The joy of living in decluttered spaces...

 ... amid various textures, colors, patterns and forms.

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by PAM

As my sister and I try to work on our new little secondary home to transform it to a place of some coziness that nurtures the soul and feeds creativity and good vibes, I have been checking out a few YouTube channels on sustainable living in 'tiny' homes.  When I think about purchasing a piece of furniture or the smallest of kitchenware for the house, I usually ask myself, "will this help me attain my goal towards sustainable and meaningful living?"  And, it's amazing how a simple question like that leads me to re-thinking my spending, consumption... and overall priorities.  Most of the time, I end up simplifying my needs (and wants) and assessing whether such needs (and wants... again) can be addressed by what I already have at home... and I think that's meaningful.

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Simplicity, creativity, peace, mindfulness... joy

One of the things that I am learning these days is that simple living is not about choosing the 'boring path'.  In fact, it is the exact opposite!  We live simply in order that our resources can be spent on experiences that are meaningful and memorable... and this usually is a great adventure!  The mere act of simplification, is an adventure in itself because it is about learning new things and using these things to design a more 'integrated' life where everything is a part of a whole, a whole that fits the wholeness of one's being.  Each time one uses a furniture or an appliance at home, it is not a mere act satisfying an immediate need - a need to lie down, a need to sit, a need to boil water... but it's a deliberate step towards sustainable living. And I think that, over time, that develops to mindfulness.  And when one is mindful, every step brings inner peace... and joy.  And because joy is infectious, one can plant a seed of 'shareable' joy that, over time, can transform the world... hopefully.

So, how does one begin a less wasteful, more integrated life of simplicity that is abundant in adventure and joy, and definitely not lacking in style and elegance?  I learned that it all begins from a 'decluttered' life.  After listening to many lectures and vlogs on YouTube on the joy of decluttered 

At the receiving room, a splash of colors. 

life and trying to actually live what I listen to, I am learning that abundance in life does not necessarily mean having tons and tons of material possessions... limited edition this, limited release that, deluxe edition this,  and what have you!  It's all about being creative in maximizing the use of the few but high-quality things that we have, and drawing joy from the results of the effort.  Therefore, choosing our material possessions should be thought of with care, creativity and imagination... bearing in mind that 'we only need one', and we choose that one with the most potential of becoming a classic - in functionality and elegance. 

In curating our home with simple possessions, one of the things that satisfy the 'we only need one' mindful mantra is multi-functionality... well, for obvious reason.  The other is the integration with other pieces in the house.  And one of the most fun in the integration process is blending textures, colors, patterns and forms or shapes. Say, a wooden chair in classic Scandinavian minimalist design with a cushion in the color of sage green, matched with a throw pillow with a cover of playful colors and design, and the chair located against a background of understated but refreshing grayish green curtain with an inner layer of sheer panels of minimalistic design, letting in light from the windows that amplifies the calming but playful harmony of the integrated design.  Form, patterns, colors, texture... a harmony that fills the home with joy and optimism.  Everyday, when I sit on that chair to sip my morning coffee while checking messages from my family on my phone, I cannot help but smile at the pretty colors that seem to greet me and wish me a good day.  And, indeed, the joy from every word that I receive from my family is amplified by my surroundings. 

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And among them all, texture...

As I continue to learn about integrated designs, and keeping the pieces at home embrace one another through colors, patterns, forms and textures for harmonious vibes, I find texture as the 

At the TV/family room... cozy, colorful and pleasing...
but inexpensive.

most fascinating.  I am discovering that even when we have the same color in one place, just in varying shades, the design can remain interesting rather than predictable, and fun rather than boring and monotonous, by blending different textures.  This is the theme that I have been experimenting on in our small family/TV room. I have most of the pieces in predominantly sage to grayish green with little surprises of yellow against white.  And yet, the varying textures seem to give the room a character... an inviting vibes that encourages one to relax and just enjoy... and let the various textures provide harmony, and fun, too.

These days, I do not only see the interesting effects of texture in the items and plants in vases of varying shapes found in the interior of the house.  I also see it outside the house, in our small garden at the front yard, and plant patches around the house.  The velvety texture of the petals of flowers against a lush background of gently spiky leaves that seem to explode from the coarse branches that playfully extend here and there, restrained only by the roots held tightly by the healthy and giving soil... they all constitute a most interesting blends and layers of textures.  Just watching the plants sway with the gentle breeze in a lazy afternoon, the flower petals occasionally allow the breeze to take them in a most graceful dance in the air can give so much calm, contentment and joy.

Outside, a butterfly is having a 'field day' while a bright orange flower 'smiles' broadly.

Ah, joy... this is what a simple and 'decluttered' life is all about.  We become more aware of the 'textural beauty' around us, and it fills our hearts with joy.  I guess this is what it means to live joyfully in a decluttered environment at home, we become focused on what is more important, beautiful and worth our while.          

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Image credit:  I own all images.

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