The 3 Quotes that Inspired Me to Become a Minimalist

Inside: Here you’ll find the 3 best minimalism quotes that inspired me most on my journey to become a minimalist. 


Where were you when you first realized minimalism, or a life less focused on the accumulation of more, was for you? Can you picture it? If you’re still on the fence, that’s okay. Perhaps the quotes that inspired me, will do the same for you.

I was introduced to minimalism at Wednesday morning church mom group by a mother of five who had been living as a minimalist for years. (You can read more about my becoming a minimalist here).

In summary, I had been stuck in a place of clutter induced overwhelm that I had been blaming on both motherhood and my natural inclination toward mess and disorder. While there are a variety of reasons people choose to live with less, for me it was finding freedom from stress of too much. Too much stuff, too much hustle, too much busyness, too much running in circles for no good reason!

The days that followed my encounter with minimalism were some of my most life changing. After years of mindless consumerism and clutter, I altered course drastically. While I had no idea what I was doing, I knew that getting rid of our “too much stuff” was exactly what I needed.

Every time I’d scour the internet in search of a decluttering  plan or solution to a problem area, I’d always happen upon the most timely inspiration that kept me going

Inspiration to Follow

I stumbled upon practical tips for getting started, tips for decluttering toys, and articles encouraging me to slow down and savor life. I’m incredibly grateful for those who not only journeyed before me, but felt compelled to share their journey online. Some of my earliest inspirational and educational finds were:

Joshua Becker of Becoming Minimalist
Erica Layne of The Life on Purpose Movement
Denaye Barahona, PhD of Simple Families
Zoë Kim of Raising Simple
Zina Harrington of Becoming Unbusy
Emma Scheib of Simple Slow Lovely
Krista O’Reilly Davi-Digui of A Life in Progress
Courtney Carver of Be More With Less
Christine Platt The Afrominimalist
Julianna Poplin of The Simplicity Habit

…just to name a few. Since those early days, I’ve discovered even more incredible simplicity focused writers, many of whom have become friends.

In the midst of this plethora of helpful information, there were three quotes in particular that did more than just inspire or educate me, they shook me awake. Words that even when I hear them today, make me slowly shake my head from side to side, resting my hand on  my heart as the intentional pursuit of simplicity settles deeper and deeper into my bones.

Here  are my three favorite simplicity centered quotes.

The 3 Best Minimalism Quotes

1. Maybe the life you’ve always wanted is buried under everything you own. – Joshua Becker

These words right here, were the ones that sealed the deal for me. In fact, this quote is the very first chapter quote in my book Messy Minimalism.

messy minimalism

My hope in placing these twelve powerful words at the very beginning of my book is that they may have the same impact on you as they did on me. When I first stumbled upon this line I realized in an instant that our pursuit of more stuff only serves as a distraction disguised as success. If we aren’t careful we can spend the entirety of our lifetime in pursuit of a life we never meant to live. Minimalism is about living and moving  on purpose.

While I went minimalist for the clutter free play room and clear kitchen counters, I stayed because underneath it all, I found myself.

best minimalism quotes

2. If organizing your stuff worked, you’d be organized by now. – Courtney Carver

While I’ve always loved the look of an organized space, my home was far from organized. After decades of organizing, reorganizing, and organizing again, these words revealed just how much time I had wasted, focusing on the wrong problem.

At the time of my finding minimalism, I was at the end of my rope. Overwhelmed by what I thought was an inability to manage my home well. Turns out, I’m not a terrible homemaker after all, I was just trying to manage too much stuff.

best minimalist quotes

We rarely have an organizational or space problem. More times than not, we have a too much stuff problem.

3. Your home should be the antidote to stress, not the cause of it. – Peter Walsh

These words were important because at the time, my home was the literal cause of my stress and overwhelm. In fact, my home stressed me out so much that I would in turn make my life overly busy just to avoid being there.

best minimalist quotes

As I began to clear the clutter from my home, I knew that I wasn’t just making my home more manageable for this messy homemaker to keep up with, I was creating a haven. A sanctuary from the storm. A place where I could rest, recharge and reconnect with my family.  A place where they could do  the same.

To this day, these words remind me of what it is I want out of life. It isn’t fancy stuff, a bigger home or more clutter to sift through. that it isn’t more or better stuff I want out of life. It’s simply to do what I was made to do, and be fully present while I do it.

I’d love to hear, what quotes have helped guide, shape or inspire your journey toward a more simplified, clutter free and meaningful life?


Messy Minimalism Available NOW Where Books Are Sold

Sick of the clutter, but not quite sure “minimalism” as you know it is for you? You’re probably right. Minimalism as you know it, probably isn’t for you. It wasn’t for me either.

Because of that, Messy Minimalism was born. Messy Minimalism is a doable, grace-based approach to living a clutter free life. It frees you up to embrace the mess, live with less and create an imperfectly perfect home for you.
Messy Minimalism is available NOW from your favorite book retailer.

For more information on Messy Minimalism head to MessyMinimalism.com


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