Do you ever find yourself wondering what is minimalism? Sure—you know it’s about decluttering and owning less—but what is it really all about?
What’s the meaning of minimalism, why should you care, and do you have to give up all your stuff?
If you’re feeling confused, I don’t blame you. There are a lot of varying opinions about what it means to be a minimalist and some definitions can leave you feeling uncertain if it’s a lifestyle worth pursuing.
Case in point: a few years ago, I read a blog post about a minimalist kitchen tour. The author revealed that, among other things, she owns an ice-cream maker because her children enjoy it and she uses it often.
None of this was particularly remarkable until I read the comments at the end of the post and realised one reader was of the impression the author wasn’t a real minimalist because she owns an ice-cream maker.
The comment struck a chord with me, and since then, I’ve been thinking a lot about my minimalist lifestyle and what it means to be a minimalist.
Are we truly defined by the things—or lack of things—we own?
I don’t think so but I was interested to hear your thoughts, so I surveyed my readers and asked them a few questions about what it means to be a minimalist.
The feedback was incredible! I received over a hundred in-depth responses and I decided to share the conversation here with you—along with my thoughts on common myths and misconceptions I often hear about minimalism.
If you have something to add, feel free to continue the discussion in the comment section at the end of this post. I’d love to know—what does minimalism mean to you?
All reader comments published with permission.
What Is Minimalism?
THE TWO CAMPS OF MINIMALISM
One thing I’ve noticed as I’ve become more active in the online minimalist community is that minimalists tend to fall into one of two main camps:
- Hardcore declutterers whose primary focus is owning and consuming as little as possible.
- People who want to live with less but, more importantly, want to live with intention.
The first camp gets the most attention in the mainstream media, which makes sense because it’s sensational. When we hear about extreme minimalists, we’re curious and it definitely challenges us to think about our own lifestyles.
This camp is also easier to understand, whether you agree with it or not. The rules are simple: own as little as possible.
In a way, I admire these types of minimalists; anyone who commits to an extreme lifestyle obviously knows a lot about commitment, hard work and dedication— all admirable qualities!
But at the same time, I can’t help but feel that this type of minimalism is about achieving some sort of goal, like climbing a mountain or running a marathon. It can be competitive, exclusive, and— let’s be honest— a bit elitist.
A few months ago, a reader shared this article with me, and I think it sums up the major criticisms of stuff-centric minimalism:
Basically, minimalism is largely something only well-off people can afford to pursue, because their wealth provides a cushion of safety. If they get rid of something, and then need it later, they’ll just buy it again. They don’t need to carry much else besides a wallet when they’re out and about; if they need something, they’ll just buy it on the fly. No sweat.
The article continues and points out:
The great irony of minimalism is that while it purports to free you from a focus on stuff, it still makes stuff the focus of your life! The materialist concentrates on how to accumulate things, while the minimalist concentrates on how to get rid of those things…ultimately they’re both centering their thoughts on stuff.
If you’re obsessed with NOT owning stuff, are you still growing? Are you moving forward and creating the a life you love? Or are you just creating new standards to compare and stress about?
A few of you felt the same way and shared similar concerns in your emails:
I feel uncomfortable labelling myself a minimalist in part because it is quite a loaded and trendy term. It feels SO entitled to announce “I’m a minimalist”, when so many people don’t have the choice whether to live minimalist or not – they have their lifestyle forced on them by socio-economic forces and their personal family history. It also feels weird to actually have a focus on “stuff” when there are so many other things to be doing that feel more like “living”. An obsession with “stuff” seems like it is entirely counter-minimalist, and perhaps the flip side of hoarding. – Tully
I’m just beginning this journey and I have since removed myself from many online groups that talk about “minimalist lifestyle” because I’ve seen people get OCD over how many chairs they have or should I own pets, or does this chair look good in this corner. If I have a table am I not minimalist enough?
-Kayla
I wonder if one of the things that prevents people from calling themselves a minimalist is fear of the judgement that may come from others? “You call yourself a minimalist? So why do you own 2 pairs of shoes and not just one?” The risk of the minimalist movement is being mistakenly regarded as meaning a sterile and boring life characterised by scarcity – of possessions, food, friends, activities.
– Jo Williams of Jo Simply Will
These are all valid points, which weighed on my mind when I first started blogging in 2015. I knew I wanted to write about minimalism but simply writing articles about decluttering didn’t feel right to me; it didn’t go far enough to explain how minimalism had completely changed my life.
I spent several months reflecting on what minimalism really meant to me and ultimately, made the connection to intentional living (placing me firmly in the second camp of minimalist beliefs). I launched my blog and since then, I’ve found a huge community of like-minded minimalists—including many of my readers!
There are, of course, many shades of grey between the two camps. I’ve learned minimalism is very personal and a “minimalist life” will look different for everyone—but there are some common truths that I hold close to my heart and I want to share these with you today.
MINIMALISM IS NOT ALL ABOUT STUFF
First and foremost, if it isn’t already clear, I want you to know that being a minimalist is not about giving up all your stuff.
Guess what? I own stuff. I shop sometimes. My home, while much smaller than it once was, is not pristine, white or empty.
And I still consider myself a minimalist.
Obviously, owning less is part of being a minimalist, but I don’t believe it’s the deciding factor.
Instead, I believe minimalism is subtler— a different way of thinking— and becoming a minimalist is about retraining our minds about intention and alignment.
When we declutter, we evaluate our stuff against our values and priorities, and in the process learn to make better decisions—not just about our stuff, but also about our time, money and oh-so-precious energy!
So yes, as a minimalist, I own a lot less stuff than I used to and there are a lot of tangible benefits (a more comfortable home, less time spent cleaning, and more money in my pocket) but it’s what I’ve learned about intentional living that has been truly life-changing.
It’s not what we own, but WHY we own stuff that matters.
After all, as one reader rightly pointed out:
I guess I’m saying it all starts with a decision and flows from there. If I just willy nilly start tossing things out without a reason why I’m doing it, then of course I’ll end up buying another house full of stuff! – Sunny
I absolutely agree. I think mindless decluttering is a lot like fad dieting— you might lose weight in the short-term but you’re unlikely to learn anything about long-term healthy living.
Here are more of your thoughts about minimalism, intention and purpose:
What defines someone as a minimalist is that in all aspects of that person’s life are carefully considered, including possessions, how they spend their time, friends, food they consume, etc. How that person spends time and what that person owns or consumes is based on an intentional decision about what matters most to that person. – Lisa Foster
I define minimalists as people who know themselves and what they want for their lives very well; they aren’t afraid to use some things around them to get there, but they know that those things are never more important than the experiences they represent. – Lauren Aziz
Explanations for choices we make in the name of minimalism vary widely from person to person, but the part that really matters to me when talking about this lifestyle is actively making decisions and having a willingness to set boundaries on what’s allowed into one’s life–from food, to clothing, to relationships, to time commitments… it all takes practice! – Kayla D. Samber
I believe that living minimally is living with intention, where you consider carefully what you do, who you keep around and what you buy and store because you know that at the end of your life people will look at these things and experiences to determine who you were. […] To me, minimalism is a lifestyle in which items don’t define you, but reflect you. -Rachel Carpenter
We spend so much time remembering the past and imagining the future that life in the present moment is passing us by. Minimalist to me means asking myself at every turn: Do I really need this? Is this what I really want? – Connie
Minimalist Rules: The Only One That Matters
When I emailed my readers, I asked them if they felt comfortable calling themselves minimalists— why or why not?
The results were truly a mixed bag of responses. Many of you were very proud to embrace the title of minimalist, others loved the lifestyle but not the label, and yet others felt afraid of being judged.
As one reader put it:
I don’t feel comfortable calling myself a minimalist because I feel like if I’m not doing it 100% all the time in every area, people will sniff and judge me for calling myself so. – Sydney
Others confessed they felt like aspiring minimalists, implying that they feel there’s a certain “standard” one has to reach before being called a minimalist.
No one seemed clear on what exactly this standard looks like— is it owning a certain number of items? Only wearing neutral colours? Living in a certain sized home?— but it’s clear that quite a few of you feel there’s some sort of standard one must live up to before you can “achieve” minimalism.
To this, I’d like to argue there is only one rule to being a minimalist: being true to yourself.
As one reader, Missy, wonderfully explains:
Minimalism is not about having less stuff or forced self-denial; it’s about values. It just happens that when you value life and people over stuff, some of the stuff starts falling away and the calendar and to-do lists start clearing up, because priorities are different. Minimalism is not decluttering, but decluttering is a natural byproduct of a shift to a minimalist value system. – Missy
This explains why minimalism looks different to everyone and why “rules” don’t work; we all have different personal values, priorities and dreams, so it’s impossible to create a single standard to reflect this.
There is no dress code, you don’t have to live in a tiny house, and you don’t need to know how many things you own. You don’t have to toss your record collection, your favourite family photos, or those absolutely gorgeous sparkly heels you bought last year but rarely wear.
As long as you’re being true to yourself and making mindful decisions that honour YOUR vision and values, then in my book— you ARE a minimalist.
Or as Stephanie put it:
[…]There is no set style and no rules about how many things you can own or buy. It simply asks you to be more intentional about the connection between the things you buy and the happiness they bring you. – Stephanie
And Bex from Minimo:
I am confident in considering myself a minimalist even though I may have more items than, say, the Minimalists. But I believe minimalism looks different to everyone, whether that means dressing in patterns vs neutrals, keeping some pictures vs digitizing them, or having an art studio in your backyard vs a tiny house. – Bex
And it’s ok if you’re a work in progress – in fact, I think minimalism is by definition a work in progress. With time, we learn more and more about ourselves, and then we adjust our lifestyles accordingly. You can’t really “achieve” minimalism unless you stop growing as a person.
We may all be at different stages of our journey, but if we’re actively seeking to be intentional with our lives, then we’re minimalists.
Or as Debb explains:
It’s just like people who play the piano — they may be playing beginner pieces or rule when they play classics – but whatever the level, they still are all piano players. – Debb Stanton
Minimalism Is NOT About Restrictions
Anyone who’s read anything about minimalism has heard the expression “living with less”; I’ve used it many times and it’s a quick and easy way to sum up a minimalist lifestyle.
Easy, but perhaps not very accurate.
Minimalists may choose to own less “stuff” than the average person, but it’s not a restrictive lifestyle. Instead, it’s about making an intentional choice to have MORE of whatever matters most.
I love how Stephen, from Queanbeyan, NSW explains this (emphasis added by me):
To me the essence of minimalism is letting go of what’s not serving a purpose in your life so you can focus on what’s really important to you. Sometimes you choose to let go of the good to focus on the best. – Stephen
I’ve written before about my minimalist journey and how it took me years to make real and sustainable changes. Looking back I can see it was because I thought minimalism was about willpower.
My focus was on all the things I was giving up (all those shoes and handbags! Noooo!!!). Although it’s embarrassing to admit, it was painful and I actually mourned the loss of my things.
This went on and on until, finally, I realised minimalism is a tool to help me achieve my dreams. I stopped viewing minimalism as a restrictive lifestyle and instead as a choice to live the life I want most. It’s not about giving things up.
Instead, it’s about not settling and choosing to live your life to the fullest!
Or, in your words:
[Minimalism] is about slowing things down and only keeping what is important so that I can give my full attention and effort to what really matters to me. […] Our identities are bigger than simply what we own and as cliche as it sounds society puts to much emphasis on our material goods. When we don’t have those things to hide behind we are forced to face ourselves, who we are and what we stand for. This can be scary but also so liberating. – Emily
Minimalism to me is a way to an unencumbered life with unnecessary stuff, which blocks the energy for whatever could be happen in the future. So, as I’m ridding the unnecessary, it is slowly opening doors to new experiences. – Vivian Haight
Finally minimalism to me means a earthly freedom to be able to move to India tomorrow and not worry about all of my stuff left behind. It’s about having time to invest in new relationships and in new hobbies. It’s about figuring out what you are made of how little you really need to be fulfilled and happy. – Beth
Those last few quotes really sum up the joy minimalism brought into my life. After years of feeling stuck and hopeless, minimalism gave me the gift of freedom. I feel optimistic, hopeful, and—after hiding them away for years — believe in my dreams again.
Final Thoughts + Minimalism Resources
Thank you again to everyone who took the time to write and share your thoughts on the meaning of minimalism.
Your responses really inspired me and I was blown away by the depth of this community! I’m sorry I wasn’t able to include all your comments in this post but please feel free to continue the conversation in the comments—I’d LOVE to hear more about your experiences and your wisdom!
Also, if you’re interested in learning more about minimalism, here are some resources to help you get started:
- Mindful Decluttering – my free decluttering guide and workbook
- How to be a Minimalist: 5 Things Not to Do + What to Do Instead
- 6 Gentle Reminders About Minimalism
- Minimalist Lifestyle Checklist: How to Get Started With Minimalism
- 20 Minimalism Do’s and Dont’s
Do you feel comfortable calling yourself a minimalist? Why or why not? What do you think defines someone as a minimalist? What does minimalism mean to you? Let me know in the comments! x
H E L P!! I am very intrigued by “minimalism” but am at point of saturation. Why is there SO much attention being given to a matter of less is more. If the goal is to minimize why is so much time and energy being spent? I find it ironic that this subject has caused me stress. I wonder why each day Google features another article about it. You know in my mind I think why is a subject of minimizing actually maximizing “intentional” living? Go about your business! All the free time is now absorbing more time in analyzing, reasoning, comparing, perfecting, obsessing, striving, admiring our naked emptiness? It too has fallen prey to just one more “thing” we need to think about, consider, and wonder end leslly about with each new article, etc about it. We must keep up with the idol minimalism has become. I truly believe this subject has evolved because our society in general is “overloaded and inundated” with sights, sounds, excessive information, and so on that people are attempting to pull back and rethink a lot of things. The world has become chaotic yet it is what we are forced into grappling with if we hope to keep up and be successful. So, in adapting the philosophy of this lifestyle we are attempting to control and reclaim a little space in our life where we are free to set our own pace and reclaim many sacrifices we once thought essential. In its place we are seeking simpler, calmer lives which afford us an acceptable way of setting our own pace.
One that calms, soothes, energizes, liberates, rebels and rejects all that consumes and inundates our lives, time and energy. We are craving to unpack the burden of what has become known as a frenzy pace that ultimately offers nothing of true value in return. As I reflect back in time, I am certain this “luxury” of “choice” in lifestyle would have been by necessity the only way to live at that time. They worked harder and led by necessity a simpler way of life. With the advances achieved over time it has maximalized and taken over our society. I wish people would stop talking about this and focus on those forced to live minamalistic lives by necessity. Children as young as 2 searching for food in a trash dump or having no choice but to drink contaminated water. We think we are special because we purge the unnecessary and live intentionally. I think there are far bigger things to concentrate on than celebrating we live intentionally in this respect. Where is our intentional living happening? In our once “intentional” lives of surplus. Back and forth we go. Be “intentional” in general and stop praising it as something special. Just do what you do. Simple. In time change will occur and this subject will be irrelevant.
Hi Catherine,
Thank you for your insightful comment. A lot has been said here so I’ll address what was perhaps most directed to me, as someone who writes often about minimalism.
I started my blog because I’m passionate about sharing ideas. I “discovered” minimalism quite late in life, after reading another article and it was truly a foreign concept at first. I was born a first generation American and as immigrants, my well intending family encouraged me to have a better life.
Unfortunately, the message got twisted along the way and I ended up lost in an endless cycle of pursuing more and more. Things got a bit out of control but it took me a long time to understand what changes I needed to make.
I consumed a lot of content during that period, until I learned enough to adjust my way of living and thinking. Then, after some time had passed, I began writing because I believe in the power of stories and human connection.
So yes, I agree there will probably be a time when all of these articles will be irrelevant, but I think that point will be different for everyone.
For some, it has already passed but for others, the invitation to look at life through a different lens is still welcomed and needed.
Thank you for reading and take care.
Jennifer
I find that I’m a lot more stressed when I have a lot of things. Perhaps, deep inside, I’m comparing myself with everyone else and there’s no limit to the comparison.
However, when I have less, I find myself to be significantly happier.
Minimalism changed my life. If you are planning to be a minimalist, do it slowly, start small and see how it affects you emotionally. Going too big too fast can stop you from even taking the step (true for everything else).
Excellent advice about starting slowly! Thanks for reading 🙂
Jennifer, this is a wonderful article!! I absolutely consider myself a minimalist, but I don’t want to be known as a minimalist. Once an acquaintance was introducing me to someone and said “This is Rachel, she’s a ‘minimalist.'” And I cringed! Minimalism doesn’t define me- it’s simply a tool in my life that has helped me, like you said- live true to yourself. ❤️I’m going to share this- my readers will love it!
Thank you Rachel! And I completely understand, I cringe a bit when I use the term minimalist (but I continue to use it because it helps me connect with the right people online). I love what you said about minimalism not defining you, that is fanastic. Thanks for reading!
I LOVE this post! I’m someone who, according to my decoration tastes and styles, could be called a MAXIMALIST instead of a minimalist. But the values of living simply, choosing to consume less, and only focus on what really matters in my life are what draws me to minimalism. I want to find a perfect balance between the two, but I imagine it will take a while.
I definitely think there is a balance! I think the best way to find it is lots of self-reflection about what really adds value to your life. I’m pretty sure it’s a never ending process—at least, it is for myself! I’m constantly finding that I need to step back and revaluate what I’m doing and consuming, checking I’m still in tune with what matters most to me.
Good luck with everything Elizabeth and thank you for reading! x
Jennifer you have such a beautiful way with words. it’s ironic, as my husband and I started making changes in our lives and focusing on what truly matters most I often thought this is as close to minimalism as we’ll get. Who knew? We’re living exactly what minimalism means to us.
Aww, thank you Jill! This post was easy to write because I had so much feedback from my readers. And I LOVE that last bit of your comment, “We’re living exactly what minimalism means to us.” YES! That’s exactly what really matters 🙂
I actually just wrote a blog post titled “Am I a minimalist?” And in the end, yes I do label myself one. But I kind of touch on why it just feels wrong to call myself one, but my conclusion is at the end of the day, whether you label yourself as a minimalist or tell someone else you’re a minimalist doesn’t matter.
Because whoever you tell is going to project what THEY think minimalism means to them. Only by entering a discussion about it can you really communicate what being a minimalist means to you. Like a reader said above, minimalism really looks different for everyone! I think for any discussion around what it means to you to happen, it’s absolutely helpful to label yourself as one, barring that you’re talking to someone who’s not ridiculously judgmental or strictly believes minimalist = extreme minimalist.
I have stuff! I have tons of stuff, and I have gone on huge decluttering sprees because I used to be a hoarder (literally, I owned “collections” of everything possible, including 500 bottles of nail polish), so it took me quite a lot of “decluttering” to even get down to what I consider a normal person’s level of stuff. Now I find myself realizing I don’t need 2-3 items here or there and I have a little baggy for all of that stuff, which in my mind is decluttering from an “average” person’s level of belongings.
Hi Jing, I’m so sorry I’m only just getting around to replying to this comment. I think you made some fantastic points, especially the bit about “whoever you tell is going to project what THEY think minimalism means to them”. This is spot on and a good argument for why the label doesn’t really matter. It’s really so personal; it’s not about how things look on the outside. Instead, it’s about how you make decisions and how you feel about them.
Thanks for taking the time to read and comment. All the best! x Jen
The first camp of minimalists got to me at first. There are so many items I need because I have chronic illnesses and autoimunne issues. I’m glad there are so many people and bloggers out there that focus on intentions instead of just living with as few items as possible. 🙂
Hi Ava, you make such an important point – some people simply need more things than others. This shouldn’t hold anyone back from living an intentional life. Thank you for reading and all the best! x
“To me, minimalism is a lifestyle in which items don’t define you, but reflect you. –Rachel Carpenter”
This helped me reach clarity about where my husband and I are. Look around our small living room and you won’t see minimal stuff even though we think of ourselves as living a minimalist lifestyle. True we don’t have a lot of furniture in here but–You’ll see the piano my husband rarely plays but greatly enjoys when he does. You’ll see framed photos that were part of his college photography final–only the three out of ten that really speak to him, though. You’ll see one wall-filling map of the railroads of Minneapolis/St Paul of the time in his youth that my husband spent riding his bike around looking at all those tracks and trains. You’ll see a LARGE screen TV on which we watch movies we enjoy. You’ll see two laptops that let us participate in our favorite on-line communities. And you’ll see hundreds of Lego blocks–most of them in buildings the frustrated architect in me has built. This room reflects us.
Hi Linda! I love that tidbit from Rachel too! I totally agree – it’s really the intention behind the stuff that matters and this is so personal. (And on a side note – this is one of the many reasons why I hate when some minimalists judge other people for what they own.) There is nothing intrinsically wrong with owning “stuff” as long as your stuff ads genuine value to your life. Thanks for reading and sharing your thoughts! 🙂
“Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful”.
That’s a quote from William Morris that has become my minimalist mantra. I love design but I’m so much happier when my home is curated with only items I truly love.
My partner and I recently sold/donated everything to move across the world to teach English. We had already been pursuing minimalism but that was a kick in the butt of minimizing. Doing that is extreme but it felt so incredibly liberating and since then I’ve noticed I am having an easier time being more intentional with the other parts of my life. I’m having an easier time making time for myself to do yoga or journal, basically more intentional with my time. I think having such few things has really helped in that journey.
Love this blog and the focus on being intentional! When I first started being interested in minimalism I would get angry when I read the articles about only have 100 items or 2 shoes or whatever. The idea of having to ascribe to a specific number of things seemed really dumb to me. Then I discovered Marie Kondo and the idea of just having things you LOVE and that lead me to blogs like yours. Love it and love reading everyone’s ideas on minimalism- great community!
Hi Désirée! I love that quote soooo much too – especially how it leaves room for the individual to define what matters most to them.
Congrats on your big move and thank you so much for your feedback about my blog. It really means a lot to me 🙂
Happy travels!
Jen
I love, love love this quote and I feel that it sums up what I believe being a minimalist is all about.
I think minimalism is to be surrounded just by the things you need in order to show love to yourself and your dear ones. Like the ice cream machine of the example: For many people is unnecessary but for this person is important because it helps her bring joy to her children. Period. Is it something more simple than this?
Hi Evelyn! Oooh – I love how you make love the focus. I’ve never thought about it this way but it’s so true! Thanks for sharing 🙂 Jen
Jen I’ve been so looking forward to this post! Congratulations on such a well-written piece – it beautifully combines readers’ views, reflections from other blogs, and your own perspective. Stephen’s comment that minimalism is about ‘letting go of what’s not serving a purpose in your life’ struck a particular chord with me. This is so applicable to everything from possessions to attitudes and yes, even friendships. What I have gleaned from reading (twice!) through this terrific post is that it is about being reflective and thoughtful about how we live our life, who we have in our life, what we own, and how we spend our time. In other words, as you suggest, living intentionally.
Hi Jo! So nice to hear from you (and apologies for my super slow reply!). I really love Stephen’s comment to – it really gets to the core of what minimalism is to me. Thank you for your kind words and for taking the time to comment. xx Jen PS: Will I see you at Problogger this year?
You sure will Jen! I’ll be coming up on the Saturday and will look out for you.
I’ve really been struggling with the term minimalist. Last year, I fully defined myself as a “minimalist,” but I focused so much on that identity that I stopped be authentic to myself. Right now the term still makes me uneasy, but I’m learning to accept that minimalism is a facet of my life I enjoy. It doesn’t have to be all or nothing. I can have the ice cream maker if I want it!
Hey Sarah! Yep – I completely understand how you feel. I think it all comes down to defining minimalism for ourselves; I think one thing that helps me is I don’t actually read many minimalist blogs regularly and I’m not active in any minimalist FB groups – it helps me just stay true to what works for me (instead of constantly comparing myself to others and wondering if I’m ‘minimalist enough’ <- such a silly idea!). At the end of the day, minimalism is a tool – so whatever works for you is what matters. Thanks for reading! 🙂 Jen
I think you hit the nail on the head when you said that the only rule is to “be true to yourself.” That’s a great rule! I would love to get dressed, get jobs, get into relationships, eat and work out that way! Thanks for the compassionate look at minimalism.
Hi Lily – thank you so much for your feedback! I really appreciate you took the time to comment. Have a lovely day 🙂
Since becoming a subscriber to this fabulous post, I have thought long and hard about what Minimalism means to me… I now believe it is to be mindful of what you want out of life. We all need ‘stuff’ to one degree or another and whilst It would be lovely to have less, I am trying to be more mindful of what I/we actually need. I agreed with Elizabeth’s post below regarding the first time I heard the term Minimalism. It was in the same context of interior design as she describes and whilst this lifestyle would be quite nice to have, it’s not always practical (and their cupboards could be full of ‘stuff’ just shoved out of sight!). In a similar vein regarding interior design, my husband and I are completely renovating our basement and are at the rewiring stage. We initially thought about having a pot lights but the expense was triple that of attractive pendants. We decided to go with the pendants after very little thought because in my new mindset, it really wasn’t going to improve the look of the room to that great an extent, and would save us money we could put towards something else which would bring us pleasure – a weekend away, or a little bit more towards the flight fund for Christmas this year with the family in the UK. Something more meaningful instead of carefully placed lighting that doesn’t really matter to either of us in the long term. This change in lifestyle is a work-in-progress but it is actually working! Each time I shop for something, I ask myself if I really need it, love it, or want it. 9 times out of 10 I have found myself just walking away… Same goes for my wardrobe. I am only buying new clothes/shoes if I actually need to replace something. Having followed Jen’s closet declutter post, I have found I still wear the same few things I enjoy and look/feel good in, so when I have time to sift through it all again, donations will be made to charity of things I no longer wear but are taking up physical and mental space. I just love this blog and I look forward to sitting down with a coffee and reading through. I have a long way to go before I would even consider calling myself a Minimalist but I’m on the right path to getting a different perspective on my life and am enjoying this ‘new’ me! Oh, and Congratulations to you and your husband, Jen, truly wonderful and enriching changes coming up for you both 🙂
Hi Sandra! Thank you so much for your long, thoughtful comment! I love your story about the light fixtures – I think it really demonstrates that minimalism is about making everyday decisions mindfully. And I’m so glad to hear my closet post was helpful for you! They were lessons that took me a VERY long time to learn but better late than never 😉 Thank you again for reading (and for the well wishes!) xx Jen
I think the first time I heard the term Minimalism, it was used in the context of decoration or interior design, plain white walls, no ornamentation and simplicity of design in the necessities such as chairs and tables. Now probably more than two decades later it has become a description of a lifestyle and as you have found great confusion about what it means. I prefer the intentional living description and feel this is inclusive, and as it is defined by the person themselves it is infinitely variable and each person can achieve it in their own way, outside judgments or comparison with others is not applicable, reducing the stress of trying to live up to someone else’s ideals. I’m British and was brought up by parents who were born and brought up during WW2 and the rationing that continued for several years after that, they didn’t waste anything, purchases had to be saved for and carefully considered, items were mended or if beyond that re-used for something else. It was actually a hard life requiring a lot of work to survive and thrive but the principals apply to anyone who takes intentional living as their way of life. Mum and Dad still cook from scratch, only buy what they need or can afford, grow a lot of their own food, repair what can be repaired and reuse what can be. If they can no longer use it it is recycled or donated. They don’t live in a white cube, they have quite a lot of things but they live very well for the money they have and I think some friends would be surprised at just how far their money goes. Intentional living is suitable for all generations and whatever your income. Minimalism as in getting rid of almost everything is a fad.
Hi Elizabeth! Thank you so much for taking the time to share your thoughts about minimalism. I think the story about your parents really demonstrates how minimalism is about personal values and how simply “owning less” can actually be in conflict with intentional living. Sounds like they were great role models 🙂
This post was worth waiting for, Jen! You hit the nail on the head with my concern that a version of minimalism is too focused on stuff sometimes in a different but still unhealthy way. As someone from a third world country with loved ones who can’t make ends meet, it’s also bothered me how quickly we can discard and buy again later when we need it in the name of having less stuff. You’re right about the gray area between too much and very little, and how our values and situation dictate where we are on the spectrum.
Your readers’ quotes also gave me the shivers. I especially loved the one about “being able to move to India tomorrow” – that puts a picture in my head!
Hi Daisy! Yes, I LOVED reading all my reader responses too, I was blown away by all the insight. And I agree with your point about “discarding and buying again later” – I think there needs to be a sense of responsibility and connection with things we let go of, so we make more mindful decisions in the future. There is a lightness that comes with decluttering, but there should also be accountability. (Hmm – hope that makes sense!) Anyway, thanks for reading. Chat soon! 🙂
I try to follow minimalist principles, to embrace less stuff, less desire for stuff, living intentionally, and working to be more aware of the things that truly are important, but I would never ever call myself a Minimalist. To me the -ist label has more social power than it deserves. I am a Feminist – being a Minimalist is just not in the same class. I am an Atheist – Minimalism should not be a religion. I think it’s a very valuable and useful healthy mindset to develop, but that using at a label is risky and possibly counter to minimalist ideas.
Hmm… thank you so much for sharing your thoughts – it really gives me something to think about. I don’t call myself a minimalist very often in “real life” because in person there is usually more time to talk about the principles behind the lifestyle (ie: “I’ve learned to become more mindful with my purchases because I realised my spending habits were holding me back from doing things I love.”) But online, I often feel like I need to quickly define myself and labels make this easier. I’m not 100% sure where I’m going with this, but your comment has definitely got me thinking. Thank you again for sharing.
I am so on board with this! I think we are too quick to draw the boundaries around a philosophy as a meaningful way to define the philosophy… but minimalism can (and should) be inclusive of anyone who wants to throw off burdens and run after what matters most. I love this post, and I hope you are doing well, friend!
Hi Daisy! Thank you for reading and sharing your feedback – your support really means a lot to me 🙂 I hope you’re well too! Chat soon x Jen
It is true as you say, there are different ways of thinking about and living minimalism. I don’t drink alcohol, coffee or smoke (non-nutritive!). Facebook, We Chat (here in China) repel me. Some of my friends and family live out their lives on social media in lieu of face-to-face time or written words or phone calls. People who don’t watch soaps or raucous TV series and listen to news while doing other work may be minimalists in their media consumption…. Walking or using public transportation, eating “clean”, regular bedtime routines, choosing friends and activities carefully might all be minimalist. What are some other ways?
Hi Meghan! I think so much of it depends on the intention. For example, social media isn’t inherently bad or “un-minimalist” but it can be – same with media consumption. friendships, etc. For me, the key word is often “mindlessness”; it’s important to me that I’m always questioning why I own/buy/do things and that my responses are in line with my priorities. Thank you for reading 🙂