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Minimalist Decorating Tips from a Collector

By Rachel

published 08/01/2024

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These minimalist decorating tips from a collector will show you how to curate and style collections without the clutter!

Do you ever feel overwhelmed by the clutter in your home but can’t seem to part with any of it? Are you constantly buying new decor pieces, only to find yourself running out of space? What if I told you there was a way to beautifully decorate your home while reducing the clutter and chaos?! Join me as I share minimalist decorating tips from a collector and learn how to style your found items so that your home doesn’t feel like a museum!

How to Display Collections Without the Clutter

Did you know that the average American home contains over 300,000 items?! Like…woah. Enter minimalist decorating.

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This approach to home decor not only creates a more serene and peaceful living space but it also allows you to showcase treasured items in a meaningful way.

As a collector myself, I have discovered some game-changing tips for incorporating minimalism into my everyday decor. In this article, I will share with you my top minimalist decorating tips that will transform your home into a clutter-free oasis without sacrificing your love for collecting!

Can You Be a Collector AND a Minimalist??

Let’s be real. I will never stop collecting my favorite decor items from thrift stores and antique shops. My collections range from milk glass to enamelware to ironstone to vintage copper.

One might think that by being a collector, your house doesn’t have the ability to look neat, organized, or dust-free. But, I’m here to tell you that it totally CAN!

With all of the collections and vintage decor items that I’ve found over the years, I’ve learned how to decorate with these treasured pieces yet still keep my home clutter-free and clean. So, in response to the question above, the answer is YES!

How to Declutter as a Collector

Below is a short list of simple ways that you can go about decluttering. This goes for collections but can also be used as a comprehensive list for your house as a whole. I will go into more detail on each of these points below.

Give each item or collection a ‘home’.
Go through things often and purge what you are not using.
Display collections together as a whole.
Establish boundaries for purchasing ‘new’ items or decor.
Clear off surfaces and keep heavily-used areas free of unnecessary clutter.

Shop My Favorite Collections

Minimalist Decorating Tips from a Collector

If you’ve been around here for any length of time, you know how much I adore vintage decor. Thrifting and sourcing pieces to add to my collections brings me true joy and is a pastime that I genuinely love to do. However, I am also a minimalist.

I like my home to feel clean and balanced and I really do not like to spend money just to spend money.

Learning how to balance the two ideals has been quite the challenge over the years. But, I’ve taught myself many things on how to achieve a collected yet minimal home and can’t wait to share them with you.

Here, I’ll share my tips and tricks for creative displays that minimize clutter, how to downsize collections, and ideas for displaying collections in small spaces. Let’s get into it!

Learn Curating Skills for Collections

Select and Prioritize Items for a Collection.

How to do this? Well, I go by what I love. Take a shelf, for example. There’s only so much room on a shelf to place decor items, right?

So, I always start any display by choosing my favorite or most loved items. Then, when the shelf is full, I store the remainder of the collection away until there is a specific spot for them.

Create a Cohesive and Visually Appealing Display.

To achieve a beautifully curated vignette, use like items, such as a collection of copper. Then, incorporate accent pieces such as ironstone creamers, baskets, or faux stems.

But, when styling a vignette, don’t try and cram everything onto one surface otherwise it will feel too crowded. If the entire collection won’t fit on the same shelf, it’s okay! Sometimes, I take that as a cue that I need to downsize.

Rotate Collections.

To keep your home feeling fresh, it’s helpful to rotate collections in and out. I do this seasonally.

For example, my enamelware collection is prominently displayed during the summer. Then, come fall, I replace that collection with my collected copper pieces.

Using this method for styling collections and other decor helps to keep excessive clutter to a minimum. It also enables each collection have their moment to shine!

Minimalist Display Ideas

Showcase Collections Using a Minimal Aesthetic.

From experience, it can be tricky to balance the desire to collect and add new things to your collections yet still keep a clean look.

My tip for this point is to create a layered look by using pieces from the same collection. Instead of cramming all kinds of different decor pieces onto a shelf, take your time styling a display that utilizes tall items, medium sized items, and short items from, say, a milk glass collection. Then, to add texture and dimension, simply stick few faux stems into select pieces.

Create a Focal Point.

This tip is especially helpful if you 1) have a very small collection of something and 2) live in a small space.

To do this, lay out your collection on the floor. Step back and just notice what piece your eyes are drawn to over and over again. That piece then becomes the focal point in your collection and can be played up in a big way. Try placing that piece in the middle of the shelf and then build the rest of the display off of it.

Mindful and Intentional Collecting

Conscious Collecting Practices.

When I walk into a thrift store and am on the hunt for vintage decor, I try to avoid impulse purchases. To help with this, I keep either a mental list or a list on my phone of decor or things that I actually need for a specific purpose.

I am also careful not to buy the same thing twice. Personally, I like to only have one variety of each item in my collection(ie. one hobnail toothpick holder, one square handled creamer, one pedestal vase) so that I have space for those extra special pieces.

If you want to go more in-depth on this topic, this post on mindful and intentional thrifting might be helpful for you!

Quality Over Quantity in Collections.

Another way to keep a minimal aesthetic when collecting things is to think about quality over quantity.

For example, sometimes I come across ironstone or milk glass at the thrift store that is so pretty but, many times, these pieces have giant cracks or chunks missing out of them. Although I really appreciate the wabi-sabi mentality, I would rather save my money, and space in my home, for a similar item that is of higher quality.

My point is, even though you see something you love while out shopping, you don’t always need to buy the thing just for the sake of buying something. Practice restraint and keep looking for that extra special thing that makes your heart skip a beat when you find it!

a vintage ironstone tureen in a hutch for summer

Create a Mindful Relationship With Your Belongings.

Truly, our collections are just ‘things’. Yes, they bring us joy and there is something special to be said about taking time to source each and every item. But, they are not needed resources that help keep us alive each day.

When you can put a space between you and your collection(s), you will notice that they are simply things that take up space in your home.

If you find yourself feeling stressed or overwhelmed by having too many things, consider selling off some of your collection(s) or gifting it to a close friend or family member.

How to Purge and De-Clutter Collected Items

Donate Items That Aren’t Being Used.

Finally, to keep a minimal mindset when it comes to collections, it’s helpful to donate items that are not being used. Over the years, I’ve had to get rid of many pieces of vintage decor just because I don’t have the space to store it all.

One of my favorite creators, Laura Caldwell, is the queen of this. She buys something at the thrift store that will do for a specific purpose or place in her home for the time being. Then, when she finally finds the thing that is way better than the previous item she found, she will replace the old piece with her more favorite one. Does that make sense?

Truly, we just cannot hang on to everything… hanging on to it all creates such stress and anxiety! No one needs all the things.

My tip for purging unused items is to go through your decor every 2-3 months. For me, I usually take inventory of my collections and decor when I make a seasonal decor switch.

So, when I start to transition my home from summer to fall next month, I will spend an hour or so weeding through the decor. I’ll make a pile of unused items that I can bring to the thrift store for donation.

For me, unused items are things that I haven’t used or decorated with for more than four months. But, you decide what feels right for you.

The overall goal for how to be a collector and still be a minimalist is to strike a balance between collecting what you love yet keeping minimal living top of mind.

It’s a breath of fresh air when the clutter is cleared and there is space to live and breathe!

Closing Tidbits on Minimalist Decorating Tips from a Collector

It’s my sincere hope that you found a fresh perspective through these minimalist decorating tips from a collector!

I truly believe that anyone can source, curate, and style a home with beloved collections in a mindful way. This method of living, and decorating, takes many months, or years, of practice. But, over time, I hope you start to see how refreshing it is to only decorate with the things that you love most. It takes discipline and dedication but the reward is so worth it!

Be encouraged to live minimally and mindfully, allowing space for peace and calm to enter.

Leave me a comment! How do you deal with clutter and collections? I love hearing from you!

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If you are new here, I’m Rachel, the writer and content creator here at The Antiqued Journey. I’m so happy to have you! I encourage you to stop by the ‘about me’ page to get to know me a little more.

Here on the blog, you will find loads of inspiration for decorating with vintage and antique decor, simple DIY crafts and many thrifting adventures. If that interests you, I invite you to sign up for my e-mail. You will receive a free digital download as a thank you!