When people hear the word ‘minimalism’, there can be a number of misconceptions. Minds instantly jump to white walls adored by near-blank artwork, rooms with little to no decor, and an absence of items that nowadays can be digitized. You don’t have to throw away your books or deprive yourself of physical things that you love in order to embrace a more minimalist aesthetic in your home – or even just chosen parts of your home.
Taking a lesson or two from those who live by the principles of minimalism in interior design can be beneficial, regardless of whether you plan to make any major lifestyle changes. Especially when it comes to your bedroom space, somewhere ideally needing to be calming to help you relax before and during sleep, a bit of decluttering or reorganization wouldn’t hurt.
So where to start? We spoke to decluttering and organization experts to learn what they believe minimalists would never have in their bedroom. Here’s what they had to say.
1. Multiple sets of bedding
Having an array of different colored sheets and seasonally colored pillows may be what sparks you joy, but a bedroom filled with surplus linen will be quite the eyesore. The best bedding sets and pillowcases are a must in every home, but the amount of them that you have is more of a personal choice.
Minimalists often stick to owning a small amount of bedding that can more easily tuck away while not being used. Di Ter Avest, professional organizer at Di Is Organized, says: ‘Rather than stockpiling multiple sets of bedding, minimalists typically prefer to own just one or two sets of high-quality sheets and pillowcases, with extra bedding often kept in a designated space such as a linen closet. This not only reduces clutter in the bedroom but also promotes sustainability by minimizing excess consumption.’
If you wish to keep spare bedding sets in your room and have a gap underneath your bed, we recommend investing in some storage containers that will slide right under out of your sight. Just make sure to measure the height of the gap and shut the lids air-tight to keep out dust and moths!
2. A sea of visible cords
Nothing will ruin the peaceful atmosphere of your night routine in the same way as tripping over a cord. Cords seem to have a mind of their own, becoming tangled, mixed up and absolutely everywhere regardless of how frequently they get organized – and that’s not even to mention how visibly ugly they are!
Amanda Wiss, Founder of NYC-based home staging company, Urban Staging, and home organizing company, Urban Clarity, believes that your cord-related chaos can be solved once and for all by implementing a centralized system where your cords are all in one place safely and seamlessly.
‘Centralize your electronics so that you can keep all of the cord management in one place,’ says Amanda. ‘You can use zip ties, twist ties, or other bendable solutions to tie up extra long cords too, or implement cord management boxes to further hide the visual clutter of having multiple charging, computer, and TV cords.’
We recommend labeling your cords while you’re at it. Two options for doing this are using blank labels where you can write down what each cord is for and stick it by the power outlet, or you could start up a color coded system with washi tapes, colored dots of sharpie, or nail polish.
3. An excess of decor
Have you ever stopped to truly, deeply think about your decor choices and why you have selected each piece? If something were to happen to all of your home decor right now, would the loss of those pieces actually mean anything to you emotionally, or are the items surrounding your spaces there purely out of aesthetic purpose?
In a minimalist bedroom, decor that serves no practical purpose is not worth the investment, unless the item truly sparks joy. As Di says: ‘While a few carefully selected pieces of decor can enhance the ambiance of a room, excessive knick-knacks can clutter surfaces and detract from the minimalist lifestyle. Instead minimalists might choose to display a small number of meaningful items or artwork that brings them joy and reflects their personal style.’
When following this rule, minimalist homes place their investment of time and space into a smaller quantity of items to serve a greater quality of joy: they love and use the items that they have instead of owning more that they only “like” or barely ever use.
Through this mindset, minimalism additionally aims to value the creation of a good atmosphere over any set aesthetic. 'We believe that good design is an important element of a good and healthy life,' says Jonas Bjerre-Poulsen, Founding Partner of Norm Architects. 'In our work, design is measured by how it makes people think, feel and act, and how well it supports their daily needs. These goals are deeper than aesthetics for aesthetics’ own sake.'
Amanda agrees that too much decor, especially on bedroom furniture, can contribute to a cluttered environment. ‘Your bedside table (and even your dresser) should not be a drop zone to collect clutter. Besides a lamp and perhaps a book, minimalists are not stacking chargers, decor, and other clutter on their bedside tables.’
4. An excess of furniture
All rooms have furniture of some kind, but the type of furniture you put into your bedroom has the ability to greatly impact your mindset before rest. Ashley Murphy, co-founder and CEO at NEAT Method, recommends placing your desk and television elsewhere to ensure you get the best rest possible.
‘A desk is used for work. Save this task for other areas of the home, like an office or living room, in order to promote a peaceful aesthetic in your bedroom,’ says Chelsea. ‘The blue light of a television screen, too, not only makes it harder to fall asleep but the cords and other electronic devices that may accompany the television often lead to visual clutter!’
Two alternatives suggested by Chelsea for those looking to switch out their desk or television are tucking a cozy accent chair and dim reading lamp into the corner of your bedroom or putting up a singular large piece of artwork.
Go forth and declutter!
