My journey in minimalism began a few years ago with a single goal:

A simple white bedroom. 

At that time, I had never even heard of minimalism, but my heart just felt cluttered and messy.

And I read about how a neutral bedroom can be healing.

I remember thinking, Sign me up. 

I was in a season where I felt like I had little control in my life. 

But my bedroom was something I could actually control.

And I desperately needed better rest.

So, I committed myself to change and began to simplify my bedroom.

In 2020, our family moved into a new home, and our bedroom has been minimalist ever since.

It has brought the kind of calm and sleep I never knew was within reach. 

Here are five ways I successfully made my bedroom a minimalist dream: 

1. Bare walls. I have collected artwork from all over the world (and my children’s backpacks), but not a single piece is featured on my bedroom walls. Instead, when I open my eyes in the morning, I am greeted with a soft white blank canvas. I do not think of my to-do list. I do not long for the places I have visited. The stark walls anchor me in right now and offer a whisper: Today is a new, bright day – make it better than any other.

2. Natural light. When I walk into my bedroom during the day, I just feel happy (no matter how I felt beforehand). The light has poured in and it dances over the bare walls. There are neutral curtains, but they are not black-out, and they are opened each morning. It’s hard to remember the darkness of yesterday with the piercing hope of today’s light. 

3. Neutral colors. My bedroom walls (and all of the walls in my house) are a simple cream color and are complemented by tan-gray IKEA dressers (they have made it through numerous moves now with only minor blemishes). There are no pops of color that distract or overwhelm and this warm, light environment only invites order and simple tidiness.

4. Minimal furniture. My bedroom is limited to one side table, two dressers, and a queen-sized bed. That’s all. No frills and a vacuum’s dream. There is no longer anxiety when I take a step in the night. There are no longer piles of projects and pictures guilting me into action.

5. One sentimental thing. I’m a feeler, and I want my life to reflect what I hold most dear. As a result, with the exclusion of the bed, there is one sentimental item on each of the dressers and the nightstand. On my dresser is a framed napkin drawing (a necklace) created by my daughter; on my husband’s dresser is a poem I wrote for him; and on my nightstand is a picture of my children standing in the park where my husband and I exchanged our wedding vows. In the calm, love still flows.

I didn’t realize all those years ago, but your bedroom is a perfect place to begin a simpler story. 

And a life where less means more sleep.

More peace.

And more room for love. 

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