Minimalism is something that’s easily said, but harder to put into actual practice. A lot of this is due to understanding what minimalism is, the rest is getting past the human incentive to buy and collect things. With this in mind, here are some quick tips and guides on how to go minimalist in your home.
The Right Approach
Before we begin, it’s important to be in the right frame of mind. Minimalism isn’t about having nothing; it’s about having the minimum amount of requirements. Having more than you need or use goes against this, and these are the sorts of examples you’ll want to remove. That said, you shouldn’t think of this as a chore.
For instance, I don’t see things I no longer need or require as a waste of space. Although I may be sad to remove things, it’s easier to do so if you look at them as potential profits. When I clear out my house, I take what I no longer need and head online, where I can sell my stuff for cash. Money, of course, has near unlimited uses, including re-filling the house if that’s what you want.
Technology
Technology is, surprisingly, a prime example of clutter that can amount to any home. The average person has many gadgets, such as phones, laptops, tablets and music players that serve similar functions. Often, you can cut down to a choice few devices without losing any functions, features or services. You only need one music player, for instance, and you only need one device to access the internet at any given time.
Applying this to the rest of the house you can get a similar effect. How many TVs and other technology items of entertainment do you have? It’s very easy to argue extra TV but you only ever need one or two in any home, if that. Likewise, it’s easy to buy countless devices (the kitchen is a prime area where ‘gadgets’ are sold to us under the suggestion of usefulness) that ultimately end up sitting there or not fulfilling much of day-to-day life. Do yourself a favour and get rid of these.
Decorative Clutter
In a similar approach, it’s very easy to over-decorate a home. If you’ve ever seen a room full of paintings, flowers and all manner of decorations, you’re already aware of what the extreme end of this type of decorating can end up in. Too many decorative features turn into clutter. It often also makes for an eyesore. Minimalism, on the other hand, serves to open up space and enjoy the room for what it is.
The same also goes for furniture. If you live on your own or with a small number of people, there’s a limit to how much furniture you arguably need. Unless you entertain guests on a regular basis, do you arguably need three sofas? It can be easy to justify it but you’re once again simply taking up room and placing more items into a limited space for the sake of it.
