A Guide to Creating a Minimalist Home

Every Wednesday is Simplicity Day on Zen Habits.

I can’t claim that my home is completely minimalist, but it surely isn’t cluttered, and most people I know would call it a pretty minimalist home.

One recent visitor saw my kitchen and remarked, “I’ve never seen a kitchen that looked so clean, so clear of stuff!” Well, I do my best to keep it clean, but the key is to remove the unnecessary stuff.

For example, on the floor of my kitchen/dining room area are just a few essentials: dining table (clear of any clutter), chairs, some counter stools, a high chair, a step stool for the kids. On the counters are only the toaster, coffee maker and microwave.

Is this kind of minimalist home devoid of character and fun and life? Some might think so, but I get a strange satisfaction, a fulfillment, at looking around and seeing a home free of clutter. It’s calming, and liberating, and just nice.

Benefits of a Minimalist Home
I could probably go on for awhile about this, but let me just list a few key benefits:

Less stressful. Clutter is a form of visual distraction, and everything in our vision pulls at our attention at least a little. The less clutter, the less visual stress we have. A minimalist home is calming.
More appealing. Think about photos of homes that are cluttered, and photos of minimalist homes. The ones with almost nothing in them except some beautiful furniture, some nice artwork, and a very few pretty decorations, are the ones that appeal to most of us. You can make your home more appealing by making it more minimalist.
Easier to clean. It’s hard to clean a whole bunch of objects, or to sweep or vacuum around a bunch of furniture. The more stuff you have, the more you have to keep clean, and the more complicated it is to clean around the stuff. Think about how easy it is to clean an empty room compared to one with 50 objects in it. That’s an extreme example, of course, as I wouldn’t recommend you have an empty room, but it’s just to illustrate the difference.

What a Minimalist Home Looks Like
This would vary, of course, depending on your taste and how extreme of a minimalist you want to be. I am a minimalist, but not to any extreme. But here are some characteristics of a minimalist home:

Minimal furniture. A minimalist room would only contain a few essential pieces of furniture. A living room, for example, might only have a couch, another chair or love seat, a coffee table, a minimalist entertainment stand (not a huge one with a bunch of shelves), a television, and a couple of lamps. It could even contain less (couch, chairs, and coffee table, for example). A bedroom might have a simple bed (or even just a mattress), a dresser, and perhaps a night stand or book shelf.
Clear surfaces. In a minimalist home, flat surfaces are clear, except for one or two decorations (see next item). There are not a whole bunch of knick knacks, and definitely not stacks of books or papers or other items.
Accent decorations. A home completely clear of things would be a bit boring, actually. So instead of having a coffee table completely free of any objects, you could have a simple vase with a few flowers, for example. Or a clear desk might just have a family photo. An otherwise empty wall might have a tasteful piece of art (I use my dad’s artwork, as he’s a great artist).
Quality over quantity. Instead of having a lot of stuff in your home, a minimalist would choose just a few really good things he loves and uses often. A really nice table, for example, is better than 5 pieces of press-board furniture.
Examples. The photo at the top of this post is a nice example of a minimalist home (it’s not my home, but I wish it were). See more photos of that lovely home. Traditional-style Japanese homes are another great example of minimalism, as is this nice spread.

How to Create a Minimalist Home
There are actually no set steps to making your home minimalist, except to change your philosophy and shoot for the ideals in the previous section above. But here are some tips that I would offer to anyone trying to shoot for minimalism:

One room at a time. Unless you’re just moving into a place, it’s hard to simplify an entire house at once. Focus on one room, and let that be your center of calm. Use it to inspire you to simplify the next room, and the next. Then do the same outside!
Start with furniture. The biggest things in any room are the furniture, so you should always begin simplifying a room by looking at the furniture. The fewer pieces of furniture, the better (within reason, of course). Think of which furniture can be eliminated without sacrificing comfort and livability. Go for a few pieces of plain, simple furniture (example of a minimalist coffee table) with solid, subdued colors.
Only the essentials. Whether looking at your furniture or anything else in the room, ask yourself if the item is truly essential. If you can live without it, get it out. Try to strip the room down to its essentials — you can always add a few choice items beyond the essentials later.
Clear floors. Except for the furniture, your floors should be completely clear. Nothing should clutter the floor, nothing should be stacked, nothing should be stored on the floor. Once you’ve gotten your furniture down to the bare essentials, clear everything else on the floor — either donate it, trash it, or find a place for it out of sight.
Clear surfaces. Same thing with all flat surfaces. Don’t have anything on them, except one or two simple decorations (See Tip 9 below). Donate, trash or find an out-of-sight storage spot for everything else. It will make everything much, much more minimal-looking.
Clear walls. Some people hang all kinds of stuff on their walls. No can do in a minimalist home. Clear your walls except for one or two simple pieces of nice artwork (see Tip 8 below).
Store stuff out of sight. This has been mentioned in the above tips, but you should store everything you need out of sight, in drawers and cabinets. Bookshelves can be used to store books or DVDs or CDs, but shouldn’t have much else except a few simple decorations (not whole collections of things).
Declutter. If you are clearing flat surfaces and the floor, and storing stuff in cabinets and drawers, you’ll probably want to declutter your storage areas too. You can do this in a later stage if you want. See How to Declutter for more.
Simple artwork. To keep a room from being boring, you can put a simple painting, drawing or photo, framed with a subdued, solid color, on each wall if you want. Leave some walls bare if possible.
Simple decorations. As mentioned in the above tips, one or two simple decorations can serve as accents for a minimalist room. A vase of flowers or a small potted plant are two classic examples. If the rest of your room has subdued colors, your accents could use a bright color (such as red, or yellow) to draw the eye and give a plain room a splash of energy.
Plain window treatments. Bare windows, or simple, solid colored curtains, or simple, wooden blinds are good. Too much ornate stuff around the windows is clutter.
Plain patterns. Solid colors are best for floor coverings (if you have any), furniture, etc. Complex patterns, such as flowers or checkers, are visual clutter.
Subdued colors. As mentioned in Tip 9 above, you can have a splash of bright color in the room, but most of the room should be more subtle colors - white is classic minimalist, but really any solid colors that don’t stress the eyes is good (earth colors come to mind, such as blues, browns, tans, greens).
Edit and eliminate. When you’ve simplified a room, you can probably do more. Give it a couple of days, then look at everything with a fresh eye. What can be eliminated? Stored out of sight? What’s not essential? You can come back to each room every few months, and sometimes you’ll discover things you can simplify even more.
Place for everything. I’ve discussed this in other posts, but in a minimalist house, it’s important that you find a place for everything, and remember where those places are. Where does you blender go? Give it a spot, and stick with it. Aim for logical spots that are close to where the thing is used, to make things more efficient, but the key is to designate a spot.
Sit back, relax, and enjoy. Once you’ve simplified a room, take a moment to look around and enjoy it. It’s so peaceful and satisfying. This is the reward for your hard work. Ahhhh. So nice!

If you liked this article, please bookmark it in del.icio.us or vote for it on Digg. Thanks!

See also:

A Guide to Creating a Minimalist Home

Every Wednesday is Simplicity Day on Zen Habits.

I can’t claim that my home is completely minimalist, but it surely isn’t cluttered, and most people I know would call it a pretty minimalist home.

Benefits of a Minimalist Home
I could probably go on for awhile about this, but let me just list a few key benefits:

Less stressful. Clutter is a form of visual distraction, and everything in our vision pulls at our attention at least a little. The less clutter, the less visual stress we have. A minimalist home is calming.
More appealing. Think about photos of homes that are cluttered, and photos of minimalist homes. The ones with almost nothing in them except some beautiful furniture, some nice artwork, and a very few pretty decorations, are the ones that appeal to most of us. You can make your home more appealing by making it more minimalist.
Easier to clean. It’s hard to clean a whole bunch of objects, or to sweep or vacuum around a bunch of furniture. The more stuff you have, the more you have to keep clean, and the more complicated it is to clean around the stuff. Think about how easy it is to clean an empty room compared to one with 50 objects in it. That’s an extreme example, of course, as I wouldn’t recommend you have an empty room, but it’s just to illustrate the difference.

Minimal furniture. A minimalist room would only contain a few essential pieces of furniture. A living room, for example, might only have a couch, another chair or love seat, a coffee table, a minimalist entertainment stand (not a huge one with a bunch of shelves), a television, and a couple of lamps. It could even contain less (couch, chairs, and coffee table, for example). A bedroom might have a simple bed (or even just a mattress), a dresser, and perhaps a night stand or book shelf.
Clear surfaces. In a minimalist home, flat surfaces are clear, except for one or two decorations (see next item). There are not a whole bunch of knick knacks, and definitely not stacks of books or papers or other items.
Accent decorations. A home completely clear of things would be a bit boring, actually. So instead of having a coffee table completely free of any objects, you could have a simple vase with a few flowers, for example. Or a clear desk might just have a family photo. An otherwise empty wall might have a tasteful piece of art (I use my dad’s artwork, as he’s a great artist).
Quality over quantity. Instead of having a lot of stuff in your home, a minimalist would choose just a few really good things he loves and uses often. A really nice table, for example, is better than 5 pieces of press-board furniture.
Examples. The photo at the top of this post is a nice example of a minimalist home (it’s not my home, but I wish it were). See more photos of that lovely home. Traditional-style Japanese homes are another great example of minimalism, as is this nice spread.

One room at a time. Unless you’re just moving into a place, it’s hard to simplify an entire house at once. Focus on one room, and let that be your center of calm. Use it to inspire you to simplify the next room, and the next. Then do the same outside!
Start with furniture. The biggest things in any room are the furniture, so you should always begin simplifying a room by looking at the furniture. The fewer pieces of furniture, the better (within reason, of course). Think of which furniture can be eliminated without sacrificing comfort and livability. Go for a few pieces of plain, simple furniture (example of a minimalist coffee table) with solid, subdued colors.
Only the essentials. Whether looking at your furniture or anything else in the room, ask yourself if the item is truly essential. If you can live without it, get it out. Try to strip the room down to its essentials — you can always add a few choice items beyond the essentials later.
Clear floors. Except for the furniture, your floors should be completely clear. Nothing should clutter the floor, nothing should be stacked, nothing should be stored on the floor. Once you’ve gotten your furniture down to the bare essentials, clear everything else on the floor — either donate it, trash it, or find a place for it out of sight.
Clear surfaces. Same thing with all flat surfaces. Don’t have anything on them, except one or two simple decorations (See Tip 9 below). Donate, trash or find an out-of-sight storage spot for everything else. It will make everything much, much more minimal-looking.
Clear walls. Some people hang all kinds of stuff on their walls. No can do in a minimalist home. Clear your walls except for one or two simple pieces of nice artwork (see Tip 8 below).
Store stuff out of sight. This has been mentioned in the above tips, but you should store everything you need out of sight, in drawers and cabinets. Bookshelves can be used to store books or DVDs or CDs, but shouldn’t have much else except a few simple decorations (not whole collections of things).
Declutter. If you are clearing flat surfaces and the floor, and storing stuff in cabinets and drawers, you’ll probably want to declutter your storage areas too. You can do this in a later stage if you want. See How to Declutter for more.
Simple artwork. To keep a room from being boring, you can put a simple painting, drawing or photo, framed with a subdued, solid color, on each wall if you want. Leave some walls bare if possible.
Simple decorations. As mentioned in the above tips, one or two simple decorations can serve as accents for a minimalist room. A vase of flowers or a small potted plant are two classic examples. If the rest of your room has subdued colors, your accents could use a bright color (such as red, or yellow) to draw the eye and give a plain room a splash of energy.
Plain window treatments. Bare windows, or simple, solid colored curtains, or simple, wooden blinds are good. Too much ornate stuff around the windows is clutter.
Plain patterns. Solid colors are best for floor coverings (if you have any), furniture, etc. Complex patterns, such as flowers or checkers, are visual clutter.
Subdued colors. As mentioned in Tip 9 above, you can have a splash of bright color in the room, but most of the room should be more subtle colors - white is classic minimalist, but really any solid colors that don’t stress the eyes is good (earth colors come to mind, such as blues, browns, tans, greens).
Edit and eliminate. When you’ve simplified a room, you can probably do more. Give it a couple of days, then look at everything with a fresh eye. What can be eliminated? Stored out of sight? What’s not essential? You can come back to each room every few months, and sometimes you’ll discover things you can simplify even more.
Place for everything. I’ve discussed this in other posts, but in a minimalist house, it’s important that you find a place for everything, and remember where those places are. Where does you blender go? Give it a spot, and stick with it. Aim for logical spots that are close to where the thing is used, to make things more efficient, but the key is to designate a spot.
Sit back, relax, and enjoy. Once you’ve simplified a room, take a moment to look around and enjoy it. It’s so peaceful and satisfying. This is the reward for your hard work. Ahhhh. So nice!

If you liked this article, please bookmark it in del.icio.us or vote for it on Digg. Thanks!

See also:

Posted on 15 August 2007 in Simplicity |
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Comments (67)

Sijmen Mulder Says:

August 15th, 2007, 6:32 am

“This is the reward for your hard work. Ahhhh. So nice!”

How nice. I tried to minimalize and unclutter my room as much as possible, and I love it!

insidemybrain Says:

August 15th, 2007, 8:10 am

Very interesting article! Your blog inspired me to create a more minimalist home a while ago, and there’s still a lot to do. However, the benefit “Easier to clean” is absolutely true. Not so long ago every single room was filled with clutter. I didn’t like to clean my home, because most of the time I’d just be moving stuff back and forth so I could start cleaning. Now, with clean floors, I pick up the vacuum cleaner and I’m done in a couple of minutes.

Thanks for your inspiring articles, keep up the great work!

qeek Says:

August 15th, 2007, 9:13 am

Man, I love minimalism, thanks for the tips. Gotta clean and simplify my room as soon as possible!

Charlie Park Says:

August 15th, 2007, 9:22 am

Two more things that help:

1. Get rid of many of the kids’ toys. Most children don’t need nearly as many toys as they have. The fewer toys they have, the less there is to put away (and the less there is to step on).

2. Use a laptop computer rather than a desktop. I know a lot of people need the power that comes from a desktop computer, but when you have a desktop, the architecture of the room becomes centered around the screen. With a laptop, you fit the computer into your life — not the other way around. The same goes for TVs … ditch them if you can.

Terry Says:

August 15th, 2007, 10:05 am

This is a great article. I have a pretty uncluttered home as well and whole heartedly believe in your minimalist approach. When I first met my husband I thought he was nuts because he had nothing on his kitchen countertops. I have come to realize that this is a good thing. I have nothing on my countertops except for things I use EVERY day. The rest get put underneath in cabinets. I don’t have that many appliances because I believe in simple. The only thing I have out is a paper towel holder, s&p shakers near the stove and a few nice plant baskets.

Kristi Says:

August 15th, 2007, 10:10 am

Keep in mind that minimalism isn’t relaxing to everyone. While I’ll be the first to admit that I need to clear some clutter, I’ve also found that I feel terribly anxious after a while in an environment that’s too minimalist. It just doesn’t feel *real* to me if there isn’t a little bit of (visual) clutter here and there, and I start to feel unmoored.

Kamrin Says:

August 15th, 2007, 10:51 am

The other advantages of minimalist with kids is that there is not only less stuff for the kids to break, which means less for grown-ups to worry about being broken, but there is more room for imagination. It is much easier to turn a table into a fort if it is not covered in clutter!

Terry Says:

August 15th, 2007, 11:03 am

I agree on the kids toys. I have four kids and have found over the years that they rarely play with all these toys. My 2 year old son is happy being in my closet clunking around in all the shoes and cabinets.

I have two questions and maybe might make for future posts. 1. I have two teen boys. One is horrific at organization. How on earth do I start to give him good habits. It’s like pulling teeth on an elephant. I have done a terrible job in this area even though I am very organized myself.

2. I have a lot of family and while my home is not cluttered with photos what do you suggest is the best way to display picture frames so as not to overwhelm the space but also to show that some family does live here?

Kim Isaac Says:

August 15th, 2007, 11:05 am

I loved this article. My home was full of clutter and I found it overwhelming. I am doing what you suggested and taking one room at a time. I started with my daughter’s room which seemed to overflow into the rest of the house. Now that her room has the space for her things the rest of the house seems so much nicer and bigger. My next room is the family room. Now I’m even more motivated. Thanks

Christa Says:

August 15th, 2007, 11:17 am

I love this post. As a mother of 4, I am totally drawn to this lifestyle. The thought of not seeing toys everywhere. Aaaahhhh
I have spent a week decluttering and simplifying my home using some of your tips. I have noticed that everyone in the home has been more peaceful and able to relax easier. The cleaning has been so much easier, and the post earlier about how easy it is to vacuum, that is so true! I cleaned off all the counter tops in the kitchen and the kitchen space seemed to grow right before my eyes. This whole concept is great. Keep up the good work.
PS The three drawer organizers for kids room was a GREAT idea.
My kids love them because they think they are neat, and it has made things so much easier to keep picked up.

Brian Says:

August 15th, 2007, 12:14 pm

Wednesdays are my favorite Zen Habits day. I am a minimalist married to a clutterer, constantly at odds with the “items” left lying around the house. My two small children seem to be gravitating towards their mother’s natural ability to put anything anywhere.

You offer great advice and simple solutions for dealing with this situation and I have to say that since reading you blog for several months now I have been able to strike a happy balance between my “uncluttered” areas and the rest of the house. Thanks to you we are a family learning to live with one another in harmony - I never thought that would happen. Much thanks Leo.

Mikey Says:

August 15th, 2007, 12:26 pm

Stark and mind numbing boring seem to come to mind for me. There is no sign of human life in your museum.

It seems to me that in your quest for minimalism you have created a veritable plethora of rules that are counter to minimalism.

Chill - take life as it comes and goes. So many rules are for institutions.

barbara trumpinski-roberts Says:

August 15th, 2007, 13:36 pm

minimalist is great, as is decluttering. (I am not very good at decluttering). My only question is,”where are the books?” I can live without clutter, but not books. Counting the 3 built in units I have 14 bookshelves in my 450 square foot living room.

JC Says:

August 15th, 2007, 13:55 pm

Collections of books, art, CDs, tchotchkes, etc CAN work with minimalism. After you pare down your collection to the best stuff (and get rid of things you wouldn’t miss)…

1. Consolidate in one location. Except for the books on my bedside table, all my books are located in one-corner of my living room. Same deal with my extensive collection of CDs.

2. Storage behind doors. I find that bookcases with glass doors/fronts make a big difference in minimizing the visual clutter within a room. Yet your collection is still visible - and safe from dust! Just my opinion.

3. Figure out a principle for adding to your collection. I still buy books (though I mostly use the library). I only buy books that knocked my socks off and that I want to share with others or I can imagine re-reading whenever I need some comfort reading. Or books that are meant to be enjoyed/used over and over again (art books or cook books).

Mai Says:

August 15th, 2007, 14:47 pm

You know traveling to and from Japan and attending the University I’ve found that no only does a minimalist setup create a clean and comfortable environment, it also helps me stay motivated, it’s easier to concentrate, and it looks very trendy!

Rick Says:

August 15th, 2007, 15:09 pm

A clear desk is a sign of a sick mind. Or an unemployed person.

Leo Says:

August 15th, 2007, 15:13 pm

Thanks for all the great comments, everybody! To respond to a couple of points:

@Mikey: Actually, the plethora of points listed above aren’t rules … they’re just tips to help someone who might want to simplify. There’s only one simple rule to creating a minimalist home: have only the essential.

I don’t find it boring, and there is certainly a lot of human life in my home. :)

@barbara: I have a long bookshelf I made myself out of a few boards. It has three shelves on it, and it’s full of books. But I would probably have 10 times that amount if I didn’t regularly sell my books to get new ones — something I would recommend for any simplifier.

@Kristi: Excellent point. Minimalism is definitely not for everyone. I just wanted to write a guide for those who are interested in it, and who are calmed by it, like I am. I hear you, though. :)

On kids’ toys: Also see my article on the topic:

http://zenhabits.net/2007/08/21-tips-on-keeping-a-simple-home-with-kids/

stephen Says:

August 15th, 2007, 15:28 pm

Great writeup.

My personality tends to be minimalist when dealing with my car (grab 1-2 things every time i leave an pretty soon I’ve nothing to grab). My living room is okay, my kitchen could use some help.

The real problem area is my desk. It boggles my mind how difficult it is for me to grasp the concept of a clean desk. Its programmed into my DNA to have an awful, messy desk.

Hopefully when i get a filing cabinet that will alleviate the problem.

Live tv Says:

August 15th, 2007, 15:29 pm

Minimalist is good for the kitchen, for the living room, but for your bed room..probably not.

Modern Worker Says:

August 15th, 2007, 15:49 pm

After having used minimalist thinking when setting up my and maintaining my place, I’ve been sooo much happier.

Leo Says:

August 15th, 2007, 16:10 pm

@Live tv: Just out of curiosity, why not the bedroom? I’ve always found a minimalist bedroom very relaxing. Here’s a nice example:

http://www.esprit-interiors.co.uk/images/minimalist3_small.gif

John Wyles Says:

August 15th, 2007, 16:21 pm

The benefits to a minimalist home are obvious: easier to clean, less clutter, and a better look and feel. However, there are some more subtle gains to a minimalist home as well: less stress, better organization (both inside and outside of the home), and a better work ethic. It is true that you can have a lot of stuff without it looking like you have a lot of stuff. This is because everything has its place.

Indeed I have a lot of things hiding away that I may use once a year or less that I have not chosen to throw out because I simply spent the money and do not want to bother wasting it by tossing it out. However, that does not mean that a collection of items I use infrequently clutters my home; quite the contrary. I have a very organized system for putting things in groupings of what they are and what they do and then putting those in boxes, drawers, or slots where they are filed away and never seen. If I chose to use something I take it out, use it, and then put it back; even for the more commonly used items like a hair dryer, toothbrush, or comb. It is used and it is put away.

Think about it: leaving something out, even if it is commonly used, realistically only shaves you a few seconds (literally just seconds) and wreaks havoc on your organization and amount of clutter. Wouldn’t you rather have a clean area, know where things are, and be able to bring unexpected guests into your home at a moments notice? You can do just that if you just organize, take the few extra seconds to put things away, and keep the area clean: maintenance of a minimalist space does not require much energy and you will live a better life for it!

Jennifer Lee Says:

August 15th, 2007, 16:33 pm

Great article! My whole family tends to keep everything! We are a family that is bound to be clutter attractors! I personally don’t want my home to end up looking like a garage sale. I’ll use this to create a semi-un-stressful home. ^_^

Zak Says:

August 15th, 2007, 17:07 pm

Minimalism is only necessary if one’s latent OCD is easily triggerable. Mine isn’t, which is why I tend to furnish in ornate antiques. I say that with all appreciation for the wonderful design. It’s like my studio. Perhaps the consciousness-of-use is the bigger driver.

Tim Smith Says:

August 15th, 2007, 17:25 pm

Ironic thing is that this isn’t a minimalist blog post as it’s cluttered with a bunch of words that are strung together from an opinion which is clearly subjective, when really a nice group of photos of minimalist homes would have been great for inspiration, entertainment and interest. Why not show us how it’s better by showing us rather than talk at us about it?

Maybe more ironic is that this response is not minimalist as it’s got an unnecessary bitching whining about it when really it doesn’t really matter and it could be because minimilist is more

Colin Says:

August 15th, 2007, 17:46 pm

Sleep on the floor!

It’s actually not as bad as it sounds. I live in a one room apartment and I’ve got a neat pile of about six cheap mexican style fleece throw blankets on the floor which I use as a bed. It’s more than comfortable. Even girlfriends say how surprised they are by how comfortable it is. The best part is that I can throw my entire bed into the laundry.

Kill the TV.

Another quick thing you can do to keep sane is get rid of your TV alltogether. I have a stereo that I hook up to my laptop for music and a small battery powered radio for listening to news. TV was the greatest source of dissatisfaction in my life. Im much happier and more social, productive, sane now that it’s gone.

Unplug the fridge.

Why do I need a fridge when there’s a perfectly good one at the
grocery store? I pick up what i need on my way home from work and eat it that night. If I want to make pancakes in the morning I just nip off to the corner store for a quart of milk. I waste absolutly no food this way.

Am I crazy?
Colin.

Betsbillabong Says:

August 15th, 2007, 18:07 pm

Hey, I think I went to high school with the guy who built that loft in Marfa!

AgentSully Says:

August 15th, 2007, 20:18 pm

So when will we see your house on MTV Cribs? :)

Leo Says:

August 15th, 2007, 20:42 pm

@AgentSully: Lol. I haven’t watched MTV in years! (I don’t have cable.) I wouldn’t hold my breath. :)

@Tim Smith: The irony isn’t lost on me, but I decided months ago that while it would be cool to do minimalist posts (some photos, or only a paragraph or two of text), that would be a disservice to my readers, who want to know practical ways to accomplish these things in a concise way. So that’s what I shoot for. On the positive side, I linked to a few photos in the article, to illustrate the point.

Georgio Says:

August 15th, 2007, 21:13 pm

To @Tim Smith - judging by the replies to Leo’s posts it would seem that the only one who has a problem is you. The overhwleming majority (all but you) relish Leo’s posts, enjoy what he writes, and are happy with the setup in its present form. There are many other blogs on the internet where you could take your negative comments, why don’t you try going to them because you’re way off the mark with your criticism. Read the overwhelmingly positive, thankful feedback from people and you may understand.

Leo Says:

August 15th, 2007, 21:35 pm

@Georgio: I appreciate the sentiment, but I don’t mind Tim’s comments. He’s welcome to express a dissenting opinion, as long as he stays civil. Let’s not chase readers away! :)

On a more general note, I am aware that not everyone subscribes to my philosophy of minimalism, being debt-free, or other issues like that. That’s OK. My posts aren’t for everyone, nor are they meant to be. If you want to read harsh criticism of me, click on the digg link for this post (right above all these comments) and see the comments about this post on digg. They are always harsh, because they don’t share my philosophy … and in part because many of the commenters, unlike the Digg community in general, are wankers. For more why this is, see John Gabriel’s Greater Internet F***wad Theory.

Adam Says:

August 15th, 2007, 21:51 pm

Great tips. My house is a mess of stuff :P Theres always too much on the counters, maybe I’ll try this.

Cilla Says:

August 15th, 2007, 22:19 pm

You’ve inspired me to give up half of my magazine collection. I have been tearing the pages I like to save in a binder and will give the rest to a freecycler. Every night after work I sit with my husband (who watches TV) and go through ~5 mags and stack them up to give away. I’m a designer so they have always been a source of inspiration but I’ve learned that most of the mag is advertisements. I plan on organizing the binder by decor/room, health, fitness etc. My next project will be to minimalize my home office/art area which is the black hole of my living room.

Fran Says:

August 15th, 2007, 22:21 pm

Life certainly looks a lot more peaceful from an uncluttered point of view. I enjoyed your writeup (and wrote down some tips) and everyone’s input!

Terry Says:

August 16th, 2007, 8:13 am

http://terrysbook.blogspot.com/2007/08/declutter-your-space.html

Dave Says:

August 16th, 2007, 9:39 am

I rent a room that’s 11 1/2′ x 11 1/2′. Bed, dresser, corner workstation, and credenza. I don’t have room for clutter!

M Says:

August 16th, 2007, 10:54 am

This is great but I don’t understand how to remove the desire for all of the clutter.
If I didn’t think I needed it, then I would be minimal.
I get stressed by my environment, but I feel trapped by my attachment to all of the objects :(
If anyone has any tips, that would be great.

Gary Cook Says:

August 16th, 2007, 11:28 am

Ummm, this isn’t minimalism, this is de-cluttering. Minimalism is the appreciation of the actual material used to create the simple forms that make the whole. For example, you might choose a certain variety of stone to perfectly accent your wood floor. It is the harmony of the materials that ultimately signals minimalism.

Alex Says:

August 16th, 2007, 12:54 pm

Damn, dude. That Swatt Architects link made my day !

Their portfolio is absolutely astonishing. I’ve seen similar houses designed by other people, but none of them had an entire line up of projects being so wonderfully consistent in their design. What an awesome portfolio. Thanks a lot for the link.

I wonder what their fees might be like. You wouldn’t happen to know that, would you ? :)

Rick Says:

August 16th, 2007, 14:15 pm

Decorating your living space minimally is not on a par with debt freedom. If anything, they are opposite. If I’m running debt, I have some “wanker” hounding me for collection. If I lived by clutter-free rules, they would necessarily be rules not of my making, and I’d be chased by a co-habitor (too often a spouse, tragically) picking up after me as if I’m some toddler. Both are sources (or perhaps excuses) for much consternation. Of my debt and my accommodations, at least the latter is low-maintenance. Thank god.

lori Says:

August 17th, 2007, 9:12 am

dry dry dry

Henry Thoreau Says:

August 17th, 2007, 14:05 pm

So how does this work with six kids? Doesn’t having kids involve some disorder–as this is a natural state with children. I’m not saying that your house should be chaos–but how does one balance compassionate parenting with creating a minimal house?

Leo Says:

August 17th, 2007, 17:45 pm

@Henry Thoreau: See my previous article:

Keeping a simple home with kids

Litwit Larue Says:

August 18th, 2007, 19:28 pm

I loved your article! I have reviewed it on my literary website - please feel free to stop by and browse your review!!

Henry Thoreau Says:

August 20th, 2007, 14:11 pm

Thanks for the tip, Leo, about order with kids. I’m a fan of the website, only a little skeptical of how to balance order and efficiency with good parenting.

On one hand, disorder and inefficiency is not a good role model for the kids–nor does it allow actually spending relaxed time with the kids.

On the other, I’ve seen very uptight, type-A parents who have a very orderly house–yet they can’t deal with unexpected kids needs.

This is just a balance that I’m having trouble understanding in my own life.

henry

Samurai Says:

August 21st, 2007, 7:20 am

Interesting! When I have a home of my own i’ll have to give this a reread. Keep it up!

Janete Says:

September 3rd, 2007, 18:16 pm

I liked this article so much because I think the same way as you.I am from Brazil and I take part in the Voluntary Simplicity Moviment.

kermit johnson Says:

September 6th, 2007, 16:57 pm

I love it. As a real estate agent, I can tell you that a house staged with these principles in mind will sell faster.

I think I will print out this post and hand out copies to prospective sellers.

Andrew Says:

November 2nd, 2007, 2:52 am

This blog has single-handedly turned my life around.. I now come home to a clean studio everyday!

Tabatha Says:

November 16th, 2007, 0:30 am

Wow. I really do wish I could have a minimalist home. Clutter is a huge source of stress for me. If I’m in a hurry, I can look around and nearly explode at the stuff just everywhere. My problem is lack of space in a tiny house.

Helge Says:

November 21st, 2007, 15:54 pm

The chairs in the picture sure look good, but they don’t seem very comfortable. The back support is either missing, or consist of thin ribbons, that would hurt my back if I lean on them.

Lexi Says:

December 11th, 2007, 2:59 am

i love the idea of a minimalist home, and i believe that spaces should be uncluttered and well-organized. however, i cannot imagine putting away the family photos that line one stairway wall and fill the top of a table (visually dividing the living room from the dining room). there must be a minimalist approach to displaying collections and other cherished items! and frankly, i love all sorts of fabrics and prints! maybe the minimalist look isn’t for me. i go more for the warm, homey, lived-in look (but still uncluttered and organized).

Andrew Brunelle Says:

December 27th, 2007, 0:34 am

Nice post. I will have to try some of these ideas. I am a minimalist by nature, so I already implement many of these ideas. But it is always good to see someone else doing what I am doing. I recently took my DVD collection and converted it into a case for CDs and put all the original cases out of sight and out of mind. A cluttered house equals a cluttered mind. I learned that lesson the hard way. Have a great one!

West PUA Says:

January 10th, 2008, 12:30 pm

Nice room!

I suggest starting with either the bedroom or the first room you enter when coming home. That way, you either sleep in a minimalist bedroom, which looks soo nice when waking up and sun us shining through the windows, or you are met with a relaxing minimalist room when you come home for work, which also all your guests will.

Hendro Says:

January 25th, 2008, 1:27 am

bugus juga presentasinya. buatannya cukup tegas dan akrab.

Samuel / Secured Loans Says:

January 31st, 2008, 9:14 am

Well great Post ………..truly professional article One by one inch by inch pointed to steps to achieve the Minimalis home. And Of course all the methods does n’t cost much.

But there is something that is missing as i think virtually the details of making house beautiful.

But some details of colour and furniture synchronization should be there.

Themes for each rooms kitchen and garden.

could can be provided.

Blaz Says:

February 12th, 2008, 15:44 pm

Very lovely article. Thanks

Sai. Says:

February 13th, 2008, 3:46 am

Nice post! True indeed, lesser stuff in the house, the better!

David Says:

February 16th, 2008, 15:23 pm

Thanx! Love it, it’s gold. Its one of the top 100 things i read on the internet ever. Make a book about it. Kind of like a fengshui book whithout the humbug.

Toni Says:

February 23rd, 2008, 3:03 am

I agree with David! Make a book about this!

Thanks for this lovely post. I am looking at my messy bedroom now and I totally need some Zen in here!

Jacqueline Says:

March 4th, 2008, 22:56 pm

This is a wonderful post, and I definitely agree that a clutter-free home is very relaxing - perhaps especially so for me, because I live in a pretty tiny apartment. My style doesn’t really work with the traditional minimalist look, however - I like color and print and pattern too much!

That said, I’m a huge advocate for setting up organization systems, whether you create/build one of your own or purchase a ready-made one (for instance, I dream of having one of these someday: http://www.3luxe.com/category/Bedroom/Closet_Organizers).

Also - upthread Colin posted about buying just the amount of food you need that day and I do something similar - while I do have a few staples (and a fridge!) that I keep on hand, I tend to buy a few things at time and stop by the store/markets often. Of course, I’m lucky enough to live in a city with a ton of speciality shops, farmer’s markets, and all kinds of interesting places to buy food, so it is probably easier than most for me to do this kind of thing.

Ang Says:

March 16th, 2008, 11:36 am

I’m frequently surprised and pleased by the compliments we receive when people come to our home for the first time. It’s small for a US single-family home - about 1300 sq ft - and not luxurious, but I think what people are mostly reacting to is the lack of clutter. We follow many of the principles Leo lists - we have only essential pieces of furniture, mostly in earth tones; we have only a few decorative accents, mostly nature-related; most surfaces are free from or have minimal clutter; and most regularly accessed items have specific storage areas where they are kept rather than remaining out. We feel having a small house with few closets and no basement or garage definitely forces you to keep possessions to a minimum.

SloWalker Says:

March 29th, 2008, 16:30 pm

Ditch the room all together. All you need is a cup and a spoon. Then you will be getting the idea.

Serenity Says:

April 1st, 2008, 20:58 pm

Thanks so much for this article and your blog. It’s always encouraging to read such articles and to meet others who enjoy this lifestyle. I have endevoured to live like this for quite a few years now. We have 7 children and we homeschool, so I know what it’s like to have people home all the time and trying to keep things clutter-free. We manage to have most of the home clear and easy to maintain, but it does take work (mostly mine)! One thing we do everyday is ‘5 o’clock job’ time, where all children have certain areas of the house they clean up before supper. Keeps things orderly and tidy for the evening. I have nothing on my counters too and people always comment about that…I can’t imagine trying to cook something on cluttered counters! And I always breathe a deep sigh of calm when I enter the kitchen after it’s been tidied up. It is so stress free (the white decor helps).

Anyway, keep up the good work. Oh, and I like your ‘list’ way of writing, so easy to follow and remember.

Lily Says:

April 7th, 2008, 5:25 am

I’m decluttering and decluttering, but stuff is always too much in a 530 square feet flat for 2 people… What can I do?

Heidi DeCoux Says:

April 17th, 2008, 13:05 pm

I love this article and your Streamlined Living article. I re-printed them both on my website and I included a Resource Box (paragraph) at the end of each article giving you credit and linking back to your original article on your blog. Check out what I wrote for you in the Resource Box. If there is anything you want me to change about it, let me know. Your “uncopyright” policy is great. I recommend that you post a Resource Box for people to use when they re-print your articles. That will make it easy for people to give you credit and link back to your blog.

Heidi
http://www.ClearSimpleLiving.com

kelly Says:

May 1st, 2008, 13:05 pm

Great article, but i having a Minimalist home is not for everyone. It all depends on your taste. Personally i like having more furniture in the kitchen and the living room. It’s a lot harder to clean up becasue you have to clean behind the furniture you may have in that particular area. Still a very good article and great tips.

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