Declutter Your House: Minimalism Tips for the Home
Have you ever thought about how many things you own and how they might be cluttering up your home?
You don’t have to donate all of your worldly possessions, but inviting minimalism into your home is a great way to declutter both physically and mentally. Here are some of the benefits of minimalism, plus tips to get you started.
Benefits of Minimalism
If you aren’t convinced that incorporating minimalism into your home is a good move for you personally, consider some of these benefits:
- Help your home feel larger. When you have less stuff cluttering a space, that space naturally feels larger.
- Cleaning is easier. When you don’t have to navigate around knick knacks and other possessions it’s much easier to keep your home clean and tidy.
- Minimalism is visually appealing. A clutter-free home simply looks more attractive.
- Find your things quickly. Have you ever tried to locate your keys, only to find yourself searching through and around piles of mail, decor and other items? When you own less, finding what you need is much easier.
- Sell your home faster. If you’re trying to sell your house, minimalism can help guide your staging efforts.
How to Declutter Your Home
Now, it’s time for the difficult part — decluttering and organizing your soon-to-be minimalist home. Try to approach it with a lighthearted mindset, which will make the process infinitely more enjoyable. Remember, you don’t have to “do” minimalism all at once. You can attack the process in whatever way makes the most sense for you.
Attack One Room at a Time
If you try to tackle your whole home you’re bound to end up feeling overwhelmed, so declutter room by room.
Ask Yourself, “Do I need this?”
And, most importantly, be honest with your answer. We often think we need something, when we could in fact live without it.
As you sort through your belongings ask yourself this question often. You might realize that you don’t need 12 coffee mugs when your family uses the same 6 mugs over and over again.
Start Big and Work Your Way Down
The largest items you own are going to have the most impact, so begin with furniture and other big items. Do you use that accent chair, or is it just taking up space? Do your children use all of those big toys in the basement?
If you’re able to purchase new items, now is the time to do it. For example, could you replace a giant coffee table with a newer table that has clean lines and takes up less space?
Clear Off Your Surfaces
This includes your countertops, floors, walls and tabletops. You may need to revamp your organization systems as you struggle to find new places for some of your items, but the result will be a cleaner home that feels open and inviting.
Decide How to Organize Your Things
Organization will be an important part of your new minimalist home. You may even need to implement a new system of organization in your closets, cabinets and drawers.
If you aren’t sure where to start, begin with a Pinterest search and a trip to your local Container Store, Ikea Target or a similar store. This “Ridiculously Thorough Guide to Decluttering Your Home” is another fantastic resource you can use.
Gather ideas that might work well in your home, and then get to work organizing. Once you’re done everything will have a place of it’s own, and you’ll love your new, minimalistic house.
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