Clear Your Mind… But First Your Home

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Wohnung mit Terrasse über den Dächern Berlins, loomilux loomilux Minimalist living room
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Decluttering has become the new buzz word of the decade. This generation has turned from the lucky generation to the affluenza generation as so many people begin to feel overwhelmed by their own possessions. This can create a sense of overwhelming in the physical sense as well as the mental sense. We can tell ourselves to calm down, breathe and take it easy, although we really must start with creating a peaceful environment. To have a calm mind we must have an organised home. Many of us cause our own stress with an untidy and disorganized lifestyle. This often begins at home; kitchens overflowing with appliances and food; offices covered in paperwork and rooms stuffed with furniture. This situation can be changed. Create a sense of calm in your house by creating a minimalist environment. Clear the clutter and begin to live. homify has found the top ways to create a more peaceful minimalist home.

Declutter; Start with One Room

Just as every journey must start with one step, every house de-clutter must start with one room. Starting a large project is often the most difficult part, so just jump in quickly. Clutter can often accumulate when things are not put back in their right places. This may be due to laziness or a lack of time, whatever reason, the first thing to consider is finding a home for all items. To make this possible, start by clearing all storage areas of unused and unnecessary items. It may be that there are many things that were stored long ago and since forgotten and could be discarded to make way for current items. Put these items in one of two bags marked ‘throw out’ or ‘give away’. Once this is done, there will be plenty of room for current frequently used items to be stored.

Start with Furniture

Many homes are large and spacious, although the amount of furniture crammed into the space can create a feeling of clutter. When considering which furniture in your house is to be eliminated consider employing minimalist techniques. Minimalism as a style is based on Japanese Interior design principles, which is based on everything being reduced to only the necessary elements. When applying this to a home, consider what each piece of furniture is doing and consider if this can be done by something else instead. This minimalist living space is a good example. The furniture is the basic requirements for a living space; sofa, coffee table, television, dining table and dining chairs. There is nothing that will not be used, such as extra chairs, lights, ornaments and personal items that may cause clutter.

Keep Only the Essentials

Bona DCS 70, Bona Bona Industrial style walls & floors Paint & finishes

Minimalists believed in reducing everything to its necessary elements to keep a home tidy and organised Consider adopting the minimalist approach in every room of the house. The bedroom is the place where we go to for the ultimate relaxation and comfort; sleep. For this reason it should be a place of calm. To design the ultimate peaceful sanctuary keep only the essential items in order to create space and calm. Keep the bed and a small bedside table only. If possible wardrobes and clothes should be kept in a separate area. This bedroom is a great example; the large space has only the bed and flowers. This creates a beautiful sense of serenity and calm.

Clear Floors

As clutter in a home grows it reduces the available space on the floor. This space is overtaken by furniture, storage or decoration. An excess of items such as plants, magazines and books or elaborate furniture can dominate an area. One way to bring a sense of calm and organisation to a space is to clear the floor. Remove any unnecessary decorative items and furniture. Any items that do not have a function should be considered for removal.  This will then allow for large parts of the floor to be cleared. A large area of space can immediately bring a sense of calm to the mind. In Feng Shui empty space in the centre of a living area brings prosperity and peace.  This space was designed by Bauwerk Parquet

Clear Surfaces

Just as large, clear expanses of floor can create a sense of calm in the mind, so too can clear surfaces. Surfaces are often the first place that are cluttered. When one returns home with shopping, bags and other personal items from the day, they head to the nearest  clear surface. This may be a side table, coffee table or the dining table. They gladly release their load onto the nearest unused surface. This cluttered surface can then create subconscious anxiety. It is a reminder of what needs to be done, or has not been done. When returning home with items, put them away immediately and keep surfaces clean and clear to maintain a sense of calm and serenity.

Clear Walls

It is wonderful to have artwork, paintings and photographs decorating our living areas. They can remind us of happy memories or make us think about the world around us. Although sometimes we do not want to think about anything outside the four walls of our homes. It may have been a particularly busy and stressful day, and you want to retreat to your personal oasis. To create a unique and serene atmosphere consider leaving walls unadorned and free. This can bring a sense of calm into the space. The mind is free to let go of all conscious and unconscious thoughts, thus creating a peaceful dialogue.

Store Things out of Sight

Dormitório Marsala, Henn Henn Industrial style bedroom MDF Wardrobes & closets

In order to maintain the minimalist design in a house, it is necessary to ensure that everything has a home, out of sight. This applies to every space in the house. Often this is more important in the kitchen and the bedroom where there is more to store.  In the bedroom, most items are stored in the wardrobe. This may be a walk in robe, or a built in or free standing robe. These are wonderful ways of keeping other spaces in the room clutter free. Store items according to their frequency of use; the more used items closer to the front. The kitchen is another room that contains a lot of storage. A pantry is a wonderful edition to ensure that the space is kept clutter free and streamlined. This wardrobe was designed by Henn of Brazil.

Use Subdued Colours

It is said that every colour has a vibration, and hence can affect the energy in a room. Certain colours can energise, such as red and certain colours can calm a person, such as blue.  Why not incorporate these concepts into a minimalist home. To create a sense of calm, order and serenity use colours such as blues, greens together with neutral colours such as warm browns and greys. This traditional bathroom uses colour very effectively to create a calm and relaxed atmosphere. The neutral whites are combined with the feature blue tones to create depth and space. This creates a very calming and welcoming environment.

In todays busy world there is often the pressure to consume. We are often encouraged to make purchases that promise to make our lives easier, faster or more enjoyable. This can lead to clutter and stress in our lives. The Japanese live a simple and minimalist lifestyle. The minimalist movement encorporated many of these principles into minimalist interior decorating, which supported the use of only the essential items in any living space. To create a peaceful, serene and organized environment in your home, consider employing minimalist principles; declutter, include only essential items, allow surfaces and walls to remain clear and employ subdued colours. This can bring organisation and calm to any home. For more inspiration on these topics read this ideabook: Heavenly Bath Designs.

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