Many people yearn for a "minimalist" lifestyle, with an empty, simple and neat home. But not everyone can effectively separate. Family members have different attitudes and living habits are difficult to change, which often makes declutteri...
Many people yearn for a "minimalist" lifestyle, with an empty, simple and neat home. But not everyone can effectively separate. Family members have different attitudes and living habits are difficult to change, which often makes decluttering a stressful situation. Japanese minimalist blogger Odeko shared that he finally found a gentle organization method that "can lead to a refreshing life without overdoing it."
1. Try "minimalism in only one place"Odeko originally dreamed of having a "home with nothing", but the reality was not smooth. She lives with her husband, who is not interested in separation at all. Although she does not want to force her husband to throw away things, she does hope that shared spaces such as the living room and kitchen can be tidier. The two sides remained deadlocked after many discussions, which only made each other more irritated.
Odeko later gave up asking his family to cooperate and decided to just pick one area in the home and become "the minimalist there." The location she chose was "the closet." As a result, although the whole home is still not minimalist, being able to practice light living in her own small world also gave her an unexpected sense of satisfaction.
2. If you cannot reduce the "quantity", change the "size"If you cannot reduce the number of possessions, you might as well try "changing to something smaller and lighter." As the size of the furniture becomes smaller, the visual and spatial sense will become wider. The Odeko family tried the following three adjustments:
TV cabinet: changed from a large storage cabinet to a simple model that only supports the TV.
Dining table: changed from a four-person table to a small round table.
Sideboard: Replace the tableware in the original storage cabinet in the kitchen, leaving only the small shelf for the microwave and toaster.
This downsizing method is easier to gain support from family members than throwing things away. Space at home is limited, and family members also have different needs. For me who "makes the space feel fresh" and my husband who "doesn't want to lose things", the best compromise is to "reduce the size" of the furniture to find a balance that is acceptable to both of them.
If you really can't bear to lose things, you can try "reduce the types of colors". From furniture to small items, Odeko avoids bright colors and maintains overall color consistency. If the tone is unified, the vision will become quiet; if the vision is quiet, the mood will naturally be calm.
The main colors of her home are gray, black, green and stainless steel silver. This kind of color control makes the room look neat and orderly even if there are not too many items. Reducing color itself is a kind of "flexible minimalism" without throwing things away.
4. When you feel cluttered, try to "reduce a little" first.Odeko said that when life feels cluttered, her first step is always to "try to subtract." When you feel that the storage is not enough, instead of buying a cabinet immediately, you first think: Can you store less? Even if you can't actually reduce it in the end, this kind of thinking can prevent you from unintentionally adding more stuff.
She emphasized that the result of "subtraction" does not have to be zero: "For example, if you have a lot of unused bags, but you are too reluctant to throw them all away, then 'reduce them by half.' Even the idea of 'you have to throw them all away' can be subtracted."
With this "just a little bit" mentality, she even It extends to interpersonal relationships: "For people who are not good at getting along with each other in the workplace, I used to smile all day long, but now I only do it in the afternoon. Although the fundamental problem has not been solved, the pressure has been significantly reduced."
Odeko said with a smile: "It can be reduced by half, which is also a kind of minimalism."
