They say that minimalism is a lifestyle: keeping the bare essentials and getting rid of the excess. Young bloods today are more inclined towards this mindset, especially single professionals who mostly live in small spaces.
The minimalist lifestyle translates into a home free of unnecessary clutter; just a neat atmosphere with well-used spaces. Practical and picturesque, a minimalist home can even be therapeutic especially after a long day of working.
Here are six foolproof hacks (and a bonus tip) for those who want to achieve the perfect minimalist look and feel for their home:
Mind the nooks and crannies
Leave no drawer, cupboard, or cabinet unused. Instead, fill them with items of your choice: be it cutlery, house tools, office supplies, makeup, whatever floats your boat. Necessities must take up more space on shelves and small tables than décor.
What’s important is that you don’t scrimp on using storage space, and don’t fill to the brim either. Just strike a clear balance among the spaces you put items in and take up those spaces adequately.
Another thing you can do is convert hidden corners into storage spaces for clothes, shoes, or bags. That space behind a big piece of furniture? Put your luggage or fire extinguisher there. Any visible clutter must be tucked away neatly in unseen spaces.
Hang instead of store
So now you’ve filled your drawers, but you still have your large pots and pans lying around. You come across a cute herb garden on Instagram that you want to copy so bad, then you take a peek at your almost filled kitchen area. How could this space crisis get any worse?
Well, don’t feel bad! Nails, hooks, and wires are your best friend when you’re short on space. Cookware, small appliances, and potted plants can be hung on a wall. You can hang cookware on a hook rack (which can be bought online for cheap).
If you’re a self-professed plantito or plantita, you can make a vertical herb or cacti garden by attaching potted plants on a gridwall panel or on a strong string like those in the trendy cafes and restaurants you frequent. Meanwhile, small appliances like iron curlers can be placed amidst big panel hooks instead of occupying drawer space.
Small is the new big!
Always be on the lookout for functional, portable, and compact products for your home instead of investing in heavy, space-consuming equipment or furniture. Small home supplies are not only space-saving, but are also easier to use when you’re living alone.
Foldable chairs and pull-out tray tables are perfect examples of this. After using, you can store the chair at a hidden nook or push back the eating table so it doubles as your home office desk. Wise if you ask me!
You can always say no to mom’s large hand-me-down kitchen equipment or dad’s knife collection and instead, get smaller, more compact ones. This brings us to the fourth point, which is:
Go for multifunctional items
Invest in storage beds, mini-ovens that can toast, roast, and bake, as well as LED electric fans. Multi-dish meal cookers and light up speakers with chargers are good choices too. Getting multiple benefits out of one appliance is always a catch.
Aside from budget stretching reasons, we also have to remember that multifunctional products are for easier and more convenient home living. Innovative inventions like those mentioned above are great investments that can last long, especially if taken good care of.
While you’re at it, canvass on multiple stores to get the best price deals for a multipurpose appliance. This way, you can double your savings!
Bye bye barriers
If you can get rid of doors, curtains, or dividers that you don’t need, then by all means do it. Barriers can give the feel of cramped spaces, and seeing them may cause you to limit your movement.
A good example of this are shower curtains in the bathroom, especially if you live alone. You have all the bathroom to yourself, so there’s no need to cover up while taking your power showers. If you want to avoid splatters, invest in a sliding glass door, which is easier to clean and maintain.
However, if you really can’t do away with barriers in your home, then design them in a way that would give an illusion of large space. For instance, put a big mirror on that blank wall dividing two home areas. Mirrors are known to trick the eyes into thinking that there is more space than there actually is.
Give away what you don't need
More than the aesthetic is the essence of minimalism: keeping needs and losing clutter. Your old receipts, toys from childhood, and shrunken clothes must not take up any more space within your abode. Give them to places like recycling facilities or sell them online so they don’t go to waste.
It can be challenging especially if you’re a hoarder or a keeper of things with sentimental value, but like how Andy from Toy Story 3 gave his childhood toys to a young girl, you can hand your belongings down to younger relatives or friends (and tell them to take care of your things because they mean a lot to you).
BONUS!
Look for inspiration
Inspiration is everywhere! Pinterest and Tumblr are insanely good sources of inspiration on how to design your minimalist dream home. Home furnishing and supplies stores can also help ignite so many ideas in you with their catalogues and sample designs.
Follow online magazines and their social media accounts (like Architectural Digest, Vogue Living, Elle Decor) and find something that suits your color palette, your desired vibe, or your overall home concept.
Now it's your turn!
It’s time to get your creative juices flowing! Which tips would you include in curating your minimalist home? Which of these space-saving hacks are not applicable to your home setup? What tip do you think best applies to you?
Hopefully this helps you figure things out and may building your future minimalist abode go swell for you from here on out. Enjoy!