I had a poster that hung on my college dorm wall that said
"I have simple tastes. I only like the best."
More quality, less quantity- all the way.
Overall Rating: votes
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Posted 1 year ago #
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In addition to the other great distinctions that have been made in this thread:
Cluttered = Unorganized stuff
Uncluttered = Organized stuff (and organization is still very necessary to avoid clutter)
Minimalist = So little stuff that little organization is necessaryMinimalist is what happens when you get rid of so much stuff, that there's not much left to unclutter.
The term "Uncluttering" wouldn't really need to exist in a Minimalist state.Posted 1 year ago # -
@sky2evan - I like it!
Posted 1 year ago # -
@alikat, I like what you said about decor magazines and all the perfectly-organized masses of stuff in baskets, trays, boxes, etc. That bugs me too! I don't care how neat that stack of magazines (or art books) is on the high-style coffee table. All I want on my coffee table is a cup of coffee.
Over the past couple of years I've gotten to the point of wanting only a single visible layer of stuff in my home. I don't want two rows of books on the bookshelf, or stacks of fabric in my craft chest. If I can't see all of it at a glance, I feel that I'm still cluttered.
Not a big fan of the monochromatic (and stereotypically white) "minimalist" look either. That creates such a high threshold - anything that goes into the space almost has to have a sculptural quality or it looks wrong - that I think it's self-limiting, and not in a good way. What if the sculptural thing isn't all that functional?
@sky2evan - I like it too. :-)
Posted 1 year ago # -
My two cents...
I think a basket has it's place. For example, my watch and eyeglasses need to go somewhere every night. I'm picking them up every day so I don't need them AWAY. On the other hand, just tossed on the dresser top looks messy. In this case a small basket keeps the items out while also keeping them corralled. But a basket can easily become another form of junk-drawer, so one has to watch out for that.
Two rows of books... a lovely dream to only have one row... but I just can't seem to pare down that far. :D
Posted 1 year ago # -
I like to only have one layer of stuff too, I haven't gotten there yet, but I am close. I want to have one row of books and maybe a few things I can put up there with the books, like a purple vase I still like, and my pink panther cookies jar, but they would be with the books and not in front of them. My goal is to pare down my books so they all fit comfortably one ONE shelf and don't take up any more space than that. I just unloaded a bunch this past weekend.
i also want my closet to be easy to maintain. I'm still working out how exactly I need it to look and what containers I need to keep my clothes organized. I have hangers right now and I've changed it a few times and nothing seems to work long term. But i realized that in the past, I would buy things based on what I saw in the store. I would see some thing, like the velvet hangers, and think, "oh that would be nice, then my clothes won't fall off" and then buy way more than I need. Instead of looking at my closet and figuring out the best system for me and then going out and finding what I need.
I feel like I will end up somewhere between uncluttered and minimalist.
Posted 1 year ago # -
@ peter - thanks! I liked yours as well. And thx to chacha.
They say that average people can only memorize 7 different items at a time. Well, if I have to look at more than 7 different items in any given space, regardless of how well-organized, it starts to appear as clutter.
During my last major purge in January (ny's resolution), I became enamored with the idea of storage solutions (mostly clear plastic boxes). But after I had finished, I had so little stuff that most of my storage, both old & new, became clutter. So the advice about finishing decluttering first, and then developing storage solutions second, will save quite a bit of money.
But I do like some storage. Coincidentally, I used to toss all my daily personal effects on a counter. Now I use a stationery organizer tray for my daily personal effects (cellphone, wallet, key, pen, etc.).
Minimalists may need fewer storage solutions than other folks, but they still require some storage. Even the ultra-minimalist world travelers use backpacks, or that guy who didn't use a backpack, but still had a vest with 50 pockets.
Posted 1 year ago #
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