Minimalism and Intuitive Living

A contemporary phrase that is being bantered about in this ‘go-green’ age is the ‘minimalist movement’.  To be a true minimalist you live with the minimum amount needed in your daily life (for an extreme example of minimalism you can visit www.guynameddave.com/100-thing-challenge.html).  Being a minimalist not only clears your space but also reduces pollution by reducing consumerism.  It also reduces trash by reducing waste.  Taking on the minimalist lifestyle can be very difficult in our consumer based American culture.  However a minimalist lifestyle has many benefits and these people are to be commended for their efforts!

Many people worry, however, that when they hear they need to unclutter that I am asking them to live this minimalist lifestyle. 

This is just not the case. 

Consumerism aside, one part of minimalism is a design style, an aesthetic, that many people love and many people do not.   In Intuitive Living it is important to work with your own design aesthetic.  Being too minimalist can have a similar negative affect as a house that is too cluttered.  Remember that Intuitive Living and Feng Shui are about balance, extreme one way or another affects us subconsciously. 

Uncluttering your possessions is about recognizing that you have created a problem and reducing the number of items that are no longer of use to you.  You probably do not need 20 black t-shirts, you could realistically live with 5.  You probably do not need all of your children’s baby clothes, maybe just the few you truly cherish.  Do you really need every magazine that has been mailed to you or could you honestly do with maybe the past two months (actually, if you don’t have time to read them when you get them, maybe you should unsubscribe).  You will find when you reduce the quantity of your items that you feel better, that items are more easily found, that you take better care of your items etc.


A minimalist household may become too yang (active) and it may be hard to rest and relax.  Minimalist houses usually need added warmth, nature, and yin elements (or quiet areas) influences.  The pictures in this blog represent an extremely minimalist room, a minimalist home with some natural wood element added for warmth and a minimalist home that feels balanced, quiet and warm.  All three rooms are beautiful and will appeal to each person's aesthetic appeal differently.  

What is important to recognize is how we actually feel in our homes whether minimalist or not.  When uncluttering be true to your style, be objective about what you ‘need’, and remember, if everything is perfect in your home, life, and career do not change a thing.