“The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak.” — Hans Hofmann
Years ago, my neighbor looked on as I pulled item after item out of my garage. Winter had ended in Vermont and our Saturday morning had been committed to spring cleaning around the house. I chose the garage. Unfortunately, minutes turned into hours. And hours turned into most of the morning and into the afternoon.
Fortunately, my neighbor noticed my frustration and introduced me to a brand new way of life when she asked quite simply, “Maybe you don’t need to own all this stuff?”
And a minimalist was born.
Starting immediately, and for the next months (and even years), my wife and I began systematically removing unnecessary possessions from our home. We sold, donated, or recycled items from nearly every aspect of our lives: clothes, toys, decorations, cookware, entertainment, sporting goods, furniture, storage—the list goes on. Eventually, even moving into a smaller house.
As a result, we have discovered some amazingly practical benefits to owning less. We have more money left in our pockets. We have more time available at our disposal. We have removed ourselves from the consumer-driven culture around us. We experience less stress on a daily basis. And we have discovered more freedom to pursue the things in life that we truly value.
Because we have chosen to live with less, we have found more opportunity to invest in relationships, grow spiritually, experience gratitude, express generosity, discover truth, and find contentment. With our newfound time, money, and energy, we are free to pursue our greatest passions.
An important realization quickly followed. Minimalism is less about the things you remove and more about the things you add. The joy of minimalism lies in what you choose to pursue with your life rather than material possessions. And in that way, minimalism is far more about addition than it is about subtraction.
Image: *m5
Luanne says
I find so much inspiration on your site as my family and I begin this journey ourselves…
Thank you.
carlos says
most of the time our anxiety is caused for attachment to things that actually we don’t have!!
become minimalist would be a great way to be free
Jetta says
can you expand on that? Like anxiety over what you might not be able to attain? Its an interesting thought.
Karen @Journey towards simplicity says
I really appreciate this article. TY! The perspective that it is less about the things you remove and more about the things you add really resonates with me on so many levels. Even what we put into our bodies and minds- foods and thoughts – I think the secret is to add “better things” and in the process- there is then less room for the not so good or not so important “stuff”. It’s nothing to do with deprivation :)
Mr. Everyday Dollar says
Amen. I think what many people struggle with is the fact that they don’t know where to start. Much like how using crash diets provides a temporary solution to weight management, the process of becoming a minimalist is a fundamental change in lifestyle, and it won’t and can’t be done overnight.
Start small with something like cleaning out a closet, and then month-by-month and year-by-year you’ll find you can easily tackle other areas to systematically remove unnecessary items. Before you know it, you’ll have changed your lifestyle (much like eating healthy all the time as the norm) and will probably be ready to move to a smaller home.
Monica says
Starting is easy. The problem is that it is never-ending. Doing a lot of work and removing stuff — and weeks of work and removing stuff — and there is still too much stuff. So people stop. Continuing is hard. I know, because this is where I am right now — in the midst of a mess after weeks of daily work.
Em says
Your struggle is an encouragement. I’s easy to see others completely changing their lifestyles for the better. For me, I know I’ve dug myself into a cluttered life and because of that, I think it must be harder to achieve the lifestyle I’m now realising is better. Keep at it and Good Luck.
Tracy says
Appreciate your perspective. I want my life to be about more than stuff. These past few years I’ve been thinking about this subject & making lifestyle changes. It’s been a process for my husband and I; we’ve had to rethink what we need and what we want to do with our lives. It’s been fun to give things away to people or organizations who may actually need them.
ruthiE says
to take delight in every day details of life than things…
Darlene says
It’s “on a daily basis” with an i. Gotta proofread. Spell check won’t catch it all.
joshua becker says
Thanks tons.
stephanie says
Do you seriously feel it’s necessary to point out a grammatical mistake in this wonderful article? No need to be critical. “Gotta” be positive!! :)
Gayle says
Exactly! A spelling error doesn’t warrant the word police. Especially in an article that has value.
Em says
Agreed.
RFrisby says
How on earth did ‘Gotta’ get past your spell check?
reader says
Yes, I agree that it’s important to point stuff like that out, so it can be fixed. Still, very good article.
Caryn Christensen says
“Minimalism is less about the things you remove and more about the things you add.”
What a POWERFUL statement. So true.
Lisa says
This article speaks to me! This is exactly how I feel. I have been in the process for the last year of downsizing stuff. It takes a while! I even go back and redo a certain area again…It takes time, but my uncluttered home and life is so worth it.
Vincent Nguyen says
Hi Josh,
Great way of looking at minimalism. It really is a lot of addition but often in less tangible ways. Truthfully, I’d much prefer all that freedom that comes with minimalism because I really do feel like I have more. It’s funny when people see my closet and say I have very little clothes. I only keep the clothes I actually wear. The feeling of satisfaction I get from them is much more than I can ask for with a lot of clothes.
Sathya says
Great post Josh.
Thanks for sharing your minimalism epiphany.
I think almost everyone of us must have had it, while others may have missed it.
I had my own epiphany and experimenting with my own little ways to ‘Say No’ to items/ things/ experiences I may not not want to indulge in. I realized later how much space (physical, mental and emotional space) I gained.
I did my own share of experiments in minimalism.. http://sathyawrites.com/saying-no/
Gratitude,
Sathya