A Minimalist Home

If you are moving to a new home, or making changes to your current living space, consider incorporating minimalism!

Minimalism is a philosophy that less is more.

Especially in western culture, we accumulate so much material stuff and end up using less than half of it. The consumer-based society conditions us to believe that material wealth is essential to happiness and fulfillment. The truth is that the more you have, the more you want. True satisfaction comes from within. Extra junk leaves you feeling more cluttered and disorganized. It also wastes money, time, and space.

Furniture

If you are replacing or buying new furniture, stick to the essentials. You will find that there are so many added, unnecessary accessories that you don’t need to buy. You don’t have to add a headboard to a bed, for example.

Furniture is so bulky and heavy, instead search for sleeker, slimmer options. There’s no need for any piece of furniture to be too heavy.

Fold-up furniture is helpful, especially in smaller living spaces, or simply for moving purposes.

Space

Resist the urge to fill every single empty gap of your home with something. Especially if you have a large home. Instead, you should embrace the space.

However, it’s still good to be intentional with your space. You should designate each area to one, or multiple, purposes.

You can create more space in your home by keeping things away in closets, cabinets, boxes, etc., and only taking out the supplies when you are actively using it. This is another reason to consider foldable furniture.

A great way to use empty space is for exercise. Working out, or anything involving active motion, is difficult to do in a cramped area. You want to be able to move around freely without worrying about knocking things over or breaking anything.

Artwork

With less junk around and more space, it doesn’t have to look completely empty… Artwork is a great way to bring your home “alive” and add character.

Wall hangings are ideal because they don’t take up any space. This includes posters, illustrations, paintings, framed photos, etc.

Statues, trinkets, figures, etc. also work. Just be sure that they add a nice aesthetic and have meaning to you. Otherwise, too much of it can be a waste.

When it comes to decor, don’t go out of your way to feel like you must have “the perfect interior design.” Artwork is an intimate thing, and you want your art to be more than just a show for guests. You want it to genuinely reflect who you are!

Plants

Plants will literally bring more life into your home! If minimalism makes you feel lonely, instead of surrounding yourself with extra junk, you should surround yourself with plants.

Plants cleanse the air of your living space. They create a calming yet vibrant atmosphere. They are a must-have. With more LIFE, in your home, you are less likely to go out and impulse-buy more “stuff” in attempt to fill the empty space.

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Traditional Japanese influence

Take inspiration from eastern homes, most specifically traditional Japanese. Their living style is known for its utilitarianism, focused on practicality.

Traditional Japanese architecture is designed to be low to the ground because of their ancient practice of sitting on the floor. You can find a lot of furniture such as chairs, tables, beds, couches, etc. that are short and sit low to the ground.

Mindset

Remember that minimalism is a mindset that our brains have been wired to resist. Advertisements attack us on a daily basis. The ad industry is smart and knows how to use psychological tricks in order to make you buy things.

Money is not necessarily evil, but it’s important to consciously think about how you spend. Often it’s worth spending extra on one item to support a local or independent business, rather than buying bulk from the 1%.

The reason why minimalism is such a “radical” concept is because we are overly fixated on the external instead of the internal. We believe physical abundance will bring internal abundance. But the more energy you put into the outside, the more drained you feel on the inside.

Through minimalism, not only are you creating a better life for yourself — you are also doing a big favor to the world, to the environment. Less junk means less waste. Minimalism is both self-care and selfless-care.