The Joy of Less summary

Now that we’ve developed our minimalist framework, we can start putting it into practice. The next step to decluttering your home is to follow the STREAMLINE technique.

The first half of STREAMLINE involves: Start Over; Trash, Treasure or Transfer; Reason For Each Item; Everything in its Place; and All Surfaces Clear.

The remaining half of the STREAMLINE technique is: Modules; Limits; If One Comes In, One Goes Out; Narrow Down and Everyday Maintenance.

Modules are groups of items with a similar function, like a first aid kit. So when you’re in need of a band-aid, you know to look in your first aid kit in the bathroom cabinet. After consolidating all your belongings, you’ll need to remove any excess supplies. Ask yourself if you really need all 63 pens, if realistically you only use five of them. It’s important to consolidate and cut so that excess supplies don’t end up spreading throughout the house. Color-coded and labeled drawers, shelves, boxes and plastic containers are excellent ways to store your sorted items.

Now that we’ve learned what STREAMLINE stands for, it’s time to put it into action! We’ll start with the home, tackling one room at a time. First, the bedroom.

Turn your bedroom into an area of peace and relaxation by getting rid of clutter.

Scan your living room. What state is it in? Are there magazines and toys littered across the floor and table? The living room is where our family and friends spend a lot of time, so it’s important to free up space for entertainment.

The first question you should ask when it comes to optimizing living-room space is: What’s the Reason For Each Item to be here? When the author and her husband lived overseas, they had no use for a couch or television. They didn’t receive many visitors, and most evenings and weekends were spent out of town. For their situation, a coffee table and two lounge chairs were enough.

Ever flicked through a kitchen catalog or walked through a showroom wishing that your kitchen was as clutter-free and functional? Well, if you follow the minimalist mind-set, that dream kitchen can be yours.

Once again, we need to get rid of excess items to improve the functionality of your kitchen. Create Trash, Treasure and Transfer piles to determine what is and isn’t necessary.

At this stage, you’ve cultivated a minimalist mind-set, put the STREAMLINE method to use, and your home is now clutter-free. All that’s left to do is get your family to join in.

Maintaining a minimalist home requires the participation of the whole family.