A Minimalist Life

We recently interviewed Melbourne based career coach, Emmy Petersson, a self-confessed minimalist. We were intrigued by what led her down this path and the impact it has on her day to day life.

Emmy Petersson, minimalist and owner of the The Bridge Coaching

Emmy Petersson is a Melbourne based career coach. Originally from Sweden, Emmy helps mid-career professionals clarify their future career steps through her business ‘The Bridge Coaching’. She is a self-confessed minimalist. So impactful has this approach to living been in her life that it lead to Emmy starting her own YouTube channel on all things minimalism.

Emmy, thanks so much for joining us. We are so excited to talk to you about how minimalism has impacted your life but firstly, tell us a bit about yourself?

I’m an ex-pat of many years, originally born and raised in Sweden, where my family still lives. Travelling has always been a big passion, and I have lived both in the US and the UK before moving to Australia in 2010. I now live in Melbourne with my fiancé and our cat. I’ve always been fascinated by change and transition, both in life and at work, and I found early on that those willing to ‘shed’ old beliefs and items that no longer serve them will often transition a lot smoother than those who don’t.

When and how did the concept of minimalism enter your sphere? What was the catalyst for you embracing it?

I’ve always organised and decluttered things! Even as a child, I would organise my toys and come to mum and say, ‘it’s time to get rid of this book/toy/furniture; I’m too big for it’. I don’t recall my parents necessarily teaching me this; it was something natural to me from a very young age. I also grew up in a family where toys, clothes and other things were passed onto younger cousins or family friends so that nothing went to waste.

The minimalist thinking probably became more important in my late teens/early 20s when I started travelling more independently and realised how annoying it was to pack things I didn’t end up using and having to lug these around with me. Up until I was 16, I had never moved house, but from the age of 19 to 29, my travels and international studies had me living in over ten different types of accommodation – that’s more than one house move per year! Needless to say, a minimalist way of thinking helped me ensure that I only brought what I needed and when an item was no longer useful I sold it or donated it to someone who needed it more.

Emmy, minimalism means different things to different people. Some simply think of the sparsely furnished room with white walls. We believe minimalism is more about a way of life, another way of thinking. What does minimalism mean to you?

Minimalism, for me, is what I ended up naming my blog and YouTube channel – Simple Essentials. Minimalism can still be cozy, warm, and welcoming, but the key is that the few things I keep in my life and home are there for a reason.

Minimalism has also helped me focus more on experiences and memories rather than holding onto things. For example, photos from my travels make me smile just as much as any souvenir would. Wearing my late grandmother's ring connects me just as much to her as her grand old piano would.

Can you share examples of what being a minimalist looks like elsewhere in your life, beyond your physical environment?

It pops up everywhere! 😊 My weekly minimalist meal plan helps me stay organised, eat healthily and not waste any food. Plus, it also helps save money for travel and other fun things!

Digital minimalism and being mindful of how I spend my time is another important space that many don’t think of. I regularly unsubscribe to things that I don’t need in my inbox or get rid of apps that I no longer use. There will always be noise and clutter in the world; we have to be mindful of what we invite into our digital space.

I also do a regular mental declutter, especially if I feel stressed and under the pump. It really helps to get everything out of your head and onto paper so you can choose which of the things on your list/in your life need your focus right now. Minimalist thinking has also taught me to say no to things that don’t align with the work or social activities that are important and meaningful for me.

You run a successful career coaching business, Emmy. Do you find yourself applying your minimalist approaches in your work? What impact has this had?

Absolutely. Coaching is about getting down to the core of things to create meaningful and lasting change. This means that there are often a lot of less helpful beliefs and habits we need to let go of. Clutter and noise are a huge distraction and one of the many reasons people stay stuck in places/jobs that make them unhappy. I often hear “I don’t have time to…” or “I can’t afford to…” when it’s really about clarity on what they want and the ability to focus on that.

On the business management side, minimalist principles help you find simple and affordable systems to help things run smoothly. You don’t need much at all these days to run a successful online business with your customer at the centre of everything. Much like I declutter my home regularly, I regularly go through my business systems and processes and tweak, cancel, and amend things as needed.

Your passion project is your YouTube channel ‘Simple Essentials’. Tell us a bit about that? What topics do you cover, and who is it for?

Simple Essentials is one of my creative outlets where I share tips on meal planning, budgeting, organisation, and decluttering. It’s both a blog and a YouTube channel, and it’s designed to help people get started organising their money, time, digital spaces and home.

It’s also been a great way to learn video editing and a few other skills on my bucket list. 😊

Do you believe anyone can become a minimalist? What advice would you give to someone starting on their journey?

Yes, 100%. It’s definitely easier if you have a natural tendency to simplify things, but the principles behind minimalism are something I believe everyone can learn and benefit from.

For someone who is just getting started, I would say to:

Start small and focus on your physical environment first. Physical decluttering is both visible and liberating for most people (even if it can be hard to let go of some things).

Create a list of spaces that need your attention and tackle one at a time. Try and ‘complete’ one area (for example, your linen closet or bathroom cabinet) before moving on to the next thing. Otherwise, you’ll likely hit some form of overwhelm pretty quickly.

Understand that it’s a process that will never be ‘finished’. Be prepared to do the best you can in the first round (especially with more sentimental items), and be open to coming back and doing a second round of clear out in a few months.

The key is always to remember that progress is way more important than perfection. As a minimalist, I still have clutter build-up, so I will go through and declutter a range of areas in my house and my digital world every three months.

If you’d like to tune in to Emmy’s YouTube channel, Simply Essentials click here.

Or if you're a mid-career professional looking to clarify your next steps, you can find Emmy here.

If you are fed up of the excess in your home and life and want to start on a new path. Get in touch we’d love to help.