How Minimalism can help you be a better Homemaker
Now I may not be an extreme #minimalist, but I have gained so much from my journey living more minimally & I've tried to strike a balance when #simplifying.
Just like everything in life I think it can be taken too far, but I also believe the concepts of minimalism are worth talking about and learning from.
The minimalism "aesthetic" may not be for you, i'm not a huge fan of white walls and no furniture.
In my opinion many people miss the mark when it comes to minimalism, its not about stuff, its actually the opposite.
Its not supposed to be about how much you can get rid of, and how empty your space is, there's no number of things that minimalists are supposed to own.
Some people have turned Minimalism into just another fad or cliche and missed the whole point.
Minimalism is supposed to take the attention off of material things and place the attention back onto what matters to you!
That may be your health, your family, or your job.
The point of simplifying is to create space, not so that the space can remain empty, but so it can be filled with what is truly important.
Keep this is mind as you read on, minimalism has no definition, the point of it is not to achieve some aesthetic you've seen online but to create a space that you truly love and can thrive in.
So here are some of the ways minimalism has benefited me.
1)You can spend less time cleaning and more time decorating, cooking and creating a peaceful environment
When there is less stuff the less time you have to spend cleaning it.
Every item you own has to be maintained and I think we often don't realize how much of our time is spent dusting, washing and moving stuff around.
I used to have so much decor that when i went to clean i would have to move at least a dozen items just to clean under it and honestly i'm still working on this one but it's so much better than when i first started.
You may love baking , or decorating, maybe your a fan of hygge, being more minimal doesn't mean we need to sacrifice those things that bring us joy but that we actually can make room for those hobbies and spend more time embracing them!
2)You can cultivate your home with things you truly love
Before I tried #simplifying I tried to hold on to all sorts of things that I didn't actually like, maybe you've been there too holding onto things that don't actually "spark joy".
Prior to trying my hand at #minimal living I would just add items to my already existing collection. But the problem was that I didn't actually love the items I had to begin with.
If you are like me in that regard, here's your reminder if you don't like something you don't have to keep it! No matter who gave it you or if they would be upset that you let it go. One of the most crucial things i heard on my journey was "A gift that you can never get rid of ,is not a gift its on obligation"
You are not obligated to keep things that were gifted to you are even if they are sentimental.
I've gone through so many layers of #decluttering and each time I was able to get rid of things I didn't love and replace some of some of those items with better quality versions that I truly enjoyed.
Now the point of decluttering is not to buy more to put in its place, but every now and then there are gaps in our wardrobe that need to be filled and items that actually need to be replaced, and its okay for you to get rid of something that is no longer serving you to replace it with an item that will.
For me my wardrobe and furniture were two areas where I had never actually got what I really needed. I still buy most of my furniture second hand, but this time around I knew exactly what I was looking for and what I was willing to spend.
There are some items that are worth buying new, and making sure they are good quality. To save money in the long run, and others can be found for low prices of FB marketplace or your local thrift stores.
For more about the benefits of buying secondhand click here
3)Your home will look cleaner and feel calmer
This one is simple but I think we often underestimate how pairing down the items we own can actually make our space feel more relaxing.
Clutter makes things look messy and even when that clutter is organized it can still be overwhelming to the mind to sit in a room filled with stuff.
It can really make a difference in how #tidy things look and truly contributes to whether or not we are able to enjoy our homes.
You should feel a sense of ease when your at home, it doesn't just mean getting rid of a bunch of stuff but instead owning items that add to your life, and make you feel good about yourself and your home.
Having a lot of stuff also causes our home to look smaller, and feeling cramped in our spaces is never enjoyable. It is often pretty clear, if we feel cramped, that its time to part with some things.
One way i like to #declutter is to take the smaller items out of a room and then if it still feels cramped you can rearrange your furniture, and really think about if you want to keep it all, then you can move back in the smaller items and only keep what you love and what is practical to keep in that space.
4)Deep cleaning can be done on a more regular basis
Now I know that cleaning is not everyone's cup of tea and some of us want to #declutter so we can do less cleaning and that certainly does happen when you have a more minimal home.
The great thing about minimalism is that when you get rid of the excess you have more time to clean the parts of your home that too often get neglected.
Instead of tidying up the many items left around the home after a full day, or washing loads of
dishes. It can be quicker to get all these tasks finished.
Usually when we are spending a ton of time each day on these daily tasks we can get so overrun with chores that we don't have time to do the deep cleaning. Washing the windows and baseboards, Cleaning toilets, sinks and showers, washing the linens.
These important tasks begin to get pushed to the back burner because we don't have time to do it all. Luckily by simplifying you can create more time and thus are able to get around to these important tasks much more often.
5)Less stuff, Less stress
We all know the reason why we want to #simplify and that's to lessen the stress we feel in our daily lives.
We have so much to do every day and our world is in a constant state of chaos and many of us, including me, desire peace and quiet.
While the world may not be very simple outside of our homes. We can create simplicity within the walls of our homes.
Since going through the layers of our home and #decluttering. I've found much more peace within it.
It's amazing how simplifying our homes can help them feel like the havens that they were meant to be, a place of ease away from the stress of the world.
I hope this can inspire you to take a look at what you own and decide what really belongs, what truly adds value to your life, and let go of the rest.
