30 Minimalist Quotes to Begin a Simple and Meaningful Life

Minimalism is a lifestyle that encourages living with less and focusing on what is most important in life. We can apply the concept of minimalism to aspects of our daily lives, whether it's the things we own, our daily activities, or our relationships. We have prepared a collection of minimalist quotes to inspire your journey to living with less. We have also captured the thoughts of renowned minimalist advocates like Fumio Sasaki, Marie Kondō, and Joshua Fields to guide us along the road to simplicity. 

We can make the most of our resources by diverging from consumerism and adopting minimalism.

Related, yet not quite the same as sustainable living and adopting a zero-waste lifestyle, read on to learn more about embracing less in your life. Our minimalist quotes are a great place to start. 

Quick links to our selection of minimalist quotes:

Best Minimalist Quotes

We can find the roots of minimalism from ancient philosophers in the East and West to movements like stoicism and religions like Buddhism. But it gained popularity in the art and fashion world in the 1950s when artists like Frank Stella exhibited his Black Paintings in New York. 

Due to the rising cost of living and cultural changes over the years, minimalism gradually became a lifestyle choice for many. Thanks to businesses, media, and influencers, the interest in a minimalist lifestyle has been upward since 2010, according to Google Trends' records.

Need a push to start this lifestyle? Read our best minimalist quotes below. Or, for more on a similar theme, you might like our simple life quotes.

"Minimalism is built around the idea that there's nothing that you're lacking."
- 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

"I'm a big believer in minimalism. Not materialist minimalism, although that's part of it, but time and energy minimalism. The body is given only so much energy a day."
- James Altucher

"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

Inspirational Minimalist Quotes To Start Your Journey

Self-determination theory says that we have three basic psychological needs to form the foundation of human motivation - autonomy, competence, and relatedness. According to a 2016 study, those who lead minimalism or a low-consumption lifestyle satisfy these demands¹, which raises life satisfaction.

Besides our well-being, embracing simplicity can help us make better financial decisions and reduce our carbon footprint. Like its core meaning, starting a minimalist way of life is simple.

Get inspired by the minimalist quotes below and start your journey with a small step. Our suggestion? Declutter your closet in your free time, or spread the word with our selection of gifts perfect for minimalists.

"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

"It is preoccupation with possession, more than anything else, that prevents men from living freely and nobly."
- Bertrand Russell

"Reduce the complexity of life by eliminating the needless wants of life, and the labors of life reduce themselves."
- Edwin Way Teale

"The secret of happiness, you see, is not found in seeking more, but in developing the capacity to enjoy less."
- Socrates

"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 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

Powerful Minimalist Quotes From Famous Minimalism Advocates

Fumio Sasaki is a well-known minimalist advocate who inspired many people to lead simpler lives. His book, Goodbye, Things: The New Japanese Minimalism (here on Amazon), has been a bestseller and helped many people shift their focus. 

Four shirts and four pairs of shoes are among Sasaki's current possessions, which he says used to be around 300 items in total. Yes, most people would find his degree of minimalism unattainable. Nevertheless, he acknowledges throughout the book that each person has a particular level of comfort with minimalism.

After getting insights from the advocates through the minimalist quotes below, buy a book to guide you in pursuing this lifestyle.

"If you ask me what minimalism is really about, I would say that it's the altering of values – enter the small doors of minimalism and come out on the other side with big ideas."
- Fumio Sasaki

"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

"Living with only the bare essentials has not only provided superficial benefits such as the pleasure of a tidy room or the simple ease of cleaning, it has also led to a more fundamental shift. It's given me a chance to think about what it really means to be happy."
- Fumio Sasaki

"Keep only those things that speak to your heart. Then take the plunge and discard all the rest."
- Marie Kondō

"Clutter obscures what’s most important. Discarding that which doesn’t support your ideal lifestyle creates space for treasured possessions to truly shine – and leaves room for future joy-sparking additions."
- Marie Kondō

"I recommend you dispose of anything that does not fall into one of three categories: currently in use, needed for a limited period of time, or must be kept indefinitely."
- Marie Kondō

"Minimalism is a tool we use to live a meaningful life."
- Joshua Fields

"Minimalism is a tool to eliminate life's excess, focus on the essentials, and find happiness, fulfillment, and freedom."
- Joshua Fields

Quotes About Minimalism To Change Your Perspective

Practicing minimalism does not end with tangible things. We can also apply it to our time, energy, and relationships. By practicing a simple lifestyle, we can thoroughly choose activities where we can pour our precious time and energy. 

For example, instead of mindlessly surfing social media, we can watch an educational documentary on a topic we care about (like plastic waste or climate change). 

As for relationships, we keep in touch with family and friends close to our hearts because, tying with the previous point, our time and energy are valuable.

With minimalism, we can cultivate an intentional and mindful life full of rich experiences, meaningful connections, and a sense of fulfillment. Gather more perspective on this movement with our minimalist quotes below.

"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

"Clutter is not just the stuff on your floor – it's anything that stands between you and the life you want to be living."
- Peter Walsh

"If you need nice things to impress your friends, you have the wrong friends."
- Joshua Becker

"Too many people spend money they haven't earned, to buy things they don't want, to impress people they don't like."
- Will Rogers

"To live a pure unselfish life, one must count nothing as one's own in the midst of abundance."
- Buddha

"Fill your life with lots of experiences, not lots of things. Have incredible stories to tell, not incredible clutter in your closets."
- Marc and Angel Chernoff

Perfect Minimalist Captions To Post On Social Media

Minimalism challenges a consumer-centered society. It will take time to embrace a lifestyle different from what the world dictates, but baby steps will ease us into this fulfilling way of life. Here are simple steps you can follow:

• Sort your possessions and be ready to let go of unnecessary things
• If you need to spend on something, invest in quality items and experiences. 
• Ask yourself continuously if you're using your resources on things that matter to you.

A lifestyle change is an ongoing process. If you made lapses along the way, be kind to yourself and allocate your energy to improving. If you plan to share your minimalism journey on social media, pair your posts with our minimalist quotes below.

"You have succeeded in life when all you really want is only what you really need."
- Vernon Howard

"Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication."
- Leonardo da Vinci

"Edit your life frequently and ruthlessly. It's your masterpiece after all."
- Nathan Morris

"I've found that the less stuff I own, the less my stuff owns me."
- Nathan W. Morris

"Contentment comes not so much from great wealth as from few wants."
- Epictetus

"A minimalist values quality, not quantity, in all forms."
- Leo Babauta