Bright & Cheery Minimalist Home Tour – Heather

Everyone’s idea of minimalism is different and that is very important to remember. When you are thinking about embracing minimalism, the whole point of it is to keep true to your authentic self. What is important to you, the things you enjoy and the life you want to live. I’m excited to share some real life examples of what minimalism looks like in different homes around the world.
It is my pleasure to introduce you to Heather. Heather  has kindly offered to share some images of her home with us:

Hi! I’m Heather Benham, minimalist in training, vegetarian, world traveling, music loving, eclectic mix of a person. My husband, Tim, and I have resolved to own less, travel more, and focus on what truly matters. To live a life of intentionality, valuing experiences over things. I strive to provide minimalist support, inspiration, tips, and personal victories through my blog, Purposefully Minimal. I am thrilled to share our story and little home with you!

For those that don’t know me, here’s a little background: Near the end of 2014, I was fed up with how much stuff my tiny family had accumulated. Two people, four years, and a tiny newborn had resulted in a completely packed 1,500- Sq. Ft. house. On the surface things looked clean and tidy, but behind closed doors was complete chaos. Closets, cabinets, and the one car garage were all packed with stuff. Feeling overwhelmed, but ready to make a change, I searched for inspiration. That is where I stumbled across the most amazing, supportive decluttering group- Rachel Jones’ Nourishing Minimalism: Yearly Decluttering Challenge.

These people spoke to me! I didn’t initially tell Tim what I was doing, and began the 2015 in 2015 challenge, decluttering only my things. I made the goal and was already feeling more free as we entered the new year. 2016 proved to be our pivotal year, leading to a major overhaul on our home and lives. Tim began noticing clear spaces in our home, loved it, and decided he was ready to join me. Working together, we met the 2016 challenge by April, and cleared another 3-4,000 items by the end of the year. It is amazing to be able to relax, knowing that every room in our home is tidy. It was even better the first time someone came over, unannounced, and I wasn’t apologizing for the mess! Becoming purposefully minimal has also afforded us the luxury of travel. We would rather spend our money on experiences than materialistic goods, and have done just that! We spent the latter part of the year traveling to places both new and old; enjoying the local flare and culture.

Don’t be fooled; this journey wasn’t always an easy one. In fact, those first few months, I was so overwhelmed by the years of accumulated clutter, it was difficult to figure out where I should even begin. As daunting as the task was, I stuck with decluttering, and once I got past the guilt getting rid of gifts, letters, cards, and other sentimental type items that I no longer wanted or needed, everything else was a breeze. Little by little, the work paid off, and with each pass of a shelf, cabinet, or room, it was easier to let go of things I thought were once “needed”. We are now free from clutter, hidden or otherwise, and are well on our way to living a minimalistic lifestyle!

As you can tell, I am not a clean lines and monochromatic décor kind of girl. I love color, and while simplistic, I feel our home reflects our personalities and style well. I truly hope you enjoy!