By ·

While on the road, many folks ask us for a simple answer to a complex question: What is minimalism?

It might seem surprising, but we’re not fans of oversimplifying things. Unfortunately, when we’re appearing on dozens of five-minute media slots, we’re often forced to give a condensed version of what minimalism is. Many people have asked us: What is your elevator pitch? Well, we’ve never had one. Until now. If it helps spread the message, then this is what minimalism is to us—in a tidy, little, easy-to-digest soundbite…

Minimalism is a lifestyle that helps people question what things add value to their lives. By clearing the clutter from life’s path, we can all make room for the most important aspects of life: health, relationships, passion, growth, and contribution.

There are many flavors of minimalism: a 20-year-old single guy’s minimalist lifestyle looks different from a 45-year-old mother’s minimalist lifestyle. Even though everyone embraces minimalism differently, each path leads to the same place: a life with more time, more money, and more freedom to live a more meaningful life.

Getting started is as simple as asking yourself one question: How might your life be better if you owned fewer material possessions?