The Difference Between Decluttering and Minimalism: Know What Suits You Better

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Many people wonder about the relationship between decluttering and minimalism. Are they both the same? Can we go for one without the other? Which one comes first? Is it possible to declutter if you are not a Minimalist? Or can you embrace a minimalist lifestyle if you don’t declutter? Even though these two often walk hand in hand, they are not exactly the same thing.

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What is Decluttering?

Decluttering is an effective way of getting rid of your unwanted, unloved, and unnecessary stuff from your home so you can make space and time for what you love and enjoy. There are a variety of different reasons you might want to declutter.

Maybe you feel overwhelmed by the amount of unnecessary stuff in your home and you feel like you are drowning in them. And you begin to declutter so it becomes simpler and easier for you to take care of your stuff and you don’t have to deal with the stress that comes with too many clutter. When you let go of the random, unnecessary stuff, you usually keep what you love, use, and value.

Decluttering allows you to remove the excess of anything that’s not important in your life. Yes, you can declutter not only your physical space but your mental, emotional, and financial areas, too. In fact, you can declutter just about anything.

Decluttering and minimalism often go hand in hand in a lot of ways. But decluttering your stuff is just one part of the minimalist process.

If you want to know more about decluttering and how it affects your life, you should check this best selling book by Marie Kondo, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing.

What is Minimalism?

Minimalism is a mindset where you consciously make purposeful and intentional decisions about what matters most to you. You deliberately focus on the things that are important and meaningful. It gives you a new perspective, and you only keep or allow those things and people in your life that add more value and make you happier. You own less and get rid of the unnecessary material possessions that hold you back. When you adopt minimalism, you recognize that the most important things in life are never things.

Minimalism is a lifestyle that focuses less on how much you own and more on how you live your life. It impacts pretty much every decision you make and every action you take in order to make life simpler and more meaningful. As we remove the excess from our lives, no matter what area, we begin to see that a simpler, slower, and calmer life offers far more lasting value and peace of mind than a life that never stops.

“At its core, minimalism is the intentional promotion of the things we most value and the removal of everything that distracts us from it.” ~Joshua Becker

The Difference Between Decluttering and Minimalism:

As I mentioned earlier – we often use these two words “decluttering” and “minimalism” interchangeably, but they are not the same. Decluttering is a tool or an action while minimalism is an intentional lifestyle.

I know some people who have decluttered their homes to make life simpler and easier, but would not consider themselves a minimalist and have no intention of becoming one either.

Just like them, you can also declutter your home and your life without being a minimalist. But it’s not possible for you to be a minimalist without first decluttering what is unnecessary and excess.

Decluttering is the action you take to give yourself more time and space so you can clearly identify your priorities and focus on them again.

Minimalism is the lifestyle that allows you to live intentionally with only what you need and love, on a daily basis, so you can be in harmony with your core values and priorities.

Most people’s minimalism journey begins with decluttering, but decluttering doesn’t necessarily lead you to minimalism. Whether decluttering is what introduced you to the idea of minimalist lifestyle or not, clearing out the clutter, excess, and distractions from your home and life is certainly a vital part of minimalist living.

If you want to just simplify your life and make room for what you love, use, and value, decluttering can help greatly. But if you are thinking of embracing minimalism and live intentionally, decluttering is just an important tool for that – a great first step towards that lifestyle choice.