ELI5: What Is Minimalism?

Minimalism in everyday life means choosing to live with only the things you truly need and love, so you have more space and time for what makes you happy.

Imagine your bedroom floor is completely covered with toys. You have so many stuffed animals, blocks, and cars that you cannot even walk to your bed, and it takes hours to clean up. Because there is so much mess, you cannot even find your favorite teddy bear.

Minimalism is like picking up that room and keeping only the toys you actually play with. You give away the broken toys and the games you do not like anymore.

When you practice minimalism in your everyday routine, you do this with everything in your life:

• Your clothes: You keep a small closet of your favorite, comfiest outfits instead of a mountain of shirts you never wear. This makes getting dressed in the morning super fast and easy.
• Your schedule: Instead of saying yes to ten different activities every day and feeling exhausted, you pick one or two fun things to do so you can truly enjoy them.
• Your home: You keep your counters, tables, and floors clear of extra stuff, which means your home stays clean, peaceful, and bright.
• Your mind: When you are not constantly looking for lost items or worrying about cleaning up messes, your brain feels calm and happy.