We took the Christmas decor down. The house feels so light and open. I know a lot of people feel the same when the tree and decor goes back in the boxes. It's a good metaphor for decluttering in general. Once you get rid of the excess, you feel so much better, lighter, freer.
A lot of people are drawn to minimalism to get that feeling of freedom. I no longer have to worry about knocking ornaments off the tree. I can dust the flat surfaces in seconds. I can bring in a vase of fresh flowers and have room to display them.
After the excess of the holidays, the a lot of people are choosing to pull back toward more simplicity. There is a religious concept called askesis that means a voluntary limiting of oneself, usually severely, or severe self-discipline. Lent is an example of askesis, or the poverty of a Buddhist or western monk. Askesis can lead to greater creativity and better understanding of yourself and your needs. Minimalism doesn't need to be monkish, but limiting one's surrounding, reducing one's surplus in durable or consumable goods, can help you to get to the heart of what's important to you.
Or at the very least, it will reduce the amount of time it takes to dust the living room.
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