I never had my own space (bedroom) before. While growing up it was my older sister, (a bully, and slob) Then my husband for 50 years, (a hoarder) Now I have my private space, with my books, favorite music, movies, blankets, wall art, and my cat!
4:20 I love the idea of empty space. We are moving into a house. I want to make the house feel like a home and not just a gallery of junk. The explanation is wonderful and I will embrace emptiness before adding items. After all I will need to clean it. 🙂
Me and the wife just moved to spain. The homes here are much smaller in every room. We noticed alot of our friends homes seem cluttered. Ive gotten my wife into minimalistic living and we realized this is the perfect project for us. A fresh start with no furniture and an ikea HQ up the road. We realized small rooms can feel big. Its US that makes them small. Not the dimensions. Ill keep you updated on our journey once we find a house these next few weeks! Thanks for everything
I there Roberto! As a Spanish myself I totally understand what you mean 😂 I love Ron's videos and minimalist ones but when put into Spanish context we need to adapt them a bit right? I hope everything goes well with your project. Anything I can help you with, don't hesitate 😉
Welcome to Spain, Roberto. Yes, our houses are much smaller here. I am a minimalist and we really do not need so much stuff. Life is simplier this way. I hope you have a nice life here. 😊😊
This video resonnated so much with me. I am in the middle of a divorce and moving into my own place. I am taking minimal furniture and shared belongings. I have the bare necessities that I plan to bring and I am going to live in the space so I can determine how I want to decorate going forward. I love this video for this season of my life
The Minimalists talked about how visual clutter affects the brain (creates anxiety from processing everything your eyes see) and how minimalists should strive for white space to help calm the brain. I had never heard of this before but experienced it for the first time when I decluttered my home.
My clutter free zone is my former "home office/man cave", but now home office/TV room. Previously FULL of my favorite team sports related items and memorabilia , neatly displayed, but way too much all over the room, and hard to keep clean. Woke up one day, decided I wanted to live a minimalist lifestyle. And on that "journey", decided to gut the room, get rid of all that stuff that served no purpose, repaint it, and added very minimal decor (one clock and 1 large painting). I feel much better in the space now!💯
My wife and I are days away from moving to our condo unit. As young millennials here in the PHL this is a big thing for us. And i just wanted to say that everything that you discuss here are all noted to be implemented in ours. Thank you
Excellent!! I’m happy this will be helping you all when you move into your new condo. I’d love to know what parts you implement exactly and how you adjust things to your lifestyle. Feel free to shoot me an update via email if you want. Overall I’m excited for you both! Keep growing!!
I recently moved and had to move quickly, so no time to declutter, but I’m doing so as I unpack. This was a very timely and thought provoking video. I’ll be doing some hard thinking as I unpack!
If you have any questions don’t hesitate to ask Annette! Congratulations on the successful move and I’m confident that you’ll navigate your clutter just fine!
The clutter-free and clutter-safe zones is a new way of thinking about how you design your spaces. This is getting me thinking. Thinking of panic attacks...walking into a store that has too much inventory literally causes panic for me. I am glad I am curating a simpler life in my home. Thank you for the continued encouragement on this life journey.
Exactly my friend, you’re right! Clutter-free and clutter-safe zones can definitely impact how you design your space. It’s a game changer for sure! Happy you enjoyed this one! Thanks for giving me the opportunity to share this with you! 🙌🏾
I finally took down the bright cheerful painting from the corner of my living room, just to try and see how it felt. I feel calm when I look at that corner now. I like that. Thanks for the nudge. :-) So then I tried taking the flower arrangement away from next to my kitchen sink, and when I looked there, I actually felt off kilter. So I put my dish soap dispenser there, and that was enough. Yay for experimenting!
Being a minimalist must have made putting in new carpet easier than if you had lots of clutter. Recently renovated our 50 year old kitchen. Was difficult at first but adjusted to missing sink, dishwasher and stove. Ironically didn't miss all of the gadgets. We've got a handful of decor items however the extra forgotten items without a home shelf will be going into a donation box. It is more peaceful now as it takes less than 15 minutes to make it look new + clean. Old kitchen with clutter never looked clean.
I have a special lounge chair area in my living room. This is where I go to journal and pray every morning. I have a blanket and a couple pillows to make it comfortable. On the windowsill next to it i have a cup that says Love and 2 birds nests I found abandoned of course I filled those with some of my chickens feathers and some pretty rocks I found outside my Home
It was so comforting to see behind your sofa! Thank you for sharing that. I love my minimalist living room, and cannot for the life of me figure out where else to put my scanner/printer/fax, so it sits right out in the open on the dresser that fits well in the room and holds printer paper, office supplies, extra kitchen supplies, photography equipment. Thereʻs only one place in the house where a fax machine can be put, and thatʻs it. Itʻs obnoxious, sitting there, creating visual clutter all by itself. Thatʻs also the spot where my internet & wireless cables live, all in that same corner. Bleah. Itʻs the best I can do for now, until HP comes out with a sleeker, calmer design for a scanner/printer/fax machine -- which I do still use now and then.
Sounds like you may benefit from a custom setup if you own or are likely to stay in that house. The iheartorganizing blog modified an IKEA unit to hold printers inside.
If it really bothers you, I would challenge you to think about how often “now and then” really is. Once a week? Once a month? Once every few months? We got rid of our printer a few years ago because we realized we were printing things *just* because we owned a printer. Like, if there was an option to print tickets or get a QR code to scan, we just printed them to save “hassle”. Same with shipping labels. 80% of the time now, you can print them at the post office/store. Once the printer was gone, we realized we actually NEEDED to print something … about twice a year. And for that, we just run down to the library and spend 10 cents doing it. Solved. Also, you can scan with your phone. Honestly unless you’re scanning archival quality for some specialty hobby or job, your phone is faster and so much easier. So I’d challenge you to live without your printer/fax for a month. Honestly, I haven’t actually *needed* to fax something in 7 years (and I’m a grown adult with a job). My 75-year-old mother, however, seems to fax things frequently just because it’s what she’s used to and views it as a necessity even though the world has definitely moved on from faxing. But 99.999/100 times, it’s not actually the only way to do it. Just food for thought. Could save you some visual clutter and money.
I Just Love the Video. IT IS so helpful. I have started decluttering once again before Christmas. Thank for inspiring US and Sharing🎉Have a wonderful Advent time
Be intentional about leaving empty space. Does it feel peaceful, does it feel functional, does it feel simple. Have you heard of MA, the Japanese Concept of Space and Time? MA seems like it goes along with what you are speaking of. I love the clutter free zones.
I have my parents’ large scrolls on the wall, photos and mirrors. Of course, plants. That’s all I decorate with, and don’t understand all that stuff people buy from stores.
Could you speak about how you 2 will manage minimalism with a child? I don`t have any kids and I want to know from the perspective of a minimalist couple how u guys plan to do. Like, with toys, clothes, furnishings, and what else u can share about this experience. Peace!
when I look at Architectural Digest I always notice it is not the actual items but rather the arrangement of the items and the size of the items in relation to the size of the room. Nick Lewis says only things that are beautiful should be out to be seen.
Exactly!! I love watching architectural and design content and that’s what I notice as well. Of course there is very little to no clutter in the home, but the items that are are always arranged in a specific way, PLUS the use of closed storage hides all of the practical everyday items that don’t need to be seen.
Makes sense painting your son’s room with black color. Black is the color of the space, the universe; inside the womb of the mother; like still being at home.
I never had my own space (bedroom) before. While growing up it was my older sister, (a bully, and slob)
Then my husband for 50 years, (a hoarder)
Now I have my private space, with my books, favorite music, movies, blankets, wall art, and my cat!
4:20 I love the idea of empty space. We are moving into a house. I want to make the house feel like a home and not just a gallery of junk. The explanation is wonderful and I will embrace emptiness before adding items. After all I will need to clean it. 🙂
Me and the wife just moved to spain. The homes here are much smaller in every room. We noticed alot of our friends homes seem cluttered. Ive gotten my wife into minimalistic living and we realized this is the perfect project for us. A fresh start with no furniture and an ikea HQ up the road. We realized small rooms can feel big. Its US that makes them small. Not the dimensions. Ill keep you updated on our journey once we find a house these next few weeks! Thanks for everything
Would love to know how it goes and how you both decide to decorate. Keep growing on your journey my friend!
I there Roberto! As a Spanish myself I totally understand what you mean 😂 I love Ron's videos and minimalist ones but when put into Spanish context we need to adapt them a bit right? I hope everything goes well with your project. Anything I can help you with, don't hesitate 😉
Welcome to Spain, Roberto. Yes, our houses are much smaller here. I am a minimalist and we really do not need so much stuff. Life is simplier this way. I hope you have a nice life here. 😊😊
We've been gettings rid of excess items for 3 years. It's so much easier to clean. I can tidy my whole house for company in 30 minutes!
This video resonnated so much with me. I am in the middle of a divorce and moving into my own place. I am taking minimal furniture and shared belongings. I have the bare necessities that I plan to bring and I am going to live in the space so I can determine how I want to decorate going forward. I love this video for this season of my life
The Minimalists talked about how visual clutter affects the brain (creates anxiety from processing everything your eyes see) and how minimalists should strive for white space to help calm the brain. I had never heard of this before but experienced it for the first time when I decluttered my home.
My clutter free zone is my former "home office/man cave", but now home office/TV room. Previously FULL of my favorite team sports related items and memorabilia , neatly displayed, but way too much all over the room, and hard to keep clean. Woke up one day, decided I wanted to live a minimalist lifestyle. And on that "journey", decided to gut the room, get rid of all that stuff that served no purpose, repaint it, and added very minimal decor (one clock and 1 large painting). I feel much better in the space now!💯
Sounds like you really took control of your space and the feelings you wanted to experience while in it. Keep it up Phil! 🙌🏾
Agree completely with you 👍
I love empty spaces and bare walls 💛
Needed to hear about the clutter safe zone as I am tackling the playroom right now. Thank you!
My wife and I are days away from moving to our condo unit. As young millennials here in the PHL this is a big thing for us. And i just wanted to say that everything that you discuss here are all noted to be implemented in ours. Thank you
Excellent!! I’m happy this will be helping you all when you move into your new condo. I’d love to know what parts you implement exactly and how you adjust things to your lifestyle. Feel free to shoot me an update via email if you want. Overall I’m excited for you both! Keep growing!!
Thank you for the last point. My hubby loves to keep everything he has ever owned and i cant expect him to want to be minimal.
Great video with a relaxed delivery and plenty of sound advice and tips, especially the clutter free zoning and not filling every space.
Thank you Beth! I really happy this resonated with you. I’ve been trying a more relaxed deliver and I’m glad it’s translating well.
I relax in various spaces of my house- I intentionally decorate or set it up in a way that makes it feel safe and comfy often
Thanks for the behind-the-couch look.
I’m glad you enjoyed that part of the video. I’m excited to start building out my storage arrangement back there. Should come together nicely!
Great tips, thank you! I love the clutter free decor like flowers
I recently moved and had to move quickly, so no time to declutter, but I’m doing so as I unpack. This was a very timely and thought provoking video.
I’ll be doing some hard thinking as I unpack!
If you have any questions don’t hesitate to ask Annette! Congratulations on the successful move and I’m confident that you’ll navigate your clutter just fine!
I love my dining room and bedroom for relaxing.
i learned so much from you thank you so much..
The clutter-free and clutter-safe zones is a new way of thinking about how you design your spaces. This is getting me thinking.
Thinking of panic attacks...walking into a store that has too much inventory literally causes panic for me. I am glad I am curating a simpler life in my home. Thank you for the continued encouragement on this life journey.
Exactly my friend, you’re right! Clutter-free and clutter-safe zones can definitely impact how you design your space. It’s a game changer for sure! Happy you enjoyed this one!
Thanks for giving me the opportunity to share this with you! 🙌🏾
I finally took down the bright cheerful painting from the corner of my living room, just to try and see how it felt. I feel calm when I look at that corner now. I like that. Thanks for the nudge. :-) So then I tried taking the flower arrangement away from next to my kitchen sink, and when I looked there, I actually felt off kilter. So I put my dish soap dispenser there, and that was enough. Yay for experimenting!
Awesome Shayna! It’s amazing how small simple changes like that can really impact how you feel in your space. Keep it up!!
Being a minimalist must have made putting in new carpet easier than if you had lots of clutter.
Recently renovated our 50 year old kitchen. Was difficult at first but adjusted to missing sink, dishwasher and stove. Ironically didn't miss all of the gadgets. We've got a handful of decor items however the extra forgotten items without a home shelf will be going into a donation box. It is more peaceful now as it takes less than 15 minutes to make it look new + clean. Old kitchen with clutter never looked clean.
Thank you for sharing this. It helps.
Great tips, thank you!
Love your insights and look forward to your videos. Congratulations on the new baby on the way!
I have a special lounge chair area in my living room. This is where I go to journal and pray every morning. I have a blanket and a couple pillows to make it comfortable. On the windowsill next to it i have a cup that says Love and 2 birds nests I found abandoned of course I filled those with some of my chickens feathers and some pretty rocks I found outside my Home
It was so comforting to see behind your sofa! Thank you for sharing that. I love my minimalist living room, and cannot for the life of me figure out where else to put my scanner/printer/fax, so it sits right out in the open on the dresser that fits well in the room and holds printer paper, office supplies, extra kitchen supplies, photography equipment. Thereʻs only one place in the house where a fax machine can be put, and thatʻs it. Itʻs obnoxious, sitting there, creating visual clutter all by itself. Thatʻs also the spot where my internet & wireless cables live, all in that same corner. Bleah. Itʻs the best I can do for now, until HP comes out with a sleeker, calmer design for a scanner/printer/fax machine -- which I do still use now and then.
Sounds like you may benefit from a custom setup if you own or are likely to stay in that house. The iheartorganizing blog modified an IKEA unit to hold printers inside.
If it really bothers you, I would challenge you to think about how often “now and then” really is. Once a week? Once a month? Once every few months?
We got rid of our printer a few years ago because we realized we were printing things *just* because we owned a printer. Like, if there was an option to print tickets or get a QR code to scan, we just printed them to save “hassle”. Same with shipping labels. 80% of the time now, you can print them at the post office/store.
Once the printer was gone, we realized we actually NEEDED to print something … about twice a year. And for that, we just run down to the library and spend 10 cents doing it. Solved.
Also, you can scan with your phone. Honestly unless you’re scanning archival quality for some specialty hobby or job, your phone is faster and so much easier.
So I’d challenge you to live without your printer/fax for a month. Honestly, I haven’t actually *needed* to fax something in 7 years (and I’m a grown adult with a job). My 75-year-old mother, however, seems to fax things frequently just because it’s what she’s used to and views it as a necessity even though the world has definitely moved on from faxing. But 99.999/100 times, it’s not actually the only way to do it.
Just food for thought. Could save you some visual clutter and money.
Great video! Thanks for the idea of clutter-free and clutter-safe zones - that might be just what my husband and I need as a compromise.
I haven’t seen your videos in a while, strange and I have you on notifications. Good to see you again. Congratulations on your baby boy.
I’ve noticed that happening, not sure what’s going on there. Happy this one reached you though! Keep growing on your journey!
I Just Love the Video. IT IS so helpful. I have started decluttering once again before Christmas. Thank for inspiring US and Sharing🎉Have a wonderful Advent time
Hi Ron your videos are always refreshing.👍👍❤
Thank you Cathy! 🙌🏾
Thankyou so much. Salam dari Indonesia.❤
Fantastic video and tips Ron🙌
Thank you Sandi! I’m glad you enjoyed this!!
My whole house is a clutter-free zone!😊
Great video. Top notch advice. Thank you 💝
Once again, another great video with sound advice!
Thanks Jennifer! I’m happy this resonated with you!
Be intentional about leaving empty space. Does it feel peaceful, does it feel functional, does it feel simple. Have you heard of MA, the Japanese Concept of Space and Time? MA seems like it goes along with what you are speaking of. I love the clutter free zones.
I have my parents’ large scrolls on the wall, photos and mirrors. Of course, plants. That’s all I decorate with, and don’t understand all that stuff people buy from stores.
We dont always buy it. Often stuff is inherited and gifts.
Such a burden.
behind the couch must be driving you mad 😁 big sideboard will sort that xxx
It is! Haha! I’ve been working through various designs and options for storage. I’ll be sharing the project once I have it figured out!
You will never need minimalism more than when you have a kid- good luck keeping it up ;) ( you won't believe the stuff you'll acquire.
Could you speak about how you 2 will manage minimalism with a child? I don`t have any kids and I want to know from the perspective of a minimalist couple how u guys plan to do. Like, with toys, clothes, furnishings, and what else u can share about this experience. Peace!
My house has been a work in progress forever! And I love an empty corner.
Congrats on being a Daddy!
Love your videos! How do I subscribe to your newsletter?
The quickest way is through this link here to download my free Core Values Worksheet: www.ronaldlbanks.com/values
Cheers
when I look at Architectural Digest I always notice it is not the actual items but rather the arrangement of the items and the size of the items in relation to the size of the room. Nick Lewis says only things that are beautiful should be out to be seen.
Exactly!! I love watching architectural and design content and that’s what I notice as well. Of course there is very little to no clutter in the home, but the items that are are always arranged in a specific way, PLUS the use of closed storage hides all of the practical everyday items that don’t need to be seen.
Makes sense painting your son’s room with black color. Black is the color of the space, the universe; inside the womb of the mother; like still being at home.
Decluttering electrical are the hardest, charity shops don’t take it, trying to sell or donate online is a nightmare… don’t want to throw it either
Bedroom and office are somewhat clutter free. Kitchen is at the end of the day are clutter safe zones.
Too much stuff, too much to do!...I need to change this for my sanity!
Hi
💯💯💯🤎
Helpful tips! Thanks!