FAQs on Living in a Minimalist Environment

I just watched a show called House & Home on HGTV called Living Naked. The host, Lynda Reeves, ended the show by saying "Once you go naked, you'll never go back." I have to agree.

What is minimalist living?

According to Wikipedia.org, Minimalism describes movements in various forms of art and design, especially visual art and music, where the work is stripped down to its most fundamental features and core self-expression. Likewise, someone who lives a minimalist lifestyle rids their environment of everything they do no use and need, leaving a cleaned, uncluttered environment.

In a home of someone who lives a minimalist lifestyle you might find that they have no window treatments, no throw blankets, or unnecessary rugs, very few pillows, no tablecloths, and nothing lying around. Looking around the room, you would find that you could see all of the walls, much of the floor, and even the baseboards of the room with few obstructions. A minimalist bedroom would have a bed, a dresser, and a chair. Clutter is nonexistent.

How beneficial is minimalism?

Minimalist living is stress free living. With no bills laying about, nothing that visibly needs to be cleaned or put away, and no extra stuff lying around that would lend to making an easy mess, a minimalist can relax in good conscience and truly enjoy their environment. When at home, a minimalist will be relaxed. A relaxed person is a healthy person.

What minimalist living does for your schedule?

Since the few necessities that are owned will very likely have a standard place where they belong, cleaning up will be a snap. They will spend less time searching for keys, shoes, and bills that need to be paid. They will know where all of their belongings are and will know where to put them back when they are done with them. This lends even more time to relaxation, and more time for recreation.

Tips to developing a minimalist lifestyle:

While developing a minimalist lifestyle demands structure and determination, it is not impossible. Here are some Tips you can use to create a minimalist lifestyle in your home.

1. Eliminate items you do not use. If an item has sentimental value, consider displaying it as art. Otherwise, get rid of it.
2. Remove unnecessary décor items. How many pillows do you really need? Get rid of the excess. Store the throw blankets in a nearby trunk. Put items on tables and dressers, in the top drawer instead. Tabletops should be clear. Furniture should not need constant arrangement. Nothing but furniture should be one the floor.
3. For items you do need and use regularly, you will need a place to store them. You need to have a place for everything and put everything in its place. If you find that items are still being strewn about, consider getting rid of them.

In summation: I have been slowly working into this direction without realizing it. It is a byproduct of the times, really. People are so busy, the last thing they want when they go home is to see clutter. They want their house to be relaxed and calm, with no muss and no fuss.

If you find that you have become stressed and burdened by the clutter in your home, I suggest you give minimalist living a try. Start with one room, and see how it makes you feel. Supposedly, you will never go back to a cluttered lifestyle again.