Granted, I understand that the idea is that hopefully, you will discover you don’t actually need that thing, but I don’t want to over declutter and later regret what I’ve gotten rid of and then need to replace in an effort to be a minimalist. While I agree with weighing the odds on whether or not you’ll ever want or use those items, I’m also not comfortable with the idea of getting rid of low-cost items that you may need to replace. I understand the rule is designed to help you let go of inexpensive items you’ve been hanging onto for someday. It’s where ‘anything we get rid of that we truly need, we can replace for less than $20 in less than 20 minutes from our current location’. The Minimalists (and others in this space) have mentioned the 20/20 rule. We get to decide on our goals and choose the journey that works for us. We all have different comfort levels with stuff. And I’m ok with that.Įvery person gets to chart their own course and decide how much is too much. I find joy in my toss pillows, candles, teas, excess paper products, and overstock of food. You can join in the pursuit of simplicity without minimalism being your end goal. Work to try to narrow down to just the necessities? That feels daunting and a little bit sad. Work on having less and being more mindful? Yes, I can do that. I focus on simplicity, not minimalism because it feels more attainable. I can’t say that my goals won’t ever change, but this is where I’m at right now. While I deeply admire many minimalists, my focus is on simplicity, not minimalism. I’m all for practicality and for owning less. My goal currently is to live more simply focusing on what I use and love. I don’t think there is anything wrong with that goal at all. The focus is on the necessities with the goal of not having too much beyond that. With minimalism, I think of trying to own as little as possible. It all depends on who or what you’re comparing it to. There are varying ideas on what extreme looks like. However, by definition, minimalism is characterized by extreme spareness or simplicity. More moderate minimalists aren’t as extreme with their lifestyle. Other minimalists choose to live in tiny houses. On the one end of the spectrum, you will find people who know the number of their possessions and can fit them all into a suitcase. People aren’t defined by the total number of objects they own. I don’t see minimalism as a cookie-cutter description. I’ve been challenged in the way I view minimalism as I’ve seen quite a variety of people that call themselves minimalists. Minimalism: a style or technique that is characterized by extreme spareness and simplicity Spectrum Simplicity: the state of being simple, uncomplicated, or uncompounded So let’s look at the definitions of these words. Some may say the difference between simplicity and minimalism is semantics. Or if I was one, I’d at least be the rebel minimalist. I feel like I’m writing confessions even as I say these things, which again confirms for me that I’m not a minimalist. I’m also a huge fan of toss pillows and candles and own many of them.

I like buying things in bulk and on sale when I’m sure they are things we will eventually use up.

We also stock a large amount of shelf-stable food and paper supplies. My husband has a book, paper, and tool collection. And my other daughter has a stuffed animal collection and ‘art’ collection. We have too many collections in this house to be a minimalist by anyone’s standards. While I know there isn’t an exact number that defines minimalism and a broad spectrum of people call themselves minimalists, I don’t meet the (imaginary) qualifications even on the far end of the spectrum. 3 Reasons I Focus on Simplicity, Not Minimalism Qualificationsįirst and foremost, I have too much stuff to qualify as a minimalist. While I don’t have a problem with that, I’ve chosen to focus on simplicity, not minimalism.

Many people who have read my blog or who have heard my thoughts on clutter would describe me as a minimalist.

Simple minimalist living