Minimalist living is nothing new, but it’s become very popular in recent years, especially among the millennial generation.
There are many reasons to consider taking a minimalist approach from saving money to conserving resources, to spending less time maintaining belongings.
If you’re interested in minimalist interiors in particular and how you can decorate your home without all the clutter, here are 11 things to keep in mind:
Take a Hard Look at Your Space
When you first walk through a newly built home, or your own new home before you fill it full of your belongings, there’s such a freshness to the blank canvas feeling of it all. It’s inspiring to think about all the possible ways you can make the most of the space, to decorate it, and fill it with warmth.
Before you fill a room, take the time to really observe the space, notice how the light shines in and from what angles, appreciate the shape of the space, and go from there.
Play off of what the room has going for it already and resist the urge to cram it full of stuff in every nook and cranny. A room with one or two interesting focal pieces, whether it’s a unique furniture piece or a stunning piece of art, can bring a space to life. You don’t need ceiling-to-floor knick-knacks to make it interesting.
Choose Your Color Palette Wisely
Dark colors make a room feel smaller, and lighter colors make a space feel open and larger.
You might want a study to have a cozy, tucked away feel, in which case, a dark, rich paint color could suit it fine. But if you want to make your kitchen area seem more spacious and welcoming, opt for light shades in neutral tones and whites.
When Designing Minimalist Interiors, Opt for Some Smaller Pieces
Avoid the urge to buy the very biggest of everything when you’re furnishing and decorating a room.
Minimalist interiors often have smaller pieces of furniture that allow for more space to move about freely. If your bedroom can barely fit a king-size bed, then go down in size. Ditch the bulky nightstands or the large dresser and keep it simple.
Ask Yourself, “Is This Essential?”
One of the most common traits of minimalist interiors is that little more than the essentials are present in each room. Go into any model home and take note: you’ll see the essential furniture and tasteful decor, but not much else in the way of distracting pieces or excess.
Instead of cabinets full of dishes, choose enough to cover your needs. Instead of 15 throw pillows, try 3. Ask yourself if you really need something before you move forward with purchasing it.
Keep Collections to a Minimum
Collecting things can be so much fun, but they can also take up a lot of space and create a lot of clutter if you aren’t careful. If you want to create a minimalist home, you might have to let some of your collections go.
Whether it’s figurines, Christmas villages, books, old records, or something else, learning to let go can mean learning to free up both space and money.
Appreciate Simple Decor
There are so many charming decorative pieces to choose from in so many styles, it can be tempting to buy lots of things to place on countertops, shelves, bookcases, and tables.
Pull it back a bit and focus on adding a few simple pieces of timeless decor that will look good in your home for many seasons. You’ll have fewer objects to dust and reorganize and your place will look tidier and more open.
Click here to find those few special pieces that really speak to you and the look you want to create.
Don’t Be Afraid of a Blank Wall
You’ve probably been in a home where there wasn’t a blank wall to be found. A home where every wall and corner is covered with family pictures, plaques, sayings, and artwork can come off as cluttery and disorganized.
Don’t be afraid to embrace a couple of blank walls throughout your home. Hang one or two statement pieces on a focal point wall and let the rest be. Doing so will draw more attention to the artwork you’ve chosen and keep your space from looking too busy.
Keep Your Floors Clear
Don’t forget the floors as you try to arrange a minimalist vibe. Floors should be clutter-free and offer plenty of room for walking freely. Avoid setting lots of large objects on the floor such as bins of shoes, storage ottomans, or lots of large plants.
Not only can you trip up easily when your walking space is full of obstacles, but it also makes it a lot harder to keep your floors clean when you have to maneuver around so much.
Be Smart With Storage
If you have items that you aren’t using during a particular season, keep them stored away in the basement or the garage. Use smaller boxes of plastic bins for smaller items.
Resist on relying on storage too much, because there’s nothing “minimal” about a basement that’s stuffed with boxes and boxes of stuff. But when done right, sturdy storage bins can be very useful in maintaining a clutter-free lifestyle.
All You Need Is Less
It might take constant, daily reminding to get used to consuming and buying less. Be patient before you purchase. Think it over. Ask yourself if you really want it or really need it. Utilize what you have and resist impulse purchases.
After a while, it becomes second nature to think before you buy and you’ll enjoy the minimal approach more and more as you practice it.
Other Insightful Lifestyle Tips
If minimalist interiors are your thing, hopefully you’ve found something here that helps you achieve that.
For other great lifestyle tips and tricks, be sure to check out some of our other informative articles.
