minimalism at home

what is minimalism?

minimalism means something different to everyone; but overall, it is when possessions are kept because they are valued: tell a story, are useful, or beautiful.

it is often described as a decor style but is in fact a lifestyle. choosing to create a space for living not storing, for entertaining and to showcase pieces that mean something special, have a backstory. as much as i love a good ikea or home goods find, most of our home is comprised of furniture, art, books, scents that we've acquired from relatives, travel, that have history or speak to us. this translates to other areas of our life as well, for example, the company we keep, the clothing worn, food we eat...

a minimalistic lifestyle has helped immensely with my OCD, not because it subdues these habits but aligns with them. let me explain... everything is neat, clean, has a home because there is never an overwhelming amount of 'stuff' to worry about (or tidy up). storage is organized and not seen because 'storage' really only consists of linens, towels, wires, games. we have what we need and nothing more or less.

as i mentioned, this is true of food and clothing as well. closets are organized by item and color and everything fits in the space allotted. these are the pieces that i wear most, that i love, that i find myself grabbing for every time i get dressed. there may be some accent colors but typically the pallet is neutral - blacks, whites, grey, oatmeals.... 

the pantries have essentials: dry goods for baking in matching canisters, only a small amount of canned food for emergency, a shelf dedicated to any cooking needs like oils, super foods, and spices. and again, only what we consistently use; i could tell you every spice in my cabinet. we never have a full fridge, overflowing with leftovers, bags of produce, fruit thrown into drawers; everything has a home and what currently resides in our refrigerator is what we will eat within 4-5 days. 

minimalism is present in our schedules too, creating habits, repeating meals, activities and more. some find this boring, but those like myself, find it soothing. this creates a more productive environment and lessens our 'to-do' list.

as it does with most people, minimalism began with building our home. i didn't want to dump all our stuff in this small space. the point was to create a home, not just a living space, and thus the 'cleansing' began. first with clothing, then with household items and furniture. slowly we created piles of items to donate, sell, give away, trash. what we kept were the items we loved, truly could not live without. and that's how it starts, wanting a simpler life, organized and clean, one that you can enjoy each moment in. then it begins to transition into other areas of your life. 

before i get into the 'how to' of this blog. let me specify that the internet phenomenon 'hygge' a Denmark based lifestyle and now (viral) home decor concept does not coincide with minimalism. they overlap here and there, but hygge values presence and letting your life slow down. which is not a bad thing! but in North America, well like i said we have to-do lists, and they are a a mile long so sitting by the fire reading each night or by the window with a biscuit and coffee each morning isn't exactly realistic most days. they do however, both focus on the heart of living. 

where to start?

it's easy to do when you are moving but if you live in a home that you've resided in for some time, where to start can be an anxiety provoking thought. id start with a room or your closet... think  small. starting with a closet is easier to breakdown so let's tackle that together.

you want to go through each item. personally i like to categorize first: jeans, trousers, work pants, buttons downs, sweaters, cardigans, long sleeve, short sleeve, tanks, dresses long to short. start with just this seasons items, the ones  you are currently wearing and (should be) at the forefront of your closet. then piece by piece, ask yourself how much you really love the item, when was the last time you wore it? can you think of three outfits you'd make with this piece? if not - donate it. start with clothing, organizing  the items you've chosen to keep, then move onto shoes, accessories etc.

what if i can't let go?

the truth is you have to be ready. for me, i was fed up. i was tired of always cleaning and tiding up, and feeling like i had so much and yet nothing i actually wanted. all this junk i had acquired and yet none of it made me happy or feel good about myself. that's what you want to discard, everything that doesn't make you feel good and only keeping what you truly love, need, and use. 

nothing in life is 'all or nothing 'as much as we like to use that term. real progress is done in steps. it gets easier to part with things the more 'acquainted' you get with the idea and with how it makes you feel to own less. for example, i'll go through my closet and donate a bag of items. and then six months later i'll do it again and discard more: a lot of the things i was hesitant about but not ready to let go of 6 months ago. and that is OK. again... not an all or nothing scenario. 

what will a minimalistic lifestyle do for me?

well that answer is different for everyone. in my case, i have much less stress, sleep better, am more focused, organized, and overall happier with less in my life. it started with materials and tricked down into other areas. for example, the company you keep may decrease to only those you truly trust, doing only what you love and want to do in your free time, and so on and so forth.  you may find that you are healthier, only purchasing items with minimal ingredients or chemicals, looking into more raw food, finding a workout schedule that works for you. personally, i find that i have more free time because i'm not always finding homes for things or trying to find storage solutions for my stuff. you want to be able to walk into any room and feel calm, without clutter disrupting your thoughts, you want to know exactly where the item you need is, without backtracking though some mind maze of the last time you saw 'it.'

i cleaned my closet now what?

i put this in for my mother because she struggles hard with letting go. live with that one room or area for a week or so after you've cleansed. how do you feel about it? if it's made life easier for you, and you feel good about it, you'll want to extend this to other areas of your home. if you're on a high, tackle the storage room. if you want another project, find a small room or tackle the kitchen. it's actually astonishing how much is in the kitchen that not only do we not use, but is probably expired... seriously. 

what about the items i'm getting rid of? 

don't trash anything that someone else could use. there are tons of ways to up-cycle. for instance, donate to Goodwill or Salvation Army, sell some designer items to a consignment store or vintage shop, sell online at places like poshmark.com, bring items to the shelters, books to libraries or educational institutions. part of this lifestyle is sustainability and ethics so recycling is essential not just your plastics but your material items too. 

organizing?

it has to work for you. you have to be able to find what you need quickly... let's go back to the closet. like i said, probably best to put the items in categories - pants, tops, sweaters, like you find on your favorite websites. then you can organize by color or if some are casual and others are strictly for work that's another way you could organize the space. it has to work with your day to day, and make sense in your mind. 

for those items that you just need and don't really have a home, i'm a fan of a small corner basket for wires / blankets, or storage bins that fit (unseen) under the bed, things like that. 

what should i buy?

only what you absolutely love, use, and is beneficial to you. this means no impulse buys... 

book recommendations?

some books i really like that cover this topic are:

Minimalist Lifestyle

Goodbye Things

Clean + Clutter Free