The Minimalist Home: A Room-By-Room Guide to a Decluttered, Refocused Life

by Joshua Becker

What if the problem is that we’re living in the homes that advertisers and retailers want us to have instead of the homes that deep down we really want and need?

My definition of minimalism is “the intentional promotion of things we most value and the removal of anything that distracts us from them.” As I sometimes like to say, minimizing is actually optimizing—reducing the number of your possessions until you get to the best possible level for you and your family. It’s individual, freeing, and life promoting. It’s a makeover that you can do on your own, in your current house, just by getting rid of stuff.

the most important part of a home is the people within it, including the interplay of their relationships, how they spend their time in the home, and the dreams they nurture.

The lesson in this for us is that life away from home may be scary, but it’s full of potential—and a minimized home can prepare us to go out and encounter it more freely and effectively.

In a society that consistently paints more and more accumulation as the basis for happiness, owning less requires intentionality, courage, and perseverance.

Goals shape us and goals change us. Our goals in life determine the actions we take and how hard we work to reach them. When we know what our goals in life are, we set our priorities accordingly. And as long as we keep them in sight, we won’t be as likely to turn back or lose the trail.

A home that is filled with only the things you love and use will be a home that you love to use. #minimalisthome

For something to be necessary and help you fulfill your purpose and potential, it needs to be so useful, lovely, or meaningful that you must keep it.

Mind over mess!

Minimalism isn’t just for our own benefit; it is also a practice that is kind to the environment and to future generations.

Once we began crafting that room around a specific purpose, the room began to serve it.

Does this align with my purposes? Is it so useful that I have to keep it, so beautiful that I can’t live without it, or so personally meaningful that it has to stay with me?

Collections of figurines.

I feel attacked!

What culture am I establishing in these places? What am I communicating to my family and friends?

too often a flat surface becomes a magnet for clutter,

As choice increases, so does paralysis of decision.

If you’re anticipating a move, you’ll be more ready to go. (You don’t want to move three hundred thousand things, do you?)

I feel attacked! Seriously, though, I've played that game and it sucks.

(Complaints of “I’m bored” and “There’s nothing to do” don’t mean that our kids don’t have enough to play with; they mean that they’re still learning how to make good use of their time.)

There is no joy in comparison.

Minimalism doesn’t take away everything. But it does take away everything unnecessary.

We talk of living a life of significance that positively influences the people we love the most.

Even if we don’t actually receive thanks, we’ve done the right thing if we deserve thanks.

Too often, we numb ourselves by covering up pain and sadness and frustration with buying something. But somewhere along the way, we also cover up passion and potential.