In recent years, the minimalist lifestyle has gained significant popularity among individuals looking to simplify their lives and reduce their environmental impact. Minimalist living refers to the intentional decision to live with less regarding material possessions and commitments. It’s about prioritizing what truly matters and eliminating distractions and clutter that can weigh a person down. At its core, minimalist living is a philosophy that promotes mindfulness and intentionality in all aspects of life. In this article, we’ll share tips from experts in the minimalist community to help you embrace this lifestyle and enjoy its many benefits as you create a more intentional and fulfilling life with less.
What minimalist living is
I would define minimalism as living intentionally with a minimum of items to maintain simplicity; it is purposeful living.
I relate it to renting a vacation condo, and the kitchen is quite spartan in a number of items, yet you realize you can easily create most of the meals you make at your home, and you think, “huh, this is really easy cleanup.”
Denise Allan from Simplify Experts
Today, the term “minimalist living” refers to both a practice and a philosophy. The philosophy of minimalism draws on the artistic movement of the 1960s when artists explored the possibilities of creating works with less complexity, from painting in pure color fields to literal and repetitive music compositions. Today, minimalist living has developed in many ways as a reaction to the complexity of daily life, as we become somehow increasingly connected and equally disconnected by technology, supply chains, and overwhelming global crises. In practice, minimalist living is about clearing space and energy around you for clarity. While the aesthetic may appear to be an end in and of itself (who doesn’t love a tidy white space?), the minimalist lifestyle is actually a means to welcome the contemplative, subtle, and non-material into the center of our lives. When it comes to making decisions about what to keep in your wardrobe, how you arrange your home, what your calendar looks like, and even your approach to technology – a Minimalist would ask, “how can I achieve greater impact with less?”
Isabella from Simplish
Advice for embracing simplicity for a more fulfilling and meaningful life
In a society where appearance and money dictate how successful you are, we have been led to believe that owning expensive luxury items leads to a life of fulfillment purely because we’ve been taught that our sense of self-worth comes from the opinions and validation of others.
But the truth is, true fulfillment doesn’t come from owning material possessions.
It comes from making real connections with people, making memories, building healthy relationships (especially with yourself), having a sense of purpose, and living a life of simplicity.
By embracing simplicity and focusing on what truly matters, you can start to live a more fulfilling and meaningful life.
To get started, I recommend the following:
1. Following a minimalist lifestyle
Start by decluttering your home and letting go of anything that no longer serves any real purpose or things you no longer use. The next time goes shopping, instead of buying things on impulse, take time to think about whether you really need something before you make a purchase. If you can live without it, then you don’t need it.
2. Eliminating anything that doesn’t add value to your life
Being busy 24/7 is not a badge of honour. Stop filling up your day with pointless tasks and events for the sake of it, and instead, be more intentional. Only focus on the things that serve you or move you closer to your goals. By prioritizing what’s truly important and letting go of the rest, you can create more time and space for the things that truly matter.
3. Adopting a slower pace of life
Don’t just let life pass you by. Slow down and learn to be more present to appreciate what’s around you. Remember, you only get one life, so start to notice it more.
Thalia-Maria Tourikis, Founder at Notes by Thalia
Why become a minimalist
Like most minimalists, my story began somewhere. And that somewhere was a four-letter word: Debt. Living the modern life of “too much” was draining me mentally, physically, and financially. One of the biggest benefits of becoming a minimalist was that I finally got a handle on my finances. This mindset of “only get what you really need” has saved me from a lot of needless consumption. And I realise that I really like the environmental side benefit as well – I was careful to buy things that will last, not throwaway things that will end up in the landfill.
In our modern lives, there’s too much content. Too much stuff. Too much noise. Minimalism will help you focus on what’s important and reduce overwhelm. The surprising side befits: A calmer, more serene life with a clearer focus.
Elizabeth Tai from Elizabeth Tai
Best things to remember before going for a minimalist style
Declutter: The main goal of minimalism is to simplify life by eliminating extra things you don’t use or need. Decluttering your home and getting rid of items that don’t add value to your life are crucial.
Quality above quantity: Invest in long-lasting, high-quality things rather than a large number of less-expensive, throwaway ones. The minimalist philosophy emphasizes usefulness above form. Avoid buying just decorative objects and opt instead for those that have some use.
Accept negative space: A crucial component of minimalist design is the empty space surrounding objects. To evoke a sense of peace and simplicity in your home, don’t be scared to leave some vacant space.
Maintain a color scheme: Choose a straightforward, harmonious color scheme. Use sparingly and stick to neutral hues like white, beige, and gray.
Consumption with awareness: Practicing minimalism involves paying attention to your consumption patterns and reducing your stuff. Consider your purchases carefully and work to cut back on your overall consumption.
Being minimal is a process. Expecting to become a minimalist quickly is unrealistic. It is a gradual process that calls for perseverance and commitment. Start small and progress to more significant improvements.
Gabriela from Gildshire Magazines
How to achieve minimalism in 2023
To achieve minimalism this year, you must look at your stuff completely differently. I like to look at every item in my house as inventory that I have to manage. Just like stores have inventory, our homes do, too. I have to care for each physical item in my home, clean it, pick it up, organize it, remember I have it, and keep it safe from pests. Every item requires my time and energy to manage. If you have difficulty keeping your home tidy or clean, you’re not messy, unorganized, or lazy, you’re just trying to handle too much stuff. If you’re willing to declutter and simplify your home so that the inventory matches your current season of life, you’ll find it easy to keep your house tidy. And as you work to simplify, you’ll also likely find that you’re very comfortable living with less and like the freedom it gives you. Minimalism is often misunderstood to mean that we’re living sacrificially or somehow “roughing it,” but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Minimalism helps us regain our time and focus on the people and activities we love most.
Dawn Madsen from The Minimal Mom
Is minimalism good for my mental health?
Life is rarely simple. The older we get, the more responsibilities and obligations we have. We have mortgages and car payments, groceries to buy, meals to prepare, jobs to manage, vacations to plan, and friendships and relationships to maintain. We need to get enough sleep, eat healthy, exercise, drink enough water, take our vitamins, wear sunscreen, and get regular checkups. Just the idea of all these obligations can cause a fair amount of stress.
These complicated lives can require a fair amount of “stuff.” We need kitchen supplies, bed linens, bathroom products, and cleaning supplies. And don’t even get me started on sports equipment. (I personally have five bikes, but I use them all!)
I believe that we need a different word—“just-enough-ism.”
When you have things that support your interests and help you express your individuality, then you have the right amount of stuff. If you love clothes and enjoy being fashionable and expressing yourself with how you dress, it’s not a mistake to have a lot of clothes. If you love to cook, you might want to have more pots and pans and specialty appliances than the average person—again, this is a way to express your individuality and do the thing you love. It’s important to our mental health to have the things we need in order to do the things we love.
However—if you have a lot of “stuff” simply because you never recycle or get rid of the things that no longer serve you, then you will likely feel weighed down and stressed by these things—whether they are a closet full of clothes that are meant for a life you no longer have, a garage full of sports equipment for a sport you no longer do, or a cabinet full of supplies for projects you’ve never made time for. Getting rid of “stuff” that doesn’t serve the life you have right now is one thing you can do to improve your mental health and create a space around you that reflects your authentic self.
Amy McManus, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and owner of Thrive Therapy
How to switch to minimalist consumer habits
Many people associate minimalism with “less.” Less stuff, less burden, and less consumption. Get rid of your possessions, buy less – and your life will be complete. That’s a misinterpretation. A simple decrease in consumption – without the right mentality – will not improve your life in the long haul. The nuance lies in intentionality.
As such, the primary goal is to adopt minimalist values and align them with your consumption habits.
Consequently, your why is important. In the spirit of mindful living, it doesn’t matter what you buy. It matters why you buy it. Once you buy things according to personal values and priorities, you’ll buy the right stuff – not too much or too little.
Once you understand your reasons, you can gradually adopt your own consumption rules. Over time, a purchasing decision will become the result of a thought process – not an impulse.
While there can always be spontaneous exceptions, the vast majority of purchases will follow your personal norms.
In this context, here are some good and bad buying arguments:
- Good reasons: quality, durability, joy, and value.
- Bad reasons: trends, cheapness, peer pressure, spontaneous cravings.
Jack Krier from Minimalist Focus
Is a minimalist life for everyone?
While living a minimalist life is liberating, not to mention
a wonderfully economical way to live, it can be challenging for some to adopt this lifestyle.
Becoming a minimalist is a well-thought-out choice, as giving up a life of materialism can be extremely difficult and emotional. It’s not only donating furniture and odds and ends but also getting rid of sentimental items that you may have been holding on to your entire adult life.
This is where so many people get stuck. They have a hard time letting go of their things. I think it’s also important to note that many of us like to buy things for comfort. Retail therapy is real!
Because of these two situations, I don’t believe a minimalist life is for everyone, which is perfectly ok. So many of us feel pressured by our friends, family, and society to adopt this lifestyle when it’s clearly not doable for some.
People like things, people like to keep their things, people find comfort in things, and there is nothing wrong with any of that unless it becomes a hoarding problem. While some live comfortably being minimalists, the rest are quite content to live their normal lives.
Iva Ursano from Women Blazing Trails
How to become a minimalist
To become a minimalist, it’s important first to understand the concept of minimalism. It’s all about living intentionally and getting rid of unnecessary material possessions and physical clutter that doesn’t bring value to your life. Start by decluttering your space and considering what items truly serve a purpose and bring you joy. Adopting a simple and sustainable lifestyle is key, so focus on making conscious purchases and reducing unnecessary waste. It’s also important to cultivate a mindset of gratitude and contentment with what you already have rather than constantly seeking more. With practice, a minimalist lifestyle can bring a sense of freedom and clarity to your life.
Gary from Snapreads Magazine
Benefits
Minimalist living offers a range of benefits, including reduced stress and anxiety, increased focus and productivity, and improved overall well-being. By reducing clutter and distractions, individuals can enjoy greater clarity and purpose in their daily lives, making it easier to focus on the things that truly matter. Minimalist living can also help reduce environmental impact by encouraging the use of fewer resources and less waste. Additionally, many people find that minimalism allows them to save money by cutting unnecessary expenses and adopting a more frugal lifestyle. Overall, minimalist living can lead to a more intentional and fulfilling life, with a focus on experiences, relationships, and personal growth.
Benefits of a minimalist home design
Minimalist design is a popular approach to home décor that emphasizes simplicity, functionality, and a clean, clutter-free aesthetic. A minimalist home is characterized by a deliberate lack of excess decoration or ornamentation, focusing on creating a peaceful, calming atmosphere that encourages relaxation and reflection. There are many benefits to adopting a minimalist design for homes, both in terms of aesthetics and practicality.
One of the most significant advantages of a minimalist design is how it can help reduce stress and promote a sense of calm. By removing unnecessary clutter and simplifying the overall design scheme, a minimalist home can create a feeling of spaciousness and serenity that is ideal for unwinding after a long day. In addition, it can eliminate distractions and allow you to focus on the truly important things.
Another key benefit is that it can make your home feel more spacious and open. By removing excess furniture, decorative items, and other clutter, you can create more breathing room and give your living space a more airy, uncluttered feel.
Minimalist design is also a practical choice for homeowners, as it is more affordable and easier to maintain than more elaborate design schemes. By focusing on high-quality, durable materials and simple, functional furnishings, you can create a stylish and practical home without breaking the bank or requiring a lot of upkeep.
Ultimately, the benefits of a minimalist home design are numerous and varied, making it a popular choice for homeowners who value simplicity, functionality, and a clean, uncluttered aesthetic. Whether you are looking to create a more peaceful and relaxing living space or want to simplify your life and reduce stress, a minimalist design can be an excellent choice for your home.
Nicolas from The Trendy Art
Most incredible myths about minimalism
1.- I think it’s really sad that the minimalist aesthetic so often overshadows the true meaning of minimalism.
Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with having stunning storage boxes or breathtaking bookcases that have been arranged by colours of the rainbow, but that’s NOT minimalism or home organization – that’s interior design.
When I was really struggling, up to my ears in debt, and drowning in shame and overwhelm because I couldn’t even keep my apartment tidy, I needed to simplify, not prettify.
2.- Minimalism is not always as straightforward as we’d expect.
In fact, minimalism can bring up a surprising amount of emotional topics involving scarcity, impulse buying, fears, identity, money mindsets, perfectionism, and our past.
Choosing to live with less when you’ve previously had to live with less, or when so many people in the world have so little, is a privilege – and can bring up mixed feelings.
If anything comes up along your minimalism journey, just know it’s very normal and try to talk it through with a friend or professional you trust.
Ema Hidlebaugh from Minimize My Mess
How a minimalist workspace can improve productivity
The biggest benefit of a minimalist workspace is the removal of distractions. A cluttered workspace gives your attention a place to wander. From receipts that need to be put somewhere to a mobile phone lighting up every few minutes, all these seemingly innocent distractions put you at risk of losing focus on what you are trying to focus on.
Additionally, minimalist workspaces mean you know where everything is. This is a huge time saver. It may not seem much, but if you have to keep stopping what you are doing to look for a file, a document, or a note, these pauses add up over time. It’s not unusual to lose an hour a day just looking for stuff. If you keep your workspace—your desk, computer, and any other device you may be using—clean and simple, you will find you waste less time searching for things and more time doing your work.
Finally, minimalism forces you to reduce the number of devices and applications, which means you have less to think about when deciding what to use to do a piece of work. For example, if you have to write something and have three or four applications you could use, you will waste time deciding what to use.
Carl Pullein from Carl Pullein
Best benefit of a minimal lifestyle
The best benefit of a minimal lifestyle is the ability to create more time and freedom for the things that truly matter. By cutting back on unnecessary possessions, tasks, and commitments, we can live with less stress and distraction. This allows us to focus our energy, resources, and attention on the experiences and activities we really care about.
For example, we streamline and simplify tasks to be more minimalist, such as grocery shopping, meal planning, and keeping the kitchen clean. In that case, we can free up more time to enjoy quality moments with loved ones or pursue our passions instead!
Minimalism encourages us to prioritize our goals and values, so we can make deliberate decisions about how we use our precious time. With less clutter competing for our attention at home or work, we can find a better balance in life.
Ultimately, minimalism helps us simplify our lives so we can live more intentionally and have more control over our own happiness.
Bri from Frugal Minimalist Kitchen
How minimalist living helps you reach your financial goals
When it comes to minimal living, the intention is to get rid of excess stuff and live a life based on experiences, and you will lead a better life. Because of this, living with less directly impacts your finances. You get rid of things you don’t need, which could translate into more money. You don’t purchase things you don’t need, which could lead to a larger bank account.
You live on less, which allows you to get out of debt faster than living on more. If you put it into perspective, minimalist living can be compared to budgeting. When you budget, you allocate your income to your needs. When you are living minimally, you only focus on the things you need. You can budget for wants or save for the big wants, like a vacation.
Obviously, budgeting is a breeze when your money isn’t going to a variety of different expenses, some or most of which you probably don’t need. One of the reasons budgeting is so difficult today is because we have so many extra bills that those before us didn’t have to worry about.
A good exercise is to go through your expenses and subscriptions with a fine-tooth comb. Anything you don’t need, it’s time to remove it from your financial life! This should free up multiple line items on your budget and ultimately leave you with a larger profit at the end of each month. That larger profit can be leveraged to reach your money goals, travel more, or help others.
Raya Reaves from City Girl Savings
How minimalism can improve your lifestyle financially
Practicing minimalism can bring more space to your home and keep your spending habits in check. You don’t need more stuff; you only need less stuff that is, in fact, useful. People tend to indulge in heavy expenditure just because it is a “great deal” or make impulse purchases and buy more, resulting in an imbalance in their budget. Not developing a dependence on constant spending on stuff you don’t need will grant you the means to fund more important things, such as investments which will only appreciate over time.
Minimalism isn’t so much about living cheaply; it’s more about spending with intention. When you’re clear with your goals and values, you only make purchases according to your needs, not wants that are majorly influenced by shiny ads, the urge to maintain a false sense of “high standard,” and sometimes, to show off.
When you are in a position where you’re considering whether you should buy something or not, take a step back, question yourself, and act accordingly;
Do you really need it?
Are you going to use it often?
Do you see the item bringing you any value long-term?
Sayan Neogie from Prosmartrepreneur
How to get my house into minimalism
Decluttering
Decluttering and downsizing are essential aspects of minimalist living, as they help individuals remove excess possessions and commitments that can weigh them down. Decluttering involves removing items that are no longer needed or used, while downsizing refers to the process of reducing the amount of space, possessions, or commitments in one’s life. By letting go of unnecessary possessions and commitments, individuals can live more intentionally and with greater purpose.
Best advice for starting decluttering
My best advice for someone wanting to start decluttering is to learn the difference between decluttering and organizing. Organizing means arranging or ordering things so that they can be found or used easily and quickly. Decluttering is the task of removing unnecessary items from your home.
The more things we let go of, the less organization is required. That alone should make you feel excited to purge items you don’t love, need or use. Everything in your home is inventory. It is something that requires storage in some way or another.
After you understand that you should not be organizing during the decluttering stage, you will need to stop making the clutter worse. Stop buying items because they are a good sale. Stop bringing in more craft and DIY supplies when you have unfinished projects. Stop saving broken things you plan to fix but never do. Stop saving items because you spent good money on them.
Most of us understand we should get rid of things, but we let the process overwhelm us. Start by stopping, and you will be on your way to a much more peaceful home.
Sonya Barker from At Home With The Barkers
Differences between downsizing and decluttering
While the difference between decluttering and downsizing may seem subtle, it is distinct and centers on two factors: scope and scale.
When it comes to scope, one can declutter or reduce the clutter of a surface, a drawer, a closet, a room, or an entire house. On the other hand, downsizing refers to the comprehensive reduction of one’s possessions. Thus, the scope is broad and all-inclusive. When you legitimately downsize, it is with the intent of living a simpler life, one that reduces your overall footprint and requires less space.
Since decluttering involves the reduction of clutter, it can be performed on a small scale – such as thinning out a collection or getting rid of items that are no longer functional. If we wanted to be nit-picky, getting rid of just one unwanted or unneeded item could be considered decluttering. Downsizing, however, requires a tangible change in the amount of stuff you own. When you downsize, you minimize all of your belongings, typically to reduce the size of your living space or free up your existing space to function more effectively and feel less cluttered and completely uncluttered.
Sheri Steed from Step-by-Step Declutter
How to get ready to downsize your home
Downsizing your home can be a challenging process, but it can also be liberating and rewarding. It’s important to be well-prepared for the downsizing process to ensure a smooth and stress-free transition. Here are some tips on how to be ready to downsize your home:
- Start by decluttering: Take a thorough inventory of all your belongings and get rid of anything you don’t need or use. Donate, sell, or throw away items that no longer serve a purpose in your life.
- Prioritize your needs: Determine what items are essential to your daily life and what you can live without. Consider your new space and what will fit both physically and aesthetically comfortably.
- Plan ahead: Create a detailed plan of how you will organize and move your belongings. This will help you stay focused and minimize stress during the downsizing process.
- Consider professional help: Seek the advice or help of a professional downsizing company like Alivio Solution Downsizing. You’ll receive valuable guidance or assistance with the downsize and help connect you to other professionals in the field who can help, i.e., real estate agents.
- Embrace the change: Downsizing can be emotionally challenging, but it can also be an opportunity to simplify your life and start fresh. Focus on the positive aspects of your new home and the lifestyle changes it may bring.
By following these tips, you can be better prepared for the downsizing process and easily transition to your new home.
Rita Monteiro from Alivio Downsizing
Ways to reduce visual clutter in your home
- Remove all packaging. Think of the brightly colored cereal boxes in the pantry, the soap dispensers, plastic wraps, and bandaid boxes. There are so many places where items in our home have excess packaging that creates more visual clutter. Remove it, and streamline.
- Decanting. In the kitchen, this looks like putting all your baking goods, grains, and snacks into coordinating glass jars and labeling them. I recommend decanting spices into uniform glass jars as well. Make sure you add the expiration dates to items on the bottom, cut out specific cooking instructions, and add those to the bottom. Decanting also works in the bathroom for soap dispensers and shampoo/conditioner bottles. In the laundry, you can decant dryer balls, detergents, and any other laundry essentials into large glass jars.
- Adding uniform bins: Having systems with uniform bins in any storage area will always help reduce the visual clutter. I like staying away from clear or transparent bins whenever possible to help with this. Especially in kid’s areas or any other areas with a lot of bright colors, white or neutral uniform bins create calm.
Devin from The Modern Minimalist
Best advice for downsizing
Downsizing your space will provide more clarity and happiness.
We are attached to everything we own, whether you want to believe it or not. This can have a positive or negative effect on you and your subconscious.
Let it go if it is not moving you forward in life or has a positive vibe.
When we are cluttered with unused items, they have a direct effect on us and make our lives more stressful.
I know most of my clients don’t even realize how their stuff affects them until they start getting rid of it. They confess that after the decluttering process, they stay organized, have more energy, and save time and money.
Downsizing will make more room for good things to come into your life.
We also talk about all the positive things that happen as a side effect of having less stuff. The new job that was suddenly offered to them that they wanted or the new relationship that they have been waiting for is blossoming.
I can’t begin to tell you all the benefits of having less.
Don’t define yourself by your things. It’s what’s on the inside that makes you the best version of yourself, not the stuff that surrounds you.
Christel from Space to love
Best advice for decluttering books
Books can be difficult to declutter because of the sentimental and potential values we assign them. Fortunately for us, books are VERY easy to replace or borrow from the library, so if you declutter and then regret your choices, you can add that book back into your collection for a few dollars in a few minutes. For those looking to declutter their book collection, try to be realistic about what you will actually read and what you won’t. If a book has been sitting in your TBR pile for a while and it’s never been a priority, let it go. If you’re keeping a book you didn’t really love but you love the impression other people get when they see it on your shelf, let it go. It’s not serving you. If you’re keeping a book you enjoyed once but probably won’t read again, let it go! Keep nothing on your shelf that doesn’t speak to your soul. By only collecting books that truly matter to you, you’re allowing your home and bookshelf to reflect you.
Melissa Corriveau from Life with Less Mess
Best downsizing tip for seniors
Be Kind to Yourself
Decluttering, organizing, or rightsizing can feel overwhelming in the beginning. In fact, getting started very well can be the hardest part of the process. Cut yourself some slack and create a strategy to keep you moving toward your goal when you want to throw in the towel.
- Do not pressure yourself to complete your entire house in one day. Clutter builds up over time, so it will take time to make progress. Start in the smallest, easiest room, for example, the bathroom. (Outdated medications are easy things to discard.) Then, when you start feeling some momentum, create an area for “keep,” “trash,” “donate,” and, if you must, “maybe” piles.
- Allocate time to take care of the different piles the day you create them to reduce the risk of them remaining in your home. Be sure to make time to drop off the “donate” pile. Positive progress will provide a sense of accomplishment and inspiration to forge ahead.
- Create a priority plan and work up to completing your largest or most-cluttered area – especially if you are not excited about this project. Focus on an area with the least amount of clutter or items that already likely have a clear-cut home, and work your way up. The more you’re in the habit of letting things go, the easier it will be to sort items that have emotional value or require a less streamlined approach.
Once you get in the rhythm, you’ll see results. If you start feeling tired or want to shift your efforts to another task, remember why you started this process and how good you will feel with less clutter and more useable space.
Emily Banyas from John Knox Village
How, where, and why donate items that aren’t needed to help maintain a minimalist lifestyle?
Donating items directly to local nonprofit organizations is an amazing way to declutter and live a minimalist life for many reasons. First, it can be motivating to help community members in need. Secondly, your items will most likely be immediately used, especially with smaller, local nonprofits. Third, you can drop things off during regular hours when driving nearby. This saves you time and minimizes your carbon footprint.
How do I find the best home for my donation? If you have attempted a Google search, you know that you’ll almost always find the same large collection centers and pick-ups that re-sell your goods. According to the EPA, 84% of donated clothing ends up in landfills and incinerators. To ensure your usable items don’t just get recycled or become trash, donating them where they can be used directly is the best option for the community and environment.
Jennifer Victor-Larsen from Donate Good Stuff
Organization and Storage
Having a good organization system and storage will keep you from buying more things.
Less clutter, more space: the power of efficient organization and storage.
How labeling kids’ items can help with a minimalist lifestyle
The most significant contribution to leading a minimalist lifestyle is eliminating waste and ensuring belongings return home. A minimalist lifestyle does not only have to be for adults, but children can also live a minimal lifestyle by minimizing the amount of “junk” that makes its way into your home. Personalized laundry and dishwasher-safe labels are an easy solution to keep your kid’s items organized and easily identifiable.
Rather than constantly replacing lunch and food containers and ending up with a drawer full of mismatched items, labeling your reusable containers will ensure they return home from school with your kiddos. The containers get washed and put away, keeping that drawer organized and not overflowing with random lids!
Labels also help when it comes to your kid’s clothing. You will not have to replace and have multiple items for when some clothing goes missing. Labels will ensure that coats, boots, and clothing make their way home from school, daycare, and camp and don’t land in the lost and found bins. It also makes it easy for a hand-me-down situation for siblings, so parents do not have to double up on spending and storing belongings.
As a busy entrepreneur and mom of six children, I don’t always have the time to run around replacing lost items. I have noticed that children who have their belongings labeled take ownership and stewardship of them. With this responsibility being taken on, it means their items make their way home, making the home more minimalist and keeping things out of the landfill. Mother Earth also likes to be a minimalist!
Julie Cole, co-founder of Mabel’s Labels, award-winning author, and speaker from Mabels Labels
How to decide what to get rid of when transitioning to minimalist living
Deciding what to get rid of can feel difficult at first, but it gets easier with practice.
Start with something simple like your medicine cabinet, bathroom storage, or a nightstand drawer, and remove anything expired or unused. It’s easy to stockpile samples and products and let them go and clear out space. Old chargers and cords that have been hanging around unused for years are also a great place to start. Quick wins can be so motivating at the beginning of your minimalist journey!
Assess how many duplicates you need of the items in various areas of your home. Do you really need multiple cupcake pans and casserole dishes in your kitchen? How many wooden spoons are too many?
As you get more practice, move on to more difficult spaces like your closet, kid’s toys, and mementos. Work in small increments, devoting your effort to one room or space at a time, so you’re not just moving things around from one space to another. Be honest about the stuff you need and use now and stuff you’re holding onto for an elusive “someday.”
As you get rid of things, dispose of them often. Donate and recycle what you can, and throw away the rest. Designate a certain day each week to drop things off at your local thrift store, so they stay manageable. Minimalism isn’t an overnight transformation, but when you put in the work, you’ll quickly notice that the free space in your home translates to more free time and mental space!
Kala Wiederholt from My Breezy Room
How to start organizing your home without getting overwhelmed?
The biggest challenge with decluttering when you’re overwhelmed is getting started. An excellent way to get started is to break the project into pieces. Doing this allows you to progress on smaller tasks that lead to completing the entire project. If you find it difficult to start, asking a friend or hiring a professional organizer can be beneficial as they can help guide you to a small win, which can build momentum.
The most critical first step of any organizing project is decluttering, which is deciding what you want to keep. I recommend using a category-by-category approach (vs. room-by-room) to decluttering as it allows you to compare and contrast the category more quickly, which is also easier on your brain. To start small with clothes, for example, you could gather all of your graphic t-shirts together, make decisions on those, and then move on to another category, like tank tops. A tool to support this is a category decluttering checklist.
Once you’ve decluttered your home, you’ll find there is usually much less to organize. This will mean that you will spend less on bins and baskets, and you will likely have opened up and found space in your home to create proper homes for the items you want to keep.
Michele Vig from Neat Little Nest
Audit your home
Ask yourself what you really need and what you can remove
Decor
Plain patterns, simple decorations, subtle colors
What do you recommend for a restrained color palette for minimalist decor?
When in doubt on the color palette to use when establishing a minimalist decor, a tried-and-true solution is to use muted or neutral colors. These include grays, taupe, white, cream, and pastels. Even black can be effective when it is offset by lighter tones. While black can work as a backdrop for a minimalist design, it is usually best to avoid darker colors that can make the space feel full or cluttered.
If you want to experiment with a brighter palette, stick with one or two primary colors. This can have a dramatic effect on a room and will help accentuate the furniture and general space. If you are still unsure about the color palette you should use to achieve a minimalist décor, a smart choice is natural tones which will highlight the area and help provide the minimalist look you are after.
Minimalist design choices are becoming increasingly popular, and even novices can tackle the challenge without going broke in the process. If you believe less is more, choosing the right color palette is key to achieving an effective minimalistic room design. Happy decorating!
Anita from Anita Clark Realtor
How to achieve a luxury minimalist interior design
Achieving a luxurious minimalist interior design is easier than it sounds. It requires careful planning, an eye for detail, and an understanding of balancing minimalism and luxury without sacrificing aesthetics.
The key to achieving this look is creating a clean and uncluttered space while incorporating luxury elements such as high-end materials and sophisticated furniture pieces. Begin by selecting a neutral color palette with subtle accents of bold hues to add texture and interest. Natural elements such as wood, stone, metal, and glass should be used sparingly throughout the space. When choosing furniture and decor pieces, opt for modern shapes over traditional styles.
Lighting plays a major role in creating the right atmosphere and should be used to highlight certain areas or design elements. Consider adding dimmers for adjustable mood lighting or choose statement pieces with bold visual impact.
Finally, accessorize with well-chosen accents and artwork to add personal touches throughout the space. Choose one or two statement items that really stand out and resonate with your personal style.
By carefully curating an environment with clean lines, neutral tones, and tasteful accents, you can create a luxurious yet minimalist interior space that reflects your unique aesthetic. With the right design choices and some thoughtful planning, you can achieve the perfect balance between luxury and minimalism.
Margarita Bravo from MARGARITA BRAVO
Minimalism room by room
Living room
A minimalist living room can provide a calming atmosphere, reduce distractions, and make the space more functional for socializing and relaxation.
Kitchen
A minimalist kitchen can promote efficient cooking and cleaning, reduce food waste, and create a more peaceful and inviting space for mealtime.
How to improve a pantry and keep a kitchen organized
The way to improve a pantry and the overall kitchen is all about giving it a good declutter and removing duplicates and items you are no longer using. You need to streamline everything so that you don’t keep and store unnecessary things. Try your best to simplify the items and have enough plates, bowls, and cutlery to serve your household. In the pantry, remove expired food, condiments, spices, decant items from packaging, and reuse any clear mason jars or containers to save space. Use a good area for pantry items in the cupboards, utilize vertical space within shelving in cupboards, and use risers so you can see things easily. Always label containers and sections of the pantry and possibly kitchen drawers, so you have a system to organize things back to where they belong.
Try not to store items on your countertops if your space is already limited, but it also makes it easier to clean and visually better. Show the people in your household where things live, so they can get familiar with and find items and continue to return things back. Be mindful of what you buy at the grocery store, make a list so you only get what you need, and don’t buy in bulk to avoid having too much to store and avoid food waste. You can control what you bring into the home, so be sure to think first before you buy and save money at the same time.
Michele Delory from Modern & Minimalist
Bedroom
A minimalist bedroom can improve sleep quality, reduce stress and anxiety, and create a serene environment for relaxation and rejuvenation.
Closets
A minimalist closet can simplify your wardrobe, reduce decision fatigue, and make finding and caring for your clothing easier.
Having a sustainable wardrobe helps transition to a minimalist lifestyle
Are you looking for a more minimalist lifestyle, living with fewer things? Clothing plays a large part in each of our lives. Most people have more clothing than they need. Fast fashion & mass consumerism have driven our culture to buy more and more, which is not sustainable for our planet. As our closets bulge and clothing falls apart, much of it gets thoughtlessly dumped in the landfill. Creating a “sustainable” wardrobe can help you leap out of this vortex of mass consumption.
One way to create a more sustainable wardrobe would be to purchase fewer high-quality pieces that will last longer. You can also adopt a capsule or uniform approach to your wardrobe, where you have a limited amount of pieces, but all the pieces work together. These pieces make up the base of your wardrobe, and then you can accessorize for more variety.
Using practical skills like mending can extend the life of your garments, making the need for new purchases less likely. Learning to sew your own clothes is another way to make your wardrobe unique and more sustainable. You will also gain a deeper understanding of the clothing-making process and the economics behind it.
Jennifer Serr from The Sewing Room
How a minimalist wardrobe can improve your mindset
Take a moment and look into the space where you keep your clothes. Think about what you might want to wear later. Feel overwhelmed or unsure? If you answered yes, you’re most likely caught in a complicated relationship with your clothes. This can have an actual physical impact on how your feeling throughout the day. Embracing a simple basic wardrobe will save you valuable decision-making energy you can apply throughout your day. Whether as a parent, boss, or student, every one of us has something to gain from simplifying our routines and wardrobes. It all starts with a simple morning routine, and there’s no better way to simplify than creating a minimalist wardrobe. As small as it may seem, the more time you spend making trivial decisions, like what to wear in the morning, the more energy you exhaust before the day begins.
Slater McLean from Oliver Charles
Best tip for keeping a tidy and organized closet
My best tip for keeping your closet tidy and organized is to implement a systematic approach that combines regular maintenance with smart storage solutions:
- Declutter: Begin by sorting through your belongings and removing items you no longer wear or need. Donate, sell, or recycle them to keep them out of your closet.
- Sort: Sort the things you still have left into groups like tops, bottoms, dresses, shoes, and accessories. This makes it easier to find and put away items.
- Use uniform hangers: Invest in slim, non-slip hangers of the same type and color. This creates a streamlined, cohesive look and maximizes space.
- Store items vertically: Use shelf dividers, shoe racks, or stackable bins to maximize vertical space and keep items neat and accessible.
- Utilize storage accessories: Use hooks, over-the-door organizers, and storage boxes for accessories, bags, and seasonal items.
- Color-code and arrange by type: Arrange clothing by color and type (e.g., short-sleeve shirts, long-sleeve shirts, etc.) to create a visually appealing and easily navigable closet.
- Regular maintenance: Dedicate time each week or month to straighten up your closet, ensuring that items are in their designated spots and maintaining a clutter-free environment.
By integrating these strategies into your routine, you’ll create a tidy, organized closet that’s easy to maintain, visually appealing, and stress-free.
Taya Wright from Just Organized by Taya
Garage
A minimalist garage can increase storage capacity, reduce clutter, and create a safer and more functional space for vehicles and other equipment.
Minimalist living can bring numerous benefits, such as reducing stress, increasing productivity, saving money, and creating a more organized and peaceful environment. By simplifying our possessions and focusing on what truly adds value to our lives, we can improve our well-being and make room for more meaningful experiences. For those interested in pursuing a minimalist lifestyle, it’s important to start small and focus on what works best for you. Remember that minimalism is a journey, not a destination, and the most important thing is to be intentional and mindful about the things you choose to bring into your life.
