My Ten Favorite Definitions of Minimalism

I define myself as a minimalist, yet in conversations with others I often get the question, “What does minimalism mean, anyway?”

I pause, smile and take a deep breath because it’s difficult to define a lifestyle like minimalism succinctly. To someone new to minimalism, the word seems very restrictive. It has the word “minimal” in it, to be fair. But if you go deeper than the stereotypes and misconceptions surrounding minimalism, you will find that the concept is incredibly flexible to include people of every age and stage of life. Minimalism is for single people, but also for large families. It is for people who are wealthy and those who are living paycheck-to-paycheck. It is a lifestyle rooted in your values, so it looks different for everyone. That’s the beauty of it, after all.

Perhaps you have your own definition of minimalism, or you’re new to the concept and haven’t found a definition that resonates with you. Here are ten of my favorites, including the one I typically use when asked (#7 if you’re interested!)

1. “Minimalism is a repeated, daily choice to be intentional about what you allow into your life.” Jennifer from Simply + Fiercely

I love that Jennifer defines minimalism as a choice to be intentional. Intentionality is an important theme in minimalism, and for good reason. It’s not just about less stuff; it’s about the intentionality behind our stuff, our actions, and how we spend our lives.

2. “Minimalism is asking why before you buy.” Francine Jay from Miss Minimalist

An important component of minimalism is the intentionality behind what we purchase. This reminds me of another favorite quote from Anna Lappé: “Every time you spend money, you are casting a vote for the kind of world you want.” Minimalists consider the “why, what, and when” before they buy something.

3. “Minimalism is not about deprivation; minimalism is about aligning your short-term actions with your long-term values.” The Minimalists

Many people feel that minimalism means you can only have a certain number of things, while missing the point that minimalism focuses on an alignment between your values and how you live out those values through your actions. Minimalism doesn’t deprive you; it allows you the freedom to pursue your greatest purpose.

4. “Minimalism is not about having less. It’s about making room for more of what matters.” Melissa Russell from Simple Lionheart Life

Again, the misconception is that minimalism is solely focusing on having less, while it’s more about what you are making room for in your life. More joy, love, time, energy, focus – it all depends on what matters to you.

5. “Minimalism is not subtraction for the sake of subtraction. Minimalism is subtraction for the sake of focus.” AberMinimal

Minimalism isn’t less for the sake of less. It allows you more of what I call your “precious resources”- including focus, which seems like one of the most precious commodities we possess. Can’t we all use more of that in a noisy world?

6. “Minimalism is the intentional promotion of the things we most value, and the removal of anything that distracts us from it.” Joshua Becker, Becoming Minimalist

This is one of the more well-known definitions in the minimalism space. I like that it focuses on intentionally promoting what’s most important- not only are we making room for it, but we are bolstering what we value in our lives.

7. “Minimalism is removing the excess and that which no longer serves us so we can make room for what’s most important.” Emily McDermott, Simple by Emmy

This is the definition I typically use when asked how I define minimalism. It’s been evident in my journey that the removal of excess is important, but also what no longer serves me. That may be physical items (clothes from a previous season in life, sentimental items that represent a part of my past I no longer want to remember), but can also include calendar commitments, relationships, negative thoughts, or limiting beliefs.

8. “Minimalism is the purposeful practice of paring back both our material possessions and commitments in order to create a greater capacity to invest our time and energy in the things that matter most.” Rachelle Crawford, Abundant Life With Less

I love this definition because it defines minimalism as a practice with purpose behind it. It also shows the energy exchange involved in minimalism- when you pare back in the areas of material possessions, commitments, etc., you have greater capacity to invest elsewhere.

9. “Minimalism is the thing that gets us past the things so we can make room for life’s important things—which aren’t things at all.” The Minimalists

It makes sense that The Minimalists would have more than one definition of minimalism. I like this one because it shows that minimalism is a tool to get us where we want to go. It isn’t a set of rigid rules, but a journey toward what’s most important.

10. “Minimalism isn’t emptiness for the sake of emptiness; but rather making room to move freely, think clearly, and open ourselves up to the beauty and wonder of life.” Francine Jay, Miss Minimalist

Making room is a common theme with definitions of minimalism – space in our homes, our calendars, and our heads. But Francine goes a step further to remind us that it is also about surrender, about letting go, and opening ourselves up to beauty and wonder. You can’t be open to these things if you’re holding on tightly to your stuff.

Which definition resonates with you the most? Are there any that I missed? Comment and let me know! You can check out these and other of my favorite inspirational quotes on my Pinterest page.