you!
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Hobbies for Minimalists -Crafts
Jewelry Making
Jewelry making is a great form of active entertainment that can be as easy or as hard as you want it to be! It can also be one of the better hobbies for minimalists because it involves smaller items that take up less room.
You can make small beaded earrings or fancy necklaces. If you want to get technical you can learn how to weld and form metal or even make your own beads!
I have loved jewelry making for years. I loved it so much that I had too many necklaces and earrings for myself so I used them as gifts and eventually opened my Etsy business Vintage Columbine so that I could continue creating without drowning in jewelry!
If you would like to learn to make jewelry check out this great little Jewelry Making Kit with real stone beads!
Sewing
Sewing is a fantastic hobby! You can make clothes that are unique and fit you perfectly! Or maybe you would prefer to make quilts or bags and brooches like my friend Aleshia over at Chic and Sensibility!
My mom started me on the road to sewing and with each new project, I added a new skill. Now I make unique dresses and do tailoring for my friends!
This spring I had the joy of teaching another young girl to sew. She took to it so well that she is now making the cutest dresses all on her own! If you would like to learn to sew start with this machine, this simple pattern, and YouTube!
Sewing doesn’t seem a good idea for minimalist but I’m including it as one of the hobbies for minimalists because if you make clothes instead of buy them you will probably end up with less clothing and it will be much more sustainable and ethical clothing. The same goes for sewing quilts or bags or anything really.
Work With Clay
If you feel like getting your hands dirty one of the fun hobbies for minimalists you can try is working with clay! It doesn’t take too much space but you can create anything you imagine and it’s a great thing to do with the kids! To get started try this awesome little Polymer Clay Starter Kit!
Knitting and Crochet
Feeling like the Hygge lifestyle is where you need to be? Knitting and crocheting are one of my favorite portable hobbies for minimalists. It is so cozy and simple.
You can even enjoy this active entertainment while enjoying the passive entertainment of watching your favorite shows!
Knitting and crochet is an old friend of mine and it keeps you warm in the wintertime! Just make sure to make scarves and hats and blankets for your friends too!
This awesome little starter kit includes lots of yarn, crochet hooks, knitting needles, and e-books to help you learn!
Hobbies for Minimalists: Art and Music
Painting
Another way you can engage in active entertainment and enjoy some great hobbies for minimalists is to learn an art form.
One great way to do this is to start painting. Painting is very good stress relief. When you are sitting there playing with colors and ideas you can work out every feeling your keeping inside in a positive way.
I am not the best at painting but the best part is you can paint just for the experience. The more you do it the more you will increase creativity but the best part is it just has to please you. You can let it go when you’re done. You don’t have to have the talent to paint. Just enjoy it and learn as you go!
This amazing little Falling in Art Acrylic Painting Set includes a table easel that is also a small storage box!
For a less messy alternative try sketching and using colored pencils! Many of us loved to draw as children but dropped it as an adult but drawing is one of the best hobbies for minimalists because it requires very little. You can pick up a pencil any time and sketch away! Add color with some colored pencils and a coloring book. Get official with a nice sketch-book!
Make Music
Perhaps one of the best minimalist hobbies is making music. It requires very few items yet can fill hours of time and it’s something that will never leave you.
I used to play Violin but then I didn’t pick it up for a long time. During the Pandemic, I have made it my goal to play every day and I am so glad I did. It challenges me and relaxes me. It is a great outlet for pent-up emotions and helps me think through things in a different way.
If you prefer to sing or dance these can also be beautiful expressions of your inner creativity and stress relievers. If you would like to improve you can always take lessons or watch YouTube videos!
All the beautiful music related hobbies for minimalists are well worth your time! You will be so happy you took the time to learn because they will bring you joy for years to come.
Write:
It’s probably not a surprise to you that I love to write. In fact, this blog is the child of that love. What rekindled that love of writing was actually a book my best friend and writing buddy and I bought to work through together! It’s called 300 More Writing Prompts and it is a fantastic way to get your creative juices flowing and help you find your creative writing style.
Maybe you’ll write stories, poems, or journalistic pieces! Whatever you write it will be a joyful and therapeutic form of entertainment. The best part? It’s free and creates little to no clutter! Writing, in the digital age especially, is one of the best hobbies for minimalists out there!
Hobbies for Minimalists in the Great Outdoors
Gardening
Get your hands dirty and grow something beautiful or tasty! This is my mom’s favorite hobby and one thing I have learned from watching her is that no matter how hard it may be, when you love it, you always have the energy for it! And the best thing is gardening is a great hobby for minimalists!
It is good and healthy work to dig in the dirt and help life grow! A great place to start is with a small succulent collection. My mom loves succulents!
Gardening can be a great hobby for minimalists because it gets us outside our tiny apartments or homes. Another benefit is that if we grow vegetables it can help us be more frugal and conscious consumers too!
Essential Succulents: The Beginners Guide will help you learn everything you need to know to get started!
Get Active!
Walking, biking, kayaking, hiking, swimming, jogging, jump-roping, hula-hooping, dancing. It doesn’t matter which you pick, when you find an active hobby that you love it can make a world of difference in your health, body, and mood! All minimalists should have at least one active hobby that they thoroughly enjoy!
After you have the appropriate equipment you can enjoy these activities for hours and hours each week and it’s so much better for you than couch surfing! Any thing active can make a great hobby for minimalists because it helps you focus on experiences instead of things!
My husband and I bought this inflatable Kayak last summer and it brings us endless enjoyment on these weekends when there is little else to do.
Make Food!
When you get creative, cooking can actually be very enjoyable. Personally, I have never had the money to travel much, but I have always loved the idea. I find myself traveling through my kitchen with the help of Pinterest.
During all the staying at home we have done in 2020 and 2021 I took my kitchen talents to a new level by learning to make Kombucha which has been a life-changer for my digestive health. I also learned to make Paneer (Indian cheese), and gnocchi. We have also made bread, wine, and baklava!
To start cooking check out Pinterest for thousands of amazing recipes! Cooking is the ultimate hobby for minimalists because the product is consumable! It won’t clutter up your home unless you buy too many gadgets.
Hobbies for Minimalists: How to Keep It Simple
Now you may be thinking, how can I be a minimalist and live in a tiny space with all the things I need to engage in all these crafts and hobbies? How are all these things hobbies for minimalists?
Your concern is valid. How can all of these things that require things be cosidered hobbies for minimalists? What if I told you anything can be a hobby for a minimalist if you approach it the right way? What is that right way?
One of the most important things I can tell you about making any of these hobbies work in your minimalist lifestyle is to create for the experience. Do not create for the finished product. I don’t sew for the dress. I sew of the state of flow it puts me in. You need to enjoy your hobby more than the finished product and be ready to give your creations to your friends or eventually sell them. It’s even ok to throw them away.
When you enjoy your hobbies because you’re doing it for the experience, for the entertainment, you will take your time. You will back up and fix mistakes and continuously learn to hone your craft. When I sew I take things out and redo them over and over till they are right because I am not sewing to make more clothes. I am sewing because I love the experience. That’s not to say I don’t enjoy wearing what I make.
Another big thing you need to remember about hobbies for minimalists is to choose only the few hobbies that you TRULY enjoy. Do not pick up every craft and hobby I mentioned. Limit your investment in a hobby till you know it’s the one for you.
When you find a creative hobby that lights you up and make time fly away work on as you can.
Do not buy all the things ever made for the hobby. Do not hoard materials. Buy materials for no more than three projects at a time.
Focus on the essentials and do not buy more than that because it will clutter up your house and kill your creativity with overwhelm.
If you choose to invest your time in one of these hobbies for minimalists, and keep it simple, you will never regret taking time to increase your creativity, develop a new skill, and engage in active entertainment.
Hobbies for Minimalists Are Essential
If you are minimalist without a hobby what are you using all your spare time for?
As I said at the outset, when I moved into a small studio apartment I thought I had to give up all my hobbies and creativity. Soon I was having nightmares, feeling stressed, and generally feeling like I had lost myself. I would find myself sitting at home watching TV wishing for a bigger home and more stuff.
When I chose to become creative again, it filled all those gaps. Making my hobbies fit my minimalist life took creativity in itself but once I figured out how to keep my hobbies simple I enjoyed them more than ever. And more than that, my hobbies kept my mind active and helped to foster contentment in my tiny home so that it became a place I loved to live in.
When you learn to involve yourself in active entertainment and choose one of the many hobbies for minimalists available you will increase your creativity and enjoy your simple life so much more!
What hobbies do you enjoy? Does anything make you lose track of time? What would you like to try? Please share in the comments below!
Learn To Be a Minimalist Today!
There is really no reason not to start enjoying simple living! Now is the time to try the minimalist lifestyle! Learn why minimalism is good for your mental health and relationships, how it can transform your finances, so you can start having more energy and time for the things that matter!
But what if simplifying your life sounds like an overwhelming task?
If you want to simplify your life but the big bad word MINIMALISM scares you let me help! I wrote Doable Simplicity (Minimalism For Normal People) to help you get the inspiration you need to simplify your life and then take solid steps that make simple living doable for you!
