12 Easy Steps To A Minimalist Home Interior

My home may not be minimalist. But I do practice some minimalist home decorating. I keep my house very simple and as free of clutter as possible. It’s not always a perfect system with a 10-year-old girl in the mix. In this post, I’ll share 12 steps to creating a minimalist home interior.

How My Minimalist Home Journey Started

Creating a home that is very simple and free of excess has been a long journey. When I was younger, I lived with very little because I had little money. In my 30s, I earned more money. I started living a bit excessively. In my 40s, I began to consider needs vs. wants. I started studying minimalism and small-space living. It’s all led to where I am today.

If you’d like your home to be more peaceful, practicing minimalism is a good place to start. Let’s explore 12 steps to creating a minimalist home. Just as an artist starts a painting with a blank canvas, let’s start with an empty house. Imagine you’re just moving into a new 1000-square-foot home.

12 Steps To Creating A Minimalist Home

1. Study space: I love an empty house. It’s so full of space and light. When you move into a new home, study the space. Consider what will fit without creating a claustrophobic feel. Know your limitations.
2. Choose colors: A dark home does not feel open. If the colors in your new home are dark or overly bright, you might want to consider painting. Use light colors: whites and light Earth tones.
3. Consider essentials: How many furnishings do you really need? Consider the essentials. Why do you need more than a table and chairs in a dining room? Bedrooms: anything more than a bed, a dresser, and a night stand is too much. Stick to the basics.
4. Go small: Don’t cram a king-sized bed into a queen-sized bedroom. Smaller pieces of furniture create more room. When I was living in a 650 square-foot home, I slept on a twin-sized bed. It made my room much more spacious. I had room to move and breathe.
5. Limit collections: I like books and music. At one time I had over 1000 CDs and books. Collections take up space. They create clutter. I’ve learned to let go of my collections. I keep some of my favorite titles, but limit books and CDs to a couple of shelves. I trade in old books and CDs several times a year.
6. Simple decor: I don’t like coffee tables. They clutter the center of the room. I do have a few bookcases and end tables. If you want your home to feel open and spacious, only place one or two simple pieces of decor on any given surface.
7. Blank walls: Have you ever been in a home where the walls were covered with art or family pictures? It’s too busy. I keep one wall completely bare in almost every room. I only hang one, maybe two pieces of art on the remaining walls.
8. Clear floors: Arrange your furniture in a way that creates sufficient walking space. Keep clutter off the floors. Clear and open floors create a sense of space. Having smooth floor surfaces helps, too. I’m not a big fan of rugs.
9. Smart storage: Store less-used items away. I use large plastic bins to organize things that need to be stored in the garage or basement. I use smaller bins and trays for smaller items that get stored in cupboards or drawers. Smart storage reduces clutter.
10. Buy less: One reason we wind up with clutter is that we buy too much unneeded stuff. Our first impulse when we move into a new home is to fill up empty space. “That corner looks bare,” you say. Wait. Give it time. Don’t rush out and buy new things. Think essential. In time, the space will grow on you.
11. Give more: Another way to help create a minimalist home is to give away the things you don’t use. When you’re unpacking, consider your true needs. Keep absolute necessities. Give the rest away.
12. Put it away: Clutter gathers. Do you ever come home and drop stuff on the counter or the floor? It’s easy to do after a long hard day, but that’s how it starts. Have a place for everything and put things away as you go. Your home will be clutter-free.

Keep It Clean

Minimalists keep their homes clutter-free and clean. Make sure to spend a few minutes each day to pick up any gathering clutter.

Check out this simple and beautiful slideshow presentation: 12 step minimalist home from Dan Erickson

Practice these 12 steps to creating a minimalist home interior and you’ll find more peace in life. Keeping life simple leads to happiness and productivity. Clutter leads to chaos and anxiety. If you’d like to learn more about the connections between happiness, simplicity, and productivity, check out my free ebook:

The Happiness Of Simple