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5 Ideas for Minimalist Living

by | Aug 10, 2016 | Living Urban | 0 comments

Whether you’re tired of living paycheck-to-paycheck because of the many consumer goods you purchase, you’re looking to downsize from larger homes to a Portland condo, or you’re starting to feel like a hoarder with all of the stuff in your home, it might be time to consider a more minimalist approach to living. The good news is, you’re not the first person go this route.

If you’re looking for ways to clear the clutter, open up your living space, and make the most of the beautiful (if sometimes cramped) homes that dominate the best Portland neighborhoods, here are just a few minimalist living ideas to get you started.

1. Go Digital

It can be difficult to give up all the books, music, and movies that you rely on for entertainment, but Portland lofts aren’t exactly designed to accommodate your overabundance of media clutter. This is one of the easiest changes to make when you start down the road to minimalist living.

By converting to digital media storage you can keep entire libraries of books, music, and movies on compact hard drives for use on your mobile or streaming devices any time. There will be some initial investment of time and money to convert, but once your system is in place you’ll save a lot of time and space.

2. Declutter One Room at a Time

Minimizing after spending a lifetime committed to the consumer mentality can definitely be a process. The thing to keep in mind is that it’s not all or nothing – you don’t necessarily have to give up the conveniences you enjoy in order to downsize.

A good idea is to approach minimalist living in digestible chunks. Focus on one room at a time, getting rid of the things you don’t need and never use before digging deeper to get at the half dozen identical items you own when you really only need one.

3. Fewer, Smaller Pieces

Furniture can be difficult to pare down, especially when you have oversized pieces you love. However, minimalism means making different choices.

Look for fewer, high-quality pieces that suit your space and your style. It may turn out that an overstuffed, comfy chair fits better in your living space when it isn’t competing with an oversized couch and two other chairs.

4. Convertible Furniture

There is no shortage of multifunctional furniture options for Portland modern homes. You can find tables, chairs, ottomans, and even beds that have built-in storage, as well as fold-up furniture like stow-away beds, just to get you started.

5. Constant Reassessment

Minimalist living requires you to ask yourself over and over again, “Do I need this?” and “Can I live without this?” More often than not, the answers will favor minimalism.