28.1.13

Minimalist Monday: One Direction


Imagine living in this room. Looking around everything is ordered and organised; there is beauty in the simplicity of the functional furniture; the lack of visual clutter makes you feel calm and relaxed; there is a feeling of space and lightness. 

Now my living space is not this perfect but this is an example of the minimalist look that first inspired my minimalist journey in 2011. I knew little about minimalism then but I gave it a try: first decluttering a drawer, then selling some things at car boots sales and on ebay. We decided to move to a smaller house and many of our big items had to go. We decluttered our spare bedroom from a study/dumping area into a fictitious fourth bedroom in order to attract buyers and we sold our home within four months. Now we're living with less in a smaller house and are still regularly decluttering. Living in a smaller house means there is less pressure to earn as much money and there is more time to develop our interests. And more time to concentrate on working towards a balanced and healthy lifestyle.

I'm not there yet – I've got many areas of outstanding clutter and many days my life seems too hectic. But the more success I have with decluttering and simplifying the further down this minimalism path I want to head. I guess I'm heading in one direction and that's a minimalist one.

I have mentioned before that minimalism isn't easy. If it was easy then we'd all be living well ordered lives in tidy uncluttered homes, we'd never be late for anything, we'd never lose anything, we'd never feel tempted to buy unnecessary things and we'd feel calm and content all the time. But minimalism isn't about perfection, it isn't a destination and it can't be easily defined because it can mean different things to different people. 

I'm not a radical minimalist but I know that I live with less stuff than a lot of people and that I feel uncomfortable with extravagant purchases. Minimalism has taught me a lot. It has made me realise that I don't need that much to be happy; it has made me understand the difference between needs and wants.  

Minimalism can work in real life and it doesn't have to be as perfect as you think. Even the smallest reduction in your possessions or your schedule can have a positive effect on your life.

Imagine that perfect tidy room and let it inspire you. Imagine your home with less stuff in. Imagine living your life at a slower pace.

Tackle that cluttered drawer, that junk room, those useless unwanted items in your home. It might lead you somewhere; somewhere you just want to be.

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11 comments

  1. Decluttering and simplifying our lives is a journey and I've realized it's a learning experience as well.

    The living room in your post is beautiful. I love the fact that not only is it clean and minimal but it also shows a knitting project on the sofa and flowers/books on the coffee table. The fireplace also adds warmth. I think it is possible to live with less but have a comfortable, welcoming home as well.

    Sandra
    tea and simplicity

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  2. Thanks for another inspirational post (and photo) Claire.I could certainly live in that apartment - oh those lovely limed floors! I also want to say the photos of your veggie chili lunch were mouthwatering!

    When you moved to your smaller home was it in the same area or did you move to another part of town?

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  3. Hi Megan. We moved within the same area so as not to unsettle our children. Our last house was in a lovely tree lined cul-de-sac but this house has open fields and a protected walkway to the front (we get many dog walkers, ramblers and cyclists going past our window). We have been very lucky. Location is possibly more important than the actual house because you can't change it. Good luck with your sale and house hunting xo

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    1. Yes it's important that your boys were not unsettled. Since it's just the two of us we are planning to move closer to the city where our two children live and there are more public transport options so less need of a car for most journeys. We have a couple who are interested but nothing definite yet. Thanks for the good wishes:)

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  4. Sandra said what I was going to say: minimalism and decluttering are an ongoing journey and not a destination. You'll never actually be "there," but you'll be following the mindset and living intentionally.

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  5. I like this image too, I haven't seen it before. Trade the decorative cushion-thingys on the floor on the right with my dog's day bed - not as interior-design-pretty but it is functional and important! My living room is similar in its starkness, but we have two speakers on the tv cabinet, a lamp on the floor, the dog bed, no coffee table, no rug, no pot plants or low hanging light and we do have white curtains and a white bucket filled with my dog's toys. Very important for fun play times at night. :) We're currently considering selling our black couch and may replace with a lighter colour.

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  6. Gosh that room is amazing - I could live there!

    I love the calm a de-cluttered life brings....now if I could just keep in full control of my buying impulses! :)

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  7. I struggle with finding the balance between creating a simple/minimalist room and still making it feel warm and cozy. Maybe adding a little color is all I need, but if things are too stark it feels cold and not-so-homey.

    Just thinking out loud here . . .

    Happy tuesday,
    Jenny

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  8. an inspiring post! I imagine the 'to do list' would feel a little shorter somehow living in a clear space like this.....or would it! I don't know but I would like to have less clutter! The kitchen is definitely the next space for me to get to grips with. Heather x

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  9. That room looks so calm and fresh. I have got some way to go to reach that but every item declutter helps to lighten the load.
    Sarah x

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  10. I tend to look at minimalism in terms of being deliberate rather than just not having things. Being deliberate about choices means rooms will never be stark because we can choose things we love and need to have around us. So in that sense it's (for me at least) about what I say "yes" to, not just what I say "no" to.

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Thanks for reading and leaving your comments. Keep in touch xo

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