A minimalist lifestyle is not for everyone. But in this hectic world, many of us are feeling that call — the yearning to have less, to spend less, to do less, to need less.
You read about those folks who make huge, dramatic leaps into extreme minimalist lifestyles, giving away everything they own, moving to an all-white room with just a mattress and a notepad. You can certainly get on the path to minimalism with a similarly grand gesture, or you can work on seeking simplicity more gradually.
We've got the beginner's road map for getting on a path to living a more simple, minimal lifestyle at home (and in life). No one single thing will magically make you into a minimalist tomorrow, but these ideas are a good place to start you on your journey.
1. Give yourself a clear, personal goal (and a timeline)
What is your personal definition of a more minimal home and life? Is it to have only the bare minimum of objects? Is it to declutter a whole room of stuff you haven't looked at in months? Is it to learn to live with less or stop buying things you don't need? There's no "right" way to be a minimalist; we can all have our own definitions of simple and stress-free. Just take the time to define it for yourself. Not sure where to start defining what you don't want in your life? Focus on what you do want — what makes you feel alive, what you're passionate about — and then begin to strip away the things (physical and otherwise) that are getting in the way of you doing more of what you really want to be doing.
Give yourself a clear goal, with broken-down steps to attain (and remember to write down the things you need to complete those steps). And then give yourself a time frame to achieve each step (not just the final goal). Consider making alerts on your calendar so you are held accountable. And don't just write down what the goal is — write down why you want to live more minimally (less stress, more money, less stuff to haul on your next move — it can be anything that means something to you).
2. Decide how your home can help you live a more minimalist lifestyle
Your quest for a more minimal lifestyle might point you in the direction of a smaller or simplified home. This is a big step for folks who own or rent homes, but not impossible. Again, start with a goal of what you want — be specific. Not sure what you want? Do some traveling — and look to stay in homes in the size range you're thinking about. You'll be able to visualize your future life easier if it's a size you can downsize to. Or perhaps the size and type of your home is okay but it's what's in it...
3. Declutter
This seems pretty obvious, but it can be the most painful step for folks who have a real attachment to many of their items. Start slow and intentionally. Throw out or donate everything you obviously don't need first. Then take and hide everything you think you could do without for a few months, to give yourself distance to be able to give them away. Then use that motivation to gather the courage to take decluttering as extreme as works for your dream, minimal lifestyle. Keep reminding yourself that stripping away as much stuff from your life will make it easier to achieve a more simple life and allow you to have more freedom. You don't have to only live with a bed and a laptop; again, you get to decide what living more minimally means to you.
4. Train yourself to live with less
If you've been used to creature comforts for a long time, you might not be ready to take a minimal plunge all at once. Consider having comfort-free weekends or months, slowly eliminating comforts and luxuries (even as simple as pricey haircuts or weekly movie dates) and seeing what feels okay to lose, and what things are too valuable to your happiness to give up.
5. Ask yourself "do I really need this?" all the time
Before you swipe your credit card, ask yourself "Do I really need this?" And ask yourself all the time. At first you may easily justify purchases out of habit, but as the question sinks in, you might find yourself realizing you don't need many of the items you impulsively buy.
Read more: Cut Down on Impulse Purchases, Save Money, and Buy Things You Really Like
6. Be a re-user
Another great habit to explore on the path to a more minimal way of living is learning to be a great re-user. Save packaging to reuse for other things. Learn to repair and fix things rather than replace. Use old clothing for scrap fabric for DIY projects. Be open to being creative to find ways you can reuse something you already have rather than buy something new.
7. Invest in high-quality items
When you do have (or want) to buy something new, splurge on high-quality items that are meaningful for you. Remember that it might be nicer to have a sparse home filled with dreamy designs you adore versus full of things you just sort of like. But also remember that, again, you define what minimal means.
Read more: How To: Collect Quality Furniture When You Don't Have Much Money
8. Be clear about why you want to be more minimal (and remind yourself often)
Go back to the first step above regularly, especially when things get tough, so you can remember why you're trying to live more minimally in the first place.
9. Forgive yourself and keep trying
As someone who has given away everything they owned one and a half times now, I can assure you, we manage to acquire stuff at impressive speeds. And also sign up for a lot of work obligations, too. This is just human nature. But don't give up on your quest to simplicity if you wake up one day and notice you've let a lot of unneeded stuff clutter up your home or schedule. Just start over at the top, breathe in, and keep trying.
Are you aiming to live a more minimal lifestyle, at home and in other parts of your life? We'd love if you shared your thoughts, tips, ideas and lessons learned in the comments below!
These Are The 6 Types of Minimalists. Which One Are You?
Minimalism, in modern culture, is a word infused with so much meaning that it doesn't seem to mean anything any more. "Minimalism" is thrown around carelessly, and often offered (in the case of a book or an article, including many you might see on this site) without enough context to understand if we're all on the same page. And often, we aren't.
It turns out there are many different ways to practice the same underlying, abstract foundation. So I wanted to try my hand at fleshing them out, and giving scenery and context to the many ways a person can subscribe to minimalism.
There is one common thread: Whatever type of minimalist you are, it's a lifestyle centered on less.
Aesthetic Minimalists
It's all about the optics for the aesthetic minimalist. They don't necessarily own less, but they certainly have less on display. Their favorite color — for walls, for linens, for dinnerware, for everything — is white. Since it's all about the visuals, the aesthetic minimalist is easy to finger: Walk into the front door of their colorless apartment and spot bare countertops, bare floors, and bare walls (save for maybe a single piece of abstract art in a slim frame leaned gingerly atop a shaker-style bench).
Signature Move: Throwing out their menagerie of mismatched hangers to buy a pricey set of modernist ones.
Essential Minimalists
The essential minimalist is cued in to discovering precisely how much they can live without. They are obsessed with using less, having less and paring down their belongings to only the ultimate basics. Look inside their closet or kitchen cabinets to see a collection in short supply — just enough to last a week or so until the next wash. Waste is not usually at the forefront of their minimalistic mind as much as quality and quantity; the essentialist will sometimes toss their old things aside just to procure better, more worthwhile things. They do what they can within their means to buy the best thing they can afford; if they're only going to buy one, it needs to be the best and last forever.
Signature Move: Throwing out all but a dozen hangers for their curated seasonal wardrobe.
Experiential Minimalists
The hallmark of the experiential minimalist is a belief that the pursuit of experiences is more universally important than the pursuit of things. So while the experientialist does own very few possessions, it's merely a symptom of their chosen lifestyle rather than an outcome of any intentional curation. You might also call them "backpack" minimalists for their ability to fit their entire life into a bag and be ready for anything, but this brand of minimalist encompasses a wide range of personalities from adventure-seeking hippie types to freelance digital nomads.
Signature Move: Throwing out their hangers because all their clothes are in a suitcase.
Sustainable Minimalists
The sustainable minimalist might just as accurately be described as the eco minimalist. Their focus is on green living: reducing their dependence on, consumption of and harm to the environment. They'll own more — more tools, more land, more clothes — if it means they want for less. You might find them living the homestead life — or at least aspiring to — as their priorities are centered around reducing waste and living off the land as much as possible. This brand of minimalism is sometimes as much about serving the environment as it is about serving the person and their chosen lifestyle. The motto that drives the sustainable minimalist is "make do, or do without."
Signature Move: Crafting their own hangers from reclaimed wire and wood they sourced on their land.
Thrifty Minimalists
They might share some of the same waste-conscious habits as the sustainable types, but the underlying intentions of the thrifty minimalist are totally different. You can find them tending to their gardens, shopping at thrift stores and refinishing furniture, but the end goal is about spending less rather than using less. They embrace minimalist tendencies because of their financial mindset. You'll sometimes find them in tiny apartments, or at the very least bunked up with roommates to save on rent. But thrifty minimalists are known to hang on to things — as much as they can fit — lest they need something like it in the future and have to replace anything they once owned with more of their hard-earned dollars.
Signature Move: Asking the dry cleaner if they have any extra hangers to take home with them.
Mindful Minimalists
The mindful minimalist is one who gets joy and spiritual enlightenment by ridding themselves of extra things. They practice sensible moderation not for any particular financial, ecological or aesthetic reasons, but purely in search of their own peace of mind. Letting go of their possessions, for the mindful minimalist, is mostly about letting go of guilt or stress or other sour feelings. Stripping away excess allows the mindful person to find more purpose in their day to day life and better relish their intellect, their sanctuary and their community.
Signature Move: Standing in their bedroom contemplating which of their clothes hangers sparks the most joy.
Do you consider yourself a minimalist? Which type are you?
Read more: How To Downsize Without Losing Your Mind.
My friend Nina called me panicking. She'd decided to give up her generous one bedroom apartment to move into half a converted garage, downsizing her living space so that her dogs have a yard to run around in. First step: paring down her life to the bare minimum and deciding how to make the most of the tiny space. I went to look at it and we evaluated the space, her stuff and her lifestyle. Here are a few tips if you find yourself in a similar situation:
Look at the pros: Yes, the place is miniscule, probably 300 square feet tops. But she has access to a pool and a hot tub, a big plus in LA. And there's the yard her dogs can run around in. And it's located close to where she works, so she'll be able to bike. Less stuff and less living space, yes, but, between the biking and the swimming, chances are she'll be a lot healthier. The layout of the space is also good: two rooms side by side, and, though the bathroom doesn't have a bathtub (Nina likes to de-stress with a good long soak), she can use the hot tub whenever she wants. And the closet is big.
Be realistic: However she looks at it, Nina's going to have to pare down her stuff; the space is tiny. We measured the space and evaluated her belongings. No way was all her furniture going to fit. So, we started by deciding which were the most necessary pieces in each room.
Evaluate Needs vs. Wants: In a bedroom, you only need a bed. In a living room, you only really need the couch.
Bring in the limited storage tricks: All the bath towels will be hung up in the bathroom, the bed linens will be stored under the mattress, the pots will be hung up, the kitchen (which is part of the living room and along one wall) will be fitted with a half-sized refrigerator.
Be creative about replacing what won't fit: Nina has two sets of side tables and a bureau. The bureau won't fit in the bedroom, so that will go. However, she's having trouble parting with the side tables. We may use two in the closet to hold underwear, socks and t shirts, and two at the foot of the bed. They'll replace the bureau and give her extra storage space (or, once everything's moved over to the space and she can see for herself that everything won't fit, she may be convinced that it's time to give up one pair of side tables).
Don't fight the small: Yes, there are many tricks to make a room look bigger, but sometimes small has its advantages. The bedroom is small, no denying that, so we're going for it. The look we're going for is jewel box: the room will be painted navy blue, the bed will be generous with linens. It will be like sleeping in a glamorous nest.
Make it look built in: That tiny bedroom will also hold Nina's bookcases. I suggested that she run them along one wall and paint them the same color as the wall; then we'll carefully organze her books and tchotckes. The difference between cluttered and cozy is organization.
Tighten up the color scheme: Navy blue bedroom with black and white accents, white living room with grey and black. A simple color scheme makes small look strong, and Nina can change things up by adding colorful accessories.
Reuse what you have: While the bedroom will be dark and cozy, the living room will be light and airy. Painted a bright white, it will look positively huge compared to the bedroom. Nina considered a white couch, but her tiny fur shedding dachsunds quickly eliminated that as an option. I convinced her that instead of selling her big down-filled sofa to her ex-boyfriend, she should keep it and have it recovered. After spending two days going from fabric store to fabric store, we hit upon a brilliant idea. Instead of donating the grey linen Ikea curtains, why not reuse them? The upholsterer okayed the material as sofa-appropriate, and I had him eliminate all the piping, make the back cushions lower and add wheels.
Think big: The big sofa doesn't dwarf the small room, it makes it look bigger. It's one of those classic small space tricks that seems counter-intuitive, but it works.
Think outside the box: The sofa can be wheeled to face the couch, or it can moved up to the Saarinen table for dinner (which, sacreligiously, we're also considering fitting with wheels). We're still considering options for a coffee table. I'm voting for upholstered ottomans with storage, but we'll wait on making any more decisions until after moving day, when everything's settled. That Saarinen table will be used as a desk, a dining table, and, because it's marble, will work as extra counter space to prep food. Yes, I know it may get pitted, even stained, but that, to me, is the beauty of marble. It wears beautifully and only takes on more of a patina as it ages.
CAVEMAN CLUTTER
Clutter is a natural fact of life and the problem started with our Caveman ancestors. Way back in those Cave Days you needed to accumulate as much food and supplies as you could in order to ensure your survival. Life was simple. You dragged it all into your cave. This was SMART and IMPORTANT to do. Otherwise you might DIE. But times have changed since then.
We've progressed a great deal since those early days, and food and materials for survival are much easier to come by, but we all still harbor a little voice in our heads that wants us to hold on to stuff "because we might need it."
Don't believe it. It's that ancient caveman survival voice, and it's not going to help you now.
Now, we run the greater risk of suffocating our life under an accumulation of small and large possessions (and their attendant upkeep) that no longer serve us in our daily lives.
(Note: Our stuff has changed a great deal since those early days as well. Back then, everything was biodegradable and disappeared rather quickly so that clutter buildup was less of an issue. Much of our stuff now will outlive us.)
In addition, we now live in a world that is based on consumerism, so there's a good deal of advertising that still wants us to stock up and buy new stuff, so it's really hard not to end up bogged down by a certain amount of clutter.
We're all much better at shopping than un-shopping.
MAKING SPACE FOR NEWNESS
The secret to dealing with clutter and changing your life is to realize that 1) you don't need as much stuff (you are no longer a Caveman, after all), and 2) that by having less you are opening your life up, lightening it and creating an environment that will allow you to flourish and reach your greatest potential. It's not just about letting go, it's about realizing how much more life you can have.
One of my greatest sources of inspiration is Karen Kingston, who wrote Creating Sacred Space with Feng Shui. She helped me see something as simple as collecting books (a great source of clutter) totally differently. While books are great resources and markers of of experience, we all tend to hold on to more than we actually use. And many of us hold on tightly! In order to declutter them, we need to realize that books are collections of memories and OLD THOUGHTS, not new ones. As she says, "Holding onto old books doesn't allow you to create space for new ideas and ways of thinking to come into your life."
I would even take this further. Holding onto ANYTHING that doesn't have a working role in your home won't allow you to create new space for ANYTHING new to come into your life — things, jobs, people, opportunities, etc. Even as we bring new things in, we need to bring old things out. In this way, we ensure a vital life flow in our lives.
There's a lot in this tiny bedroom by Jen Chu, but it feels light and airy because she's taken care to only keep what she loves and to leave breathing room (from The Big Book).
THE GOLDEN 10%
So, the secret to decluttering is to create a pleasing and efficient organizing system for each of your areas (clothes, shoes, books, cookware, etc) and then never allowing them to fill up. You always want to leave at least 10% empty space. That's your space for newness to come into your life.
Which means that depending on how big an accumulator you are, you'll need to declutter more or less often. To help you in this, I heartily recommend establishing an Outbox, which you use to provide a halfway house for those things you are considering letting go of.
SECOND-GENERATION CLUTTER CLEARING
The Outbox is your ally as you declutter. It works because it uses a two-step process that allows you to figure out if you need something without having to decide what to do with it immediately.
Most clutter clearers will tell you to sort through your belongings and move a certain amount to the garbage, to recycling, or to the giveaway pile. This is a first generation clutter-clearing approach. It focuses mainly on identifying clutter that will immediately be taken away. The problem with first-generation thinking is that it doesn't take into account that there are really TWO problems: how to sort out the clutter and how to detach from it. I've found that separation anxiety is by far the biggest problem.
When faced with the two anxiety-provoking decisions — where something should go (its value to the world) and whether one can separate from it (its value to me) — most people get stuck and simply hold on to things as a default. Second-generation clutter management unhitches these two decisions. It deals with separation first and decides how and where to get clutter out of your home later.
This amazing wall by Michelle McCormick stores books and shows off a good deal of artwork in a tasteful and considered way. Collections can be art not clutter when well arranged (from The Big Book).
THE OUTBOX
Choose a space that is clearly defined. This area should be out of the way of daily activities and be a place you can comfortably allow to get messy and chaotic for a short while. A closet or guest room is perfect for this, but any small area or corner near your front door will do. Designate this your Outbox. The Outbox is not garbage, nor does it need to be an actual box; it is a halfway house where things sit while their fate is being decided. You should never be afraid to put something in the Outbox.
Once an item has sat in the Outbox for some time, it releases its hold over the owner and becomes just and ordinary object that one can easily decide what to do with. One client compared it to the phenomenon children experience when they fall in love with a rock that is wet or under water. Later, when the rock has dried off and is no longer shiny, it becomes just a plain old rock again and the child's attachment to is suddenly lessens.
As simple as it is, the Outbox has proven to be extremely successful in allowing people to clear out and heal their homes efficiently on a regular basis.
OUTBOX RULES
1. Anything can go in the Outbox
2. The Outbox is allowed to get messy
3. Everything must stay in the Outbox for at least one week
4. After that time you have several choices
a. Take anything back out
b. Leave anything you are undecided about for one more week
c. Dispose of the rest by moving to the garbage, recycling bin, or giveaway pile
Once you get used to separating first and disposing of later, you'll find that clearing clutter gets easier and easier.
Go for it.
Read more: Budget Living: Readers' Tips for Living on Next-To-Nothing
Read more: The Big List: 49 Smart, Money-Saving Creative Reuse Ideas
You read about those folks who make huge, dramatic leaps into extreme minimalist lifestyles, giving away everything they own, moving to an all-white room with just a mattress and a notepad. You can certainly get on the path to minimalism with a similarly grand gesture, or you can work on seeking simplicity more gradually.
We've got the beginner's road map for getting on a path to living a more simple, minimal lifestyle at home (and in life). No one single thing will magically make you into a minimalist tomorrow, but these ideas are a good place to start you on your journey.
1. Give yourself a clear, personal goal (and a timeline)
What is your personal definition of a more minimal home and life? Is it to have only the bare minimum of objects? Is it to declutter a whole room of stuff you haven't looked at in months? Is it to learn to live with less or stop buying things you don't need? There's no "right" way to be a minimalist; we can all have our own definitions of simple and stress-free. Just take the time to define it for yourself. Not sure where to start defining what you don't want in your life? Focus on what you do want — what makes you feel alive, what you're passionate about — and then begin to strip away the things (physical and otherwise) that are getting in the way of you doing more of what you really want to be doing.
Give yourself a clear goal, with broken-down steps to attain (and remember to write down the things you need to complete those steps). And then give yourself a time frame to achieve each step (not just the final goal). Consider making alerts on your calendar so you are held accountable. And don't just write down what the goal is — write down why you want to live more minimally (less stress, more money, less stuff to haul on your next move — it can be anything that means something to you).
2. Decide how your home can help you live a more minimalist lifestyle
Your quest for a more minimal lifestyle might point you in the direction of a smaller or simplified home. This is a big step for folks who own or rent homes, but not impossible. Again, start with a goal of what you want — be specific. Not sure what you want? Do some traveling — and look to stay in homes in the size range you're thinking about. You'll be able to visualize your future life easier if it's a size you can downsize to. Or perhaps the size and type of your home is okay but it's what's in it...
3. Declutter
This seems pretty obvious, but it can be the most painful step for folks who have a real attachment to many of their items. Start slow and intentionally. Throw out or donate everything you obviously don't need first. Then take and hide everything you think you could do without for a few months, to give yourself distance to be able to give them away. Then use that motivation to gather the courage to take decluttering as extreme as works for your dream, minimal lifestyle. Keep reminding yourself that stripping away as much stuff from your life will make it easier to achieve a more simple life and allow you to have more freedom. You don't have to only live with a bed and a laptop; again, you get to decide what living more minimally means to you.
4. Train yourself to live with less
If you've been used to creature comforts for a long time, you might not be ready to take a minimal plunge all at once. Consider having comfort-free weekends or months, slowly eliminating comforts and luxuries (even as simple as pricey haircuts or weekly movie dates) and seeing what feels okay to lose, and what things are too valuable to your happiness to give up.
5. Ask yourself "do I really need this?" all the time
Before you swipe your credit card, ask yourself "Do I really need this?" And ask yourself all the time. At first you may easily justify purchases out of habit, but as the question sinks in, you might find yourself realizing you don't need many of the items you impulsively buy.
Read more: Cut Down on Impulse Purchases, Save Money, and Buy Things You Really Like
6. Be a re-user
Another great habit to explore on the path to a more minimal way of living is learning to be a great re-user. Save packaging to reuse for other things. Learn to repair and fix things rather than replace. Use old clothing for scrap fabric for DIY projects. Be open to being creative to find ways you can reuse something you already have rather than buy something new.
7. Invest in high-quality items
When you do have (or want) to buy something new, splurge on high-quality items that are meaningful for you. Remember that it might be nicer to have a sparse home filled with dreamy designs you adore versus full of things you just sort of like. But also remember that, again, you define what minimal means.
Read more: How To: Collect Quality Furniture When You Don't Have Much Money
8. Be clear about why you want to be more minimal (and remind yourself often)
Go back to the first step above regularly, especially when things get tough, so you can remember why you're trying to live more minimally in the first place.
9. Forgive yourself and keep trying
As someone who has given away everything they owned one and a half times now, I can assure you, we manage to acquire stuff at impressive speeds. And also sign up for a lot of work obligations, too. This is just human nature. But don't give up on your quest to simplicity if you wake up one day and notice you've let a lot of unneeded stuff clutter up your home or schedule. Just start over at the top, breathe in, and keep trying.
Are you aiming to live a more minimal lifestyle, at home and in other parts of your life? We'd love if you shared your thoughts, tips, ideas and lessons learned in the comments below!
These Are The 6 Types of Minimalists. Which One Are You?
Minimalism, in modern culture, is a word infused with so much meaning that it doesn't seem to mean anything any more. "Minimalism" is thrown around carelessly, and often offered (in the case of a book or an article, including many you might see on this site) without enough context to understand if we're all on the same page. And often, we aren't.
It turns out there are many different ways to practice the same underlying, abstract foundation. So I wanted to try my hand at fleshing them out, and giving scenery and context to the many ways a person can subscribe to minimalism.
There is one common thread: Whatever type of minimalist you are, it's a lifestyle centered on less.
Aesthetic Minimalists
It's all about the optics for the aesthetic minimalist. They don't necessarily own less, but they certainly have less on display. Their favorite color — for walls, for linens, for dinnerware, for everything — is white. Since it's all about the visuals, the aesthetic minimalist is easy to finger: Walk into the front door of their colorless apartment and spot bare countertops, bare floors, and bare walls (save for maybe a single piece of abstract art in a slim frame leaned gingerly atop a shaker-style bench).
Signature Move: Throwing out their menagerie of mismatched hangers to buy a pricey set of modernist ones.
Essential Minimalists
The essential minimalist is cued in to discovering precisely how much they can live without. They are obsessed with using less, having less and paring down their belongings to only the ultimate basics. Look inside their closet or kitchen cabinets to see a collection in short supply — just enough to last a week or so until the next wash. Waste is not usually at the forefront of their minimalistic mind as much as quality and quantity; the essentialist will sometimes toss their old things aside just to procure better, more worthwhile things. They do what they can within their means to buy the best thing they can afford; if they're only going to buy one, it needs to be the best and last forever.
Signature Move: Throwing out all but a dozen hangers for their curated seasonal wardrobe.
Experiential Minimalists
The hallmark of the experiential minimalist is a belief that the pursuit of experiences is more universally important than the pursuit of things. So while the experientialist does own very few possessions, it's merely a symptom of their chosen lifestyle rather than an outcome of any intentional curation. You might also call them "backpack" minimalists for their ability to fit their entire life into a bag and be ready for anything, but this brand of minimalist encompasses a wide range of personalities from adventure-seeking hippie types to freelance digital nomads.
Signature Move: Throwing out their hangers because all their clothes are in a suitcase.
Sustainable Minimalists
The sustainable minimalist might just as accurately be described as the eco minimalist. Their focus is on green living: reducing their dependence on, consumption of and harm to the environment. They'll own more — more tools, more land, more clothes — if it means they want for less. You might find them living the homestead life — or at least aspiring to — as their priorities are centered around reducing waste and living off the land as much as possible. This brand of minimalism is sometimes as much about serving the environment as it is about serving the person and their chosen lifestyle. The motto that drives the sustainable minimalist is "make do, or do without."
Signature Move: Crafting their own hangers from reclaimed wire and wood they sourced on their land.
Thrifty Minimalists
They might share some of the same waste-conscious habits as the sustainable types, but the underlying intentions of the thrifty minimalist are totally different. You can find them tending to their gardens, shopping at thrift stores and refinishing furniture, but the end goal is about spending less rather than using less. They embrace minimalist tendencies because of their financial mindset. You'll sometimes find them in tiny apartments, or at the very least bunked up with roommates to save on rent. But thrifty minimalists are known to hang on to things — as much as they can fit — lest they need something like it in the future and have to replace anything they once owned with more of their hard-earned dollars.
Signature Move: Asking the dry cleaner if they have any extra hangers to take home with them.
Mindful Minimalists
The mindful minimalist is one who gets joy and spiritual enlightenment by ridding themselves of extra things. They practice sensible moderation not for any particular financial, ecological or aesthetic reasons, but purely in search of their own peace of mind. Letting go of their possessions, for the mindful minimalist, is mostly about letting go of guilt or stress or other sour feelings. Stripping away excess allows the mindful person to find more purpose in their day to day life and better relish their intellect, their sanctuary and their community.
Signature Move: Standing in their bedroom contemplating which of their clothes hangers sparks the most joy.
Do you consider yourself a minimalist? Which type are you?
Read more: How To Downsize Without Losing Your Mind.
My friend Nina called me panicking. She'd decided to give up her generous one bedroom apartment to move into half a converted garage, downsizing her living space so that her dogs have a yard to run around in. First step: paring down her life to the bare minimum and deciding how to make the most of the tiny space. I went to look at it and we evaluated the space, her stuff and her lifestyle. Here are a few tips if you find yourself in a similar situation:
Look at the pros: Yes, the place is miniscule, probably 300 square feet tops. But she has access to a pool and a hot tub, a big plus in LA. And there's the yard her dogs can run around in. And it's located close to where she works, so she'll be able to bike. Less stuff and less living space, yes, but, between the biking and the swimming, chances are she'll be a lot healthier. The layout of the space is also good: two rooms side by side, and, though the bathroom doesn't have a bathtub (Nina likes to de-stress with a good long soak), she can use the hot tub whenever she wants. And the closet is big.
Be realistic: However she looks at it, Nina's going to have to pare down her stuff; the space is tiny. We measured the space and evaluated her belongings. No way was all her furniture going to fit. So, we started by deciding which were the most necessary pieces in each room.
Evaluate Needs vs. Wants: In a bedroom, you only need a bed. In a living room, you only really need the couch.
Bring in the limited storage tricks: All the bath towels will be hung up in the bathroom, the bed linens will be stored under the mattress, the pots will be hung up, the kitchen (which is part of the living room and along one wall) will be fitted with a half-sized refrigerator.
Be creative about replacing what won't fit: Nina has two sets of side tables and a bureau. The bureau won't fit in the bedroom, so that will go. However, she's having trouble parting with the side tables. We may use two in the closet to hold underwear, socks and t shirts, and two at the foot of the bed. They'll replace the bureau and give her extra storage space (or, once everything's moved over to the space and she can see for herself that everything won't fit, she may be convinced that it's time to give up one pair of side tables).
Don't fight the small: Yes, there are many tricks to make a room look bigger, but sometimes small has its advantages. The bedroom is small, no denying that, so we're going for it. The look we're going for is jewel box: the room will be painted navy blue, the bed will be generous with linens. It will be like sleeping in a glamorous nest.
Make it look built in: That tiny bedroom will also hold Nina's bookcases. I suggested that she run them along one wall and paint them the same color as the wall; then we'll carefully organze her books and tchotckes. The difference between cluttered and cozy is organization.
Tighten up the color scheme: Navy blue bedroom with black and white accents, white living room with grey and black. A simple color scheme makes small look strong, and Nina can change things up by adding colorful accessories.
Reuse what you have: While the bedroom will be dark and cozy, the living room will be light and airy. Painted a bright white, it will look positively huge compared to the bedroom. Nina considered a white couch, but her tiny fur shedding dachsunds quickly eliminated that as an option. I convinced her that instead of selling her big down-filled sofa to her ex-boyfriend, she should keep it and have it recovered. After spending two days going from fabric store to fabric store, we hit upon a brilliant idea. Instead of donating the grey linen Ikea curtains, why not reuse them? The upholsterer okayed the material as sofa-appropriate, and I had him eliminate all the piping, make the back cushions lower and add wheels.
Think big: The big sofa doesn't dwarf the small room, it makes it look bigger. It's one of those classic small space tricks that seems counter-intuitive, but it works.
Think outside the box: The sofa can be wheeled to face the couch, or it can moved up to the Saarinen table for dinner (which, sacreligiously, we're also considering fitting with wheels). We're still considering options for a coffee table. I'm voting for upholstered ottomans with storage, but we'll wait on making any more decisions until after moving day, when everything's settled. That Saarinen table will be used as a desk, a dining table, and, because it's marble, will work as extra counter space to prep food. Yes, I know it may get pitted, even stained, but that, to me, is the beauty of marble. It wears beautifully and only takes on more of a patina as it ages.
CAVEMAN CLUTTER
Clutter is a natural fact of life and the problem started with our Caveman ancestors. Way back in those Cave Days you needed to accumulate as much food and supplies as you could in order to ensure your survival. Life was simple. You dragged it all into your cave. This was SMART and IMPORTANT to do. Otherwise you might DIE. But times have changed since then.
We've progressed a great deal since those early days, and food and materials for survival are much easier to come by, but we all still harbor a little voice in our heads that wants us to hold on to stuff "because we might need it."
Don't believe it. It's that ancient caveman survival voice, and it's not going to help you now.
Now, we run the greater risk of suffocating our life under an accumulation of small and large possessions (and their attendant upkeep) that no longer serve us in our daily lives.
(Note: Our stuff has changed a great deal since those early days as well. Back then, everything was biodegradable and disappeared rather quickly so that clutter buildup was less of an issue. Much of our stuff now will outlive us.)
In addition, we now live in a world that is based on consumerism, so there's a good deal of advertising that still wants us to stock up and buy new stuff, so it's really hard not to end up bogged down by a certain amount of clutter.
We're all much better at shopping than un-shopping.
MAKING SPACE FOR NEWNESS
The secret to dealing with clutter and changing your life is to realize that 1) you don't need as much stuff (you are no longer a Caveman, after all), and 2) that by having less you are opening your life up, lightening it and creating an environment that will allow you to flourish and reach your greatest potential. It's not just about letting go, it's about realizing how much more life you can have.
One of my greatest sources of inspiration is Karen Kingston, who wrote Creating Sacred Space with Feng Shui. She helped me see something as simple as collecting books (a great source of clutter) totally differently. While books are great resources and markers of of experience, we all tend to hold on to more than we actually use. And many of us hold on tightly! In order to declutter them, we need to realize that books are collections of memories and OLD THOUGHTS, not new ones. As she says, "Holding onto old books doesn't allow you to create space for new ideas and ways of thinking to come into your life."
I would even take this further. Holding onto ANYTHING that doesn't have a working role in your home won't allow you to create new space for ANYTHING new to come into your life — things, jobs, people, opportunities, etc. Even as we bring new things in, we need to bring old things out. In this way, we ensure a vital life flow in our lives.
There's a lot in this tiny bedroom by Jen Chu, but it feels light and airy because she's taken care to only keep what she loves and to leave breathing room (from The Big Book).
THE GOLDEN 10%
So, the secret to decluttering is to create a pleasing and efficient organizing system for each of your areas (clothes, shoes, books, cookware, etc) and then never allowing them to fill up. You always want to leave at least 10% empty space. That's your space for newness to come into your life.
Which means that depending on how big an accumulator you are, you'll need to declutter more or less often. To help you in this, I heartily recommend establishing an Outbox, which you use to provide a halfway house for those things you are considering letting go of.
SECOND-GENERATION CLUTTER CLEARING
The Outbox is your ally as you declutter. It works because it uses a two-step process that allows you to figure out if you need something without having to decide what to do with it immediately.
Most clutter clearers will tell you to sort through your belongings and move a certain amount to the garbage, to recycling, or to the giveaway pile. This is a first generation clutter-clearing approach. It focuses mainly on identifying clutter that will immediately be taken away. The problem with first-generation thinking is that it doesn't take into account that there are really TWO problems: how to sort out the clutter and how to detach from it. I've found that separation anxiety is by far the biggest problem.
When faced with the two anxiety-provoking decisions — where something should go (its value to the world) and whether one can separate from it (its value to me) — most people get stuck and simply hold on to things as a default. Second-generation clutter management unhitches these two decisions. It deals with separation first and decides how and where to get clutter out of your home later.
This amazing wall by Michelle McCormick stores books and shows off a good deal of artwork in a tasteful and considered way. Collections can be art not clutter when well arranged (from The Big Book).
THE OUTBOX
Choose a space that is clearly defined. This area should be out of the way of daily activities and be a place you can comfortably allow to get messy and chaotic for a short while. A closet or guest room is perfect for this, but any small area or corner near your front door will do. Designate this your Outbox. The Outbox is not garbage, nor does it need to be an actual box; it is a halfway house where things sit while their fate is being decided. You should never be afraid to put something in the Outbox.
Once an item has sat in the Outbox for some time, it releases its hold over the owner and becomes just and ordinary object that one can easily decide what to do with. One client compared it to the phenomenon children experience when they fall in love with a rock that is wet or under water. Later, when the rock has dried off and is no longer shiny, it becomes just a plain old rock again and the child's attachment to is suddenly lessens.
As simple as it is, the Outbox has proven to be extremely successful in allowing people to clear out and heal their homes efficiently on a regular basis.
OUTBOX RULES
1. Anything can go in the Outbox
2. The Outbox is allowed to get messy
3. Everything must stay in the Outbox for at least one week
4. After that time you have several choices
a. Take anything back out
b. Leave anything you are undecided about for one more week
c. Dispose of the rest by moving to the garbage, recycling bin, or giveaway pile
Once you get used to separating first and disposing of later, you'll find that clearing clutter gets easier and easier.
Go for it.
Read more: Budget Living: Readers' Tips for Living on Next-To-Nothing
Read more: The Big List: 49 Smart, Money-Saving Creative Reuse Ideas
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