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Minimalism in the Home

Minimalism in the home is simply an interior decorating theory that is centred around ridding the home of the things that are unused or unneeded, so that the home is clean and uncluttered.  It is not about having as little in the house as humanly possible.  It is about stress free living, about not having things that need to be put away or cleaned, and not having stuff lying around to create mess.  In this way, a minimalist is able to relax when they are at home, because there is nothing extraneous to take care of, and this relaxation will lead to a healthier person overall.

If a person is living a minimalist lifestyle, they may have very little in the way of “extra” things such as decorative window coverings, throw rugs, pillows or cushions, tablecloths and so forth.  If you look inside a minimalist home, you will notice that you can see much of the floor and the walls without any obstructions.  The wall treatments and floor coverings will be used sparingly. A rug may be used over hard floors for example, but never where carpet already exists.  Artwork may still be used on the walls but a minimalist will use one large print in place of several smaller ones that can end up looking messy and unstructured.

Why Minimalism is Eco-Friendly

Minimalism is also very friendly to the environment.  This is because no unnecessary things are used in the home, creating less waste and using fewer resources.  As an example, let’s take a standard home that may have several clocks, cordless phones, stereos, TVs, DVD players, and several small appliances.  In a minimalist home, this would be pared right down to only what a person needs, such as one clock, one phone, and no small appliances that only end up sitting a cupboard never to be used again.  This saves energy and stops needless waste from occurring.

A minimalist would also consider using materials that are either made or sourced locally in order to avoid shipping costs and the pollution that results from that.  Ideally, they opt for natural materials such as timbers, stones, and natural fibres over manmade ones which are expensive to produce and have a negative effect on the environment.

Minimalism and Feng Shui

Good Feng Shui in the home is created by following a theory of “less is more”.  This is where the theory of minimalism comes into play, as it is a good idea to only have what you need in the home.  In Feng Shui, clutter creates trapped energy that affects all areas of your life – the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual.  Having clutter in the home will make you feel confused, disorganised, lethargic and tired.  Just by clearing the clutter and only keeping those things that you need, you will release negative emotions, generate energy, and create space in your life for the things that you wish to achieve.

When it comes to clearing out things according to their Feng Shui, have a look at the object itself and see how it makes you feel.  If you like the energy associated with a particular object, keep it.  If you feel negatively towards something or indifference, it is probably best to get rid of it.

In Feng Shui, you should keep in mind the flow of energy when you are placing your furniture, and decorating in general.  Use furniture that is smaller in scale, such as love seats and armchairs, instead of a huge sofa that dominates the room.  Lighter coloured woods and fabrics, and smaller patterns also work well.  The aim is to create light, air and open space.  Try not to use too many ornaments, pieces of furniture, or indeed have too many pieces of art or photography on the walls.

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