This simple, intentional way of life is about more than just decluttering your home. If you’ve ever packed your belongings to relocate to a new location, you’ve probably realized something you don’t always like to admit: you have way too much stuff.
With so many items weighing us down in our daily lives, it’s no surprise that one of the most popular trends in home decor these days isn’t just a design style, but an entire lifestyle shift, a growing movement known as minimalism, or minimalist living.
What is minimalist living?
Though minimalism can be defined in a variety of ways. Minimalism is the deliberate promotion of the things in life that we most value by removing anything that distracts us from them. When you live a minimalist lifestyle, you strive to only use items that serve a purpose. It’s about living simply and having only what you need to get through the day. Minimalism can be applied to many aspects of our lives, our schedules, our relationships, and so on, but the home is frequently a focal point of minimalist living.
Benefits of minimalist living
If you’re wondering why you should start embracing minimalism in your own home, consider the following benefits:
More time: If you have fewer items in your home, you will spend less time cleaning and organizing (and shopping), giving you more time in your day to do what is important to you.
More thankfulness and mindfulness: Living with less allows you to be more grateful for what you have.
Eco-friendly: By purchasing and using less, you will reduce your consumption of the planet’s natural resources, thereby helping the environment!
More Money: Fewer items in your home mean more money because you’ll be buying and caring for fewer items. Furthermore, you’ll realize that your money can be put to better use than just buying things, such as more experiences and quality time with family!
Tips for minimalist living
If you’re ready to reap the many benefits of this simple and purposeful way of life, here’s how to build a minimalist home and begin living there.
1. Concentrate on one room at a time.
The most difficult part of minimizing your home is deciding where to begin. One thing is certain: trying to tackle an entire house at once is overwhelming, which is why you should focus on one room at a time. Spend your time and energy on the most difficult room first, and then use that as inspiration for the others as you work your way through the rest of your home.
2. Begin with the most visible areas first.
Once you’ve decided on a room to work on, it’s a good idea to start with the visible areas first, such as shelves, furniture, and items on the floor, before moving on to the hidden areas, such as organizing your drawers, cabinets, and closet. This way, you’ll be able to track your progress as you go.
3. Reduce clutter by keeping only the necessities.
When it comes time to declutter, a good rule of thumb is to keep only the items that are truly essential and meaningful to you. If you can’t decide whether to keep or toss something, ask yourself these questions about it: “Do I Need it?” “Do I make use of it?” “What would I do without it?” “Why do I have it?”
4. Keep your decorations to items that are meaningful to you.
When it comes to home decor, it’s easy to want to adorn your home with various beautiful items you found on sale or spotted at your local home goods store, but if you want to commit to a minimalist home, limit your decorations to those that hold special value or meaning.
5. Maintain a regular cleaning schedule.
It’s one thing to successfully transform your home into a minimalist one; it’s quite another to keep it that way forever!
Because your home is constantly occupied, it’s natural for things to become disorganized after a while; that’s normal. That is why good cleaning habits are essential.
6. Resist the urge to buy more.
It can be especially difficult to buy fewer things in an age of constant and pervasive advertising, but if you want to live a minimalist lifestyle, you must resist the urge to buy more. This can also mean rejecting materialism to focus on the things that are truly meaningful to you.
7. Determine your purpose.
One of the most important aspects of minimalist living is: If you’re thinking about starting to live more minimally in your home, consider why you’re doing it whether it’s to save more money, spend more time with family, or even retire early and enjoy your retirement years. This is especially important because, at its core, minimalist living is about living a more intentional and purposeful life.
Living as a minimalist may take some getting used to, but the benefits can be well worth it. When you declutter your life, you may notice that you are less stressed about minor details. You might even discover that your budget is easier to manage and that you have more clarity when making decisions.
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