Written by Cora Gold, Editor-in-Chief of Revivalist
Maximizing function in your minimalist home provides you with everything you need while eliminating unnecessary distractions from things you don’t. It’s all about reducing clutter and crafting an environment specifically tailored to your needs. Here’s what to do to streamline your surroundings while perfectly adapting them to the unique soul you are.
Minimalism Begins With Mindfulness
Minimalism is more than just an interior design style. Someone with a minimalist aesthetic can still become a victim to overconsumption. For example, every time a store puts out a new line of all-white home decor, you might feel tempted to buy new unnecessary items.
Most decorative items, like wall hangings or table centerpieces, don’t serve a practical purpose. Being a true minimalist means being mindful about your purchases. Just because something is marketed as minimalist does not mean it actually is.
Ask yourself questions like the following to narrow down what essentials you need:
- What vibe do I want my home to have? How do I want to feel when I step inside?
- What do I want, use and love to do? Since you are narrowing down your possessions, each one should reflect something that either sparks joy or makes it possible.
- Have I worn or used this item in the past year?
- Do I have another object that serves the same purpose, letting me donate one to someone who could use it more?
Why does functional minimalism matter? First, it helps you avoid buying too much stuff. Many people accumulate excess stuff overtime, and it can be overwhelming. Minimalism focuses on owning only what you need.
Not only does this lead to a peaceful life, but it also helps the environment. Landfills are full of furniture, home decor, clothes and more. Many of these items are discarded when people realize they didn’t really need them in the first place. Being critical about what you buy will keep these items from polluting the planet.
Maximizing Function in a Minimalist Home: 6 Tips
Once you mindfully decide what you want your home to look like, it’s time to get down to the nitty-gritty. The following six tips can help you fulfill all your needs while taking up minimal space and creating as little clutter as possible.
1. Marry Function With Decor
When you decorate a home, it can be easy to end up buying useless products. Items like sculptures, wall art and faux plants only serve to fill space visually. While it’s natural to want decorative pieces to give your home more personality, it’s important to be mindful about practicality.
Functional items — such as your beloved bicycle or guitar — can double as decor. For example, you might mount a hanging rack atop a mural or amid photographs of your favorite places to ride. Arranging them artistically on your wall keeps them handy while you need them while enhancing the look of your home. Displaying items you love and use in your home will bring much more of your personality into the space than generic store-bought decor.
Another practical way to decorate is by using plants. For example, you can create a wall garden in your kitchen from old pallets that supplies you with fresh herbs for cooking. Growing them at home frees you from iffy pesticides and fertilizers and beautifies your kitchen while enhancing your dinner.
If you do want to add a purely decorative piece, like artwork or throw pillows, shop second hand first. Thrift stores are full of home products that are often more unique than what you find in a department store. Giving these items new life is great for the environment, as well.
2. Plan Before Shopping
If you’re moving into a new home or renovating your space to be more functional, make an in-depth plan before starting. Start by asking yourself what you need to change. Maybe your closet is constantly disorganized and making it hard to sort through your clothes. Or perhaps your kitchen layout doesn’t work with your flow when you cook.
One way you can make a plan before reworking a space is to use a virtual design tool. You can upload a picture of your room and add in images of potential upgrades you could make. If you’re looking at installing new cabinets or a closet system, some companies will have an online platform to help you visualize what will work in your space.
You can also take inventory of everything you have so you can refer to it when shopping. Sometimes it’s hard to remember what you have at home when you’re at a store looking at new things. Before adding anything to your cart, refer to your list to see if you already own that item.
3. Seek Double and Triple-Duty Furnishings
Those seeking minimalist lifestyles can learn a lot from the tiny home crowd, whose lifestyle more or less demands it. Many such homes feature double, even triple-duty furnishings. For example, a table with an L-shaped bench works equally well as a work desk or dinner setting, with the table part and rear cushions transforming into a bed platform after sundown.
If you have a staircase, chances are there’s usable space beneath it. Give it a purpose as a pantry or storage area by adding a door. Literary, reclusive sorts might even make it into a small home office in a nod to Harry Potter’s original bedroom.
Murphy-style isn’t only for beds. If you have a single room serving as your home office and yoga studio, mount a foldable desk to the wall. Extend it when it’s time to write that blog post or balance that budget report and collapse it when you need additional floor space.
Furniture that doubles as storage is another option. You’re probably familiar with storage ottomans, but there’s also space available beneath some couch cushions or kitchen benches. Seek such styles when refurbishing your minimalist home.
4. Give Everything a Home
Some well-meaning minimalists get off course when they can’t find what they need, prompting a trip to the store for a replacement, only to find the missing item upon their return. Avoid this scenario by giving every item in your minimalist home a “home” of its own.
You might have to get out the label maker if you share your home with others who aren’t quite as savvy at putting things in their proper place. For example, some folks can’t break themselves out of laying objects down randomly and forgetting them, only to fly into a panic when they can’t find them.
Instead of shaming said family members for their struggles, get in the habit of going through the house together and putting things where they belong at the day’s end. Putting your house in order is a mindful way to wind down for bed without causing hard feelings and brings you closer to your loved ones. It also keeps your minimalist home organized, serves as a makeshift inventory to remind everyone where everything is and prevents unnecessary replacement purchases.
5. Embrace Technology Solutions
Technology makes maximizing function in your minimalist home much easier. For example, Bluetooth connectivity can eliminate many of the unsightly wires that previously hung everywhere. Wall-mounted solutions such as televisions and built-in speakers eliminate the need for bulky entertainment centers.
You can also digitize any papers you have that you don’t need physical copies of. You never know when you might need to refer back to paperwork from a doctor’s visit or a trip to the mechanic. However, you rarely need to have that information in print. Moving forward, make an effort to choose paperless options whenever possible. The best solution for living minimally and sustainably is to prevent the waste from happening.
6. Communicate Scheduling Needs
What happens when two family members need the same item at the same time? Maximizing function in a minimalist home need not mean purchasing separate devices for everyone. Instead, create a master calendar for your family, perhaps hanging it on your fridge or somewhere else you’ll regularly see it. When someone needs the family car or computer at a specific time, they “reserve” it, minimizing disputes while ensuring everyone meets their needs.
7. Coordinate With Others
Finally, teaming up with others who embrace a minimalist lifestyle can help you maximize function and savings. For example, placing bulk orders with other friends and family members reduces shipping needs and emissions and may net you a discount compared to buying each item individually.
You can also share certain assets. For example, you and your BFF neighbor might both contribute to purchasing a lawnmower or other landscaping equipment you both need, storing it in a communal shed. Doing so builds a sense of community while reducing the need for storage space.
Maximizing Function in a Minimalist Home
Embracing minimalist principles can liberate you from the burden of too much stuff. However, there’s more to maximizing function in your minimalist home besides decluttering. Determining what you need and what matters to you can help you create a signature space that fulfills your requirements with less stuff, expense and waste.
About the Author
Cora Gold has a passion for writing about life, happiness and sustainability. As Editor-in-Chief of women’s lifestyle magazine Revivalist, she loves to share her insights and find inspiration from others. Follow Cora on Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter.