Minimalism is about finding ways to have less, whether that be less stress, less things, or less debt. One way to achieve the goal of minimalism is through the concept of multipurpose.

Multipurpose is easy to conceptualize, using one thing in more than one way.

Instead of owing a lot of things that may have single or limited uses, you can instead invest in something that will offer a lot of value in return. Hence, multipurpose items.

Not all tools will work for everyone, but I think that by considering your own lifestyle, and what you often find joy in doing, you will be able to determine and narrow down what multipurpose items you want to have in your life.

Some tips I have for you, that I believe can be pretty much universal (or at least for the typical western household):

1. Cleaning Supplies
   Just use baking soda and vinegar, these two tools are great at cleaning, and can even act as a hair rinse, ph balancing for your skin, or a scrub if you incorporate water and some salt/sugar. You can also throw in a lemon or castille soap and make up a ton of great DIY cleaning products too. Reduce waste, and reduce harsh chemicals. Win-win!
   
2. Cooking Appliance
   I think the instant pot 7-in-1 is awesome and acts as my steamer, boiler, rice cooker, pressure cooker, and yogurt maker. I use this thing at least 3-4 times a week to prep foods like meats or soft-boiled eggs. I admittedly do have a zojirushi rice cooker, which I won't give up simply because I make rice every single day and don't like the idea of pulling out the big instant pot just for making rice. I also own a blender and hand blender for making smoothies and pureeing soups. I'm sure I could have just went with one, but they're handy and I use them often enough that they're worth the cost and room. Additionally, I have a food processor from Kitchen Aid, and this item has been useful in grounding meats, breaking down large items like rice into flour or turning veggies into a paste. Just make sure that whatever you get it used often enough for whatever purpose you have desired.
   
3. Reusable Bags
   Reusable bags are not only good for bringing to the grocery store to put your produce and bulk items in, but they can also be good for shopping for regular shops for glass containers or clothes. You can also use them to carry your books and cell phone around. You can repurpose reusable bags to carry anything you need to lug from A to B. So, instead of buying many bags you can just repurpose the ones you're already using for your general shopping.
   
4. Food
   This is another area you can definitely  multipurpose. I recently found out that oatmeal I hadn't been eating lately can act as a bread crumb in my meat balls or used for making a facial mask. You can also multipurpose meat by shredding it up or dicing it after you've pressured cooked it. You can multipurpose tomato paste to make marinara sauce or stews. I've multi-purposed rice to make sushi, or added to making a Turkish style meatball called kadin budu kofte. You can also use a whole chicken and make broth, shred it, make a stew, etc. Other food items I find great are zucchinis, carrots, potatoes, onions, which can be used in stews or salads, or as a bulk filler for stir fried dishes to reduce meat portions. I also found there are spices and condiments I often use like sesame oil, soy sauce, anchovy stock powder, all-purpose flour, etc. 

Make a list and narrow down the essentials, and sometimes it's ok to forgo the extraordinary, since there are still many ways to use what you have on hand. I'm sure there's more ways to multipurpose items around the house, like clothes, and furniture, but I thought these four ideas can get you started. If you have any more ideas please feel free to post them in the comment section below.