Minimalist homes are not always tidy. It's all about deciding how long you want it to take to get it tidy. By this I mean how long you need or want to take to get the home in a presentable condition. The home must be lived in, there must be life in the home and if the home is tidy all the time then it is rarely lived in? Everything can't be perfect all the time but it's about how long you want to take to get the home nice again. That is crucial and determines how much stuff you and your family can save. It becomes like a kind of bonderies.
Since I became a minimalist, I have said that I want to be able to wipe down all my flat surfaces in a maximum of 20 minutes, and by that I mean the kitchen counters, tables, windowsills, benches, dressers, etc. I usually think the following: if someone calls me and says "I'm coming over" (let's ignore the fact that I hate unexpected visitors), I want to be able to tidy up and make my home presentable in a maximum of 30 minutes. Then all things should be picked up from the floor, the beds should be ready (we make them every morning), the kitchen should be okay with not too many dishes and all flat surfaces should be free of dust and there should be no dust in the corners. It should be inviting to come in and no one should see that the home is also lived in by the dogs throwing toys in the living room, my son throwing things on the floor, the dishes that were left even though they should have been washed, etc. The home should feel lived in but not look lived in, which I think is a big difference.
We all have different preferences for what we consider to be okay. It's up to you and your family to find what works best for you. However, if you feel overwhelmed by the thought of decluttering, you probably have too much stuff and it's time to consider a purge. If you're interested in minimalism, you've probably already started your journey of decluttering your things. Minimalism is about getting rid of everything unnecessary that you don't use or love, but it's also about so much more than that, such as protecting nature's resources.
When it comes to natural resources, I try to think about what materials I use. I have recently become more interested in plastic and what plastic does to us when we ingest it, for example by drinking from a plastic bottle. I recycle all my plastic and try to protect the environment in that way, but it is difficult when everything is packaged in plastic these days, which comes from grocery stores. It is also difficult to keep my recycling cupboard tidy when we fill at least one bag with plastic a week and one with cardboard. That said, I want to say that sometimes you have to let go of your idea of the perfect life and the perfect home. Such things rarely exist in reality. The most important thing is that you and your family enjoy your home, live in your home and work in your home. A home should be lived in. Everything doesn't have to be neat, but everything should have a home so that it can be quickly put back when it is used. Not for anyone else, but for you.
Want to know more about decluttering, minimalism and slow living, please read my other posts on www.marysdeclutterlife.com or visit my youtube - marys life home and away.
