How To Create A Minimalist Home And Still Keep Your Stuff

By now, we’re all pretty familiar with (and frankly sick of) the minimalist idea of getting rid of anything that doesn’t spark active joy. After all, sometimes, it’s nice to have stuff. Who knows when you’ll need that funky vase that your gran gave you years ago, and why not keep hold of that nice quiche dish that you use once a year? These small things can come in handy, after all. Plus, for some of us, this ‘getting rid’ mentality just doesn’t work – if you’re a natural hoarder, why should you fight your impulses?

Because you want a sleek, stylish-looking home, of course. But, what if we were to tell you that the two things needn’t be mutually exclusive? While ‘standardised’ ideas about minimalism are all about clearing your space, getting creative could see you keeping the weird vase and still enjoying a home that at least looks as though it’s fresh from an episode of Marie Kondo.

But, how exactly can you achieve this magical minimalist goal? Keep on reading to find out!

Take your ‘stuff’ away from home

Minimalism is all about having less stuff in your home, but that doesn’t mean you have to get rid of everything altogether. These days, self-storage units offer a great alternative by allowing you to place your lesser-used items neatly out of sight. This is an especially great option for things that you don’t use all year round, like your seasonal wardrobe rotation, your Christmas decorations, and that fancy dinner set. Admittedly, you will want to make sure that you’ve got enough stuff in storage to justify the ongoing expense. But, if you’re a hoarder on a minimalist mission, then this could soon see you enjoying the home of your dreams without the horrible battle of choosing what you don’t want, and then ending up with just as much stuff anyway.

Focus on in-built storage

If your home is big enough to accommodate it, then in-built storage is a fantastic way to hide those piles of stuff that typically clutter any available surface in your home. Large in-built wardrobes with sliding doors can especially offer a surprising amount of space for everything from your growing selection of clothes to your trinkets and your Christmas tree. And, you needn’t leave in-built storage in the bedroom, either. Other great options for sizable secret storage throughout your house include an in-built pantry, sliding shoe holders, under-stair drawers, and so on. In either instance, simply make sure that your in-built doors and units seamlessly match your decor. Then, you’ll be able to keep your hoarding tendencies fantastically hidden under the guise of a minimalist home.

Set a strict cleaning plan

Often, ‘clutter’ is more a case of unstructured cleaning than it is an actual sign that you have too much in your home. After all, even a minimalist home with barely any belongings inside would look a bit of a mess if you took those few things and scattered them all over the floor. By setting a strict cleaning plan that sees you regularly clearing any clutter, you should find that you’re finally able to transform your home without doing a single bit of actual decluttering if that doesn’t suit your preferences. Simply make sure that everything has a place, and that you’re regularly putting it back into that place (by regularly, we mean at least once a day). As simple as that, you should find that your minimalist look starts to come together.

Become a conscious consumer

Picture Credit: CC0 License

For the most part, we’ve got your back when it comes to your right to fill your home with what you fancy and still enjoy your desired aesthetic. But, compromises are still necessary to some extent and, if you don’t want to part with anything that you own, becoming a conscious consumer could be your best choice. By this, we don’t mean that you need to completely curb your impulses to buy nice stuff for your home, or additional belongings to put in it. But, try to some extent to have a one-in-one-out policy. This way, you’ll only need to get rid of a trickle of things as you replace them with items that suit your aesthetic better. Plus, you’ll be able to justify getting new belongings without the stringent ‘no buy’ policies that many minimalist homes slip into.

Minimalism is a great choice for your interiors, but it shouldn’t be a punishment. Make this design choice work for you, instead of the other way around, using these tips.