![\"minimalist](\"https:\/\/www.voicetube.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/COVER-MINIMALISM.jpg\")
<\/p>\nMinimalism in the home<\/p>\n
Want to move or live abroad?<\/p>\n
You don’t need much to make your home a place of comfort<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Minimalism<\/span> has been an English <\/span>buzzword<\/span> for the last decade or so. People are claiming minimalism<\/span>\u2014<\/span><\/i>essentially having less stuff and clearing out mental space<\/span>\u2014<\/span><\/i>is making them a lot happier.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n So, is minimalism owning nothing but the clothes on your back? No, it\u2019s simply doing an honest assessment of your values and focusing on the things that really matter to you.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Maybe you think owning nothing but a laptop and a small wardrobe is perfect, while I <\/span>adore<\/span> my library of books and get a lot of joy from them. Both of us can still be minimalists and keep what really makes us happy. It\u2019s more about getting rid of all the stuff that doesn\u2019t matter and drains your happiness and focus.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Last week, Winnie and I recorded #19 Home Abroad<\/a> on Ride the Vibes<\/a> about moving abroad. Instead of repeating what we said there, I want to give you tips on how to make minimalism in the home allow you to be free. let’s dive in!<\/span><\/p>\n Cutting out what doesn\u2019t matter to you allows you to focus on your own life more. Maybe you like to play music, but do you need to keep that second piano you haven\u2019t played in three years?\u00a0 Do you need to keep notifications turned on for your messaging app? Take an honest look at what is actually valuable to you.<\/span><\/p>\n Decluttering<\/span> feels good, and you will feel better after eliminating unnecessary belongings and <\/span>expenditures<\/span>. Sometimes, less is actually more since you will keep,\u00a0 <\/span>derive<\/span> meaning from, and focus on what you really need.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Are you worried about how many likes you have on Facebook? Worried about owning a house by the time you are 35? Need the newest iPhone?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n All of these worries use up your mental <\/span>bandwidth<\/span>. Plus, do these really matter to <\/span>you<\/span><\/i>, or is this what you feel pressured into caring about by society and total strangers?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n By defining your values and where to spend your money and time, these expenses and outside interferences should begin to fade and give you control over your life.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Choosing where to live is where minimalism in the home begins. Do you want to live in the city or the country, or somewhere in between? Are you a <\/span>homebody<\/span>, or do you usually go out? Do you want to be alone in an apartment or live with roommates?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n For me, getting outside in nature is one of my ways of coping with stress and getting away from distractions. However, maybe you are a social butterfly who loves the nightlife and needs access to bars and restaurants. Maybe I do well living alone while you need roommates to hang out with to keep you from feeling bored.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n You can always somewhat adjust to where you live, but the closer your location matches your values, the fewer distractions will come your way, and the more comfortable you will feel being you.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The first step in making your home a minimalist paradise is to stop <\/span>hoarding<\/span> from happening. Having tons of boxes with random stuff covered in the dust of forgotten yesteryears is a nightmare.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Try to only put things in your home that matter to you. Of course, that will be different for everyone. If you love to cook, you might need a bunch of kitchenware that I don\u2019t need. If you\u2019re a writer, having a library could be essential since you probably read a lot.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Remember, minimalism isn\u2019t about a specific number of possessions: it\u2019s about keeping the items that truly resonate with you. I like to go through some of my things a couple of times a year and toss out everything that will never be used again.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n We are <\/span>conditioned<\/span> to think more space means a better life and higher status. However, does this extra space actually <\/span>contribute<\/span> to you feeling more fulfilled or happy?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Everyone has different hobbies and lifestyles that will affect their living space. I love to write and record podcasts, so having an extra bedroom is helpful. That said, I don\u2019t need two extra bedrooms.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Evaluate what you really need for space. If you need a kitchen, a patio, or an extra bedroom, go for it: just don\u2019t rush into the \u201cmore space always better\u201d mentality. Having the right amount of space is less to clean, less to fill with junk, and it\u2019s easier to manage mentally.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Minimalism affects us everywhere, but since we live at home, it\u2019s essential to make that space <\/span>reflective<\/span> of our values and needs. Decluttering, choosing where you live and how much space you have, and not buying\/focusing on stuff because society tells you to will all make your home a place of comfort and focus. Minimalism in the home is one great way to take back control of your life.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Here is another blog to satisfy your desire to travel or live abroad: Living Abroad? These Four Tips Will Help Keep you Sane!<\/a><\/p>\n NEVER TOO SMALL ep.20 33sqm Tiny Apartment – Treehouse<\/a> 1. minimalism (n.)\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Def. <\/span>\u200b<\/span>deliberate lack of decoration or adornment in style or design<\/span><\/p>\n Ex. His room is a total display of minimalism<\/strong>. There’s just a bed, a dresser, and a guitar.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n 2. buzzword (n.)\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Def. <\/span>an important-sounding usually technical word or phrase often of little meaning<\/span><\/p>\n Ex. Synergy is a corporate buzzword<\/strong> that basically just means teamwork.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n 3. adore (v.)<\/span><\/p>\n Def. <\/span>to regard with loving admiration and devotion<\/span><\/p>\n Ex. She adores<\/strong> her coffee. I wouldn\u2019t finish the rest of it if I were you.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n 4. declutter (v.)<\/span><\/p>\n Def. <\/span>\u00a0to remove clutter from a room, an area, etc.<\/span><\/p>\n Ex. Max spent the weekend decluttering<\/strong> his house.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n 5. expenditure (n.)<\/span><\/p>\n Def. <\/span>the act or process of <\/span>expending<\/span><\/p>\n Ex. Our biggest expenditure<\/strong> was promoting the website.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n 6. derive (v.)\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Def. <\/span>to take, receive, or obtain especially from a specified source<\/span><\/p>\n Ex. I can\u2019t derive<\/strong> any real meaning from this story.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n 7. bandwidth (n.)<\/span><\/p>\n Def. <\/span>the emotional or mental capacity necessary to do or consider something<\/span><\/p>\n Ex. Work has really stretched my mental bandwidth<\/strong> lately.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n 8. homebody (n.)<\/span><\/p>\n Def. <\/span>\u00a0one whose life centers on home<\/span><\/p>\n Ex. My girlfriend is a homebody<\/strong>, but I like to go out.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n 9. hoard (v.)<\/span><\/p>\n Def. <\/span>a supply or fund stored up and often hidden away<\/span><\/p>\n Ex. His mom has been hoarding<\/strong> movies for 40 years.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n 10. conditioned (adj.)\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Def. <\/span>brought or put into a specified state<\/span><\/p>\n Ex. You were conditioned<\/strong> to think you always need to buy new stuff.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n 11. contribute (v.)<\/span><\/p>\n Def. <\/span>to give or supply in common with others<\/span><\/p>\n Ex. Why didn\u2019t you contribute<\/strong> anything? We did all the work.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n 12. reflective (adj.)\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Def. <\/span>marked by <\/span>reflection<\/span>: thoughtful, deliberative\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Ex. He claimed his comments were not reflective<\/strong> of his true values.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n Photos<\/b><\/p>\n Beige-and-black-chair-in-front-of-white-desk<\/span><\/a> by <\/span>Pixabay<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n Photography-of-woman-surrounded-by-sunflowers<\/span><\/a> by <\/span>Andre Furtado<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n Photo-of-plants-on-the-table<\/span><\/a> by <\/span>designecologist<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n Woman-in-black-dress-sitting-on-brown-sand<\/span><\/a> by <\/span>Taryn Elliot\u00a0<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Minimalism in the home Want to move or live abroad? You don’t need much to make your home a place of comfort<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":121,"featured_media":56625,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true},"categories":[1547],"tags":[1535,1533,1531,1532,1534],"yoast_head":"\nWhy Minimalism? <\/b><\/h2>\n
Better Focus on What Matters<\/b><\/h3>\n
![\"a](\"https:\/\/www.voicetube.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Happiness.jpg\")
<\/p>\nRegain Control of Your Life\u00a0<\/b><\/h3>\n
Where Should You Live?\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n
![\"a](\"https:\/\/www.voicetube.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/home.jpg\")
<\/p>\nNot Hoarding\/Taking Stuff Out\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n
How Much Living Space? How Many Rooms?<\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.voicetube.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/woman-in-black-dress-sitting-on-brown-sand-4405351.jpg\")
<\/p>\nConclusion\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.voicetube.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/tree-house.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nVocabulary\u00a0<\/b><\/h3>\n