Minimise your living space
By now everyone would have heard of the word Minimalism! Some may be inspired by this ‘movement’ others are less inclined to chuck out all their stuff. However, there is much more to minimalism that just chucking away your prized possessions and it could be the exact philosophy you need to complete your family home.
Our brains in 2021 could not be more cluttered with information. The news, world events, personal worries can overwhelm the best of us and therefore our homes need to be our sanctuary. If you are seeking some clarity in life or calm within your mind, why not assist this process by living in a spacious, airy, natural serene home.
First step of minimalism is to look at and cull your ‘things’. Before you just throw everything away, sit down and assess what your needs and wants are from your living space. Is your goal to have more space for playing with your kids, more space for comfortable tv watching? Want to successfully entertain friends? Set a goal in mind for your space before you mindlessly get rid of your possessions. Once you’ve figured out what you want from your living space, look around at what possessions will allow you to fulfil this desire.
If you have young children, assess the mess. Having young children comes with … stuff. However this doesn’t mean you can’t live a minimalistic life with your children also. Get them involved. Donate toys that no longer bring joy. Store away toys in your garage and rotate them to bring a new life to an old toy left in the corner. Give the children a space in the living room but don’t overwhelm the area with their identity. This is a space for the whole family, not a children’s playroom. If your house layout permits, use a spare room as a playspace for the children and the living room will once again become a purposeful and inclusive space for every family member.
By doing away with the unnecessary clutter or accumulation of stuff, your space has opened up for a revamp when it comes to the décor. Is your living area dark with heavy furniture? Do you have more chairs than members of the family in your living room? Does the couch take up the whole room? If sitting with friends is a priority for you, think to yourself… is this lounge where we entertain? Is this the space that people gather in? if this is not the case, by replacing a large lounge suite with a comfortable but sleek designed seating area can actually makeover a space instantly. By having just enough seats for family members you are keeping your lounge area functional but also minimalizing the ‘stuff’ in the space.
If you answered yes to my lounge room is dark and heavy, perhaps consider changing the palette of your space. By using a neutral colour palate throughout your living room you are creating a calm and welcoming area. Many new builds these days have large open plan kitchen, living and dining spaces and by having the same colour palate throughout this area you are opening it up to a crisp and inclusive space that doesn’t overwhelm the senses. If you answered yes to the dark and heavy question and you are now getting defensive regarding your style because you love it, then perhaps consider a neutral paint and flooring with dark and chunky cushions, throw rugs and art on the walls. We are by no means suggesting a white room with white furniture and light floorboards. You absolutely need to break up the light with personality defining pieces. We are suggesting a revamp of the wall and floor colour to create a cohesive and airy space. By giving your space a neutral paint job and flooring you are creating the illusion of space. By removing the clutter in the lounge room you are actually creating more space. By giving the children just one corner of the room with one play activity you are creating a space that invites all. And best of all by removing the unnecessary clutter and possessions, you are creating a space that is very easy and quick to tidy and clean. Oh, and don’t forget the houseplants. We LOVE houseplants here at Hardware Made Easy! White walls, light floorboards, monstera in the corner, a jute rug on the floor, grey lounge suite with wooden legs, tv on the wall…. Ahhhh *chefs kiss*!
The best thing about a minimalism makeover of your living space is it can actually make you money. You can sell your goods, donate your goods and instantly makeover your space. This makeover is for all budgets. Look, minimalism is not for everyone. Some people thrive on clutter and all of their stuff brings them joy. However if you have been thinking that perhaps your living areas are indictive of your messy brain and wanted to try minimalism, but didn’t know where to start, then perhaps starting in the soul of the home, your living area, is your best step one.