We are living in a time where people are finally beginning to acknowledge the amount of waste that one produces. Living in time where some look around and see the excess that they are living in and feel guilt or shame. In environmentally conscious times there are big solutions to having little and living green.
Typically, the word minimalist evokes images of bare rooms in hues or black white and grey. It is easy to be a stylish minimalist without stressful clutter and nick-knacks around. Color and coordination will be the biggest keys when living in blissful zen. Match colors to walls, rugs, furniture and even plants! You are also going to want to choose peaceful colors such as matte blues and greens, browns, beige, white and greys. Make sure not to use clashing colors in a room like brown and black or blue and black.
Of course, being a minimalist is only living with what you need; to take on a minimalistic lifestyle you will have to purge yourself of a lot of possessions. You will also need to learn how to organize and stay organized. While getting rid of your things think of things like there is a basic set of rules to help the process. If you have not used the item in the last six months, you don’t need it. If you have multiples or different versions of one item, you don’t need it. If it is broken and you have been planning on fix it for the last few months, throw it away. You also don’t want anything in your home that is going to stir up negative feelings.
As for organizing there are many creative and traditional means of doing so. Shelving and furniture with storage space is a great start. For example, and entertainments center with cabinets or drawers will neatly keep your DVDs and even some electronics hidden which will keep your space looking neat. An ottoman or window seat with under-cushion storage will easily keep blankets in a dust-free place away from the naked eye. A nightstand with drawers is a more obvious answer to keeping magazines, ear plugs or whatever else you need handy at your bedside away. The main point here is that everything needs to have a place to keep your living space tidy.
A minimalist lifestyle is probably the most difficult for those who tend to be impulse shoppers. If you shop to excess you probably have a home that has no place from the multitude of things you have acquired (and probably don’t need) over time. Always ask yourself “do I need this?” Unless you are planning on swapping one item with another, completely removing the original from the home, it doesn’t matter if the item is unique, terribly cute or the latest and greatest.
The benefits of being a minimalist are vast. You could save thousands of dollars per year when you avoid buying unneeded items. When you live in a neat, organized and visually appealing environment you will have a greater sense of clarity, peace of mind and will notice a reduction of stress.
Most of all, the act of becoming a minimalist is to admit you are living in excess and to do something about it. Rather than throw everything away that you don’t need think of others or at least have the goal of keeping as much as as possible out of the dump. Sell what is valuable. Donate property to goodwill or Freecycle, or even list items as “free” on Craigslist. Aside from donating and selling, recycle everything you possible can before you start putting things in the trash. Good luck and enjoy your zen!