Curious about the ideals and principles behind minimalism?
Minimalists believe that the best way to achieve ultimate happiness is by living a simple life. They find joy and satisfaction in getting rid of unnecessary things to make room to receive more of what they think they truly deserve.
But what does it really mean to have more by having less?
We have gathered 27 minimalist quotes to help you answer that. Our goal is to help you to see what minimalists mean when they say that “less is more.”
These quotes are for minimalists, but also for those who want to learn about the minimalist way of living. Adopting this lifestyle is a lot easier if you first understand what it means to live a simple life.
Before we get to our list, however, let us first share with you the benefits of reading these minimalist quotes and the effects of living a minimalist lifestyle.
Why Read Minimalist Quotes?
People tend to rush into things without fully realizing the effects that doing so can have.
For instance, when your favorite online store has sale, you might add items to your cart without realizing that you have been spending too much money lately. Or, when your favorite TV show releases its new season on Netflix, you might binge-watch it without realizing that it is time for you to go to sleep.
The same goes for starting a new lifestyle, such as minimalism. It might sound so cool and exciting, but once you start, can you really keep it up?
Reading these minimalist quotes can help you with that. Whether you want to be inspired or are simply looking to learn more before giving it a try, these quotes can help you understand the minimalist lifestyle better.
If you can give up the things that you don’t need, then you are ready to begin the journey. But if you aren’t yet sure whether or not you can let go of possessions, then these quotes might help you decide.
Let’s check them out!
- “But I deal with this by meditating and by understanding I’ve been put on the planet to serve humanity. I have to remind myself to live simply and not overindulge, which is a constant battle in a material world.” – Sandra Cisneros
- “Minimalism isn’t about owning less than you need. It’s about owning exactly what you need.” – Joshua Becker
- “The best way to choose what to keep and what to throw away is to take each item in one’s hand and ask: “Does this spark joy?” If it does, keep it. If not, dispose of it. This is not only the simplest but also the most accurate yardstick by which to judge.” – Marie Kondō
- “There are two ways to be rich: One is by acquiring much, and the other is by desiring little.” – Jackie French Koller
“There are two ways to be rich: One is by acquiring much, and the other is by desiring little.” – Jackie French Koller
- “Be a curator of your life. Slowly cut things out until you’re left only with what you love, with what’s necessary, with what makes you happy.” – Leo Babauta
- “The intention of voluntary simplicity is not to dogmatically live with less. It’s a more demanding intention of living with balance. This is a middle way that moves between the extremes of poverty and indulgence.” – Duane Elgin
- “The simplest things are often the truest.” – Richard Bach
- “Our souls are not hungry for fame, comfort, wealth, or power. Our souls are hungry for meaning, for the sense that we have figured out how to live so that our lives matter.” – Harold Kushner
- “Minimalism is not the lack of something. It is simply the perfect amount of something.” – Najahyia Chinchilla
- “If one’s life is simple, contentment has to come. Simplicity is extremely important for happiness. Having few desires, feeling satisfied with what you have, is very vital: satisfaction with just enough food, clothing, and shelter to protect yourself from the elements.” – The Dalai Lama
- “It is not the man who has too little, but the man who craves more, that is poor.” – Seneca
- “Be content with what you have; rejoice in the way things are. When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you.” – Lao Tzu
- “This is the beautiful secret of minimalism: It may seem like it’s about stuff, but once you’ve cut through the clutter and adopted a new frame of mind, you learn that it’s barely about ‘the stuff’ at all.” – Erica Layne
- “The consumption society has made us feel that happiness lies in having things, and has failed to teach us the happiness of not having things.” – Elise Boulding
- “The numerous choices you have around yourself are often superficial; they don’t matter. The art lies in doing more with less. Minimal requirements, more work.” – Vishal Ostwal
- “Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.” – Antoine de Saint-Exupery
- “Holding on to things from the past is the same as clinging to an image of yourself in the past. If you're the least bit interested in changing anything about yourself, I suggest you be brave and start letting things go.” – Fumio Sasaki
- “Besides the noble art of getting things done, there is the noble art of leaving things undone. The wisdom of life consists in the elimination of non-essentials.” – Lin Yutang
“Besides the noble art of getting things done, there is the noble art of leaving things undone. The wisdom of life consists in the elimination of non-essentials.” – Lin Yutang
- “It is preoccupation with possession, more than anything else, that prevents men from living freely and nobly.” – Bertrand Russell
- “A minimalist realizes that acquiring stuff doesn’t make us happy. That earning more and having more are meaningless. That filling your life with busyness and freneticism isn’t desirable, but something to be avoided. A minimalist values quality, not quantity, in all forms.” – Leo Babauta
- “The secret of happiness, you see, is not found in seeking more, but in developing the capacity to enjoy less.” – Socrates
- “You say, ‘If I had a little more, I should be very satisfied.’ You make a mistake. If you are not content with what you have, you would not be satisfied if it were doubled.” – Charles Spurgeon
- “We all know that possessions do not equal happiness. It’s just that we’ve been told this lie for so long that we start to believe it, our hearts start to buy into it, and it begins to affect the way we live our lives.” – Joshua Fields Millburn
- “Cultivate poverty like a garden herb, like sage. Do not trouble yourself much to get new things, whether clothes or friends. Things do not change, we change. Sell your clothes and keep your thoughts.” – Henry David Thoreau
- “Keep only those things that speak to your heart. Then take the plunge and discard all the rest.” – Marie Kondō
- “It is the heart that makes a man rich. He is rich according to what he is, not according to what he has.” – Henry David Beecher
- “Minimalism is a tool we use to live a meaningful life. There are no rules. Rather, minimalism is simply about stripping away the unnecessary things in your life so you can focus on what’s important.” – Joshua Fields Millburn
Final Thoughts on Minimalist Quotes
Minimalism is indeed one of the best ways to achieve happiness. Having less creates more space for new discoveries, and opens up a new world of simple pleasures to you.
Like Marie Kondō often says, if something in your life does not spark joy, then it is probably best to just let it go. That way, you will have room for things that do bring you happiness.
We hope that the minimalist quotes we shared today can help you identify the things that matter to you most. We also hope that they were able to help you decide whether or not you are ready to live a much simpler life.
And if you want more eye-opening quotes, be sure to check out these blog posts:
- 35 Motivational David Goggins Quotes to Inspire Hard Work
- 55 Confucius Quotes That Help You Succeed in Life Today
- 99 Paulo Coelho Quotes to Inspire, Uplift, and Make You Think
Finally, if you want to use these quotes to make a lasting change to your life, then check out and recite these 57 affirmations for success.
