Minimalist design emerged in the 20th century as a response to and rejection of highly decorative styles, such as Victorian architecture and Abstract Expressionist art. It is characterized by simple forms and minimal use of materials and colors. In interior design, minimalism involves keeping surfaces free of clutter and making organization a priority. A neutral base color is often used, but can be mixed up by incorporating monochromatic elements.
Minimalism is a visual style of art, interiors, architecture, and design that uses a limited color palette and simple forms to create a simple and uncluttered space. A minimalist-designed space typically includes an open floor plan, plenty of light, and simple line furnishings that are well-built and comfortable. Minimalism is a refreshing aesthetic that avoids excessive ornamentation and emphasizes clean lines, natural light, open spaces, and uncluttered surfaces.
The main ingredient in minimalist design is the use of negative space, which focuses the user’s attention on the most important content. Designers express only the most essential and necessary elements of a product or subject by getting rid of any excessive elements. Minimalist graphic design puts purpose first rather than how it looks, using basic rules of graphic design to create designs that are both functional and visually appealing.
📹 Is Less Really More? The Criticisms of Minimalist Design
Minimalist architecture and interior design receive a lot of criticism, with homes often referred to as hospital rooms, soulless, …
Why do people like minimalist design?
Minimalist design is popular due to its ideology of ‘less is more’, which emphasizes the importance of simplicity and order in life. This design style is practical, adaptable, and versatile, allowing for individual expression and promoting clear thinking and happiness. Its lasting appeal lies in its focus on function, with hallmarks such as neutral colors, uncluttered spaces, and a sense of space. Minimalist design uses clean lines and a clutter-free environment, creating visual calmness and a distraction-free backdrop.
Even small changes, such as reorganizing or decluttering, can significantly improve a room’s feel. Minimalism is more than just an aesthetic choice; it embodies a lifestyle aiming for tranquility and harmony through simplicity, incorporating only necessary elements in a space.
What is a minimalist design style?
Minimalist interior design is a style that focuses on simplicity, clean lines, and a monochromatic palette with color as an accent. It typically combines an open floor plan, ample light, and functional furniture, focusing on the shape, color, and texture of just a few essential elements. The minimalist approach uses light, form, and beautiful materials in an open plan layout to create a sense of freedom and relaxation. The few details used are uncomplicated and blend harmoniously into the setting.
Minimalist furniture and accessories focus on functionality and practicality, with flat, smooth surfaces and strong, clean lines creating bold statements that emphasize the essential nature of each item. The focus is on the purity and simplicity of the shape and form, rather than highly patterned furnishings or detailed ornamentation.
What is the psychology of minimalist design?
Minimalism is a design philosophy that promotes calmness and serenity, reducing stress and frustration. This positive emotional response directly impacts a user’s perception of a website, design, or product. In personal minimalism, decluttering one’s living space can reduce anxiety and promote a sense of serenity. Minimalism goes beyond aesthetics, as user perception refers to our understanding and interpretation of a concept. It helps guide us in creating platforms that make sense of complex interfaces, positively impacting one’s mind and well-being.
What is the concept of minimalist?
Minimalism is a philosophy that emphasizes owning only what adds value and meaning to your life and those of those you care about, and removing the rest. It involves removing clutter and using time and energy for the remaining items. To maximize our limited energy, time, and space, we must be intentional about our daily lives. While there are various approaches to minimalism, it is essentially a tool to prioritize what is important in our lives.
What is the theory of minimalist design?
Minimalist design is a philosophy that focuses on reducing unnecessary elements and distractions, distilling a design down to its essential components. This approach creates a sense of focus, clarity, and purpose by removing superfluous elements. Minimalist design is not just about reducing a design to its bare minimum; it is a deliberate process where every element serves a purpose and contributes to the overall experience. It is often characterized by clean lines, ample white space, and a restrained color palette, allowing the core message or purpose to shine through.
Minimalist aesthetics have gained popularity in digital strategy, enhancing user experiences and sleek, modern interfaces. Websites and mobile applications now adopt minimalist principles, using clean typography, generous white space, and simplified navigation systems. This approach enhances usability and allows content to take center stage, ensuring users can engage with essential information without distraction.
What is the philosophy of minimal design?
Minimalism, a concept popularized in the 1960s, emphasizes simplicity, utility, and elegance. It is not about deprivation or sacrifice, but quality over quantity. Minimalists choose items thoughtfully, ensuring they serve a purpose and enhance their experience. Marie Kondo, a Japanese organizing consultant, exemplifies this by decluttering and assigning significance to personal belongings. Minimalism is about intentionality, eliminating distractions, and making mindful choices.
It values experiences over material possessions, placing higher importance on meaningful items. A minimalist lifestyle involves an internal focus, seeking personal harmony before external approval. It’s a mindset, not a strict rulebook.
Is minimalist an aesthetic?
A minimalist aesthetic is characterized by neutral colors, clean spaces, minimal clutter, and a calm atmosphere. This can be applied to home design, personal style, or lifestyle choices. For those looking to incorporate minimalist interior design, consider painting rooms in neutral hues like white, gray, or beige. This palette is easy on the eyes, calming, and non-overwhelming. If your home is currently looking more maximalist, consider incorporating a minimalist home design by painting the walls in neutral hues like white, gray, or beige. This will help create a more minimalist and calming environment.
What is the rule of minimalist design?
Minimal graphic design is a style that emphasizes simplicity, reducing design to its basic aspects, and embracing negative space. This approach fosters clarity, enhances communication, and encourages a focused, direct approach. The use of clean lines, minimal colors, and clear typography creates elegance and sophistication. Minimalist designs make a larger impression on the viewer and are more memorable, leading many modern companies to adopt this style.
Hierarchy is a fundamental principle in minimalist graphic design, placing visual components in a clear, logical order of priority. This approach allows designers to showcase their products and services in a clear, straightforward manner.
What is minimalist design principles?
Minimal graphic design is a style that emphasizes simplicity, reducing design to its basic aspects, and embracing negative space. This approach fosters clarity, enhances communication, and encourages a focused, direct approach. The use of clean lines, minimal colors, and clear typography creates elegance and sophistication. Minimalist designs make a larger impression on the viewer and are more memorable, leading many modern companies to adopt this style.
Hierarchy is a fundamental principle in minimalist graphic design, placing visual components in a clear, logical order of priority. This approach allows designers to showcase their products and services in a clear, straightforward manner.
Why do people like minimalist designs?
Minimalist design is popular due to its ideology of ‘less is more’, which emphasizes the importance of simplicity and order in life. This design style is practical, adaptable, and versatile, allowing for individual expression and promoting clear thinking and happiness. Its lasting appeal lies in its focus on function, with hallmarks such as neutral colors, uncluttered spaces, and a sense of space. Minimalist design uses clean lines and a clutter-free environment, creating visual calmness and a distraction-free backdrop.
Even small changes, such as reorganizing or decluttering, can significantly improve a room’s feel. Minimalism is more than just an aesthetic choice; it embodies a lifestyle aiming for tranquility and harmony through simplicity, incorporating only necessary elements in a space.
What is minimalist vs modern style?
Minimalism focuses on simplifying and creating a serene environment by removing excess, while modern design combines simplicity with a broader array of materials, shapes, and colors. The choice between these styles depends on personal preferences and desired atmosphere. SuperNova offers holiday season deals, including Black Friday and Thanksgiving specials, with free living room sets, dining room sets, second bedrooms, and massage chairs with the purchase of a Grand Master Bedroom set. These deals can be found at SuperNova’s seven Houston stores and an Outlet Center, offering items up to 90% off retail prices.
📹 10 Minimalist Rules That Changed My Life
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00:04 The house on fire rule helps you evaluate your attachment to material possessions. 01:13 The 2020 rule is about letting go of items you keep ‘just in case’ 02:18 Use the two-day rule to develop new habits. 03:15 Consistency is key for forming and maintaining habits. 04:19 Investing money into experiences instead of stuff. 05:25 Focus on needs over wants and stop worrying about what others think 06:26 Implement the 90 rule to determine what to buy and reduce unnecessary expenses 07:29 Implementing the two-minute rule and nightly reset has cleared up my calendar and made a significant positive impact on my life.
As a person with ADHD, I feel like minimalism is the way to go. Loved the tips and I’m confident it’ll change the quality of my life drastically if I follow it right. I’m commenting here so that someone can keep reminding me to watch this article. That way it won’t just stay in my saved articles playlist.
Minimalism clicked for me whenever I heard Joshua Fields Milburn say, “I dont have a lot of clothes, but all of my clothes are my favorite clothes.” It’s quite nice to be able to blindly reach into your closet, pull out an article of clothing, and be able to think, “Yep, this is what I’ll wear” without even needing to take a second glance if you didn’t need to. Everything should be that way in regards to our stuff. Life is too short to settle for second-string underwear.
I needed this today. My daughter and my best friend keep trying to get me to get rid of STUFF. I am not materialistic but since a major life change has happened I have bought more things like clothes and cups. I have realized I am slowly becoming a hoarder because of this life change. I am going to take everything you said and start making this change today. Thank you so much for the inspiration.
I would add to the box rule. I keep a tote bag by the kitchen. If I come across something I don’t use and realize I really don’t need it, it goes into the tote. When the tote fills up I donate it. The tote is always there so as soon as I know I don’t want the thing I can get it out of my space. I have ADHD and before the tote it felt like I would find a thing and think about getting rid of it but then fully conceptualize the process and immediately become overwhelmed. Now its just something that I can pop in the car every few months and have a little less clutter in my house.
Investing in experiences- absolute truth! My husband and I have been minimalists for several years. I LOVE your 90% rule, especially about clothing. We apply that to anything we purchase. Three things made a huge difference for us – 1. Everything having a place. 2. Seeing a task through before starting another – regardless of what the task is. 3. The most important I think – staying consistent. We both had very high pressure jobs, and home had to be our peaceful retreat – that’s how our minimalist journey started, and still continues – now moving to garage etc… Your home looks very much like ours does inside, which I find very calming. Loved the article and the rules! I subscribed.
My son is someone whooh put a lot of effort into getting me to think about experiences rather than material things. He’s sort of a reflection of what I used to be before life took a lot of life out of me. He has taken me to mexico. New york city. And places i’ve never seen before. And it feels so awesome to feel like you’re young again. He says mom I want you to enjoy life. I want you to experience things that you need to experience and that you missed out. So it doesn’t matter what age you are start experiencing life. Leave the past behind because you’re not going back direction.
We are moving after 22 years. The amount of STUFF that is collected is insane! And I am a cleaner, I purge and sell allot. I had a big moving sale on Saturday. Sold 80% of what I had purged, the rest went to Habitat & Good will. It’s just stuff….you can get more stuff! Now, I want less. It makes life calmer, less stressful. I spend money on experiences now, not things.
That is one excellent article. I rented my place in NJ and moved to TX. left 95% of my stuff in a storage unit in Hoboken. Came back and reopened all those boxes just to find out that say 80% of the stuff I had stored (and paid storage) had no real use or emotional connection. Unplanned act, but ended up helping me figure out I really didn’t need so many jackets, small collectables, old laptops, sweaters, old or broken gadgets….all things I didn’t really need. So I donated some, threw away some. And only kept what I really liked and USED. Excellent article. I feel so much better now, and ready for new things in my life!
As a ADHD / Dyslexic / Depressive with OCD and hoarding lol, I had so many issues letting go of “Stuff” and after a massive life changing event, well 3 of them, I stepped back and looked at what I had. You are right, probably 90% of what I had could go, but it was the emotional attachment to the objects or “Things”. I couldn’t get over letting them go but it was adding to the emotional baggage keeping them. After the 3 life changing events (yes I know you want to know what they were lol – my last suicide attempt, My diagnosis that I had ADHD and my doctor telling me I had prostrate cancer). Clearly I didn’t complete the suicide attempt, which was my 3rd. My ADHD I now have meds for and the Prostrate cancer ? Medical mistake when my records were updated, took 3 days to confirm it was a mistake. The thing is it took the life changing events to change my view of the “material assets”, which I will lose, when I “leave this mortal coil”. So why not take action now and start letting go. I does really help and I feel more at peace, less likely to be thinking about the items and feel more positive. Thank you for the article
This is a great article. Thank you for uploading it. I am also looking for ways to Declutter streamline and be intentional. I have read, listened to or watched many of these concepts from other people, and already do some of them. the two minute rule is really helpful and so is the nightly cleanup. When you can start each morning with a clean uncluttered kitchen, it feels great instead of having to live with messes all around. It’s also good to get kids involved so they practice putting their own stuff away. You could also call your home rule “everything in its place.” In other words, every item has a home or a place inside your home and if it doesn’t, you either find one or get rid of it I think that’s what Marie Kondo would say, ” everything in its place.” Then when you’re done using something put it right back away where it goes instead of leaving it laying around.
One rule that has worked out well for me is “Cost per wear” or “Cost per use”. So for a clothing example: if you wear the item a lot and it lasts a long time, then the “cost per wear” keeps going down over time, so even if it’s kind of an expensive purchase at first, the “cost per wear” is what really should be considered. For a nice jacket, a nice pair of jeans, a nice pair of shoes etc., the “cost per wear” can actually be quite low, and that’s a good thing. The worst scenario is if you buy a pricey item and you only wear/use it a few times, purchases like this should be avoided.
0:55 I’d panic, honestly. Not because of the loss of clothes/things themselves but because of the sheer expense and effort required to replace them. It is darn near impossible to find things off the rack that fit either my husband or I. I’m in between regular and petite and between regular and plus size. My husband is 6’11 and also husky. Men’s Big and Tall stores only carry big OR tall… not both in one article of clothing. What we do have has been the result of years of special ordering items and having them tailored. 16 4e shoes are also not cheap or easy to replace.
I chose to move into a high top cargo van in 2019 right before and all during the Pandemic and became a minimalist for obvious reasons. Now I live off grid in an ultra-tiny home so appreciative of what I learned about “stuff”, how little I actually needed and the importance of true contentment like no other I have experienced before.
I have quoted the 20/20 rule for the last 3 yrs but have now decided it doesn’t quite apply anymore. Yes, things are mostly back in stock since covid but now things that cost $20 often cost $30+ and we aren’t bringing in much more income (btwn higher taxes, etc). So the 20/20 rule needs to be updated and we all need to carefully think about what we get rid of and bring in a LOT less.
I’ve watched a lot of articles on this subject. I appreciate the way you approach the topic and your laid-back style. The minimalist rule that began to change my life was the 2 Year Rule. It was a way to begin, or to ease my way into something like de-cluttering a closet or garage. For example, I go through the clothes and if I haven’t worn it within 2 years, I donate it. Same with my tools, books, and so on. Then when I see the results, it acts as encouragement to take bolder steps.
I wish you’d use another analogy to your house burning down. When my house burned down it took half my family. And everything, including photos, I had to remember my memories. Because of that I can also appreciate your point. Nothing means nothing really. But my photos did. They really did and do and i would say to protect those. There was no internet back then.
7 months ago i went aboard in order to start my first job has an engineer, I went with a small suitcase (i couldnt pay a big one) and i discovered that all i need is 3-4 basic white tshirts 2 nice shirts for work 2 pants, 2 sports wear, 5 underpants a towel and a small neceser. i lived 7 months just with that. Each weekend id do laundry and keep going. Have been 2 weeks back at home for vacations, im still using my little suitcase
I cannot BELIEVE I never knew about you sooner. You are amazingly good. I’ve only watched a few so far (oh yes, I subscribed and now get notifications on every article you post), and when I see the title of many, I think, “He is great, but I don’t care about this subject” and then you DRAW me right in and I get some tip I didn’t expect, want, or think I needed. Like minimalism – that doesn’t interest me… until I hear YOU discuss it! Gabe, please continue what you do. Thank you SO MUCH for not being ashamed of Scriptural wisdom and not being hesitant to use it as your absolute source for truth.
4 years ago I was working 2 jobs full time and in the winter of 2020 I quit and went snowboarding all through California and the Rockies. Best thing I ever did. One of the valuable lessons I learned, as I am someone with no children and no desire to have any, is I loved only owning the gear I was using to board. I didnt own the places I was staying. The car I had was a lease and I had all my clothes in my bag. I only owned the gear, my phone, laptop and some clothes. It all fit in my car and I LOVED IT!!! I then aspired from then to live that life. But living like that you realize you do a lot of this stuff on this list naturally. While I have since gone back to work and have a more permanent residence my goal in the end is to live out of a hotel room with a kitchen. This way if I wanna move I just gotta pack a few bags. I dont even want the furniture. I do have a lot of expensive hobbies (ice hockey, snow boarding, and mountain biking) with a lot of expensive gear so it’ll take a while. But a man can dream.
I have used most of the rules at one point in my life or another and they all have been of value depending on the circumstances. If there is emotional attachment some work better than others as does stopping procrastination or building a new habit. I went from $20K in debt to retiring at 46 debt free with minimalism and haven’t had a regret of getting rid of anything nor living happily with what I have. The epiphany of how little I need also came from taking a 2 month trip to the middle east with just a carry on and enjoying how light and easy it was. Another 3 month trip to Europe sealed the deal. Now I try to think what would I grab and carry out of the house in one trip if some natural disaster was heading my way and everything would be destroyed. Everything else is probably not needed. I haven’t quite got there with tools as I work on cars as a hobby but everything else is one trip moveable.
This is great. Particularly like the 20/20 rule. I have so much stuff I could throw out under this rule. I have a similar rule for buying clothes. I tell myself that if don’t absolutely LOVE IT when I look at it in the shop, I probably won’t like it that much when I get it home, or in a couple of weeks. So it’s a no. 👌🏻subscribed
Awesome article. It’s funny a few that you mentioned are ones that I myself am slowly implementing in my day today life. For example, my husband and I have decided that we’re no longer going to buy Christmas gifts for Christmas We have decided to do activities or vacation during those times instead because they produce more memories. And I really enjoyed that you mention that because it shows that there’s great success in it. This is our first year doing it, so now I’m really excited! Last, you mentioned restart for your next day, I have been trying to practice this everyday… but I think I have failed more then succeeded. It’s not just myself, but it’s trying to get everyone in the house on board. So I have to ask, do you reset for just you or for everyone in your house?
Really enjoyed this article! Straight on point with no fluff! I have a rule I would call the Daily Touch Rule. When I’m getting ready for a trip to the VA, usually 4 days, I open a suitcase and everything I actually USE in a day, goes into the suitcase (minus gadgets). When I return home I know what I did NOT need and declutter some from that point. I’m going to incorporate some of your tips! Thank you!! PS the ‘Just in Case’ was a big realization!
I lost everything in an earthquake 14yrs ago. It was not a nice experience, but I learnt that I can get along with much lass than I had. I didn’t automatically run out and re-buy everything straight away. My possesions are now intentional. I still have things around me. I am by no means minimalist, but the things I have are concious choices rather that just accumulated over years.
unpopular opinion on vids like this, but my vast clothing and shoe options make me happy 🤷♀ It’s not to impress anyone else. I enjoy the variety. I enjoy the look of my house with changing decorations for the seasons and holidays. I enjoy my coffee cup collection. None of this stuff “weighs me down” as other people have said it makes them feel. I think it’s great you are all into minimalism – just not for me. 🙂
Been going through depression and anxiety over the last few years and through therapy I’ve come to realise that I am in need of closure on circumstances that have affected me for a long time, I’m in a transistional period of my life and been binge perusal alot of these types of articles, came across your website and am appreciative of your pov… Am just saying thank you for the content you put out and helping me out by decluttering not only my things but decluttering my mind too, take care and have a safe Christmas and new year into 2024… To those that think it’s ok to harrass others pov you can stfu and crawl under the rock you came from
Our house burned down twenty years ago and I got out with my life and my three dogs it was late at night and all I had was the pajamas on my back no purse no car keys it was gone in 45 minutes it was an electrical fire my husband was at work and it happened at 10 and he didn’t get home until 4 a.m. we did have an old motorhome and we moved into that our property and we built our house took 6 months it was then that I realized that I had too much stuff / junk I now think of things as want versus need I can clean my house in less than a day top to bottom life is so much better I have to laugh because my granddaughter calls my house a Airbnb everything has a place and everything is in its place and that’s cozy but no clutter I don’t need 1400 sets of everything LOL
Great article, Gabe. Another cool “rule” is the Rule of Halves. Almost everything we use in life, we could use half and never know the difference. Half as much laundry detergent, toothpaste, shampoo. Half as much cooking oil. Half as much lawn fertilizer. There is almost nothing that we “consume” that couldn’t be halved, just have to keep it in mind to do so.
Here’s one for you; the Go To Bed rule. This is when you turn off all your devices 45-60 minutes before bed and you spend that last amount of time getting ready for bed so you can have lights out. If you don’t go to bed, you can’t get up. Then you hit snooze, groan and whine and feel stressed trying to get out the door. This is one I’m really trying to work on.
I couldn’t have stumbled onto this article at a better time! I just retired and moved from a fully (overstuffed) furnished home I lived in for 22 years to another fully furnished home. I am trying to go through all the boxes I brought and decide what to keep and what to part with. The home I moved into was my mother’s home. It is filled with family photos and mementos from a 90-year life. So much I need to part with but so, so hard.
I love reading books, so I decluttered a lot of those I was sure I wouldn’t read or re-read. I tried buying only e-books for a while, but I don’t really like reading on a tablet as much as a physical book. So now I have a rule that I will only buy and read one book at a time, and will sell/donate/gift it before I buy a new one. This rule is actually making me read a lot more than before I implemented it 😅 And I don’t buy a lot of books I never read anymore 😃👏🏻
Recently took seven weeks out of work and spent a time in the countryside with my kids. Came back to a collection of sneakers and material objects that mean nothing. Gave them to charity. Clearing out my ‘stuff’. Starting to exercise more. Donated a bunch of clothes. Keeping it low key instead. Feeling better.
This is ace! Two rules I’ve really adopted lately for more general household living is… 1) Don’t leave a room with empty hands – Helps keep things tidy with little extra effort. 2) One touch rule – If you pick something up to move it or tidy up, make sure you won’t have to address it again. You sort the problem rather than just pushing it to another time.
I stumbled upon your article by chance and I have to say, it resonates with everthing that I am trying to do with my life now. Especially, now that my wife and I are juggling between our jobs, household chores, taking care of a toddler etc. The 2 minute rule combined with have a home rule is how I try to keep my sanity around the house for a while now. Also recenty sold my secondary laptop. Downsizing feels really good. Great content. Keep posting.
The house on fire rule is great for people who have not sufgered from house fires personally. Earlier this year 90% of my stuff got damaged from my whole apt bldg burning down and as someone who already had nothing and was displaced over an hour away it was absolutely devastating. Especially cause most of the things I cared about were things like my personal art collection, books, etc. So most of the paper or cloth products either burned or molded away from the water used. I also had a lot of heirloom things that were just unable to be found. Lots of precious memories and items that I genuinely treasured and adored from my family out the window, and I mourn everyday 😞
I like your content and ideas. Thanks for sharing. Sometimes it does feel like everyone in society is competing against amazing social media posts to be “successful”. Why can’t people just be themselves. Good, kind people happy for other people. That seems lost in our modern world and it sapping joy from people or a liberating life. People are trying to hard to be what they THINK they should be rather than just being. Even terms like “successful day” or “pivot” or “best version of you” make me think WTF!? Just live!
100% agree with investing in experiences!!! However I also am a person that LOOOOOVES their stuff!! I’m not into status symbols, but losing luggage is a crisis for me, my greatest fear (or one of them) is a disaster that causes me to lose all my possessions. I’m 100% a “money can and DOES buy happiness” person—-it buys freedom, choices, comfort, peace, security, and the necessities. I challenge anyone to be happy without these things! It’s not a popular statement, but I know it to be the absolute truth for most. Do I need to downsize and purge—ohh yeah!! But when I’ve tried to do this in the past, or even when painting a room or doing a house project so all the stuff is out of the room and off the walls, it looks sooooo depressing and feels so empty!! I HATE it!!! I can’t WAIT to have my stuff back!! I’m trying hard to live with less and I have made significant progress and changes, but getting rid of my things is PAINFUL for me!!!
Good stuff. I do the sharpie method, kind of like the box rule. I write the year on an item when I buy it. Helps me know how long something lasted. Helps me put into context how often I’ve needed it. If I’m not sure if I still need it I write the current month and year. If another 6-12 months go by and it hasn’t been used out the door it goes.
I REALLY needed to find this tonight. Will be back for another article tomorrow. A are these exercises even more effective if I go for my walk first? How long of an increased calorie burn can we expect from this exercise and or a lightb dumbbell workout exercise I am a 54 yr old woman 5’6 265# I’m really interested in doing this program with you as I have a wedding coming up in approximately 80 days where my daughter is getting married. I have a beautiful dress and I would just like to feel better in it. I would like to feel healthier and more energetic to help get things done now before the wedding and have a lot of fun at the wedding . Thank you so much for all your help.
I had to put a large percentage of my belongings into storage for 3.5 years. When I was finally in a position to put it all in my new place, I realized that I’d lived without all those things for so long and didn’t miss any of it. Some of this stuff I’d been carrying around for 40 years. So, I only grabbed what was essential like a few cooking pots, then I reboxed everything and took it to a resale shop. I actually have cabinets that have nothing in them! I have surface space without knickknacks on them. I also want it to be as easy as possible on my son when I pass away, to unload my things. Less is better and so freeing.
Let me add one that has made me and wife a huge difference. If you can, see if you can get by with just one car. I know many won’t have that option, but in our case she has option to bike or walk to work, even transit. I work from home 1 or two days a week so those days she uses car. Surprising just how much money that saves. And in the cases when we both need it at same time, one splurges on uber. With all the $$$$ we save it’s not a problem at all. Save double car payment, save double insurance, save double depreciation, save double interest charges.
Ever since we got back from Romania, I have been focused on getting rid of material possessions that I simply do not use. The simplicity of Romanian life really hit home for me. None of these material possessions have actually made my life better. I drive a 13 year old Audi that I will not replace any time soon. I buy most of my clothes at Costco – great quality for a great price.
When i was getting ready to sell our house finally 7 years after my husband’s death and was working through walking away from most everything we had accumulated in both of our lives.. my biggest existential crisis and question was ” Who am i with my books?” I had a huge library of readable but also 100s if beautiful collectible books. The new homeowner who is a teacher happily inherited our library. I did carefully and thoughtfully pack about 15 boxes and so far have been moving so doing pretty well buying only what i read then let them go.
1. If I’m unsure about an item, I make myself use it as often as possible until I either hate it or value it. The main reason for this is because when you put it in a box you forget the problems that made you consider getting rid of it in the first place. 2. If you have a lot of, let’s say jewelry, go through your jewelry box every single day. I know it sounds excessive but just try it. You don’t have to get rid of anything but touch and acknowledge each item. 3. Things become irrelevant so often that you can go through one category every day and be surprised that what you needed yesterday is no longer important to keep. 4. Everything you own is telling you something. You may own clothes that remind you that you gained weight. You may have unfinished projects that tell you that you that you are a procrastinator. Hyper focus on everything that surrounds you acknowledge everything that they are saying. You don’t have to keep anything that makes you feel bad or reminds you of something you didn’t do. You can release those things.
Wants vs needs is a golden rule for all purchases! Combine that with a “is there an alternate, more affordable way” (e.g. brew your coffee home vs a coffee shop, cook home vs other options, car vs public transport, etc). My new clothing expenses in 2022-2023 were about $600 USD a year, including some bigger purchases which I expect to last for 5-8 years, at least. My version of the 90% rule is “will I want to wear this often and for long?”, i.e. do I like the piece of clothing so much that I’m convinced that it’ll be a favourite also five years from now. If unsure, I won’t buy. I also wear all the clothes to such point that even an op-shop won’t take them but they go straight into textile recycling.
The house ruleeeee. This has changed my life. I’ve done this for years now and I rarely lose my keys and phone which I used to spend hours looking for getting angry. I also follow the “no junk drawer” rule 😂 Basivally, ppl have a junk drawer for stuff that “doesn’t go anywhere”. Well basically it’s just a cluttered box. Everythingggggg should have a place, and if you don’t know where to put it – yep. Throw it out. You can create a new category/place for pens and matches and those fridge magnets, but no junk drawerrrrr. This has kept me from keeping completely useless stuff and cluttering my house too
This is great, though some of these steps do make me further realise how some people truly lack any sort of substantial interests. Yeah, minimalism must be great if your favourite colour is somewhere between the shade of white and grey, or you buy all your furniture and décor from department stores or Ikea.
Lots of good advice. I wish my hoarder friend could do it, but she hangs onto things so they don’t get wasted. So instead her space and time and life are wasted. But she can’t see it. I can really relate to these rules because I just sold my house on acreage and it took months to get rid of stuff. Two sheds you never look at can hold a lot of stuff, none of which I need in a condo. Sold stuff, gave 10 boxes to thrift store, gave things to everyone for free. And there’s still more to go in the boxes I packed to keep – lol. It does feel good to get rid of it. And I’m not even hoarder level, just 5 years of “maybe this can be useful some day, just in case.” Nope, it wasn’t.
im at a moment where my mantra is simplify and i cant get rid of anything because i live with someone who attatches herself to everything. so i secretly throw things away. i heard and took alot from your article and thank you for that info. sometime we need to hear just one snipet to make a big impact on a decision. you gave me a snipet today. time to throw out the house, lol
This is so informational. I have really been trying to sort through my life and stuff the past months and so many old things, patterns and feelings are floating to the surface. I started feeling better once I used to Mary Kondo medthod to letting go of things with gratitude and just creating a vibe and an atmosphere in the house that you love and feel proud of. I feel you are providing so many intresting tips that I know are going to help me on this journey. Thank you so much for sharing. <3
I have been doing this for awhile! It is very freeing and I keep going through more and more stuff in stages and I can breath! True there are a few things I would be sad to loose, also some simple things I love to use that I created to simplify my life. But I have had times where I thought if I lost it all, it would feel very freeing!! Also why do we always have to update everything to have new things?!?!
I became a minimalist when my husband and i moved to Hawaii. Because it is expensive to ship things there and we had to pay for anything we shipped, we got rid of just about everything we owned. It was very freeing and I didn’t miss my stuff with the exception of 3 sweaters which I had knit. Wished I kept them. We lived there 6 years, my husband passed away and I decided to come back to the mainland. I did ship my car and his pickup. Both were paid for and the car had 25k mileage and the truck had 14k. Definitely worth the $2500 Each to ship to South Carolina. In both moves, we/I only bought needs rather than wants. I have continued to live minimalist lifestyle even though I can afford to buy wants. I do buy some things that make my life enjoyable because I think mental health is a need too. I don’t want to live a monk lifestyle but very few “things” make me happier. Both vehicles are 2012 and the car has 55k miles and the truck has 25k. I don’t plan to replace either one until they at least reach 200k.
Every thing I have must have a home! That´s the core! By the way… Well done article! 2 idéas from here. Courious about how it works in US about trashbins to get rid of excess. The second idea is your training program in that gym. Maybe a little outside of your nische but could be interesting. Greetings from Sweden.
I moved from a 3 storey house to a 216 sq ft room. I got rid of probably 95% of what I owned. The only thing I miss is my backyard. And I couldn’t bring that anyway! Now even the thought of owning anything more makes me feel crowded, stifled. I have a dog, a sax and hiking shoes and it turns out I didn’t need anything else….wahoo!
As a person who moved a couple of times, I always loved the first few days of a new apartament when your stuff is not really there yer and it’s pretty empty and clean….I used to ask myself, why don’t I always live like this, it is much easier to think in a more “open” environment, without to many objects.
OMG I have 4800 sq feet plus an attic full of stuff. I love most of it but rarely use it. I want to let much of it go and just de clutter. I just don’t know what to do with it all. I buy higher end stuff and hate to let it go. I hate to donate anymore due to people clearing out the good stuff to resell on ebay. I want my things to go to folks that truly need it. I’ve tried to sell some but that gets annoying when someone wants to pay $4 for an $84 blouse. I love the 90% rule. I feel like I am at that point in my life. I also agree, do what is best for you. Not caring what others think is freeing in itself.
I used to think minimalists had no hobbies or skills. I grew up in a big family and our house was littered with knick nacks, paddy whacks, dogs and bones ( the ones the dogs gnawed in the yard ). Sports, art, study, cooking, sewing, model building, band, theater, cycling, science fair, physical fitness and on and on….these all require stuff and with 10 siblings minimalist was a word that there just was no room for at the bottom of the cluttered family comms chalkboard. I’m retired and this was the message I needed today. I am not getting rid of the extensive photo archive my Mom accumulated as we were growing up. I’ll need some empty space to organize and scrapbook it. There are over 10,000 photos and slides. KEEPING! Making room for experiences…ALSO KEEPING!
Additional Rule: When you’re decluttering and considering getting rid of your Chemex, use it instead of your other coffee maker, because its the best. 😌🤌 Jokes aside… awesome article! This was really insightful and well put together. I like you Gabe. Glad I found your content through this article and happy to be a new subscriber. Warm cheers! – Ali
What to do with things you’ve received as gifts from people but you don’t want but they visit your home often and will notice if that item they gave you is no longer seen in your house. For Christmas my mother gifted me a bookcase yep a bookcase! I dislike the color and shape and feel annoyed when I look at it.
…another “”thing/thought””” that can help is the old “How do You eat an elephant? One small piece at a time”… Or to put it more plainly if You find Yourself “stuck” by the feeling that “”everything is is a major project”, and therefore never even get started.. Then try to break down Your “projects” into their smallest possible “discrete steps” and “forget” the projects… For example do NOT have a “task” like “Clean up the garage”… Instead break it down, to something like: Purchase boxes for the garage/ put all x in boxes/ put all Y in boxes/ Throw away all obvious junk… etc etc.. Try to make every task as small and precise as possible…. It will make the previous projects much more viable, and You can get them done almost without even “noticing”… The “Projects” are great for overall planning and inspiration but can be absolute KILLERS when it comes to get the “daily things done”… And in this context I also like the quote that goes something like: I don’t now exactly how this will end, but I know enough to know what the next step will be… Meaning You can “break down a project”… even if You are not certain of exactly what You are aiming for as long as You know what the next step is…. Then the “solutions and options” will come, but if You don’t do the “next step” chances are great that You will be stuck there for ever due to indecision… Best of luck with what ever You are doing, and best regards.
Do you grind your coffee beans for every pot you make? If not you should. It’s a game changer in flavor. Also keep your coffee beans in the freezer right after opening them. Even though it’s not as convenient because you can’t prep it for the morning it’s worth it. Trust me. Try it for a week. You’ll never go back.
I agree it’s important not to have too much. I’ve radically cleaned up my act too. But there’s no doubt I’ve saved a fortune by keeping things for in case. A minimalist home assumes you will always have a good income a place to live and the money to buy for example the kit or the clothes for all those experiences.. A dance a hike camping gardening a presentation etc. So don’t throw out the baby with the bathwater guys.
i wonder if that would work with unhealthy food, I am thinking freeze all pastries/sweets put them in plastic box and sealed with plastic rapping then if you are craving one, the effort to get to it will slow/stop you from eating that bad food. We are not going to stop buying them, so this minimalist rule may help. I thought of it because i freeze grapes, and green bananas and one inch chunks, and my banana eating has gone down, because the riper one causes blood sugar spikes.
THE NEW HOUSE RULE: I learned this years ago. If you are lucky enough to move into a new home with a garage, a man once told me that you should move everything into the garage first. Then as you need something, you go out into the garage find it, take it into the house and use it. After one year, anything left in your garage you don’t need. This may need some modification for our more modern times, but I think you get the idea. When you transition into a new living space, its a great time to evaluate what you NEED vs. what you WANT and prioritize your “stuff”! 😉
The interesting thing is, when we imagine, that our house would burn down and we try to figure out if there was stuff which was really important to us, we couldn’t remember all of those things. For example: if you have 40 t-shirts most of us could remember maybe 5 or 10 of them 😀 In Germany there are a lot of people who wants their office stuff on a paper, because they think it’s only “original” or it could be used later. But they completely forget that every government agency and employer has to keep these papers for you and if you need them, you can ask there. That’s why I got rid of two thirds of my office papers, because it doesn’t make any sense for me to put them in folders and keep them for years. Especially not when others have to keep them for me or I can store them digitally.
What if traveling and “experiences” (in the form of vacationing) stress a person out? Many people love to be homebodies. What if someone considers something they buy and enjoy their own personal “experience”? For example, I bought a $1,000+ grill/smoker that I’ve used countless times to make my family yummy food and plan on using for the foreseeable future. That expensive material thing continually gives us wonderful “experiences”, though they aren’t on par with trips to Italy. Extend this to any material commodity that gives people good “experiences”, and one can argue that buying stuff that bring people joy time and again is comparable to one time experiences but on a different scale. Sometimes that equates to a substantial amount of material goods to some people. For example, I can’t vacation very often, but when I do, it’s pretty fun, but then it doesn’t last, and the memories aren’t enough. Buying things that give me “micro-experiences”, i.e., a fraction of the joy I experience on vacation but more frequently, makes more sense to me and my schedule, and I’d argue more sense to a lot of people. To each their own.
Your name “Have a Home Rule” is the perfect name for that rule IMO. I use that phrase all the time. When I think about getting something I try to think of where it’s home is going to be or if I have a home for it, if I don’t, I don’t get it. When things are out of place in my house I put things back in their home, I ask myself if an item has a ‘better home’ when I am organizing my house. It’s like the old saying, “A place for everything and everything in it’s place.” My things have homes!
My former wife used to put things on my desk. How do I get rid of them without insulting her. I started cluttering up my desk so there was no spot for her to fill. This might sound stupid or whatever to you but some places I just want me there. In my shop I leave it cluttered just because I know where my projects are and may revisit some wrecks. And if anyone comes in there and doesn’t like it they can stfu and leave.
My advice: Be aware of how much we are all (in the USA) being constantly encouraged to buy stuff we don’t really need. Every time you look at something and think “I need that!”, think about the billions of people who live contented lives without ever having that thing. How do they do it? Think about how companies spend billions of dollars to convince you that you cannot live without their product. Trust me, you CAN do fine without it.
I just love your articles. As someone in my 20s, you’re educating me and saving me from making so many mistakes in the future. This content is so valuable, you deserve every bit of monetisation you gain from it. This is the kind of content I live for. I really love your philosophy on life btw. I never had good parents, I kind of look to you as a father figure.
New 🇬🇧 Subscriber here. I really enjoyed this article – thank you for the tips; all really useful. I already live quite a minimalist lifestyle but you’ve added fresh ideas to my repertoire. The 2 minute anti-procrastination rule is new to me and I’m adding that in. I also like the Nighttime Reset; I’ve been trying to get more set up before bed time but it’s not an ideal routine. I’m going to work on this over the coming weeks to form what I think will be a very good new habit. Thank you for sharing your ideas!
Lots of amazing ideas, some of which I’ve adopted from other sources already. 🙂 The question is how to balance my desire to implement these ideas while living with a partner with ADHD and trauma around losing all their possessions multiple times. So far it’s been having boundaries around each of our spaces so we aren’t butting heads against each others ways.
Many years ago I flew abroad for a while, so put my things in a storage unit When I came back and rented a furnished apartment, every day I’d say “I got to get my stuff from storage”, but after a couple of weeks I realized I actually don’t need any of it. The bag I was traveling with was enough. Mostly just a laptop and clothes. Everything else was more of a burden than an asset
Great article! How do you handle hobbies? So many can be money pits and gear acquisition syndrome (GAS) is very real and often encouraged. I’m a musician and a disc golfer. There’s always a new guitar pedal or custom piece of gear, there’s always a new disc that flies differently…how do you enjoy hobbies and maintain a sense of minimalism? There is joy in a new piece of gear and I think that’s part of the fun of hobbies and it’s ok to a degree, but how does one balance that?