Stress is a pretty big part of life. In fact, according to the Australian Psychological Society, one in five adults claims that stress affects both their physical and mental health.
Though the frustrations of your job can't necessarily be helped, redecorating and decluttering your home can certainly take the stress out of your home life (once you are finished, of course!). Many homes around the world suffer from a massive amount of clutter and disorganisation, which means they are tricky to manage. By renovating your home with a minimalist approach, you are taking out many of those little hassles.
How minimalist can help you
By reducing the amount of random stuff you have around your living room, bedroom, garden or anywhere else in the home, you could be creating a more peaceful, relaxing space. Without all the clutter, your home could be far easier to clean each week, meaning you can build up the motivation to do so far easier and more regularly.
A decluttered home will be easier to sell or rent out, too, if you're a designer looking to help with a house sale. Nobody really wants to move into an area filled with someone else's belongings, but an intelligent, sensible home with plenty of open space is far more appealing.
Here are some minimalist tips to start you in the right direction.
Declutter
In a messy house, the undeniable first step is to declutter.
There are a number of different ways you can tackle the many piles of junk around your home, so you're going to have to figure out what works best for you.
You could, for example, try to tackle the situation in baby steps. This will mean attacking a small area each day, or as regularly as possible, and tidying it to completion. Then the next day you tackle another small area until the job is done.
Alternatively, if you have the time then set aside a couple of hours and tackle your house in larger chunks. Follow the same method as above – attacking one area at a time – but do it for longer.
If you keep up the regularity then you'll be finished in no time!
What do you do with the things you have decluttered? Sell them and use the money to help pay for your decorating, or donate them to a charity store or friends and family.
Furniture
You don't need an excessive amount of furniture. In fact, it only blocks up floorspace and closes a space up.
In a living room, you really only need a sensible lounge suite, a minimalist coffee table (nothing too fancy) and an entertainment unit that is not overly elaborate. You might want a tidy rug as well, for wooden floors.
A bedroom only needs a bed, a side table (or two, if required for both sides), and a dresser of sorts. A wardrobe should be able to contain the rest of your belongings, and if it can't then you may have too many and need a wardrobe clean out.
Don't forget your garden, either. It doesn't need 50 different ornaments lying about it, and any equipment left out should be put away – both for space saving and safekeeping.
Colours
Colours don't need to be be over indulgent. Muted, sensible and contemporary hues work best, though nothing in excess.
Straight white and black, or swap black for dark grey, is a common feature of minimalist homes, utilising white walls – such as Resene Black White and black features – such as Resene Black or deep grey features – such as Resene Foundry. You can add subtle hints of colour through artwork on the wall, a vase on the coffee table or cushions on the lounge suite.
Remember: You want your home to be free of stress, and an open-aired feel will help you achieve this. Parting with your treasures can be hard, but you'll feel much better for it.
Get inspired ! 
