10 Minimalism Quotes That Will Inspire You to Live with Less

Being a minimalist, collections typically aren’t my thing. My tastes align much more with the “one will suffice” mindset.

With one exception: quotes.

I unabashedly hoard pithy statements of all types: minimalism, motivation, spirituality, humor—you pick the category, and I’ll happily share my stash. (If minimalism quotes are your thing, Instagram is my collector’s album).

So why stockpile quotes?

Because words have power.

My three-year minimalist journey has been shaped by quotes. Words have propelled me forward in moments I’d plateaued, stirred my heart to relinquish a tight grip, and reframed my thoughts to realize how little I need to be happy.

In short, words, when internalized, have changed my life. And they can change yours, too.

While adopting a minimalist lifestyle certain quotes have spoken to me the loudest. I’ll call them my favorites. 

I want to share 10 of them with you today. May they inspire you to tread lighter, Iive your life with increased purpose, and venture deeper into your minimalism journey.

Here are 10 quotes that will inspire you to live with less:

1. “Just because we have the space doesn’t mean we need to fill it with stuff.” -Zoë Kim

This quote is countercultural. Society tells us that more is better. That more possessions in our homes, more commitments on our calendar, and more items on our to-do list mean more happiness.

Here’s the problem with that. When our homes are full of clutter and our minds are filled with endless to-do’s, we lose focus of what (and who) matters. Less stuff and less busyness makes space for more life. 

2. “Want a cleaner home? Own less stuff… Works every time.” -Joshua Becker

I used to think that I was simply lacking in the area of home management skills. That keeping a tidy home wasn’t something I was wired to do. Ever. Piles of all sorts constantly littered the countertops and tables throughout our home.

After letting go of roughly 75 percent of our stuff, and assigning our remaining possessions a home within our home, the clutter piles disappeared. I’ve finally mastered a tidy home (requiring minimal time to maintain) by owning less stuff.

3. “Minimalism doesn’t mean always tidy. It just means easily tidied.” -Rachelle Crawford

Minimalist living doesn’t mean your home will never have messes. That’s not real life, especially if you have kids. Minimalist living does make messes manageable.

Living with less allows you to look at any mess and think “I’ve got this” instead of “I’m so overwhelmed.” It’s a mindset shift that is life-changing. Minimalist living isn’t about perfection. It’s about building a life that is lower in stress and more focused on what matters most.

4. “Instead of asking, what if I need this someday, ask, what if someone else, today, needs it more?” -Julia Ubbenga

Your excess possessions have power. Power to weigh you down. Power to distract you from your life. Power to stir up stress. But what’s weighing you down and distracting you could lift someone else up. 

While life isn’t about our stuff, we all do need basic things. Instead of keeping it just in case (which usually means never), consider how it could be used for a greater good. Letting go makes our life lighter and the lives of others lighter, too.

5. “If your clutter is stressful, prioritize your physical and mental health and let it go.” -Courtney Carver

The hard truth about clutter is that it invokes a physiological response by increasing our cortisol levels. This is detrimental to our physical and mental health.

Whether we like it or not, our environment affects us. What’s outside us affects what’s going on inside us. The good news is we can be curators of our environment, chiseling away the excess until our surroundings support us. Letting go of clutter is a step toward improved health.

6. “The more you have, the more occupied you are. The less you have, the more free you are.” -Agnes Gonxha (Mother Teresa)

Minimalism is about building a life where you’re free to focus on what matters. About having more space to entertain the essential.

It’s about being free to sit over tea with your daughter after breakfast because the dishes didn’t take very long. It’s about being free to sneak a nap in daily because, without as much stuff to maintain, you have more free time to put your feet up. It’s about being free to dive into a good book nightly because the house only takes a few minutes to reset. Living with less allows you to participate in life more fully and intentionally. That’s why there’s freedom in letting go. 

7. “You don’t need more bins, you need less stuff.” – Unknown

Organizing and decluttering are different beasts. If organizing clutter alone worked, you probably wouldn’t be reading this blog. Anyone can find bins and throw their stuff piles into them. Decluttering is an art, a habit, a lifestyle. And a decluttered life is worth pursuing. 

When you live with fewer possessions, you have more time, energy, and attention to devote to what matters. The “too-much-stuff stress” subsides when you live with less, not when you finally own enough bins.

8. “What we really need is to realize how little we really need.” -Ashleigh Brilliant

Owning less is one thing. Desiring less is completely another.

If minimalism has taught me one thing, it’s this: It’s okay to really like something without needing to own it. I can love a certain interior design style, without needing my home to match it. I can admire friends’ kids’ outfits in their Instagram posts, without needing my kids to own similar clothing. I can like my neighbor’s brand new iPhone without feeling compelled to update mine. 

Why? Because happiness, ultimately, isn’t found in our stuff. And newer, bigger things don’t necessarily make our lives better. While we all need basic things, we need a lot less than we think to be happy. There’s freedom in owning and wanting less.

9. “If you want your child to turn out well, spend twice as much time with them and half as much money.” -Abigail Van Buren

When children are constantly given more stuff, they learn one response: more. Instead of becoming content with what they have, they learn that joy is found in accumulating possessions. Soon, they become conditioned to pursue that purchase-driven dopamine rush. And are being molded into the unconscious consumers society wants them to become.

Before living minimally, I frequently used new toys to shape my child’s behavior. And it worked… for a while. Until my daughter just wanted more. Then I realized something. She didn’t need all that stuff. She didn’t need it to behave well or to be happy. She could get all that with just a few toys and more quality family time, experiences, and adventures. After all, what our kids really want is more of our presence, not more stuff. 

10. “Practice wanting what you already have.” -Unknown

Studies show it’s not possible to be stressed and grateful at the same time. If you’re feeling stressed right now, practice gratitude. Step outside. Take a walk. Meditate on everything you’re grateful for. (Or just open your Notes App and write down every blessing you can think of).

Make this a habit and you’ll live with less stress and less desire for more stuff. Let’s start practicing wanting (and being thankful for) what we already have. We need much less than we think to be happy.

If one of these quotes spoke to you, write it down, post it up, and let it continue to motivate you to live with less. 

No matter where you are on your minimalism journey, words have the power to keep you moving forward and help you reach your decluttering goals.

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Julia Ubbenga is a freelance journalist whose teachings on minimalism, simplicity, and intentional living have reached thousands of people worldwide through her blog. Julia practices what she preaches in her Kansas City home with her husband, two extremely lively young daughters, one-year-old son, and newborn baby girl. You can also find her on Instagram.

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I want to help you design a simple, intentional life! I’ve created a 30-day course that will guide and inspire you to make actual change in your life by decluttering your home, heart and schedule. It’s time to live focused on what matters! Learn more HERE.