As you start your minimalist journey, it's easy to ask if you have the right mindset. After all, being a minimalist is about thinking like a minimalist. It's not about what you have or what you appear to be. So here is how to know you have a minimalist mindset:
You know your happiness comes from experiences, not stuff
You realize that once you meet your survival needs, extras don't make you any happier. You know that happiness comes from fulfilling your emotional needs. You meet these emotional needs with experiences and activities. Here are experiences that fulfill emotional needs:
Time spent with people who you enjoy being around
Time spent doing and experiencing the thing that you enjoy
Moments of calm and relaxation
Doing things that make you feel better about yourself
You notice that these are not material things, but they all demand time.
You love people and use things
You understand that material possessions are only as good as the use you get out of them. You know that clothes you don't wear are clutter and a picture you don't look at is garbage. You also know that time spent with people you love contributes to your happiness. You understand that your close relationships are priceless.
You only buy something if you will use it
You know that all material possessions demand resources. Even a maintenance-free item in your home takes up space. So if you won't use something, then it's a waste of space and is as good as garbage. You wouldn't waste your money to buy something like this. In fact, you wouldn't want it even if it's free.
If you have a substitute, you usually won't buy it
You usually won't buy something unless nothing you have will do its job. If you do, it's because you need a spare for something vital. Even then, you only keep one or two spares at most.
Otherwise, you only buy something if the old one breaks or if it's a necessary upgrade. A trivial or dubious upgrade is not good enough. So if your cell phone does everything you want and more, you don't need a new one.
You know that "just in case" stuff is for emergencies
You rarely keep items "just in case". You reserve this for emergency supplies. These can include first aid kits, spare uniforms, repair tools, and flashlights. But there is no such thing as an emergency trinket.
You know you add space when you declutter
You know your home has a finite amount of space. You also know that any useless object in your home is subtracting from your space. When you remove this item from your home, you add space back to your home. In fact, when you got rid of something, its size is equal to the amount of space you added back to your home.
You know that you had too many things
This is a stark revelation when you embrace minimalism. You realize that many of your things were more burdens than assets. They overcrowded your space, wasted your time, and gave you nothing in return. That was because you had too many things.
Now that the useless things are gone, you don't miss any of them. You now have more space and your space is easier to keep tidy. Your home looks much better now. It was once overcrowded, now it's a tranquil haven.
You know you have all the material things you need
In the past, you had too many things, so you got rid of many of them. Now you are happy with the material things that you have left. This brings another revelation: You have all the material things that you need to be happy.
Otherwise, you wouldn't be happy with what you have to begin with. Also, if something breaks, you fix or replace it. After that, you will again have all the material things you need. This is a life-changing revelation. You now know that any increase in happiness must come from intangible things. You see no reason for envy or greed.
Status symbols don't impress you
When you have all the material things you need to be happy, status symbols don't impress you. You have no need to "keep up with the Joneses" or outdo anyone. You won't have any urge to buy something you don't need to impress people you don't like.
If you see someone flashing expensive merchandise, you might give a compliment. But this is only to brighten the person's day because deep down, you don't feel either envy or pity. Your intent is to make the person feel good, but you are not impressed by the price of the merchandise. If you had to choose between a Rolex or a Timex watch, you would pick the one that is more durable and accurate.
You use the fine silverware
Many people have things that they consider "too good to use". But you are not one of them. You know that considering something as "too good to use" would render it useless. You have no need for useless things.
You will use the fine silverware to eat off the fine chinaware. This is because that is what they are for. If you are minimalist, all your silverware and chinaware are likely the fine ones.
You don't like deprivation
You understand that minimalism and deprivation are opposing concepts. Minimalism promotes getting rid of useless things. In contrast, deprivation is about getting rid of useful things.
Minimalism is a system for making your life easier by simplifying it. Minimalism opposes all forms of deprivation. This is especially true for the deprivation of space and time caused by useless clutter.
Deprivation of useful things makes your life more difficult and complicated. Here are examples:
Example 1:
Lack of indoor plumbing would make bathing and dishwashing more difficult and complicated.
Example 2:
Lack of a comfortable place to sleep will make your life difficult from the fatigue.
Minimalism encourages keeping things that make your life easier and more enjoyable. So if you like watching movies at home, then you will keep your home theater.
You don't care about looking minimalist
Minimalism is about being and doing. It is not about presenting and displaying. You care about living your happy life free of useless garbage. Your lifestyle is not about getting a certification or approval. You don't need to worry if your comfy sofa looks minimalist enough. A minimalist doesn't need to worry about looking like a minimalist. It's for the same reason why a happy person doesn't need to worry about looking happy.
You know when to say no
You know that minimalism is more than about removing clutter from your space. It is also about removing things that clutter up your time. You know that your time is a valuable resource. You also realize that you don't know how much you have remaining. So you refuse unnecessary commitments that don't excite you. You also know that nobody can take part in every single noble cause. So you take part in the ones you care about the most and say no to the rest.
You don't expect perfection
After you declutter as best as you can, you might have forgotten something somewhere. But you are not all that worried about it. We are all human and none of us is perfect. Also, as life changes, some useful things will become useless. So if you come across something useless, you get rid of it and move on. There is no need to beat yourself up over it. Otherwise, out of sight, out of mind.
In summary here are some ways to know you have the minimalist mindset:
You know your happiness comes from experiences, not stuff.
You love people and use things.
You only buy something if you will use it.
If you have a substitute, you usually won't buy it.
You know that "just in case" stuff is for emergencies.
You know you add space when you declutter.
You know that you had too many things.
You know you have all the material things you need.
Status symbols don't impress you.
You use the fine silverware.
You don't like deprivation.
You don't care about looking minimalist.
You know when to say no.
You don't expect perfection.
As you notice, what you have and how you appear has no effect on any of these. This is because minimalism is a system based on your actions and mindset. It has no basis on appearances. It will look different from person to person. As long as you are thinking and acting like a minimalist, then you are one.