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“Simplicity, clarity, singleness: These are the attributes that give our lives power and vividness and joy as they are also the marks of great art.” —Richard Holloway
I am often asked the question, “So what is minimalism anyway?” It is a question I receive from people I have just met and from people I have known for many years. I typically answer with a short, simple explanation.
Below you will find a helpful video that I put together. It is concise and wraps up minimalist living in a little more than 2 minutes.
Once you finish the video, take a look at the article just a bit further down on this page for a written, more in-depth version of this lifestyle.
MINIMALISM IS OWNING FEWER POSSESSIONS.
Minimalist living means I am intentionally trying to live with only the things I really need—those items that support my purpose. I am removing the distraction of excess possessions so I can focus more on those things that matter most.
That is my short, elevator-pitch answer.
But oftentimes I desire to answer more in-depth. When people ask follow-up questions that allow me to explain simple living further, I like to add:
IT IS INTENTIONALITY.
It is marked by clarity, purpose, and intentionality. At its core, being a minimalist means intentionally promoting the things we most value and removing everything that distracts us from it.
It is a life that forces intentionality upon us. As a result, it forces improvements in almost all aspects of your life.
Intentionality looks different for everybody, as no two individuals are the same, but it requires each of us to dive deeper and become more introspective about our values and passions.
IT IS FREEDOM FROM THE PASSION TO POSSESS.
Modern culture has bought into the lie that the good life is found in accumulating things—in possessing as much as possible. They believe that more is better and have inadvertently subscribed to the idea that happiness can be purchased at a department store.
But they are wrong. Embracing minimalism brings freedom from the all-consuming passion to possess. It steps off the treadmill of consumerism and dares to seek happiness elsewhere. It values relationships, experiences, and soul-care. It lets us see all that we already have and reminds us to be grateful.
In doing so, we find a more abundant life.
IT IS FREEDOM FROM MODERN MANIA.
Our world runs at a feverish pace. We are too hurried, too rushed, and too stressed. We work long, passionate hours to pay the bills, but fall deeper into debt every day. We rush from one activity to another—even multitasking along the way—but never seem to get anything done. We remain in constant connection with others through our cell phones, but true life-changing relationships continue to elude us.
Minimalist living slows down life and frees us from this modern hysteria to live faster. It offers freedom to disengage. It seeks to keep only the essentials. It aims to remove the frivolous and keep
IT IS FREEDOM FROM DUPLICITY.
Although nobody intentionally chooses it, most people live in duplicity. They live one life around their family, one life around their co-workers, and another life around their neighbors. The lifestyle they have chosen requires them to portray a certain external image dependent upon their circumstances. They are tossed and turned by the most recent advertising campaign or the demands of their employer.
On the other hand, a simple life is united and consistent. It has learned a lifestyle that is completely transferable no matter the situation. It is the same life on Friday evening as it is on Sunday morning… as it is on Monday morning. It is reliable, dependable and unfluctuating. It works in all circumstances. It is honest and transparent.
IT IS COUNTER-CULTURAL.
We live in a world that idolizes celebrities. They are photographed for magazines, interviewed on the radio, and recorded for television. Their lives are held up as the golden standard and are envied by many. People who live simple lives are not championed by the media in the same way. They don‘t fit into the consumerist culture that is promoted by corporations and politicians. Yet, they live a life that is attractive and inviting.
While most people are chasing after success, glamour, and fame, minimalism calls out to us with a smaller, quieter, calmer voice. It invites us to slow down, consume less, but enjoy more. And when we meet someone living a simplified life, we often recognize that we have been chasing after the wrong things all along.
IT IS NOT EXTERNAL, BUT INTERNAL.
In my first book, Simplify, I outline 7 guiding principles to help anyone declutter their home and life. The principles outlined in the book have helped hundreds of thousands find freedom by removing much of the physical clutter in their homes. The book concentrates almost exclusively on the externals of life. And while it helps people find freedom from external clutter, it does not take the next step of helping people find freedom and unity in their heart and soul.
I have learned embracing this lifestyle is always a matter of the heart. After the external clutter has been removed, we create the space to address the deepest heart issues that impact our relationships and life.
IT IS COMPLETELY ACHIEVABLE.
A simple life is completely achievable. My family stands as living proof. We were just your typical family of four living in the suburbs accumulating as much stuff as our income and credit cards would allow. Then, we found minimalism. We have embraced an intentional lifestyle of living with less and will never go back to the way life was before. We stand as living proof that simple living is completely achievable (and unique) to anyone who seeks it.
Typically, I find that those who are generally interested in knowing more and take the time to ask the follow-up questions are drawn to the principles of the lifestyle. After all, it offers almost everything our heart has been asking for all along.
If this perspective is completely foreign and you
General FAQ About Minimalism
Will minimalism automatically make me content?
Although it is a great start, it isn’t an instant cure. It is a pathway, not the end goal.
Becoming a minimalist will give you more time and will free up more of your money than ever before. But we must focus on gratitude every single day in order to see the results.
It’s that journey of intentional self-improvement, and appreciating what we already have, that will bring us contentment.
What is a minimalist lifestyle?
It means living with things you really need. It means removing anything that distracts us from living with intentionality and freedom.
Is minimalist living boring?
Minimalist living is the opposite of boring. It removes mundane activities that take away from spending time with our loved ones. Once we rid ourselves of the unnecessary, we’re able to decide what will define our lives.
Some travel the world full-time. Others will find themselves more involved in their families’ lives than ever before. Becoming minimalist frees us to live a bigger life with a more passionate pursuit of our greatest purpose and goals.
Does this mean I can’t be sentimental?
Remember, less is not the same as “none.” There are no specific rules to simple living and nobody is required to get rid of things that bring value to their life. Most minimalists keep some sentimental items in their life… they just keep less than others. And instead of stuffing our sentimental belongings in a storage unit or a garage, we proudly display them in our own home.
For more reasons why you should switch to minimalist living, consider these stats:
- Adult Americans throw away more than 68 pounds of clothing every year (US National Library of Medicine cites the EPA Office of Solid Waste)
- 20-21% of working Americans say they aren’t saving any money for retirement. Many of the ones who are saving put away no more than 10% of their income. (Bankrate.com)
- The average American household has 300,000 items (Los Angeles Times)
- The average family in America spends $1,700 on clothes each year (Forbes)
It’s amazing to me how I was just saying to myself I want to de-clutter my life and truly focus on the things that really matter. I think this is what will ultimately work for me and what I want to achieve.
I watched your documentary. So I had to look you up. I couldn’t agree with you more. I always say part of the problem is we need to slow down, and go back to the basics. The simple things. People don’t really interact that much anymore.
what’s missing and quite possibly one of the more important things to note, is that minimalism itself will not automatically give you purpose. what gives the author the feeling of purpose is not what will give you the feeling of purpose. because we are all different and are driven by different things. the problem today is so many people are ‘distracted’ every where they turn. whether it’s by the things they own or the things they believe they need as a result then desire. people need to take the time to get to know themselves. really get to know themselves. spend time with yourself, learn how to make you laugh with your own joke, learn what gets you excited by exploring your own mind and what it already knows and doesn’t know. what have you learned about yourself to this point in life. learning what makes you smile, laugh, learn and live is what will ultimately make simplifying easier because you’ll have a better idea of what you truly ‘need’. the mistake is in believing there is a one size fits all fix to everyone’s life. minimalism alone will not automatically give you a life of purpose and meaning. only you can do that. but it takes time, work and effort, getting to know yourself. there are people who have lived minimally for generations before, during and after us. a majority of them are called artists. real artists, who live and breath their work. have you ever went to one of their homes? it’s essentially covered in the things that not only inspire them but allow them the freedom to create freely. again, minimilasim is not a new idea, it’s just finally being marketed properly to the many people who live ‘normal’ lives. but it isn’t a universal solution. because one does not exist. I will say one thing, most people who have found themselves on this page or thinking about this life are at least headed in the right direction. not ignoring the strong desire to live a purpose filled life is the first step in achieving it. but just remember, there is no one size fits all purpose. only you can discover your own purpose. just don’t ever stop searching for it.
I found this article because of a video I saw on YouTube. It was about a girl ‘minimalist’ who found a way to not buy certain items that at one time she felt were important. I’ve never heard the term before but I watched because I’m all about finding new ways to improve my and my family’s life. I didn’t learn anything but I think it’s really cool that people take the time out of their day to share what’s working for them. When I was reading the comments someone said she wasn’t a minimalist because she owned a vacuum!? This irritated me (still) so I had to find out the requirements of such a lifestyle. Honestly, if that’s the case, if owning items that one will have to replace makes one unminimalistic then no one could own even the smallest kitchen/household appliance let alone a phone or computer. I really appreciate what John Doe said, as well as the author of course. I am bipolar and I worked a lot and my mental health came crashing down! We made the decision for me to stop working and buy a foreclosure. My daughter also has an autoimmune disease and is sick frequently. So, we downsized from a large house with a 2 car garage in a housing development to a double wide with a shed, 30 miles from the nearest mall. It was the best thing we could’ve done! My husband shaved an hour off his commute. We have no house payment or car payment. We’d be debt free if not for our student loans. We dont have a lot of excess fundage but we eat nutritious food, I craft and make beauty products for christmas gifting, we vacation every year for a week. It’s nice. What really helped us get out of debt faster and lessened our financial arguments was adding up all of our annual costs. Like maintenance bills (water, power…) car maintenance (oil changes, tires), vet bills, holiday allowances (Christmas fund per kid, birthday fund per person…). We included everything we could think of that is a constant worry. We took the sum of all the bills and divided it by my husband’s paydays in a year. That amount is what we put in a completely separate account (the bill account). It’s with our regular bank but we have separate checks and the debit card has a different image on it. Whatever is left from his paycheck is what we use for savings, groceries, gas, what nots and we each get an allowance. The hardest part of this journey was my own acceptance of providing for my family without outside employment. As we pair down my mind becomes clearer.
Well said John!
I’m just wired different, i enjoy buying the latest technology, getting a new car every couple of years etc. i’m 74 years old and i want to experience as much as possible . In the time i have left.
I feel I live a fairly minimalist life, but my focus is not that removing clutter and possessions makes me free, it’s having something more important than stuff fill the void in my life. I follow the teachings and lifestyle of Jesus Christ, and try to live simply and as servant to others through the guidance of the Holy Spirit. I’ve found I don’t desire stuff very much anymore, I’d rather live to please my Lord and this gives me peace. I like your minimalist ideas, but having a spiritual relationship with God makes it better. The Creator of all things cares about us, no matter how insignificant we may seem, and we are promised he will be with us no matter what if we believe and trust.
I am 43 years old, I am a disabled veteran, I am a father, a husband and grew up poor. My father died when I was 11 and my mother fought substance abuse for decades. She committed sucicide last February. My grandmother mostly raised me. She worked all her life sewing buttons on women’s apparel and got paid per button. She grew up in the Great Depression. She instilled in me a sense of frugality, appreciation for the things we have and caring for them to last for as long as they possibly can. The values of minimalism really resonate with me. Somewhere along the way I have lost those early teachings, I have let the people around me shame me into feeling like I am cheap and inconsiderate if I am not buying gifts, dinners, drinks… you get the idea. I feel so trapped now, because what I have created with myself and family is this attitude of less gratitude. Thankful for the little things, always trying to be someone or something I can’t and shouldn’t be spending money on. Especially those things that don’t bring real lasting. Slur to my life. I enjoyed the documentary and have shared it with my friends on FB. I want to thank you both for helping me see my roots and on this Christmas Eve, I am calling my 91 year old Grandmother tomorrow and thNking her for bringing me up with a real sense of understanding of what value is and commit to her that I will once again find my way.
Justone thought in regard to “minimalizing” your quantity; what do you do about heirlooms.
This is the way 2 live. Capitalism, consumerism, outright greed muddies effectively our everyday lives. Be like the sheeple or live your life as “U” feel just, devoid of materialistic influences. I “LOVE” it & feel more free than my family & peers.
A beautiful literature, a marvelous writing, thank you very much.
Hey I’m currently writing an essay about minimalism and I was just wondering what you would believe is what you need. As humans all we really need to survive is water, food, air and shelter. But I wish to find out what you will feel the minimal we would need to live a comfortable life it and why you think we need this stuff.
I really enjoyed your explanation. I’m discovering more and more why minimalism is the exact way of life for me. Every day I try to move toward it. Thanks for sharing your insight!
I do not understand the concept of living with what you need. If a light bulb blows to-day I need a replacement now. Where do I keep the spares- ditto every area of family life….
Lol. In your mind. Is plenty space there.
The whole concept seems to allude you. Nah, keep 5 globes in reserve.
Damn them elusive light bulbs!!
It’s about focusing on your freedom to live for the moment, not to live for material things ,so if the light bulb blows out, go get a new one, it’s not about having, it’s about living with what you have, knowing the fact that you don’t need three cars, you don’t need a thousand clothes, that you’re not going to wear, its living with basic necessities, not wasting, understanding that it’s your hard-earned money ,and that you should value it, use it to be able to have the freedom to be who you want, to go where you want, to have the job that you want , how to make use of what you have, not to waste.
Nice article! I have had that desire much in my later years. It’s like the feeling one has after they clean out the garage full of stuff they don’t need or doing a move from one location to another and toss stuff they don’t need. It gives me the feeling of having less reliance on stuff and a life of simplicity rather than complexity in a world full of busyness.
Also it’s a way toward less bills, less pressure to pay those bills. My goal is to have the feeling of freedom and part of that is not being in debt which I currently have.
And I think a big one for me is if I try to accumulate less than I have more to give away. The bible says it’s better to give than to receive. Now wouldn’t the world be a much better place if there were more givers than people wanting to receive?
Thanks for sharing!
Been on this journey or discovery…
My goal is to minimize more in 2015. Ha! I live in a very affluent area and people are always rushing to and fro. It is somehow fashionable to be busy and announce it loudly and proudly! I don’t fit in with these busy types. I love simplicity and solitude. Thankfully, there is much natural beauty here in Colorado! With that said, consumerism is rampant and highly flaunted here; expensive outdoor equipment and clothes are emblems of success and acceptance. I am walking a fine line but shedding unneeded baggage.
This whole idea of living with just what you need is an appropriate paradigm shift today and necessary for tomorrow. It can only bring back the true values of what is important and subsequently enhance human relationships in any community.
Thanks for sharing
thoughtful and to the point. Is it really important to be the same at home and at work? We can be the same at the core at the same time flexible to adjust the new realities without compromising our core values
i am not sure what i would call myself, i fell that i am somewhere in-between a minimalist and a materialistic person. My big thing is once i have something i don’t always have to be upgrading it all the time. i have a few examples. my friend noticed a fews weeks ago that there are 5 other people in out town that have the same truck as me, exactly the same, same paint, rims, body style, ext. and he made the comment that its time to get a new vehicle. i asked him why, it still works perfectly, and it does what it was intended to do. same friend sad something for my laptop case, some of the satin covering is coming off of it and he said looks like you need a new case. I again replied why, the case part of it still works? it may be a little dank looking but why do i need a new one? and lastly a different friend asked my why do i still have the same old phone? this firmed has upgraded his phone twice in the last year. my phone still works great its fast and has memory on it still, i don’t need a new phone. i am the kind of guy that uses something until it no longer usable or until it can no longer serve me in the way i need it to. my big question is what word can be used to describe my lifestyle? i feel this word is somewhere in-between minimalist and materialistic. i want to know so i can look into this life style and see how others are living their lives this way.
My thougths also like you.
Frugal
I, too am like you and while I have found no label for myself, I have found a phrase I have used over the years, “waste not, want not”.
I believe you are heading as a minimalist. Goo for you why throw out these of they work.
Simplicity and spontaneity sometimes leads to things more beautiful than that we’ve searched for through duplicity.
I just retired and your “minimalist” is just timely for this stage in my life.
Great Article :) Thank you so much for posting. Very well articulated, and I believe that it really gets to the ‘heart’ of the issue.
An article about minimalism should be shorter…… Don’t you think?
I did enjoy the article though.
Now, David, remember YOU are the one who clicked on the photo/link for MORE info. You can hardly complain if MORE is what you get. But it was funny that you did so.
In the interests of clarity, “allude” was not the correct word to use. I think you meant “elude”.
Loved this post! My minimalist journey began a couple of years ago when I happened upon one of your posts on the same day that I also happened to catch an episode of “Hoarders”. Those two things together, on the same day, made me look at my home, my life, in a different way. I immediately began “the great purge”…an ongoing process. Initially, I was just removing items from my home…but it has grown… I am purging not only possessions,but people and situations that are not essential to my well being. The freedom this brings is remarkable…freedom from the distraction of things…freedom from the toxicity of some people. So…thank you for the inspiration and advice.
Great you’re the new age mesiah keep up with it …it’s it’s time…Df Role ( in Nigeria)
OK, I looked at that photo and though, gee, where’s the stuff? A companion object would create negative space. Wouldn’t that wall look great in chartreuse? It’s a regular Rorschach test.
No, I’m not a minimalist, and just might as well embrace that moment when an office friend remarked, “you’re one of the happy slobs, aren’t you?” Yeah, that I am.
I love the idea of becoming a minimalist….but, I have a question (this probably sounds dumb), what do you do with your time on a daily basis now that you don’t have to, pick up, organize, dust, organize, buy, store, organize, etc, etc, etc? I feel like it’s almost an addiction now that I have 3 young kids and am a stay at home mom….I honestly can’t visualize my daily routines beyond what I do now.
Found this article interesting. In-fact it portrays my life in the best light, I thought I was the only one.. :)
Wonderful post. Thank you so very, very much for putting words to what I am feeling to be absolute Truth!!
I have been one all my life but did not know what to call it till years ago.
I’m new here and I’m glad I stumbled upon this blog. Most of the issues you talked about resonate with me. Thanks for the education.
I’m so glad that I stumbled across your blog. I was thinking hard about minimalism the other day when someone called me “you minimalist!” with a negative connotation. It got me thinking. What exactly is “a minimalist”? I believe it is something I must be naturally. I own no bed, no TV – and I repeat the same outfits every week. But this is just me, I naturally feel heavy burdened with too much of anything, period.
Thanks for your insightful message!
I love the duplicity part! It’s especially noticeable here in Tokyo where I’m studying at the moment, where you really have different ways and words of speaking depending on whom you’re speaking with.
I think I’m doing pretty good at that part though, and though many people think at first it’s embarrassing when I speak to people I’ve never met before with enthusiasm and lose but polite language, but it almost unfailingly turns out well. I mostly speak the same way with people who are “above” me (although I don’t really believe in people being over and under) as I do with my friends, and it doesn’t seem to bother many people after all :)
Good post!
Freedom from dupicity – amazing concept. It takes so much effort to compartmentalize…
Relief from Modern Mania. Stay on the internet too long and everything and everyone starts to look manic. (Though not you Mr. Minimalist.) Great thoughts.
Joshua,
Glad to connect via J Millburn. You’ve both articulated something my wife and I have done over the past two years, quite elegantly. We live in Brazil, and the massive poverty and “conspicuous consumption” is harrying. This is a very important message for the future of America. I’m a husband (and aspiring dad), and will continue to drop by.
Thanks,
M
I really like the first point you made: “At its core, minimalism is the intentional promotion of the things we most value and the removal of everything that distracts us from it.”
That’s how I think of minimalism too – never as less for the sake of less, but as less for the sake of more (that is, more ultimate value and pleasure in life). I’m not focusing on getting to the least amoung possible, but to the optimal amount, and that happens to require cutting back on many things.
I absolutely loved this post!!! So hit home with me in so many ways…I am working on becoming a minimalist…I am in heart, now I need the rest of my life to reflect this. Thanks for this encouragement!!!
Simplicity and minimalism are often mistaken for poverty and desperation. I think Thomas makes a good point about that misconception. That stigma may be the thing that stops people from taking their dreams and goals to the next level. A life quite contrary to the perception, one that offers no boundaries.
I too, never thought of the multiplicity angle, but at some point in all of our lives, we want to be accepted. We all equivocate. Our ego and fears get in the way, but once we slowly accept the truth and beauty of life, we can embrace it.
I think minimalism is often misunderstood as having nothing, spending nothing and being nothing (sorry, I may have gone too far in that last bit but you know what I am trying to say :)
To me minimalism is, as you explain in your post, something above that, a state of mind where you are content with yourself and the things that surround you.
I love love love this post. I am somewhere along my path of minimalism finding my way, slowly but ever so surely. Your blog is somewhere I go for inspiration. I think it would be a good thing talk about at my UU Fellowship and these points are great. do you ever do speaking engagements?
I never really gave a lot of thought to duplicity (or, for many people, multiplicity would be more accurate) of being as being anti-minimalistic. I suppose the added complexity of keeping track of one’s various personas would definitely be counter-minimalistic.
JB,
Thanks for asking… nice catch on the wording of that last sentence. My original word-choice was indeed, “everything that our heart has been longing for,” but I changed it in the final edit. As a man who values his spirituality, I live my life with a belief that there are longings in my heart that can only be filled by the supernatural. And that is why I chose the words, “almost everything,” for that final sentence. I appreciate the question.
“After all, it offers almost everything our heart has been asking for all along…”
Just curious, what is our heart longing for that it doesn’t offer?
I’m new to the minimalism lifestyle (definitely a work-in-progress for a student at a highly competitive university), but I’ve definitely seen its appeal — which is why I’m pursuing these principles. In my short (so far!) journey, I’ve noticed that a lot of people have varying definitions of what minimalism is, but they share a lot of the same principles — a lot of which you outlined here.
This is a great reference post for me to come back to when I lose sight of my goals, and to share with others who are like-minded. Thanks a ton!
I love how you give the simple definition, and then have a further breakdown for those who ask!
For me, I think one of the biggest things has been freedom from modern mania coupled with the need to possess things. There is such a mad rush to do, go see, have, own, and it sucks the life right out of living. Having pared down our belongings, and our rate of consumption, I am enjoying the slower pace we are living at now!
Great post, Joshua, as always!
Bernice
Putting your priorities where they belong
Thank you for the excellent information. I’m new around here but am looking forward to learning more about you and living a minimalist life.
Thank you for the very informative information on this subject, it’s helping me see how stressful and full of clutter my life has become and how I have been craving my simple balanced life back the way it was growing up at home. Fran in Florida
My short answer is, “Minimalism is choosing quality instead of quantity.”
Nicely said! :)
Great way of putting it. I can embrace that.
Minimalism is completely achievable….. Love it! When I chat with people about minimalism they often seem intimidated by it. I think that’s because their definition of minimalism or their image of what a minimalist home and lifestyle is can be intimidating. I remind them there are no rules. Start small and do what feels right. Usually doing what feels right will lead you in that minimalist direction anyway. :-)
Ooh, the duplicity one is tough to swallow, because you’re right. I need to pay attention to this one. We just moved to a new place and we’re trying to meet people and find our way…I’m now wondering if I change my demeanor every time I’m around a new group?
Yikes.
Thanks for giving me something to work toward in the near future!
I always remind myself of this quote from a priest during his homily.
“If you do not know the essence of who “I AM”,
you will have no essence of who “YOU ARE”