How to make a home an oasis of peace and minimalism? Have you ever heard of Japanese home decorating techniques that promise not only order, but also inner peace?
Japanese techniques home improvement originate from ancient philosophies. Known for their ability to bring order and harmony to living spaces. They focus on minimalism and functionality, leading to a more fulfilling and cohesive environment.
Japanese Home Decorating Techniques: Change Your Space, Change Your Life!
The most famous methods are the method KonMari, which encourages the preservation of only things that bring joy, and the method 5S, which focuses on organizing the workspace using five principles.
Using these techniques means systematic inspection and organization at home, to keep only those things that have emotional or practical value.
The KonMari method
Marie Kondo developed her method of home organization, called KonMari, based on a simple question: "Does it bring joy?" With this approach, she recommends going through all of your stuff by category, not room, and choosing to keep only the things that truly make you happy.
It is important to focus on each category separately, for example clothes, books, gadgets, papers and sentimental items. When you get rid of unnecessary things, you will have less clutter and more space for the things that are really important to you.
The 5S method
The 5S method originates from the Japanese business environment, but it can also be successfully used in the home environment. It includes 5 areas starting with the letter “S”:
- Seiri/Variety: Remove unnecessary things.
- Seiton / Set in order: Organize the remaining things in a logical way.
- Seiso / Shine: Keep it clean and tidy.
- Seiketsu / Standardize: Set standards for the organization and follow them consistently.
- Shitsuke / Sustain: Maintain consistency and discipline in keeping your home tidy.
Other Japanese home improvement techniques
Danes
One of these techniques is Danšari, founded by Hideko Yamashita. Danšari is the art of breaking things down to separate the important from the unimportant. This technique involves three phases:
- Day: Make a clear decision to tidy up and get rid of unnecessary things. This process refers to liberation from material attachment.
- Yes: Next, get rid of the things you identified as unnecessary in the 'Day' phase. This step is to get rid of things that no longer serve a purpose or bring you joy and peace.
- Ri: Let go of your attachment to material possessions. This idea of moving away from sentimental clutter involves developing a mindset that values experiences and relationships over material things.
Oosoui
Oosouji is a New Year's cleaning and organizing technique that symbolizes a new beginning and aims to cleanse the home and spirit, acting as a way to achieve mental order through physical order and the therapeutic act of cleaning. Oosouji is traditionally performed on December 28 as a symbol of new beginnings. This technique includes deep cleaning of the home and mind, organizing the space and consciously removing unnecessary things. To use this technique, start by making a clear plan. Identify areas of your home that require attention and schedule tasks in order of importance and urgency.
- Clean room by room, donate, recycle or throw away things you no longer need or use.
- Deep clean, paying special attention to hard-to-reach and often neglected areas.
- Organize your home, strategically arranging items to maximize space and practicality. Evaluate the furniture arrangement to ensure the most efficient functionality.
Ma
Experts suggest that you organize the space in a way that pleases you. Begin by embracing the concept of 'Ma', a deliberate use of space that values emptiness as much as fullness. In practice, this means that you put away all unnecessary things. The 'Ma' technique encourages a layout that allows the space to be more open. Achieving spatial balance by arranging furniture in a way that balances the space. To do this, avoid overcrowding and leave enough open areas to create a sense of flow. This also applies to creating open paths in the home. The goal is to create a functional space.
Japanese home decorating techniques are based on the idea that less is more. Reducing the amount of things in our living space not only makes everyday tasks easier, but also has a positive effect on our mental state, increases productivity and improves the quality of life.
