The Becker Method of a Minimalist Home

I have been thinking a lot about minimalism. A few weeks ago I came across a video of minimalist Joshua Becker explaining the five steps of his rigorous decluttering method. Although we have an organized home, my husband and I still feel like we own too much stuff. In fact, the last time we moved, we were shocked by how much was neatly organized in all of our closets. So, when I told him that I want to try to minimize and simplify our home, he was all in!

In July, Joshua Becker came to Miami to promote his new book, The Minimalist Home. After buying the book and having Joshua sign it, I was extra motivated to give his approach a try. (After all “less is more,” has become my new motto.)

1. Set your goals.

I want to own less so that I can have a home that is inviting and relaxing, for my family and my friends. I want a tidy home where we have what we need and love, and can find it easily.

2. Include your family in your process. Let them know why you are doing it.

After my husband and I discussed our decluttering goals, I explained to our elementary-aged girls what we wanted to achieve and how we were going to achieve it. For them, this meant donating or passing down to their younger cousins lots of toys and clothes.

3. Work room by room. Start with the easiest.

The living room is the first room we see when we walk into our house, so I knew I wanted to start there. It was mostly my stuff, so that was the easiest to declutter.

The next space I tackled was the room my girls share. This room took the most time and was the most challenging of all of the spaces we minimized. I wanted to involve them in the process so that I could teach them valuable lessons, but that meant having to spend much more time than it would have had I been doing the decluttering on my own. In the end, though, my patience paid off and the girls actually did a great job. Rather than hanging on to their stuff, they were happy to share with their cousins what they no longer fit into or played with. For them giving to others felt so good that they have been asking to do it again!

4. Have fun and notice the benefits.

Although we have only completed a few rooms, minimizing has already changed our lives in a positive way. Since it is so much easier and faster to tidy, we are able to spend so much more time focused on fun things. My husband and I are looking forward to continuing the process.

5. Revisit and revise your goals.

I have already added goals of spending more quality time with the girls, exercising, and practicing healthier eating habits.

There are many ways to declutter, minimize, and organize your home. I used the Kon-Marie method in 2016 and was also happy with the results I got then. The Becker Method has been great, too. Whichever approach you choose, we are here to help you achieve your goals! We are all in this together!