When we discuss intentional living, we typically discuss topics like relationships and work. However, we can also be intentional in creating the type of environment we’re the most comfortable living in — our homes.
Clutter Stresses Me Out
Some people seem to enjoy living with lots of clutter, but that’s not me. I feel more relaxed in a clutter-free home (and office).
Clutter stresses me out. The chaos of clutter makes me feel nervous, and I can’t fully relax.
I’m not alone in feeling this — “When clutter starts to gather in my home, I begin to feel agitated. My mind feels scattered, and I can feel stress and anxiety start to creep in.” 7 Reasons to Declutter Your Home (& How it Will Improve Your Well-being).
The Causes of Too Much Stuff
One of the fastest-growing businesses for the last several years has been storage facilities. This trend is a symptom of the fact that we have far too many things.
We live in a consumerist culture. According to non-stop advertising, buying more stuff will make us successful, beautiful people who are envied by our neighbors. We can buy image, power, happiness, and fulfillment. All we need to do is buy X.
My wife and I grew up with the idea that every space on a wall had to have something on it, and every space in a room needed a piece of furniture to fill it. Likewise, every space on a table or dresser required multiple items on it. Why? Who made that pro-clutter rule?
Just because you have the space doesn’t mean you have to fill it with stuff.
Joshua Becker, The Minimalist Home: A Room-by-Room Guide to a Decluttered, Refocused Life
It took us a long time to identify and overcome that unwritten rule. “The force is strong with this one.”
I’ve been impressed with the minimal style of Japanese homes. Even without much square footage, they look spacious, clean, and relaxing.
Intentionally Choosing a Minimalist Home
I want to be intentional in what I buy, and what I display in my home. “A home that is filled with only the things you love and use will be a home that you love to use.” Joshua Becker, The Minimalist Home.
For the last 10 years, my wife and I have been reducing the number of things we own, and with that, the amount of clutter in our home. When we move, we get rid of a lot of stuff — why move things you don’t want or need any longer?
A few years ago we followed the Marie Kondo method as described in her book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up. We methodically worked through each category of our belongings and donated or discarded the items that no longer “sparked joy” when we considered them, or no longer served a purpose.
Minimalism isn’t about removing things you love. It’s about removing the things that distract you from the things you love.
Joshua Becker, The Minimalist Home
Since then, we’ve periodically gone through sections of our home and discarded or donated more items. For us, it’s not a one-time process, it takes multiple passes over time to allow ourselves to part with more things.
This process will likely continue indefinitely. We buy new things, and then decide later we really don’t need them. Or, circumstances or our interests change, and things that once were meaningful no longer are (like when you lose interest in a hobby).
A few weeks ago, we decided to declutter our walls. We took down more than half of the wall art. Now the items we kept are getting more attention since they’re no longer competing with many other pieces.
Resources for a Minimalist Home
There is no single standard for determining what a minimalist home is. That’s because they differ with each person or family. Everyone must decide for themselves how many things are “enough,” and what their personal tolerance is for clutter.
Depending on how many things you have, it can be a daunting task to intend to create a minimalist home. How do I decide what to keep and what to get rid of?
Fortunately, there are excellent resources available to help us.
Joshua Becker has written a book that gives practical advice for decluttering your home: The Minimalist Home: A Room-by-Room Guide to a Decluttered, Refocused Life. His standard for whether to keep something or discard, sell, or donate it: “For something to be necessary and help you fulfill your purpose and potential, it needs to be so useful, lovely, or meaningful that you must keep it.”
Marie Kondo wrote a best-selling book that has helped millions to declutter their homes: The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing. Her approach is different from that of Josh Becker. Her method is to “Start by gathering all the items from a category in one spot. Then touch each item to see if it sparks joy for you. If it does, keep it with confidence. If it doesn’t, let it go.” Marie Kondo’s Kurashi at Home: How to Organize Your Space and Achieve Your Ideal Life.