Minimalism has been a popular topic for several years now, and for good reason. Reducing the clutter in our lives allows for more of what matters; time with our families doing what makes us happy. I follow several wonderful minimalism bloggers, and spent years trying to apply the principles to our life. I removed around 30% of our stuff, but still had problems with time and stuff management. That’s when I started learning about lean manufacturing and I applied it to my life. And that’s when I gained control over my time.
What is Lean again?
Lean is creating a system and space where everything needed is available and in it’s place. It also means that nothing extraneous is there. Let’s take the bathroom vanity as an example. The only things that should be on the counter or in the top drawings are the currently used bathroom items like toothbrush and toothpaste, hair brush and dryer, lotion, makeup, you get the picture. It is acceptable and even encouraged to keep frequently used items on counters in easy reach as long as they are in their place and neatly kept.
Extras are stored in lower drawings or cabinets that aren’t accessed on a daily basis. Anything that is used elsewhere should be stored elsewhere if possible. If it’s not possible, middle drawers can do the trick. The thing is, anything you don’t use on a regular basis shouldn’t be within arms reach. Refills should be easily accessible when needed, but not in the way. And this is repeated at each bathroom vanity.
And that’s different from Minimalism how?
Minimalism has one big difference; the total number of a specific thing in the house is minimized no matter the number and place of uses. That means you could choose to have one hairdryer instead of two or three, but you need to bring it to where it’s needed. Counters are kept clear of everything possible to keep clean lines and visual clutter at a minimum.
The goal is generally to reduce the total number of items in your home to a minimum. There are many significant benefits to minimalism and it can absolutely be the right choice for many people. I don’t have the self-control to put things away if they belong away from where I use them so it’s not the right choice for me.
Which one is better?
A lot of questions in the post! But to answer the question, one is not better than the other. What works for you is what’s best for you. I will argue that a Lean home is a happier home until the cows come home. Even when things are beautifully organized and the clutter has been expunged, going to get the needed item from it’s home every time you need it causes a loss of time and frustration. Keeping what you need where you need it is the best solution for lazy people like me and for many kids. If the home spot for the thing is right there, it is so much easier to put it away than to walk it to another room, or even just across the room.
Where do I go from here?
This is a super short post, but I wanted to put the comparison in writing instead of having it sprinkled throughout other posts. I reference minimalism in other posts and also recommend my favorite minimalism bloggers and writers. If minimalism is working for you, that’s great! Stick around and maybe I can help you go further. If it’s not quite working, read some more and see if lean works for you. My goal is to help parents find more time and live a calmer life. Lean minimalism is my way to do this.
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