5 Minimalist Bedroom Ideas Marie Kondo Would Approve Of

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If the show Tidying Up With Marie Kondo on Netflix is anything to go by, the world is obsessed with minimalism right now.

Gone are the days of big, bold prints and bright colors: 2020 is all about living simply and living with less. 

Wondering how to get a minimalist bedroom look? Here’s our list of 5 ideas for a minimalist bedroom Marie Kondo would approve of:

1. Experiment With Different Textures

In lieu of fancy decorations such as pop art paintings, murals, and the like, play up your minimalist bedroom walls by adding a textured finish (e.g. slap brush texture, plaster finish) to them. Not only does this save space; it ensures that things are kept interesting, too.

If textured walls aren’t something you’re keen on, feel free to experiment with other materials by adding textured objects. Add a duvet blanket to your bed, for example, or frame your windows with lace curtains to accentuate the room’s look.

It’s okay to use different textures as long as they have the same tone. This ensures that elements of a particular layout are congruent with one another and none of them stick out like a sore thumb.

A third option in incorporating texture is adding plants: whereas some plants are coarse-textured, others have smooth and velvety surfaces.

The plant #aesthetic is particularly common when it comes to Tumblr bedrooms: a potted plant (or two) can elevate your personal space.

Try Dracaena, which is easy to maintain; you can also put moth orchids to add serenity; or maybe a pot of mini-cactus, which are cute and can be placed anywhere.

2. Choose Minimalist Furniture

Think ‘minimalism’ and ‘style’ can’t go together? Well, think again. Look no further than furniture made from black wire for proof of the two styles’ synergy.

Apart from giving your bedroom an edgy, retro-chic vibe, these pieces are surprisingly minimalist-friendly.

The lack of storage compartments limits the number of things that can be stored, which eventually results in less clutter.

Much of the minimalistic bedroom dynamic lies in the element of space: either the illusion of it or actual, physical space.

A low-lying bed achieves both of these – its ergonomic design takes up less space than a normal bed while giving the user the impression of a higher ceiling.

Several advantages come with using minimalist furniture. Due to their large surface areas and various nooks and crannies, ‘regular’ furniture require regular dusting and cleaning.

This won’t be the case for minimalist furniture – minimalist furniture makes it easier to maintain a fairly uncluttered space and lessens the amount of time spent cleaning, too.

3. Keep Only Whatever Sparks Joy

Okay, so this one is directly from the Japanese cleaning guru herself. Contrary to popular belief, minimalist style isn’t really about keeping as few things as possible; it’s more about ensuring that whatever you have truly “sparks joy.”

The rationale behind this is that by keeping only items that are meaningful to you, you can get rid of existing clutter and prevent future clutter from building up over time.

It also makes you ponder the value of a certain item and think twice before buying things.

According to Marie, all items can be classified into 5 main categories: clothing, books, papers, komono (miscellaneous items), and mementos.

The main idea is to start sorting/discarding the easiest items (clothing) first, and then slowly moving on to other categories until the final one (mementos).

Try sorting items by category and holding them one at a time in your hands. You should feel happiness or a warm feeling towards a significant item, which indicates that it is still relevant to you and should be kept. If not, consider donating it or throwing it away.

4. “One In, One Out”

“One in, one out” is a saying to keep in mind if you’re aiming for a minimalist bedroom or – for that matter – a minimalist room of any sort. Basically, this means that for every piece of furniture/item that you purchase, you let go of something you already own.

For best results, items involved should ideally belong to the same category and/or size – it doesn’t really make sense to throw a book away in order to buy a television.

Not only is the cost incurred significantly higher: a television takes up much more space than a book does, essentially rendering your decluttering efforts void.

However, tossing a shirt for a pair of jeans is a fair deal since both items are classified as clothing.

By making this your everyday mantra, your net total number of furniture/items will remain the same. Never will you have to keep track of things, or worry about having too much stuff again.

5. Embrace Earthy And Neutral Tones

Earthy tones, in essence, are a mixture or tonalities of browns and tans. Neutral tones, on the other hand, refer to colors with the likes of colors such as beige and white.

Both earthy tones and neutral tones tend to be perceived as reassuring and inviting. They are perfect for setting a calming ambiance for a minimalist room.

As they are mild colors, earthy tones and neutral tones can be used lavishly without fear of the end result being too visually overwhelming.

Much like how the elements of nature just fall into place together, these tones will give bedrooms a “cleaner” look and feel.

For earthy tones, try using furniture like a beige chair or cedar flooring. Neutral tones, on the other hand, work best as a non-distracting backdrop.

In this arrangement, dramatic colors and accents take center stage: think white walls with a red headboard.

Our Final Word on the Minimalistic Style

While a minimalist style isn’t easy to maintain, it is definitely doable. The effects of adopting a minimalist attitude are incredible.

Some benefits include (but are not limited to): better health, greater clarity of mind, extra money, and better relationships.

Start small, start slow, but start today!