I am not a big fan of lots of clutter. So I really try to practice what I preach and keep items in my home that have a purpose. Decorating everything with minimal styling. But I also love to change up spaces… I am doing the One Room Challenge again, so you know I love big transformations!!

So how do I constantly change up spaces when I am very much a minimalist?? I have some secret tips that can  be applied for decorating any room, but I am focusing on the living room. I just redecorated the shelves and entryway using only items from around my home for the One Room Challenge!!

You can see the progress I’ve made from hanging curtains on a bay window, and painting our fireplace!

How To Decorate When You Are A Minimalist

Edit

You can’t start decorating like a minimalist if you have too much stuff. So before you even start with decor, you have to edit down what you have.

Ask yourself these questions about each item before you keep or trash:

• Do you love this?
• Would you spend money on it if you saw it on a shelf at a store right now?
• Will you actually use it/display it right now?

If you answered yes to all those questions, then you know it is a keeper! If you answered no to all those questions, get rid of it. If you are unsure, see if you can repurpose it. If not, it is time to let it go!!

Shop The House

Once you have edited down all your decor, the fun really begins! It is time to shop the house!!

Whenever I get ready to decorate a room, I gather all my decor throughout the entire house and make a giant pile. Then I start styling the shelves and other spaces. Once I am done, I can restyle the rooms that I took items from.

Because I keep all my decor within the same color scheme, it makes restyling so much easier (and cheaper)!

Colors

The easiest way to constantly change your space without adding more “stuff” to your home is sticking with a similar color scheme. Our entire house is blues, purples, greys, and pops of yellow.

I stuck with this same color scheme for our living room, as you can see from my design plans!

This helps keep things consistent as you walk from room to room. And you will only be inclined to purchase new items that fit in with the rest of the house!!

Rethink Items Use

I have seen a lot of people hold onto items for “some day”. My advise is to use it now!! I have had this beautiful cake stand that I love, but it didn’t fit in any of the cabinets in the kitchen. So it was stored behind pans under our coffee station. As I was redecorating the living room, I realized I could make space and display it.

By rethinking an items’ use, you can display and decorate without having to purchase anything new!!

Empty Space

When I am styling shelves (or even organizing them), I like living white space. I think it helps make the space feel more open.

So when you are decorating your home, don’t feel like you need to add stuff to every shelf. You can leave empty space. It helps showcase those items you absolutely love!

Patterns

I love mixing patterns. You could have probably guessed that after I shared about our curtains and chairs!! But I think it adds so much personality to any space.

Because our living room really lacked any personality, I wanted to play with more patterns. I ended up ordering a rug that I love, but was not working in the space. It just felt like it was fighting with the fireplace and curtains. So I have to find a new rug with a more subtle pattern.

Want more ways to organize your living room while being a minimalist?? I have something you might like:

How To Quickly Declutter A Living Room

Creative Ways To Organize Toys In The Living Room