Last Updated on April 12, 2022 by Kravelv
What comes to mind when you think about a minimalist living room? You might picture white interiors, contemporary furniture, no bright colors, and maybe one piece of artwork on the wall. If that’s what you think, you certainly aren’t alone. The truth is though that while some minimalist living rooms look like this, not all of them do.
Minimalism isn’t about decorating your interior a certain way or covering with white. It’s also about having less clutter and have more mental space and energy. It’s about focusing on the essentials in life.
Additionally, minimalist design is very popular these days. Experienced real estate professionals at homesales21.com advise that if you are trying to sell your house fast, a minimalist interior without excessive furniture and clutter is just what you need to appeal to the widest range of potential buyers. Now, let’s take a closer look at the benefits.
Benefits of a Minimalist Living Room
Potential homebuyers don’t want to see your children’s artwork, says Forbes. They don’t need to look at pictures of your wedding. The odd ornaments you have for sentimental value do not mean anything to them. If you want to secure a sale, you should go for a minimalist look. The potential buyers need to be able to see themselves in your home. In order to do this, it needs to be basically a blank canvas.
In addition, while you are still in the home, your living room will be less stressful and irritating. Clutter distracts you, and it will pull your attention into its direction at least a little bit. Less clutter will equal less visual stress. It is calming to have a minimalist living room.
It will be more appealing and nicer to look at. Think about any photos of minimalist homes and living rooms you’ve seen online. They have nothing in them except nice furniture, some artwork and a few pretty pieces of decor. Your home can look like this too, if you make it minimalist.
It will be much easier to clean your home and keep it organized. The more things you have, the more you have to clean. It’s complicated to clean around a bunch of stuff. A room that is almost empty is much easier to keep tidy.
10 Tips on how to Make Your Living Room Minimalist
There really are no set steps, but here are a few ideas to follow for someone shooting for a minimalist living room.
1. Declutter the Room
You’ll want to keep in mind that less is more. You’ll need to have less stuff. Get rid of small objects and knick-knacks you have in the room. Keep essential objects only. Consider everything and see if you can live without it. If so then it needs to go. However, try avoiding these common organization mistakes while you’re on it.
2. Organize the Furniture
Consider furniture, what and where it will go. The fewer pieces of furniture, then the better off you will be. Keep this within reason, but think of which furniture you can get rid of without making the space uncomfortable. Go simple with subdued colors. Make sure you consider scale. You don’t want to just toss a bunch of small pieces of furniture into a room. It will look more cluttered. Mix it up with bigger pieces as well.
3. Add Plants
Add a few plants and go green. Depending on sunlight, some plants will work better than others. Consider planting them in chic glass or colored planters that match your decor.
4. Make the Floor Look Perfect
Take your time to make floors clean and shiny. If you have a carpet, vacuum and use a carpet cleaner for stains.
Hardwood floors can be mopped with one cup of vinegar mixed with one gallon of water. However, this will not work for marble floors, as vinegar, rough cloths, and inappropriate cleaning products can damage them, as Houston professional cleaners at Quick Response Janitorial Services warn in their article on cleaning marble floors.
Except for the furniture you decided to keep, your floors should have absolutely nothing on them. There should be no piles or anything collected on the floor at all. Donate things, throw them out, or find a different place for them.
5. Clear Flat Surfaces
Clear surfaces and get rid of clutter. All flat surfaces should be clear also. You might have a couple of simple decorations, but that’s it. This will make everything much more minimal looking.
6. Clear the Walls
Keep bare walls. You might have a lot of things hanging on the wall. This is a no go when going minimalist. Consider two pieces of artwork, hang those and nothing more.
7. Store Things Out of View
Everything needs to go in drawers and cabinets. Bookshelves can hold books, or DVDs but nothing else. There should not be a whole collection of items. Find that special place for each item. Find a place for everything you have. Where does everything go? Find it a permanent spot, make things efficient.
8. Keep the Windows Bare
Window treatments need to be minimal. You should keep windows bare or have simple curtains or wooden blinds. No ornate things around windows, it is simply clutter.
9. Avoid Complex Patterns
Simple patterns, nothing loud. A solid color would be best for any coverings for the floor and such. No flowers or complex patterns. You can have a tiny bit of bright color in the room, but most of the room should be more subdued colors. White is very classic, but Earth tones can also work.
10. Repeat
Eliminate even more the second time around. You will probably need to revisit the room in a few days and get rid of even more. Consider it with a fresh eye. What else can be stored away? What is not essential?
Repeat to Yourself, Less Is More and Believe It!
Transitioning to simpler living and showing a house can be hard when you have to start parting with your things. You don’t necessarily have to get rid of all these items right away. Why not put some things in storage for a while, and see how it goes? You may have enough closet space to fit everything in at home. You can try a test run at the minimalist lifestyle and having a gorgeous simple living room. Going minimal is going simplistic, less is always more. When you secure the sale, you can change things in your new house, if you want too. You may find though that you enjoy a minimalist look going forward.
