I’ve been interviewed countless times over the past year, and frequently asked “What is minimalism?” More often than not, the reporter is looking for something dramatic, something newsworthy, something extreme. And more often than not, my answer disappoints them.
Why? Because in my opinion, minimalism is not about being radical or awesome or extraordinary.
It’s not about reducing your entire life to a hard drive, or interacting with the world through your iPhone.
It’s not about quitting your day job, traveling the world, or selling ebooks from a tropical beach.
It’s not about living in a sleek loft with three pieces of designer furniture.
It’s not daring, nor dramatic, nor even all that difficult.
What is minimalism then?
It’s eliminating the excess.
It’s asking “why” before you buy.
It’s embracing the concept of enough.
It’s living lightly and gracefully on the Earth.
It’s uncovering who you are when all of the logos, brand names, and clutter are stripped away.
It’s simple, it’s ordinary, and it’s accessible to everyone – even those whose lives are filled with kids, pets, laundry, and junk mail.
I’m reminded of the saying, “Zen is chopping wood and carrying water.” In other words, the world of enlightenment is none other than our everyday world.
In the same way, minimalism is chopping wood and carrying water. It’s cooking dinner, doing the dishes, paying the bills, and playing with our kids – no radical lifestyle changes necessary.
It’s simply going about our daily lives with a new clarity, and awareness, and appreciation. It’s cherishing the experiences that fill our days, rather than the stuff.
That’s not an answer that makes national headlines or the evening news. But it makes for happier, kinder, and more contented souls.
What’s your one-sentence definition of minimalism? Please share it with us in the Comments.
{If you’d like to learn more about minimalist living, please consider reading my book, The Joy of Less, A Minimalist Living Guide, or subscribing to my RSS feed.}
Wonderful definition of minimalism, elegant and simple without all the hardline ‘shoulds’ and ‘musts’. It is much easier to put minimalism into practice like this and see it as an ongoing way of life.
To me, the following quote sums up minimalism: “Give me neither poor nor riches, but give me only my daily bread.” (Proverbs 30:8)
Once I have my “daily bread” and no clutter, I can concentrate on me, my husband, my kids, my family, my community, the world.
Great Truth Laura. All for Him.
Great post Francine !
I love this post! As JBear said it’s simple and non-aggressive. Minimalism is different for everyone and everyone has different reasons and motivations behind their lifestyle. I think when people keep the things you said in mind, they realize that this isn’t a competition of ‘who is the most hardcore minimalist’ and that not everything has to be stripped away to gain it’s benefits. Great post Francine, thanks!
By the way I’m really excited to see you’ve wrote another amazing book! I can’t wait to read them!
This may be ironic, but a one sentence description for minimalism can be found in Wal-Mart’s slogan…
Save money, live better.
I like that it encompasses all minimalists, even if only in a superficial way. Spend less / Have less, and enjoy life more seem to be the unifying ideas among all minimalists, backpack travellers and stay at home moms alike.
For me personally, I’d ultimately like to live off the land with no need for money, transportation, or (ideally) a permanent home. Whether or not that is likely to happen remains to be seen, but the more I can reduce and clear away on my path the better. Coming from a family of hoarders (as in should be on the show Hoarders), I consider myself lucky to have recognized the problem and am working to clear all the accumulated crap from my life.
Minimalism, to me, is a concept or a tool we use to get the most “life out of our years” rather than always worrying about item-counting. I liken it to a diet. If we try to apply all sorts of rules to what we eat, severely limiting our enjoyment of food, we lose sight of the concept of the diet: to be healthy. Minimalism is all about living with a healthy mindset and outlook. Too many rules will only give us something else to have to live up to, which undermines the original intention entirely.
I’m still working on my “one sentence” definition of minimalism. This is what I have at the moment: “To want what you have and have only what you want; to be who you want, and want who you are.” So far, I like it!
I love this post, it perfectly describes what minimalism means to me.
Put another way, for me, minimalism is about appreciating the beauty of space.
I’ve always loved the zen concept, “Chop wood. Carry water.” The every day moments of life is where the real magic is hiding.
My one sentence definition of minimalism is one that a guest said on Oprah (that I’ve shamelessly added as my tag line.)
It’s simply: “Less Stuff. More Life.”
LOVE this post. and i think my new fav line is…It’s uncovering who you are when all of the logos, brand names, and clutter are stripped away.
Brilliant!
xo
janet
hope you have been well francine!
Minimalism silences the cacophony of clutter, leaving only serenity and the time to enjoy it.
Such a simple description. How minimalist of you. :-) I love it!
I find myself asked this question regularly. I’ll be bookmarking this post for quick reference. Thanks!
Well said, Francine.
I think you said it, “embracing the concept of enough”, understanding the difference between a need and a want. For me, and I am serious about this, it is life without buyer’s remorse. I’ve never been much of a shopper/consumer/collector, because I normally have buyer’s remorse about everything I purchase, even the needs. I think I ask myself “why, before you buy”, so much that I seldom buy anything.
I love this!
I like the Sioux saying “Today is a good day to die.” Which to me means that ones life is totally as it should be and everything is in order.
I gotta agree with ElizMcK:
Minimalism is embracing the concept of Enough.
I want to be one of the people who I used to admire because they did interesting things (while I was frantically searching around for my bus pass and kicking stuff out of the way on my floor)
Releasing all distractions (clutter/things I don’t need) that take me away from who I truly am and was brought here to do and be.
I love today’s post! The chop wood/carry water quote is wonderful because it reminds me that those moments Are life! They aren’t what gets in the way of life! And I love all the comment quotes! And the Walmart Save Money, Live Better as a minimalist quote is so ironically fabulous!! Brilliant, Karma!
Minimalism for me is eliminating the noise that prevents me from hearing my own tune.
I love this post. Minimalism comes in so many forms based on people’s preferences and personalities. To me minimalism is being content with where you at and not always needing more whether it’s in the form of “things”, “possessions” and “labels”. Going out on a limb here but…. Minimalism is being in love with your self rather then your possessions. Love posts that make you really think! :)
I haven’t come up with a definition of minimalism because I am still not sure if it is applicable to me. I think I am on my way there ;)
But I love what you say about “It’s uncovering who you are when all of the logos, brand names, and clutter are stripped away.” Although I have been anti-brand-name-as-status-symbol for as long as I can remember, it was a sudden realization when I read that that there are many other ways that we “brand” ourselves, through subculture, lifestyle & such. I spent a few years hiding behind my passion for mid-century vintage, thinking that made me into a certain kind of desirable person. I unthinkingly collected dresses that didn’t fit, furniture that was in poor condition, and knick-knacks that meant nothing to me aside from being funny & old.
Now that I have cleared a ton of that “vintage” clutter, I feel like my true self is able to manifest, and I no longer depend on the fragile & never-enough identity of a vintage collector. I am sooooooo much happier!
That’s exactly how I’ve felt about collecting. I realized that I was, more than anything, excited about the idea of collecting because I thought it would give me a sense of purpose and would make me seem more interesting. But before long, the excitement would go away and all that I was left with was a pile of clutter.
Liina, what an insightful and honest post. I think many of us can relate to what you have said – I certainly can. Thanks for sharing :)
Clearing away to clear a way.
oooh this is an awesome phrase!
Minimalism is having stuff without it being intrusive in living your life.
My husband, currently a business systems analyst, used to be a coordinator of youth ministry for the Catholic church. He used to try to teach minimalism, social justice, and mindfulness to teens through different programs. His Catholic beliefs have changed drastically over the years and he now believes that he lives a more mindful, minimalist, and serene life than he ever did before when he was a practicing Catholic. We are putting minimalism into practice daily…and it feels wonderful!
Btw, thank you so much for your elegant, eloquent, perceptive blog. We absolutely love it!
My sentence: Minimalism is doing more with less.
For example: with less stuff to worry about, take care of etc., you can do more of what you enjoy.
“You are not your khakis.” Tyler Durden, Fight Club.
thoughtful post and great replies!
I’ve always been fond of this quote by Albert Einstein: “Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler.” For me, “as simple as possible” still includes a bit of material possessions, but nothing more than that. I think it compliments the Buddhist concept of everything in moderation nicely.
Freedom
Ooo, a one-liner? Tricky…I do love your sentiment that “…it’s simple, it’s ordinary, and it’s accessible to everyone – even those whose lives are filled with kids, pets, laundry, and junk mail.” Thanks for your open heart and inclusivity!
I also like this (though not strictly speaking about minimalism)from Einstein: “Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler.”
take care,
Lisa
semimaterialworld.wordpress.com
Two things sum up minimalism for me:
Having only what makes you happy and what you get use out of…nothing else.
and
Getting rid of excess stuff in order to make space for the things you love.
Recognizing enough and stopping there.
This applies to tasks as well as stuff.
I could edit and improve my writing forever but at some point I need to say, “Enough!” The sooner I can say that, the more freedom I have.
‘Less stuff, more us’
or
my comedy minimalism tagline ‘Less crappy, more happy’ :-)
Keep only what is meaningful.
I know it sounds corny, but just “be yourself”. It’s defined as not keeping up with everyone else and buying things just to fit in with them. I no longer do that.
Being a full time working mother of three I would have to say minimalism to me at this point in my life would be not having more than I can keep up with during the week, allowing total freedom on the weekends. It may not be a profound statement but it’s my goal.
Wonderful post and replies. For me minimalism is something like creating the blank slate or canvas on which anything is possible. When I say blank I don’t mean complete emptiness in reality, just glorious space. I liked the quote above “today is a good day to die” because minimalism is also for me about living each day as if it were my last.
Do you remember ‘The Frugal Zealot’ Amy Dacyczyn of Tightwad Gazette fame? She said the same thing on several occasions. Reporters wanted a sensational and quick fix for fugality but they didn’t like the basic answers she gave for wanted really worked.
I love your description of minimalism–it’s exactly right!
Minimalism: to breathe.
Have less to do more. Will have to come back to read everyone else’s!
Bernice
Getting more work done in less time
This is from the Tao Teh Ching
“Therefore, the Sage squares without cutting, carves without disfiguring, straightens without straining, enlightens without dazzling”. Lao Tzu
For myself, this is the statement that rings most true regarding minimalism and the learning curve of life. To square, carve, straighten and enlighten without harm. This is the foundation of my counseling practice as well.
Beautiful description. It seems so clear to me, I wonder why the concept doesn’t fall closer to the main stream. I really do.
Well said, Francine! And ElizMcK, I like your “Life without buyer’s remorse.” I’d like to reach that place, too.
There are already so many good responses that it’s hard to add anything, but I’ve been thinking that minimalism means finding out what is essential to me and going after that. When I have just the essentials (physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual), I have a sense of freedom, lightness, and possibility!
Thanks for a thought-provoking post.
This is beautiful! I like to think of minimalism as filtering all the noise of day to day life in order to appreciate what matters to me in this moment.
Yes! I’m ever learning. I remember the simplest and easiest times were when I had few things that all fit into one closet and there was no clutter. I had a vase out on the table with some blossoming branches, and it was serene and joyful! To me minimalism is lack of clutter. Having space enough to feel at peace and having a place for everything. Only beautiful things are in view. I need to declutter again.
A line from a Jack Johnson song,
“…have only what they need and need only what they have”
keeps minimalism in perspective for me. It doesn’t have to do with a certain amount of items or traveling or any other minimalist stereotypes. As life changes so do our needs. I think it would be boring, and unrealistic for me, to have only a certain amount of possessions. Minimalism to me will always be an ongoing process to have just what I “need”.
Minimalism for us has been about space, serenity and satisfaction.
Minimalism for me is an integral part of walking lightly on the earth, of paying attention and making conscious choices in all areas of life.