Minimalists are all about the “less is more” principle, and this applies to all aspects of life. There have been many quotes about the minimalist lifestyle, and we’re going to look at some of these and discuss some insights that could just help you make a change.
Minimalist quotes are those sayings regarding work, life, and beliefs that align with the practice of minimalism. Minimalist quotes regarding lifestyle, minimizing, inspiration and living spaces are reviewed and discussed with analysis of major ideas and connections.
Have you ever wondered what people meant when they quoted something about life? Have you ever dug into the deeper meanings of quotes and wondered how you could apply them to your life?
What Is a Minimalist Quote?
To begin with, minimalism is the practice of doing more with less, or “less is more”. So a life lived with more intention and less “stuff”. That being said, a minimalist quote usually refers to some aspect of minimalist practice in life, work, or belief.
Minimalist Lifestyle Quotes
“There are two ways to be rich: One is by acquiring much, and the other is by desiring little.” -Jackie French Koller
This quote is the difference between maximalism (acquiring much) and minimalism (desiring little). Some people are collectors and aren’t happy unless they have completed a set or have multiples of some of the finer things, which is the true opposite of minimalists.
“Minimalism is a journey from the compulsion to consciousness, consumerism to common sense.” Amit Kalantri
Here is a great example of focusing on the things that truly matter. When practicing minimalism one does not have the constant urge to buy things, but to live a more meaningful life. Buying things does not bring happiness-common sense should tell us that.
“I am a minimalist. I like saying the most with the least.” Bob Newhart
It’s not difficult to say too much when trying to get a point across. This quote is referring to concise speech-saying what needs to be said without using too many words. Efficiency in speech is an acquired skill and can also be seen as a form of minimalism!
“Minimalism is an abundance of enough.” Torley
Minimalists focus on needs rather than wants, and addressing those needs is enough for living with more purpose. If you’ve got everything you need, you’ve got more than enough.
“Minimalism is about an intentional search for happiness.” Melissa Camara Wilkins
We already know that happiness is not brought about by stuff-but by finding purpose in our lives. We intentionally look for activities, people, and experiences to bring us joy and bring fulfillment to our lives. Minimalism is the practice of doing just that-living more intentionally.
“Minimalism is the constant art of editing your life.” Danny Dover
This is so true-minimalist or not. We should live in a state of constant improvement, constant personal work, and constant search for things that bring us joy. We change over the years, and so do our tastes and viewpoints. Shouldn’t our lives change as well?
“The question of what you want to own is actually the question of how you want to live your life.” Marie Kando
The more we own, the more responsibility we (potentially) have. If you want to live a life of luxury, you buy all of the finer things and surround yourself with them. What does that leave room for in your budget?
“Minimalism is built around the idea that there’s nothing that you’re lacking.” Fumio Sasaki
In a nutshell-“less is more”. Having the mindset that you’re not lacking anything tells you that you have exactly what you need.
Analysis of Major Ideas From Lifestyle Quotations
Search & Journey
Our lives are a journey, and throughout the journey we search for things that make us happy or bring us satisfaction. We try new things, explore new areas, and learn as we go. We also learn what we like and don’t like, and changing ways means changing pathways. It’s a continual journey and we have a great deal to learn from it.
Editing
Along with the journey and the things we learn we edit and make changes to how we do things. Editing as the result of learning helps us grow and change. Without growth we stagnate-so editing is an important part of learning and changing.
Joy/Happiness
We are always on the search for joy and happiness. Our interests change as we grow and change, so different things will bring us joy. And from a minimalist lifestyle aspect-we figure out it’s not the “stuff” that brings us joy.
Minimalist Quotes for Minimizing
“The first step in crafting the life you want is to get rid of everything you don’t.” Joshua Becker
When beginning the minimalist lifestyle, the first step is to declutter and get rid of all of the junk (and the stuff we just don’t need). We can create the life we think we desire by first getting rid of the stuff-because all it does is take up space and cause stress. Less stuff=more time to create that life we want.
“Our habit to accumulate and to cling to clutter is often representative of practices we’ve adopted to protect or sooth ourselves.” Mary Vraa
It’s very typical of our lifestyles to collect things that we think bring us happiness, but in all actuality don’t. We’re sometimes afraid to let go of things because of memories attached to them-therefore keeping them gives us comfort. But it doesn’t have to be like that-memories don’t disappear when we get rid of stuff.
“Minimalism isn’t about removing the things you love. It’s about removing the things that distract you from the things you love.” Joshua Becker
We think we love things because they bring back memories or remind us of someone special, so we fear letting go of those things. But these things are just a physical manifestation of that memory or that special someone-a distraction we’ve assigned an emotion. We don’t have to do that!
“More was never the answer. The answer, it turned out, was always less.” Cait Flanders
The minimalist principle is “less is more”, because more doesn’t make us happy. We learn with time and experience that we don’t need more. What we do need is love, appreciation, joy, meaningful relationships, and experiences. More stuff is never needed.
Reflection of the Connection Between Minimizing and Minimalism
Minimizing is not just about minimalism, but creating and changing our lives. We learn with time and experience that the things that truly matter are not the possessions and clutter we collect, but the experiences and memories. By focusing on those things we can prevent cluttering our homes with unnecessary stuff.
Minimalist Quotes for Inspiration
“Edit your life frequently and ruthlessly. It’s your masterpiece after all.” Nathan W. Morris
We learn through experiences, and we often need to make changes as a result of those lessons learned. We create the life we want by making changes, or editing, and the more we do so the more our lives can change.
“I’ve learned that minimalism is not about what you own, it’s about why you own it.” Brian Gardner
This doesn’t just apply to minimalists-but humans. We all have reasons for hanging on to certain items. There are memories, stories, special people, and lost loved ones that some belongings remind us of, which makes it difficult to let some things go. Minimalists own less because their focus is on life, and the things they do own have specific purpose(s) and bring them joy in some way.
“The more you have, the more you are occupied. The less you have, the more free you are.” Mother Teresa
The more stuff we collect, the more cleaning and organizing we have to do to keep up with it. This takes up precious time that we could be using for something more meaningful. Minimalists have more free time because with less stuff, there’s less time spent cleaning and organizing.
“Fill your life with lots of experiences, not lots of things. Have incredible stories to tell, not incredible clutter in your closets.” Marc and Angel
Minimalists are all about living intentionally-focusing on experiences and people rather than belongings. We can do more fulfilling things with those stories than with all of the stuff we continually have to clean and organize.
“Too many people spend money they haven’t earned, to buy things they don’t want, to impress people they don’t like.” Will Rogers
This is so the way many people live these days-pre-approval, credit limits, payment in installments, layaway, etc. and for what? To pay more in the long run for something they don’t actually need. People are so worried about keeping up with the Joneses and it’s just so unnecessary. Comparisons get us nowhere but unhappy with ourselves.
Quotes for Minimalist Living Spaces
“Your home is living space, not storage space.” Francine Jay
Your home is where you raise children and pets, care for your family, experience joy and loss, and grow old with your loved ones. It’s not about how much stuff you can pile into your home-we all know that’s not where the joy is. So don’t clutter your home with stuff you don’t need.
“Only buy what you need. Think function not fashion.” Harken Headers
Minimalists focus more on needs than wants-we certainly can survive without the latest fashion and gadgets. Buying only what is needed will save time, save space, and save money. Fashion doesn’t last-function serves a purpose.
“Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.” William Morris
This is the mantra of decluttering and minimalism-if you don’t have a use for it or it doesn’t bring you joy, get rid of it. Otherwise it just takes up space and adds stress to your life.
“A home with fewer possessions is more spacious, more calming, and more focused on the people who live inside it.” Joshua Becker
We do tend to have more room in our living spaces when we don’t clutter them up with stuff. We should be focusing on meaningful relationships and experiences, not with buying items to fill up spaces.
“Having a simplified, uncluttered home is a form of self-care.” Emma Scheib
The more stuff we have, the more clutter, the more cleaning and organizing is required. An uncluttered home saves us the time from cleaning and organizing-which can potentially be spent on caring for ourselves and others.
7 Life-Changing Quotes About Minimalism.
Analysis of the Minimalism and Intentionality
Just like with minimizing, living with intention brings more meaning to our lives. We only need to buy the things we need, and focus on the things that serve a purpose and we have use for. We should intentionally be not cluttering our homes but working on the experiences.
Related Insights
What Does Minimalism Mean in Life?
Minimalism in life means living simply, decluttering and collecting memories rather than stuff, and living intentionally. When we live with more purpose, we create more meaningful relationships and memories, and you can’t buy those things.
Who Are Popular Minimalists?
Popular minimalists include Donald Judd, a painter and artist; Marie Kondo, an organizing guru; Colin Wright, a traveling and blogging influencer; Courtney Carver, a writer and blogger; and Fumio Sasaki, a Japanese author.
How Do I Become a Minimalist?
Becoming a minimalist begins with decluttering and organizing. While doing this, you will learn that it’s not possessions that bring you happiness but the people around you. Pursue the things that make you happy, decrease the chaos and stress, and that truly matter to you. This will help you begin the journey to become a minimalist.
Favorite Quotes Shared By Real People
I asked several friends/family to share their favorite quote about living simply. Here are the quotes they gave:
- Be happy with what you have.
- Live simply so that others may simply live. -Mahatma Gandhi
- Don’t compare yourself to others-you’ll never find happiness that way.
- Keep it simple, stupid (KISS).
- The best things in life are free.
- Live within your means.
- Live simply, love generously, learn constantly. – Genevieve Colmer
- I’ve found that the less stuff I own, the less my stuff owns me. – Nathan W. Morris
- Happiness is simple when you keep it simple. – Gary Vee
- We all have two lives. The second one starts when we realize we only have one. – Tom Hiddleston
Other Resources:
- Living Minimalist – The Easy Practices for a Fuller Life
- Minimalism Quotes – Inspiring Wisdom for Simple Living
There’s much to learn from minimalists and their lifestyles, and minimalist quotes certainly demonstrate this. From belongings to inspiration, these quotes have deep meanings and can lead anyone to make changes in their life. Which quote inspired you the most?