Get more out of life by living with less

We all know it: life is hectic. It seems that the harder we work, the more we buy, the more complicated our lives become. Living in a house that's too large or overstuffed with goodies doesn't help either.

There's a way out. It's called the minimalist philosophy and it asks us to shift our focus from obtaining 'things' to instead living a simpler life.

So basically, if you're sick of constantly scrubbing your home and being surrounded by clutter, minimalism is the way to go. It'll make your house easier to clean, your time easier to manage and your life easier to live. What's not to like?

Dump the duplicates

The first step is to de-clutter. A good way of doing this is to walk around with a box and fill it with duplicates. Do you really need two copies of the Titanic DVD? Nope. Two kettles? A PS3 AND a PS4? The crockery set you use vs the dusty set packed away at the back of the cupboard? Hide it all away for a month. After that time, ask yourself one question: 'Do I still need this?' If not, a charity will be grateful for your donation.

Create a neat nook

Find a area you use a lot and make it neat and clutter-free, whether it's your cutlery drawer, your bedside pedestal or your dining table. Let this your inspiration to live more simply, and start expanding on the area every day. After some time, most of the clutter in your house will be gone, and you'll find that your living space has been transformed.

Go for quality over quantity

Now that your home has more free space, don't rush to fill it to the rafters with every cool thing you see in the mall. Instead, look for pieces that will make a statement. Invest in furniture that will last. Search for unique pieces so that your house isn't a cookie-cutter clone of everyone else's.

Scale down

Once you've purged your home of unnecessary items and gotten used to a simpler lifestyle, start thinking about scaling back on your living space. If you're a retired couple, do you really need a six-bedroom home and a pool? Think about downsizing. This will also have the added financial benefit of lowering your maintenance and utility bills.

Start slow

If you make the decision to go minimalist, it's good to keep in mind that you are not deciding to go without, you're deciding to live better. A minimalist lifestyle is unique in that different people define it in different ways. So don't add stress to your life with the de-cluttering process. Take it easy. Test ideas out. See how it feels.

If minimalism takes hold in your home, it may start to become a positive influence in your work, travel, dress-sense and relationships. And all of a sudden, life will become a lot less hectic.