27 Best Minimalism Quotes That Will Change Your Life

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In a world where there seems to be an excess of a lot of things, minimalism is a breath of fresh air. It helps people weed out the unnecessary and focus on the things that matter. One effective way of welcoming minimalism in your life is through reading inspiring minimalism quotes. 

Minimalism quotes are more than just words. They are a testament to those who live by the idea of living with what is only necessary. In this article, you’ll learn of the 27 best minimalism quotes from popular and well-respected individuals. 

27 Best Minimalism Quotes

1. “Believe what your heart tells you when you ask, ‘Does this spark joy?’ ”

Marie Kondo
Spark Joy minimalism quotes

Nowadays, when you think of minimalism, you think of Marie Kondo. This thought-provoking quote of her has pushed thousands to rethink their possessions. It is one of my favorite minimalism quotes.

2. “Keep only things that speak to your heart”

Marie Kondo
minimalism quote by marie kondo

Here’s another one from Marie Kondo in case the one mentioned above is not enough. 

3. “Minimalism is the intentional promotion of things we most value and the removal of anything that distracts us from it”

Joshua Becker

Joshua Becker is an author and YouTube personality who inspires people to start living a minimalist lifestyle. This quote from his is an example of some of the thought-provoking ideas you will get from his books and shows. 

4. “Just because something made you happy in the past doesn’t mean you have to keep it forever.”

Melva Green
Happiness quote art of mastery

Melva Green is a psychiatrist who starred in the show Hoarders. She helped people who have issues with intense clutter, helping them rethink and reassess their possessions for a better quality of life.  

5. “Clutter is not just physical stuff. It’s bad habits, toxic relationships, and old ideas. It is anything that does not help you become the best version of yourself”

Eleanor Brownn
quote on clutter dark silhouette of women

This quote from Eleanor Brown tells us the reality that clutter is not always about earthly items but emotional and mental baggage as well. Making it in our list of best minimalism quotes.

6. “The less possession you have, the lesser you spend. The less you spend, the less you need to work and more time to enjoy life.”

Donna Smallin Kuper
quote on less possessions picture of hand

Kuper is known as the “One-Minute Organizer” for providing tips and advice on how to declutter. Just like Marie Kondo, she also advocates for simplifying life. 

7. “Many people spend too much money they have yet to earn for things they do not need to impress people they do not like”

Will Rogers
quote on frugality

Will Rogers is a comedian and a film actor who saw through the trend of how people always spend beyond this means. This can cause significant stress and issues resulting in an unhappy life. 

8. “ Minimalism is the intentional search for happiness”

Melissa Camara Wilnims
minimalism quote hot air balloon image

Wilnims is the author of the book Permission Granted. It advocates self-realization and getting rid of unnecessary distractions. 

9. “Make things as simple as possible but not simpler”

Albert Einstein
Quote on simplicity by einstein

Albert Einstein is among the greatest thinkers of all time. Despite that, he believes that the best way to do things is the simplest way. 

10. “Simplicity is the Ultimate Sophistication”

Leonardo Da Vinci
Quote on simplicity by leonardo da vinci

Leonardo Da Vinci is among the first to admit that simplicity is a difficult feat to achieve. Wanting and adding more is almost second nature to humans. This is why he believes that ultimate sophistication is only achieved through simplicity. 

11. “Minimalism is asking yourself why before making a purchase”

Francine Jay
minimalism quote by francine jay

Francine Jay is a self-proclaimed minimalist. She believes that minimalism is not only about removing excess possessions but also about eliminating emotional and mental distractions as well. 

12. “Simplicity is the journey of life with the right amount of baggage.”

Charles Dudley Warner 
Simplicity quote women looking over mountain

Warner is a close friend of Mark Twain who co-authored the book The Gilded Age: A Tale of Today. His words are among the most popular minimalist quotes of today due to their timely relevance. 

13. “ Life is simple but we chose to make it complicated”

Confucius
Confucius quote on life

Confucius is one of the ancient philosophers who believe that there is a virtue in living a simple life. In this quote, he states a common and obvious problem that every human suffers from. 

14. “The aim of science is to achieve simplicity”

William James
William James quote on simplicity

William James is among the first educators in the US to offer psychology courses. He is not only a renowned psychologist but a philosopher as well who is considered as one of the leading thinkers during the 19th century. 

15. “ Contentment has to come if one’s life is simple. Simplicity is essential for happiness. Feeling satisfied and having few desires is very crucial”

The Dalai Lama XIV
Dalai Lama quote on minimalism

This quote from The Dalai Lama XIV provides a glimpse of the Tibetan Buddhism teachings that emphasize the importance of simplicity in achieving happiness. This religion is among the first ones that introduced the value of having a simple and modest life. 

16. “Minimalism is not deprivation. It is about intentionality”

D. Stojanovic
Minimalism quote nature background

D. Stojavonic, also known as Dejan Stojanovic, is a Serbian philosopher, writer, and poet. This quote from him encourages people to view minimalism as intentional rather than deprivation. 

17. “ Minimalism is a tool to reduce life’s excess. Focus on what’s important and find freedom, fulfillment, and happiness.”

Joshua Fields Millburn
Joshua Fields Millburn minimalism quote

Joshua Field Millburn’s humble beginnings pushed him to aspire for a high-paying career. However, upon achieving the pinnacle, he was still left unsatisfied. After a series of eye-opening events, he decided to convert into a minimalist lifestyle. 

18. “When provided with too many options, humans tend to wonder whether there is something better out there compared to what they chose.”

Fumio Sasaki
fumio sasaki quote city background

Unlike Marie Kondo who is a minimalist expert, Fumio Sasaki is an ordinary guy who was once in your position before. He understands the challenges and rewards of going for a minimalist lifestyle. As a result, he decided to turn his experiences into a book entitled Goodbye, Things: The New Japanese Minimalism.

19. “Simplicity is the unburdening of life and living lightly with fewer distractions that cause interference with life’s quality defined by each individual.”

Linda Breen Pierce
simplicity quote water image background

Linda Breen Pierce is the author of the book entitled Choosing Simplicity. She is a firm believer in a minimalist lifestyle and its benefits.  

20. “Perfection is not achieved when nothing more needs to be added but when nothing is left to be removed.”

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
quote on perfection and minimalism

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry is known for writing the Le Petit Prince or The Little Prince. He is also a former commercial pilot before World War II erupted in Europe. 

21. “You have achieved a successful life when all you want is only what you truly need.”

Vernon Howard
vernon howard quote

Vernon Howard is a children’s book author and a humorist. He is an advocate of personal development.

22. “ The preoccupation with possession is what prevents men from living nobly and freely”

Bertrand Russell
quote on minimalism and possession

Bertrand Russel is popularly known for his contribution to logic and mathematics. Although his field of expertise may sound complicated, his ideas revolve around not being too attached to earthly possessions. 

23. “The laws of the universe will be simpler as you simplify your life. Weakness will not be weakness, poverty will not be poverty nor solitude will be solitude.”

Henry David Thoreau
quotes by henry david Thoreau

Henry David Thoreau is an American philosopher, poet, and essayist. He is well known for writing Walden, one of the first literary works that detail minimalism. 

24. “The secret to happiness is not in seeking more but having the capacity to enjoy less”

Socrates
quote on happiness by socrates

Despite how much the ancient Greeks valued power and appearance, Socrates was among the first who saw the beauty of minimalism. His minimalism was focused on working with what you already have.

Although this train of thoughts might be due to his humble beginnings, it was evident that he preferred a minimalist lifestyle. This was proven in how he was reluctant to receive riches in his later life. 

25. “The simplest things are often the realist.”

Richard Bach
quote on simplicity by richard bach

Richard Bach is a well-renowned writer known for his books the Illusions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah and Jonathan Livingston Seagull. 

26. “To find one’s direction, one must remove the complexity of ordinary, everyday life.”

Plato 
quote on life by plato

Plato is an ancient Greek philosopher and a student of Socrates. He is also the founder of the academy.  This popular quote of his is still relevant even until this day. 

27. “Less is more.”

Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
less is more quote by ludwig

The iconic phrase “less is more” was adopted by architect and furniture designer Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. He is also considered to be one of the proponents of simplicity and founder of modern architecture. 

Final Words

Did you enjoy our favorite minimalism quotes? Are you now feeling inspired to leap into the minimalist lifestyle? If you are then, go for it. There are many ways for you to transition from who you are today to becoming the minimalist that you want to be.

The most difficult challenge will be in letting go of your attachments whether it is on possessions or relationships. If you’re ready to declutter your digital space, read our book Digital Minimalism in Everyday Life by James W. Williams

This book will help you declutter your mind and reclaim your much-deserved freedom from digital technology. It’s an essential book especially for this new age where everyone is addicted to their devices.  

And if you want to dive into minimalism even more, check out the 11 best books on minimalism.

Also take a look at my new article on the 21 essential minimalist lifestyle tips that you need to know and give your minimalism journey a jump start!

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