4 Tips to Live Minimal: Why Having Less is More

I used to think I couldn’t call myself a minimalist—that because I owned “stuff,” I could only be a minimalist-in-progress. But the more I’ve learned, the more I’ve realized that to live minimal isn’t about having nothing; it’s about being intentional with what you keep and how you live.

What is minimalism?

After reading most of Joshua Becker’s new book The More of Less, I was reminded again not only what minimalism is but also what “living minimal” is all about.

If you look up minimalism in the dictionary, you’ll find it defined as “a style or technique… characterized by extreme spareness and simplicity.” {Thank you, Merriam-Webster.} And that definition is what many people use to judge their own “minimalist” worthiness.
While “simplicity” resonates with me, “extreme spareness” is where the definition loses me—and where I think it loses a lot of people.

It’s the part that keeps so many from embracing a lifestyle that actually gives you more—not less, not empty, and certainly not extreme.

What does it really mean to live with less?

Joshua Becker defines minimalism in a way that feels more true to what actually happens when you decide to live with less.

Minimalism: the intentional promotion of the things we most value and the removal of anything that distracts us from them. – Joshua Becker

He goes on to say that “the beauty of minimalism isn’t in what it takes away. The beauty and the full potential of minimalism lie in what it gives.”

And that, friends, is exactly what we need to think about when we hear the word minimal.

Not bare walls and rooms with no furniture, not extreme sparseness.  Rather, the richness of being surrounded by those things (and people) that bring us joy and peace and…freedom.  Minimal clears away obstacles that prevent us from living the life we want to live.

Now, of course, with clearing away obstacles comes a fair share of being honest with yourself, making tough decisions, donating, and tossing things. But the idea isn’t to look at what you are tossing, but rather that you are getting rid of things to open yourself up to see and embrace what you love.

Clutter is an armed robber you let into your home.

It steals your time, your energy, and your joy. I always say: if you don’t like it, need it, or use it, why let it take up any space in your space?

When something takes up physical space, it inevitably takes up mental space as well, and that kind is relentless. It chips away at your freedom to feel calm and capable.
You can’t stay tangled in clutter and still live minimal, which is really about living with more purpose, more freedom, and more room to breathe.

The two can’t co-exist.  And the harder we try to convince ourselves that they can exist in harmony, the more work we put into spinning our wheels and not really getting anywhere on the happiness front.

There are real benefits of Minimalism

At some point, we have to stop the madness. The pursuit of more is exhausting—and it leaves us with less of what actually matters: time, energy, money, and freedom. When we choose to own less, we gain less stress, less distraction, and even less environmental impact.

One of my favorite benefits is the freedom from comparison. I truly believe that much of our excess comes from the quiet (or not-so-quiet) urge to measure ourselves against others. We try to impress, to keep up, to prove something through what we own. But purposefully owning less pulls us out of that unwinnable game.

And that freedom—freedom from comparison, from clutter, from the pressure to accumulate—feels good.

Give minimalism a try!

With anything new, fear plays a role in whether or when we give something a go. And that is understandable. With “stuff” comes a lot of …stuff – like in our head and heart.  And I get it. I have kept my fair share of things that do nothing but clutter a space and it can be hard to let go when the sentimental strings are being tugged.  But the benefits of letting go far outweigh the tug.

To truly live minimally, I think we have to take stock of what we own so it doesn’t end up owning us.  And we have to decide how we want to live our life – how we want to feel as we live our life.

Try these 4 tips to help you live minimal:

1. Journal.

Journal for 10 minutes about how you feel about your home, your things, everything you own (or don’t own but put money towards). How do you feel?  How do you want to feel? Get to the bottom of things by asking and answering whether you are truly living a big life, or owning a lot of things that make it feel that way.

2. Start small.

Pick one room that is driving you nuts and keep your focus in that room. Don’t focus on the whole house. Start small to keep the idea of minimalism and “letting go” more appealing. Then set a timer for 30 minutes, and remove from that space the excess, and what you don’t like, need, or use.

3. Move things out.

Clear the decks of what no longer has meaning or purpose. Sell or donate those items.  Posting on Marketplace is an easy way to lighten your load and make some dough. Or consider donating to places like churches, schools, and shelters that need the items you no longer do.

4. Repeat.

Repeat the process until every room in your house has been touched, seen, and lightened.

If room-by-room doesn’t float your boat, think in terms of categories — all books, or all clothes. And work to lighten your load, always keeping in mind your goal for how you want to live your life.  Challenge yourself to be more with less.  To live more with less.

Choose minimal. Not because you want stark and plain and sparseness, but because you want to see and feel beauty and meaning and color in your life.  When you choose to keep the things that give you joy and discard the rest, you open up your life to a whole new way of living.

You will live more — because you have less.