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.}
My favourite quote comes from Stuart Wilde who refers to minimalism as a survival technique for the future in Whispering Winds of Change and several other books.
“Life was never meant to be a struggle; just a gentle progression from one point to another, much like walking through a valley on a sunny day.”
“We were too busy trying to make enough money to be as happy as we were when we had none.”
The author’s response to why he and his college friend have not had any simple adventures together for the past twenty years.
From an article in Outside magazine. I don’t remember the author’s name.
a loaf of bread, a jug of wine, and thou
People love chopping wood. In this activity one immediately sees results. – Albert Einstein
I’ve stopped worrying about the stuff (mainly because there’s not much of it left!), and started noticing the space around me. And not just where I live, everywhere else too!
This is not profound. I didn’t originate it and can’t remember when or where I first heard this two-word sentence. “Travel light.”
(Life is a journey, is it not?)
Hi runi. My favourite variation: “Too much stuff slows you down” and I don’t just mean material stuff.
Steve
Enough.
this may sound inappropriate but hey here is how i became a minimalist:
if i cant get the girls with it, why buy it
for example, why buy a white shirt with a brand logo if i look just as good with a $2 one from a thrift store
my favorite quote is from Esther De Waal that was printed in a magazine which I have cut out and taped to my day planner…….”Wealth consists not in having great possessions but in having few wants” another good quote is from William Henry Channing…..”To live content with small means; to seek elegance rather than luxury, and refinement rather than fashion; to be worthy, not rich; to study hard, think quietly, talk gently, act frankly…to listen to stars and buds, to babes and sages, with open heart; await occasions, hurry never….this is my symphony.”
Arg
Was so hoping this was going to be a post about you chilling out by Walden Pond hacking away with your hatched and filling your gourd with water.
/disappointment
: D
hatchet* I fail.
Minimalism for me, is getting rid of the pointless stuff for a happier, saner and more beautiful life… and recognising that most stuff is pointless stuff!
Ideally I would like to live as much like Jesus or Buddha as I possibly could, while being able to hang on to my favourite sparkly red high heels. Herein lies the dilemma as, while I frequently read (and am inspired by) many minimilist philosophers both modern and ancient… I still live a life where I occasionally wear lipstick and high-heeled shoes! I find that, like all things in life, it is about striking a balance that resonates with you, as authentically as possible!
I love my family and my friends and my work.
I have finite time and energy.
Buying/storing/cleaning/maintaining/sorting stuff gets in the way.
1 BCE. Seneca. “It is not the man who has too little, but the man who craves more, that is poor.”
The big one for me is “embracing the concept of enough.” As someone who didn’t have much “stuff” as a child–or so I thought–I’ve been tempted as an adult to collect way too much. Because I acquired things incredibly cheaply (at thrift stores and garage sales or even free as hand-me-downs from others or from freecycle) it seemed OK and I was proud of how much I could get for how little. Now I know it was never about the stuff, and it’s slowly but surely going. The best part is that I’ve stopped the inflow. I’ve been trying to do this for a while but your book was a huge help in changing my whole way of thinking.
Substance over style
(though the two are not mutually exclusive)
I go with Rich’s comedy line:
“less crappy, more happy”
LOVE IT! :)
I was actually drawn to this particular post because of the title “chopping wood and carrying water”. I grew up in bush Alaska and spent one year in an Eskimo village where I literally “chopped wood and carried water”. Fast forward to where I am now (mid-30’s) and I had to pause a moment to figure out exactly how I got here and why everything I believe in is so important. I ended up writing about it (http://thelivinggreensolution.com/what-does-it-all-mean-and-why-is-it-so-important/) because the simplicity of growing up in Alaska really resonated with me, but I guess I never really realized it until later on in life. I can’t say I have one sentence, but that I merely wanted to comment on the post itself. Thank you!
“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.”
You nailed it with these two sentences. I totally live for experiences. I love hobbies like surfing, because you get to enjoy the ocean, the dolphins, the sunset, and sunrise. It is an overall experience of you and nature and at the same time it is fairly inexpensive.
Thank you for this valuable reminder.
To be free of all the “shoulds” that sneak into our lives with our possessions.
I’ve come across this post a bit late in the day, but I thought I’d share anyway. I particularly like the Spanish phrase “Más ser, menos tener”, which pretty much means “More being, less having”.
Man is rich in proportion to the number of things he can live without. Thoreau
Some people need things we don’t need. We are content with less.
My friend, whose hobby is shopping, told me I would never be able to get the best brands if I didn’t shop where she shops. Since I was wearing old clothes and things I’d been given this didn’t make much of a dent. I don’t know any other minimalists except the ones I find on your site and other blogs. I’m filling this week’s give away bag with good dishes I was given but will never use.
I love to watch other people and see their clothes and jewelry. It is a great source of pleasure for me. As long as I am not the worst dressed person in the room or the one who gives nothing to charity I am content. My 3 kids are grown and they all support themselves. Life is a lot of fun.
My friends carry designer purses and get their hair and nails done. Since I am the artistic one I don’t have to keep up. I just show pictures of my latest project on my phone. I don’t understand the need for a $200 purse anyway.
At this time of year, we always find we have ridiculous limits on our credit cards. I always ask my husband who is buying all the stuff in all the stores and on line. We took early retirement in 2002 then worked part time for a while. We used to go to FL or CA for awhile in the winter, but this year, we are going to Washington State in January so we may stay here. The kids give us gift cards for movies or restaurants they know we enjoy.
I was at a rummage sale and there was a lot of beautiful china and crystal. I am so glad I don’t need things like that. I got some gardening magazines.
As I write this, I am wearing a jacket my son found. Slacks I was given and a 15 year old shirt. I am in Israel for a family reunion. We always travel with only what we can carry. I gave away most of the things I brought.
I continue to fill two bags a week. One is for Goodwill and one is for the local food pantry. My grandson had all the local family over for his birthday yesterday. All the little cousins made him gifts. A painted rock, a cardboard box, and some pictures. He very solemnly thanked them all. The kids ran around the yard. I apologized for misplacing part of our gift but did give him one toy wrapped in a discarded road map. He was delighted. He said I could forget the rest. He also got a chicken mask. Then all the kids took turns swatting a cardboard pinata. My friend ‘s much younger grandson had a huge party at a venue, ( he turned 4 my grandson is 11) he got on a chair and thanked everyone. We discussed the word hypotenuse. I like to do art and math. The other grandmother handles culture and philosophy. She is out of state and a wonderful woman.