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My Journey to a Minimalist Home: Embracing the Power of Simplicity

January 27, 2023
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I never thought that I would be someone who embraced minimalism. Growing up, I was surrounded by clutter and an overwhelming amount of stuff. It seemed like having more things meant more success and fulfillment in life. But over time, I realized that less is more when it comes to leading a happy and meaningful life. So, I decided to take the plunge—I was going to turn my home into a minimalist sanctuary. In this blog post, I’ll share with you my journey to a simpler home as well as how embracing minimalism has empowered me and made me happier in the process.

Why I decided to pursue a minimalist lifestyle

In today’s society, it seems like we are constantly being bombarded with ads and messages telling us that we need to buy more stuff. We’re told that we need the latest fashion trends, the newest gadgets, and the fanciest cars. But what if there was a different way?

What if instead of chasing after material possessions, we chased after experiences and relationships? What if we embraced simplicity instead of complexity?

This is what I decided to do when I made the decision to pursue a minimalist lifestyle. For me, minimalism is about living with less stuff and focusing on what really matters in life. It’s about simplifying my life so that I can focus on the things that are truly important to me.

There are many reasons why someone might decide to pursue a minimalist lifestyle. For me, it was about decluttering my life so that I could focus on what was truly important to me. If you’re considering minimalism as a way to simplify your life, here are some things to keep in mind:

The benefits of living minimally

minimalist
Photo by Ksenia Chernaya: https://www.pexels.com/photo/white-towel-on-white-wooden-sofa-3965534/

When most people think of minimalism, they think of stark white walls, a single couch, and a coffee table. However, minimalism is about so much more than just aesthetics. It’s about living with less stuff, decluttering your home, and simplifying your life.

There are many benefits to living minimally, including:

  1. You save money.

When you live with less stuff, you naturally spend less money. You don’t have to buy as many things to fill up your home, and you can save money on things like storage costs and cleaning supplies.

  1. You have less clutter.

A minimalist home is typically a lot less cluttered than a traditional home. This means that you can actually find things when you need them, and your home feels more serene and peaceful.

  1. You simplify your life.

Minimalism isn’t just about owning fewer things – it’s also about simplifying your life in general. When you live minimally, you have fewer commitments and obligations, which leaves you more time and energy for the things that matter most to you.

  1. You become more mindful.

Living with less stuff forces you to be more mindful of the things you do bring into your home. This means that you’re likely to only surround yourself with things that bring you joy or that are truly necessary, which can lead to

How I decluttered my home

minimalist
Photo by Zarak Khan: https://www.pexels.com/photo/a-minimalist-workspace-4256211/

I never thought I would be the type of person to declutter my home. I always thought that I liked having a lot of stuff around me and that it made me feel more comfortable. But as I started learning more about minimalism, I realized that all of the stuff was actually weighing me down. It was taking up space in my home and in my head, and it wasn’t bringing me any joy.

So, I decided to declutter my home. And let me tell you, it was liberating! Getting rid of all of the clutter felt like a huge weight had been lifted off of my shoulders. My home felt lighter and brighter, and I finally had room to breathe.

If you’re thinking about decluttering your home, here are a few tips to get you started:

Start with one area: Don’t try to tackle your entire house all at once. That will just overwhelm you. Start with one small area, such as your closet or your desk, and go from there.

Set aside some time: Dedicate an hour or two each week to decluttering. Put it on your calendar so you don’t forget or push it off.

Be ruthless: This is not the time to be sentimental. If you haven’t used something in 6 months (or longer), get rid of it! We tend to hold onto things because we think we might need them someday, but chances are we won’t

What I keep in my home now

I keep a lot less in my home now than I used to. I’ve embraced the power of simplicity and gotten rid of anything that doesn’t serve a purpose or bring me joy. My home is now a haven, a place where I can relax and be myself. Recently, we’ve decided to make some changes to our home and we’ve added a grey door for our home. It has brought a new sense of style and elegance to our home. Here’s a look at what I keep in my home now:

  • Furniture that is comfortable and serves a purpose. I got rid of any pieces that were just taking up space or that I didn’t love.
  • A few select decor items that make me happy. These are things like photos, art, and plants.
  • A minimal amount of clothing, only what I need and love. This was probably the hardest thing for me to purge, but it was so worth it!
  • Only the essentials are in the kitchen. Again, if an item wasn’t being used or didn’t bring me joy, it had to go.
  • Bath and beauty products that I actually use on a regular basis. No more cluttered counters filled with half-used products!

My journey to a minimalist home has been so liberating. Embracing the power of simplicity has allowed me to create a space that feels like my own personal oasis. If you’re considering making the switch to a minimalist lifestyle, definitely give it a try! You won’t regret it!

How minimalism has changed my life

Though I’ve only been practicing minimalism for a short while, it has already had a profound effect on my life. For starters, getting rid of all the excess stuff in my life has helped me to declutter my mind and focus on what’s really important to me.

In addition, living with less stuff has helped me to appreciate the things I do have so much more. I no longer take my possessions for granted and am more mindful of how I use and care for them. And because I don’t have as many material things to keep track of, I have more time and energy to pursue the things that truly matter to me.

Overall, minimalism has made me happier, more fulfilled, and less stressed. It’s a lifestyle that I highly recommend for anyone who is looking for greater simplicity and peace in their life.

Conclusion

Pursuing a minimalist lifestyle has been an incredibly rewarding experience. It has allowed me to create more space in both my physical and mental environment, allowing me to live with less stress and clutter. I have found that living with fewer possessions has made it easier for me to identify what really matters in life, focusing on the things that truly bring joy instead of getting lost amongst material objects. 

Minimalism isn’t just about having less; it is about embracing the power of simplicity and creating a home where you can be content without needing excess or quantity.

We all like beautiful things and can’t resist buying new stuff we like, from souvenirs to cushions and furniture we don’t need. I used to be the victim of my own good taste, I passionately searched for and collected everything that was pleasing to my eye. Until there was no space left in my house and I started to suffocate. And that’s how I discovered minimalism, by being forced to de-clutter and simplify.

Minimalism appeared in 1920s, as a reaction to heavily decorated lush styles of the previous epochs. The motto was ‘Less is more’ and later ‘Do more with less’. This rather self explanatory rule emphasized the need to simplify and keep only what is necessary, using what’s left to heighten the esthetics. It is a complete U-turn from piling things up and losing the esthetic impression due to the excess of visual stimulation.

So I began, from the golden rule – have a big clear out. I guess the most difficult part is deciding what to keep and what to let go of. Once you have that done, your new look starts to emerge. Then you need to tidy up and organize what you’ve kept in the most functional way, and change the colors, textures or replace some items with new more suitable ones.

Kitchen

minimalist kitchen

My kitchen was cluttered the most. It was full of souvenirs, flowerpots, utensils, machines … you name it. I let go of most of the stuff. We only kept the things we actually do use in the kitchen, and we were surprisingly able to fit them all into cupboards. We completely cleared the counters of any objects except the blender and the coffee machine. The cupboards became visible again and clean lines of kitchen furniture brought texture out so we repainted the cabinets and refinished the table and the chairs and we had ourselves a new spacious kitchen.

Living room

minimalism in your living room

We did the same with other wooden furniture in the house, refinished and repainted it in the same light crème color, staying consistent with combining only two basic colors – white for the walls, crème for the furniture. We wanted to have a functional but cozy and comfy space. The change was amazing. In our living room, we only kept the couch and the sofa and covered them with white throws. One coffee table replaced two chairs, a chests of drawers and the TV stand. The TV was hung on the wall, all the floor lamps were replaced by one wall lamp, and our heavy old patterned carpet with a dark grey rug.  Twenty or so little framed drawings and photos that hung on our walls were replaced by a single large wallpaper photo of nature. Calming and non-intrusive at the same time, it gave our space soul but did not distract us.

Bedroom

Simple bedroom

We did the same with the bedroom, leaving only the bed, the night table and a chair. We installed a big mirror over the entire surface of the closet giving the room depth and richness. It was functional at the same time.

Bathroom

 

Our bathroom was already minimalist, I just uncluttered it from products putting them all into one cupboard and removing everything else except the towel hangers and soap. We changed the rugs into light crème and white and threw in a single white candle for atmosphere. The coat hangers from the hall were taken down and the coats are kept in our almost invisible hall wardrobe.

What we gained from going minimalist is actually some serious relief. I used to waste so much time cleaning and arranging all the stuff in our house. Now cleaning is a breeze and it stays clean for much longer. We can sit on the floor, we can move about much more freely, the space is fresh with whiteness, open, relaxing and soothing. Yet we have everything we need and we enjoy our house much more now. ‘Less is more’ turned out to be true – more time, more money, more space, more freedom!