The world around us is full of beautiful things and all we we want is more and more and - you guessed it - MORE. It’s not our fault, everything is marketed as “necessary”, every new gadget is a “must”, and every decor piece would look so good in your home. But, ironically, after we’ve accumulated every “necessary” and beautiful thing, we find ourselves overwhelmed in a cluttered home.
Enter Minimalism - the concept everyone wants to embrace when they are fed up at looking at their overfilled homes, but is the hardest thing to commit to... probably even more than the gym membership you swore you’d use.
But, don’t worry, I got you! The path to a more minimalistic, yet aesthetically pleasing home is achievable and I’m going to tell you how.
1. TAKE YOUR TIME & COMPROMISE
This is the first and probably the most important step - achieving a more minimalistic home is going to take time, effort and compromise. Minimalism is about reducing consumption and decluttering so you can be surrounded by what’s truly essential and important to you and this WILL be difficult for most people. You’ll have to accept that everything will not be perfect and you’ll have to compromise on what to keep or where to keep it. Don’t force yourself to live a certain way just because of some designer rule or because you’re trying to replicate an image. Make sure you create an environment that works for you and your lifestyle! That means sometimes you will have to prioritize function over form & beauty, and that’s perfectly okay.
Being in the right headspace is important so take it slow and know that it’s okay to feel impatient, discouraged, sad, or even annoyed during this process. Most importantly, take it one step at a time and commit to this because the end results will be worth it. Remember this is your sanctuary and it will take time to build it so be easy on yourself and enjoy the process.
Whenever we are trying to implement any changes in our lives, we need to take it slow and dip our feet in instead of jumping in right away. Often times we fail at something new because we rush in and get discouraged when things don’t work our way, but committing to a process and taking your time with this change is key!
2. BE INTENTIONAL
Be intentional - everyone says it and very few understand what it means. From an interior designer’s perspective, being intentional means figuring out what a more minimalistic lifestyle means for you. It’s not the same for everyone and and there are different tiers to minimalism. Ultimately, as mentioned before, the goal is to reduce and declutter but how far you want to now with that will vary for each individual. For some, it means having a smaller, maybe even bare, space with just the essentials and for others, it may mean having a larger space with more than the essentials, but all meaningful items that have their designated space.
Take time to look at your space and understand how you want live and what would make your life easier. If you feel overwhelmed or unhappy in your space, why is that? If your current organization system isn’t working, are you forcing it? How can you make it easier for you and your family? Understanding why you want a more minimalistic home is the first step to achieving one. I suggest writing out a list or making a visual mood so you can stay motivated and commit to making the change.
3. DECLUTTER
Channel those Marie Kondo vibes and really look around your space to evaluate what items you need as well as what items bring you happiness. As an interior designer, I do believe there is a place for beautiful things that may not necessarily have a function, therefore not be “essential”, but can be important for someone. This can be a sentimental object, a meaningful piece of art, a china set that was a wedding gift, or various other decor pieces and memorabilia.
My secret to decluttering is creating a balance between form and function as well as being honest with yourself on what you really need versus what you don’t. To achieve that balance you need to separate items into 3 categories:
Items that are absolutely essential - furniture, lighting, cookware, dinnerware, clothes, etc.
Items that aren’t technically “essential”, but they are for you - sentimental objects, art pieces, souvenirs, pictures, books, etc.
Items you don’t need and you can let go of - basically all the items you never use, items you forgot were even in your home, duplicate pieces, things sitting in storage, multiple wires, old notebooks, broken items you swore you’d repair, clothes you’re saving to fit into one day, etc.
After you’ve categorized all your items, go back and see if you can push any other items from categories 1 and 2 into category 3.
IMPORTANT NOTE: I personally like to make lists of these categories first and color code the items with post-its or stickers instead of actually pulling each item into large groups. This will avoid having piles throughout your home that “you’ll eventually get to”. Don’t worry, I am the queen of creating piles so I get it.
4. FOR EVERY ITEM YOU BUY, DONATE/SELL AN ITEM YOU OWN
If you have an itch to buy something new after you’ve decluttered your home, try to replace your items instead of just adding new items and saying you’ll get rid of some other things. If your current dishware or entryway bench isn’t working for you, donate/sell it BEFORE you purchase a new one. This will ensure you don’t end up with a cluttered home again.
5. QUALITY OVER QUANTITY
Minimal home or not, you NEED to prioritize investing in your home. Whether big or small, each piece should be an INVESTMENT and you should prioritize quality over quantity. When we’re pinched for money or feeling impatient, it’s easy to get the cheaper alternative or settle for a dupe, but when trying to create a more minimalistic home, we need to be cognizant of quality and commit to pieces that will last over time.
Remember, it’s better to wait, save up, and invest in one quality item that will last you over a long period of time rather than buying something cheaper and risk having to replace it more often.
6. COMMIT TO AN OVERALL DESIGN AESTHETIC
I’m going to start off by confusing you and say it’s okay to not have a specific design style or box yourself to one because most people appreciate many different styles, however, in order to create a cohesive and minimal space, you have to figure out what design aesthetic predominately speaks to you. The best way to do this is through pictures. When searching images or going through magazines, try to search adjectives over design style names, for example, search for phrases like “moody” or “airy” as well as different types of homes like “Minimal Parisian Style” or “European Small Kitchen”. When you’ve complied a few images, try to pinpoint what about the image speaks to you. Often times, when we see a curated image, even if we don’t necessarily love the “design style”, we are floored by its beauty but if you look closely, you might realize you actually don’t like many things like the sofa or the paint color. It’s important to go through and pinpoint what you like and what you don’t like.
Once you have a good sense of what you’re drawn to, make sure all your larger pieces, such as furniture, are in the same design style and add more eclectic pieces through your smaller decor items such as accent tables, planters, etc.
Not sure what your design style is? Here are a few steps to help you:
Research different interior design styles and see which one resonates with you the most.
If researching the styles still has you confused, then go through some magazines or Pinterest and create a mood board. You’ll be able to see what style you’re drawn to after you start to select similar images.
Still unsure or don’t think you have a particular design style? Take cue from your home’s architecture to get a sense of direction. If you live in a farmhouse, try to incorporate more rustic pieces. If you live in a modern condo, go for more modern furniture pieces. Sometimes the easiest way to make your home look put together is to just work with your surrounding.
7. CLEAN LINES & TIMELESS STYLES
Whatever design style you choose, make sure you choose pieces that have clean lines and a classic style. Minimalism is all about consuming less so when you invest in pieces and style your home, choose pieces that are timeless and can work even if you change your decor.
8. STREAMLINED COLOR PALETTE & PRIORTIZE TEXTURE
As important as committing to a design style is committing to a color palette. Pick 3-5 max colors that go well with each other and use them throughout your home. Sticking with light neutrals if best when trying to create a minimalistic home, however, I believe in pops of colors and if you do too, add a maximum of 2 accent colors that work with a neutral color palette. Another important step is to add texture through different materials while staying within your color palette. This will create depth and visual interest throughout your space, making sure it doesn’t feel too flat or bare.
Let’s look at 2 different color palettes options.
NEUTRALS - a neutral color palette with whites, grays, creams with wood and hide textures
ACCENT COLORS - minimal yet colorful with pops of yellows and pinks as well as texture from greenery and a shag rug
9. KEEP IT LIGHT & BRIGHT
Making your space feel bright will do wonders in making it feel more minimalistic. Your lighter color palette will already create a brighter atmosphere, but making sure you prioritize sunlight and lighting will make all the difference. A few tips:
Stick with lighter colored window shades instead of heavy dark options and to create a blackout affect, try layering streamlined window shades with sheer or semi-sheer curtains.
Prioritize your light fixtures and avoid dim or dark spaces
Add mirrors to reflect light
10. CREATE MULTI-FUNCTIONAL SPACES SOLUTIONS
Creating spaces that are multi- functional and incorporate multi-purpose storage solutions will allow you to save space, money, and time. A few multi-functional solution options are:
Furniture pieces with hidden storage
Multi-purpose kitchen appliances
Height-adjustable furniture
Under bed and sofa storage
Multi-functional furniture i.e. pull out sofa beds or Murphy beds
I hope these 10 tips will help you achieve your perfect version of a minimalistic home.
Until next time,
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