Marie Kondo: A Minimalist Life Makes You Happier
Also Marie Kondo she is internationally recognized for her minimalist lifestyle and is an expert in the field. His 2014 book “The Magical Power of Tidying Up” is a guide for anyone who wants to rid their lives of junk and overconsumption. A Japanese guru believes that a minimalist life makes you happier. Here’s how his “KonMari” method works:
1. Less is more: collect everything in one place, divided by category. Dishes, books and memorabilia can add up quickly. In this case, Kondo recommends making a selection.
2. Don’t keep anything you don’t use: Do you own something that you don’t (anymore) use? According to an expert on minimalism, even these items should disappear from your home to live a more carefree life. That doesn’t mean you should throw these items away. Give them away, give them away or sell them.
3. Everything must have a fixed place: in order for everything to be well organized for a long time, everything must have its fixed place. If you can do this, you can enjoy the feeling of a minimalist life.
Minimalist living, here’s how to do it at home
If you are furnishing your home according to the dictates of minimalism, not only will you be happier, as Yamashita and Kondo teach, but you’ll also live sustainably. Minimalism can be understood as a movement against abundance and the “more is more” attitude. Minimalists consume less and therefore use fewer resources for their living space. If you’re not already consciously living a minimalist lifestyle, start thinking about your decor. Unnecessary furniture and home accessories no longer have to be a burden in the future.
Reduce the amount of furniture
You need to remove anything that does not serve a function between your four walls and therefore takes up space in your living space. Can you think of an “unnecessary” piece of furniture? Delete it!
Primarily wardrobes, drawers and shelves they are destined to become cumbersome. But do you really need everything inside? Start rearranging the content. And maybe you could do without a storage space or two.
Furniture intended for renovation is not among the things that need to be repaired. On the contrary: a table that needs a new coat of paint or an armchair that needs to be replaced can be repaired by yourself or entrusted to a professional.
Limit the decorative elements
Get rid of home accessories such as too many paintings, plants and vases. Living according to the minimalist style does not mean doing without it completely, but not exceeding the quantity. So: it’s better to keep a few timeless pieces instead of constantly accumulating new things. You should also say goodbye to too many personal mementos, such as photos or postcards. If you want to live in a minimalist style, you can’t keep everything.
Does minimalism follow a color scheme?
Light colors such as beige and grey, but also white and pastel shades are popular in minimalist interiors. But don’t forget that minimalism is about reducing and appreciating existing furniture. Completely painting your home just to give it a contemporary or trendy look is not respecting the minimalist lifestyle. And it also means that living minimalistic doesn’t mean sacrificing color and pattern if you already have impressive objects at home.
Minimalist environments that don’t need anything else
If you are interested in the idea of minimalism, we will give you some ideas and inspiration on how to do it furnish and decorate a minimalist room in your home (living room, bedroom, kitchen and bathroom).
Minimalist living room
The living room is often the center of the home. After all, it is the room where life happens. Even if the living room is decorated in a minimalist style, it can be pleasant and inviting.