Decluttering and Minimalism -Why You Need to Know the Difference

I like to declutter but do you know what I like more? A simple life.

Decluttering changed my life but minimalism made me happy. Sometimes people think that you have declutter all the time to be a minimalist. Others think you have to be a minimalist to declutter at all.

But is that true? What is the difference between decluttering and minimalism?

Why Do You Need to Know the Difference Between Decluttering and Minimalism?

Sometimes a big batch of words gets thrown together and you always think of them together.

You might think of pizza and junkfood, scrunchies and the 90s, and decluttering and minimalism. But that doesn’t mean that pizza is always junk food or that you can’t wear scrunchies in the 2020s.

So when you pull the words decluttering and minimalism out of the pile what does each word really mean and why does it matter?

Simply put, you need to know the difference between decluttering and minimalism so that you can have the right motivation to make the right steps for each one.

If you mash them together you are likely to get overwhelmed and compulsive or just give up.

So let’s get to it. It’s time to reveal the truth about decluttering and minimalism.

What Is Decluttering?

I think a lot of people get confused about what decluttering really is.

I’ve heard of people use the word decluttering for what really amounts to cleaning or tidying up the house. Others use it when they are actually talking about organizing stuff in lots of pretty baskets.

But neither of those things are decluttering.

Decluttering is the act of looking through your possessions and finding the things that are useful and meaningful to you and then getting rid of everything else.

It’s as simple as that. If you aren’t getting rid of stuff you aren’t decluttering.

What is Minimalism?

Minimalism is a decorative style, a fashion trend, and an architectural movement. But that’s not what this blog is about. That’s not what you are here to learn about.

Minimalism is a lifestyle. As Joshua Becker so beautifully put it:

“Minimalism is the intentional promotion of things we value and the removal of anything that distracts us from it.”

Joshua Becker

When you first look at that quote it may remind you of the definition of decluttering but the difference is that minimalism is not just about stuff. It’s about finding your most important priorities and goals and removing all the extras that creep into your life.

In a nutshell minimalism is about preventing the influx of the unnecessary and unwanted in your life. Minimalism is about knowing what you want and keeping life simple in the first place.

Do You Have to Declutter to Be a Minimalist?

If decluttering and minimalism are not the same thing then why do those words go hand in hand? Don’t you have to declutter to be a minimalist?

Well, it depends on where you are right now. If you don’t have bunch of stuff you don’t need, use or love you don’t need to declutter to be a minimalist. Maybe you have already decluttered or maybe you have always kept life simple. If that’s the case, you may already be a minimalist and you don’t have to declutter to prove yourself.

On the other hand, for most of us, decluttering is a big part of becoming minimalists. We can’t enjoy the minimalist lifestyle until we let go of all the extra junk we have accumulated over the years. And that decluttering process may take us some time.

Living with less stuff and decluttering goes hand in hand. But decluttering and minimalism are still separate things.

Do You Have to Be a Minimalist to Declutter?

On the other hand, what if you don’t want to be a minimalist? Can you still declutter? Absolutely! Anyone can and should declutter.

Remember, decluttering is the act of getting rid of things that no longer serve you.

We all change and grow. Our lives do not stay the same. We get new interests, move to new places, change weights and styles, and grow in many ways throughout our lives.

Because of that the things that serve you now may not serve you tomorrow. That’s ok. Anyone can let go.

The benefits of living with less stuff and decluttering are for everyone, even people who aren’t at all drawn to the minimalist lifestyle.

Everyone needs space in their homes, less time cleaning, and less stress.

How Can Decluttering and Minimalism Change Your Life?

When I was a little girl, I thought I had to keep everything. I hoarded things because I thought that was the only way to keep the memories I attached to them.

Once I learned that I could declutter the stuff without decluttering the memories I loved, I found freedom.

As a young newlywed in a tiny studio apartment minimalism taught me how to find contentment in simple things while I focused on what really mattered.

Both decluttering and minimalism can change your life for the better.

But you don’t have to be a minimalist to benefit from living with less stuff and decluttering. And if you are a minimalist you don’t need to compulsively declutter all the time.

You need to find the simple life that makes you happy. Remember, that’s what it’s all about. Whether you declutter your home or simplify your life with minimalism only do what makes life easier for you! That’s where you will find happiness.

Do You Need Help Decluttering?

What is decluttering? Well now you know! It’s just letting go of stuff you don’t need.

But still….It can be easy to know what you need to do and hard to know how to do it. Maybe it’s even harder to get motivated. But what if you need to declutter?

I know that it can be scary and overwhelming to declutter your home. That’s why I made the Fearless Decluttering E-Book which is a decluttering program you can do at your own pace.

In it I will help you declutter your entire home in 3 phases. I will not force you to get rid of anything you don’t want to get rid of.

Instead I will help you break through the excuses that have kept you stuck in a cluttered house until now.

Do You Want to Simplify Everything Else?

But what is minimalism? You know know that minimalism is the process by which you make and keep your life simple and focused on your goals!

But what will minimalism look like for you? How do you even start the minimalist lifestyle? Isn’t it a bit extreme?

Not at all! Minimalism is for normal people like you and me. It can help you get out of debt, reduce stress and anxiety, and reach for your goals! How?

You just have to streamline your life and the Doable Simplicity (minimalism for normal people) E-Book will give you action steps and motivation!

In it you will learn how to simplify your home, your schedule, your chores, and even your goals so that you can take your life exactly where you want it to go!