How to Use a Minimalist Wallet (The Smart Way)

Minimalist wallets are a way to keep your belongings organized and close at hand. Their slim design allows you to keep the most important cards and information.

However, there is a wrong way to use a compact and minimalist leather wallet. If you don't start by changing your mindset, you'll have problems with your new travel wallet. You can't use it the way you used your fat wallet.

Read on for info on how to use a minimalist wallet!

1. Look at Your Wallet Contents

The first step is to completely empty your wallet of all its contents. Go through your whole wallet—in every pocket, billfold, and all your card slots.

You'll be surprised how much unnecessary bulk you've added to your wallet by holding onto old movie tickets, receipts, the cash you don't need, and more. Maybe you'll even find a loyalty card to a place you used to go to on a regular basis but no longer frequent.

Go through the random papers in your wallet. Next, we'll talk about what to do with your debit card and credit card stockpile.

2. Narrow Down Your Number of Cards

Once you start looking at what you carry in your wallet, you'll see that you don't need to carry as many cards as you have.

It's likely that you only use a few essential cards: ID cards like your driver's license, debit cards, and perhaps two credit cards.

At any rate, you don't need all the cards you currently have in there, and carrying that many cards tends to weigh down your wallet, especially if it's the classic wallet design that tends to be overly bulky.

By carrying only priority cards in a slim wallet (your ID card, debit card/credit card, and maybe a travel card or a couple of membership cards), you'll have a slim, handy place to store cards without losing them the same way you would with an average wallet.

Most minimalist wallets have less room in the card holder, so you'll definitely want to cut down on the number of loyalty cards you carry. You may want to carry only your business card, if you carry any at all.

[Read: How to Have a Compact Wallet When You Have Too Many Cards]

3. Use Digital Options Like E-Wallets

Thankfully, there are more ways to pay now than ever before. You don't have to store a comprehensive filing cabinet in your pocket anymore—you can take a truly minimalist approach and use other payment methods.

If you've got a cell phone or a mobile device, you can use a digital payment method. A digital wallet (e-wallet apps like Apple Pay, Google Pay, etc) allows you to keep only what is most important in your wallet, like cash for cab fare.

Save space by using your mobile phone to pay for most purchases and you'll find that life is much simpler!

4. Be Choosy about the Cash You Carry

When it comes to how you carry cash, you'll find that you don't have as much room on your money clip as you would for a regular wallet.

The good thing about minimalist wallets is that you can wear them in your back pockets or in your coat pockets. Because it's not loaded down with notes, you can use your slim bifold wallet as a front pocket wallet.

Choose the most important receipts and bills clipped to your wallet, and save the rest for your bag or trouser pocket.

5. Kick Your Bulky Wallet to the Curb with Cardinal Wallets

Cardinal Wallets offers products that are made with an ingenious card holder design. The card wallet has a mechanism that allows you to have easy access to your cards at the push of a button.

It also has anti-RFID protection, giving you a way to organize cards while preventing the theft of your card numbers.

This card holder is a unique feature of every Cardinal Wallet, which should become part of your everyday carry. It's a great idea to keep the bare essentials with you at all times.

[Related: How To Choose The Best Minimalist Wallet For Men (Gift Guide)]

Shop Now For the Ideal Minimalist Wallet!

Using a minimalist wallet doesn’t have to be a headache. All you need to do is embrace the minimal lifestyle and limit the number of things you store in your wallet. By cutting down on the amount of things you carry, you’ll be better equipped to embrace the minimalist lifestyle. 

The best slim wallets allow you to combine classic style with smart solutions. At Cardinal Wallets, our high-quality leather wallets keep a timeless feel while providing a quick way for you to access your cards with no hassle.

Cardinal Wallets come in a variety of colors and styles that we’re sure you’ll love — so check out our collection today!