7 Things You Won’t Find in a Minimalist Home
When I first decided to create a minimalist home for our family, one question kept coming to mind.
What should a minimalist home look like, anyway?
Sometimes, when the question surfaced, I’d seek answers on Pinterest. Other times, I’d investigate on Instagram or minimalism blogs.
But no matter where I looked, I couldn’t find a consistent answer.
Six years into minimalist living, I understand why. Minimalism isn’t about conforming to another person’s aesthetic or lifestyle, it’s about crafting a life that’s authentically yours.
And while home design can be part of it, minimalism is more about rediscovering the you underneath your stuff than matching your belongings to a Pinterest page.
In short, there is no “right” way a minimalist home should look. The home you curate as you jettison excess belongings will be a reflection of you. And since we’re all different, our minimalist homes should be too.
That being said, minimalist homes do have some things in common. To persist as an uncluttered home with less stuff, there are certain items they rarely contain.
Here are 7 things you won’t find in a minimalist home:
1. Trendy items
Minimalist homes don’t contain items that were purchased solely because they are trendy or because other people have them.
Stuff isn’t a status symbol. Perfectly good items (water bottles, purses, outfits) won’t be traded out for a trending version. Consumerism isn’t spurred by socially-derived discontent or a need to “keep up with the Joneses.”
Minimalists find their joy in intangible things like relationships, adventures, meaningful hobbies, and faith, not more stuff.
2. Accessories with no function
Items in a minimalist home serve a purpose. The aesthetically pleasing containers on the kitchen counter hold keys and wallets. A cute basket in the entryway is strategically placed there to hold shoes.
Accessories in a minimalist home are purchased to support the home’s systems and to help maintain an uncluttered look. You won’t find decorative boxes or bins that were purchased simply to fill a space.
3. Things that were purchased simply because they were a good deal
Minimalists know that an item is not a good deal if you don’t need it. And that you save the most money during a sale by not buying the item at all.
You won’t find items that still sport price tags—purchased on a whim because of a flash sale—in a minimalist home. Purchases are intentional and planned, not rash or impulsive.
Items in a minimalist home may be higher in quality (and lower in quantity).
4. Excessive furniture
A minimalist home doesn’t contain furniture just to fill spaces. It will have enough furniture to cover the owner’s needs and lifestyle, but not much more.
When I decluttered our bedroom, I realized we didn’t need our dresser or our nightstands anymore. So we sold them.
Most minimalists prefer more space over more stuff, and living with less furniture facilitates this.
5. Expensive stuff that is unloved/unused
The owner of a minimalist home doesn’t hold onto items simply because they were expensive. If an item is unused or unloved, it is sold or donated, regardless of the cost.
Minimalists know that once you purchase and own something, the money you spent on it is gone. You’re not richer for keeping it or any worse off financially for letting it go.
“Inexpensive is not a good reason to buy something and expensive is not a good reason to keep something,” author Peter Walsh said. A minimalist home reflects this.
6. Duplicate items
A minimalist home rarely contains duplicate items. Why own seven pairs of jeans when you only love one of them? Why own five spatulas when one will suffice? Do you really need more than one set of linens per bed? The “less is more” mindset that comes with minimalism helps keep duplicate items out of the home.
Duplicate items can also accumulate when you have a lot of possessions and lose track of what you already own. Owning less stuff means you’ll know what is in your home and won’t purchase something you already possess.
7. Anything that’s not an absolute favorite item
Minimalists enjoy their favorite things deeply by owning just their favorite items. Sure, some items are kept out of necessity, but everything else is a favorite (or in the words of Marie Kondo, the main emotion they spark is joy).
When you’re surrounded by just what you use and love, life feels lighter and more intentional. You no longer feel bad when looking at your closet (and seeing clothes that don’t fit who you are today) or guilty when passing by certain possessions (like those gifts you want to let go of but are worried about what the giver will think if you do).
In conclusion
While there is no “right way” a minimalist home should look, it’s likely that homes with fewer possessions will have certain themes in common.
If you’re feeling called to live a more intentional, meaningful life with space for what matters, I encourage you to start curating your own minimalist home.
Which of the items above could you let go of? Excessive furniture? Duplicate items?
Now is the time to begin questioning your possessions and experiencing the life-giving benefits of living with less.
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Julia Ubbenga is a freelance journalist. Her online projects on minimalism, simplicity, and intentional living have reached over 50 million people worldwide. Julia also practices what she preaches in her Kansas City home where she lives with her husband and their five children. You can also find her on Instagram and Facebook.
P.S. You can now find my new book Declutter Your Heart and Your Home: How a Minimalist Life Yields Maximum Joy on Amazon!