words Roman Pikuzinski

Everyday life can be so hectic and overwhelming, with workplace demands, family commitments and constant social events to attend. Given that we are prone to living at a million miles an hour, it perhaps comes as no surprise that anxiety levels are on the rise and people are turning to minimalism as an escape.

You might not be able to control much as soon as you step outside the front door, but your home should be your haven. It’s an area you have complete authority over and you should take measures to ensure it’s a calm, healing place, Minimalism can help you achieve this goal.

Minimalism at its core is a tool that can free you from stress, fear and anxiety. It’s all about comfort, happiness and simplicity and it is actually tied closely to psychology. Clutter has been shown to have a large impact on our stress levels and it can even play a part in depression forming. Whether it’s your desk or your bill-covered fridge door, neuroscientists have found that clutter in its many forms can decrease your performance, alertness and comfort.

Thankfully, there are simple, easy and affordable ways for you to maximise your life today by eliminating clutter. Below, we’ll give you tips on how you can surround yourself with a few select things that will bring you great joy. From comfortable custom-made sofas to the right signature scent, the advice below will have you breathing freer and living a richer life in no time.

1. Minimalism and relaxation is about smell as well as sight

Think about how many scented items you have in your home. Now think about how many many of them clash with one another and how each will be fighting for competition when you enter a room. Your sight isn’t the only sense that matter when it comes to minimalism and calm environments; your other senses are just as important, so don’t overlook your home’s aroma.

To begin with, remove all your scented items from your home (your reed diffusers, lavender candles, aroma plugins), open your windows for fresh air and make sure your home is clean and fresh. Then, selectively, decide on an inviting signature smell for your home. That way, when you’re off on your travels or in a busy office meeting, all you will have to do to calm your nerves and feel comforted is to recall that particular fragrance.

2. Keep your walls bare and clean

When you think about decluttering your home, you might think of the knickknacks on your shelves or your extensive wardrobe, most of which you haven’t worn in years. These are great places to start, but don’t forget to address your walls, too. To keep yourself calm and centred, keep your wall decorations to an absolute minimum. Remove your wall clocks and donate them to charity as, let’s be honest, you always look at your phone for the time anyway, so clocks are simply unnecessary clutter. Assess your photographs, certificates and paintings and carefully consider whether or not you want to see these items every day and whether they truly make you happy.

3. Remove the magnets and photos from your fridge

As with your walls, other areas like the outside of your fridge should be as bare as possible. Remove your magnets, photos and notes and, importantly, make sure you have no pressing bills pinned up on your fridge door. You don’t want to be confronted with urgency and stress whenever you prepare your evening meal. Instead, have a folder which contains your important deadlines and notices, and tend to it when you’re mentally prepared.

4. Choose the right furniture for your living room

If you are striving for a minimalist lifestyle, chances are you will want to make the best use of your space. If you happen to live in a busy city like London, where flats are expensive and space is limited, this is even more of a factor. You can shop around and find incredible items of furniture which double as storage units and, if you don’t have the space for a spare room, a great tip is to get hold of a contemporary sofa bed for your lounge. You can get bespoke furniture to fit your needs without dominating your valuable living space.

5. Your bathroom should be a zen oasis

If you think of your bathroom as an unpleasant space where you spend most of your time rushing to get ready in the morning, you are missing out. Your bathroom should be a place where you want to retreat to, especially during high-stress moments in your life. Small changes can make all the difference when it comes to bathroom space. Buy a plush, deep bathroom rug to bury your feet into after a bath. Choose a eucalyptus scent to ease your frazzled mind and invest in a luxury bathroom mirror cabinet to maximise limited space and to make your room seem bigger.

About the Author: Roman Pikuzinski is a perfectionist who is passionate about minimalism and modern, compact, versatile furniture. Roman is the founder of Glossy Home: a company who provides quality sofa beds and bathroom cabinets to suit your individual needs.