New to minimalism? New to our website? Welcome aboard! There’s a lot of info here, and you certainly don’t have to read it all at once, but here’s the order we suggest for beginners. Start below, find topics that add value to your life, and take your time. There’s nothing wrong with moving slowly.

Start Here: Read, Listen, Watch, Connect

Free Essays. Subscribe to this website via email to receive free essays about minimalism from Joshua and Ryan. We never send spam (because spam’s yucky!). We want to add value to your life, so subscribe only if you find value here. Unsubscribe anytime.

Listen to Less. Each week, we discuss living a meaningful life with less on The Minimalists Podcast, which is often the #1 Health podcast on Apple Podcasts.

Documentary. Our film, Minimalism: A Documentary About the Important Things, opened as the #1 indie doc of 2016, showing in more than 400 theaters worldwide. It’s now available online and on DVD.

Meet The Minimalists on Tour. We’ve spoken about minimalism in more than 150 cities in eight countries. Check our tour page to see where we’ll be next.

Connect via Social Media. Follow us on your preferred social network: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. We share a lot of insightful and funny things we don’t say here. You can also text us at 937-202-4654 (yes, that’s really our phone number).

Newest Book. What if everything you ever wanted isn’t what you actually want? Everything That Remains is the touching, surprising story of what happened when Joshua Fields Millburn decided to let go of everything and begin living more deliberately (“Like Thoreau, but with Wi-Fi” —Boston Globe). Heartrending, uplifting, and deeply personal, this engrossing book is peppered with insightful (and often hilarious) interruptions by Ryan Nicodemus, Joshua’s best friend of 20 years.

Paperback: Amazon · Barnes & Noble

Ebook: Kindle · iBooks · Google Play

Audiobook: Audible · iTunes · Amazon

And then…

And then let us answer your questions by way of our essays…

Excess Stuff

Having trouble getting rid of stuff? Read these essays: The Short Guide to Getting Rid of Your Crap, 10/10 Material Possessions Theory, Getting Rid of Just-In-Case Items, When Everything Is Your Favorite Thing, What Would Happen If You Just Let Go?, and The Consumption Continuum. And listen to this podcast: Stuff.

Clutter

Tired of clutter? Read: Packing Party: Unpack a Simpler Life, Decluttering Doesn’t Work Like That, Organizing Is Often Well-Planned Hoarding, Collecting Is Dangerous, What Things Can You Get Rid Of?, and 30-Day Minimalism Game. And listen to this podcast: Declutter.

Sentimental Items

Having trouble getting rid of sentimental items? Read these essays: Letting Go of Sentimental Items, Photo-Scanning Party, Dealing with the Death of a Loved One, The High Price of Pursuing My Dreams, and I Don’t Love You Anymore. And listen to this podcast: Sentimental.

Relationships

What about relationships? Read: Letting Go of Shitty Relationships, It’s Complicated, A Minimalist’s Thoughts on Meaningful Relationships, and The Things We Are Prepared to Walk Away From. And listen to this podcast: Relationships.

Gifts

Tired of buying and receiving so many stupid gifts? Read these essays: Getting Rid of Gifts, The Blackest of Fridays, and The Commodification of Love, Five Steps Toward a More Meaningful Holiday Season, and 40 Reasons to Avoid Shopping on Black Friday. And listen to this podcast: Giftgiving.

Counting Possessions

Is minimalism just about counting your stuff? (Hint: nope.) Read this essay: I Counted All My Stuff then I Threw Away the List Because I Didn’t Want It to Count as One Item and then take a Tour of Joshua’s Minimalist Apartment. Also: Less, Less, Less, Less, Less, Less, and Love People, Use Things. And listen to this podcast: Consumerism.

Explaining Minimalism

Having trouble explaining minimalism to your friends and family? Read these essays: Minimalism for Families with Children and Minimalist Family: Start With Yourself, followed by Minimalist Family: 12 Useful Links, Minimalism Is Not a Radical Lifestyle, I Was Not a Minimalist, Until I Was, Life Is an Acquired Taste, Gospel of Minimalism, and Take It Simple. And listen to these podcasts: Who Are The Minimalists? and Children.

Career

Sick and tired of your soul-crushing corporate job? Read these three essays: Why I Quit My 6-Figure Corporate Job, Being Laid Off From My 6-Figure Job Was the Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me, UnTeachers, The UnAmerican Dream, Life’s Most Dangerous Question: What Do You Do?, and Quitting Is Easy. And listen to this podcast: Career.

Money

Wondering how minimalism can help you with your finances and help solve your money problems? Read these essays: Financial Freedom, Debt-Free, A Minimalist’s Thoughts on Money, What it Feels Like to No Longer Worry About Money, Money Doesn’t Buy Happiness, Neither Does Poverty, and Money Does Not Buy Better Habits. And listen to this podcast: Money.

Productivity

Want to stop wasting your time? Thinking about getting rid of your TV or your phone maybe even getting rid of the internet at home? That’s great! Read these essays: Most Emergencies Aren’t, Why I Don’t Own a TV, Killing the Internet at Home Is the Most Productive Thing I’ve Ever Done, Why I’m Getting Rid of My Phone, Reprogramming The Twitch, and How to Check Email Like a Minimalist. And listen to this podcast: Priorities.

Clothes

What kind of clothes does a minimalist wear? Read these essays: Favorite Clothes of a Minimalist, What If You Accidentally Spilled Bleach on Half Your Wardrobe?, Fool Price, Logos, Less Clothes, More Routines, and A Rolex Won’t Give You More Time.

Workspace

Want to clean up your office, desk, or workspace? Read these two essays: My Minimalist Workspace and My Minimalist Desktop. Also: Minimalist Screens: Free Wallpaper for Your Smartphone and Desktop.

Goals

Ever thought about living with no goals and just enjoying your life? Read these essays: Living with No Goals, Moving Beyond Goals, When Goals Are Important and When They Are Not, What is Your Outcome?, and Accomplishments Without Goals.

Decisions

Having trouble making a hard decision? Read: How to Make a Damn Decision and Right Path, Wrong Path, Left Path, No Path. And listen to this podcast: Education.

Mindfulness

Wish you could live in the moment more often? Read these essays: Right Here, Right Now, Fighting the Voice in Your Head, Waking Up, Be on The Mountain, and Clear Your Damn Plate. And listen to this podcast: Mentalclutter.

Time

Wish you had more time for yourself? Read: Alone Time, 5 Ways to Create Solitude, Someday, and Taking Back the Morning.

Focus

Feel too busy all the time? Read: Not Busy, Focused and The Details. And listen to this podcast: Focus.

Health

Wish you were in better shape? Wish you exercised more? Wish your diet was better? Wish you were just healthier? Read these essays: A Minimalist’s Thoughts on Diet, Minimalism is Healthy: How I Lost 70 Pounds, 18-Minute Daily Minimalist Exercises, and 6-Minute On-the-Road Minimalist Workout (with Videos). Also: The Costs and Benefits of Awareness. And listen to this podcast: Health

Past

Having trouble letting go of the past? Read this essay: Your Past Does Not Equal Your Future, Letting Go of Control, and Worthy. And listen to this podcast: Away.

Perfection

Are you a perfectionist? Read these essays: Nightmares of a Perfectionist and The Pressure We Put on Ourselves. And listen to this podcast: Passion.

Contribution

Want to know the meaning of life? Read these essays: Ask Not What You Can Get, Ask What You Can Give, Giving Is Living, and Adding Value. Also: Imagine Everything.

Freedom

Want to know what freedom really means? Read our three-part essay series: Conscious Freedom Essay Series. And listen to this podcast: Debt.

Life Lessons

Want a bunch of life lessons from 30 years of living (complete with a ton of great links)? Read this essay: 30 Life Lessons From 30 Years by Joshua, followed by Ryan’s 30 More Life Lessons From 30 Years. Also worth reading: A Minimalist, a Japanese Cowboy, and an Arrogant American Walk into a Museum. And listen to this podcast: Blame.

Explaining Yourself

Tired of always explaining yourself? Read these essays: You Don’t Have to Explain Yourself, Fake Outrage: Dealing with Criticism, and Preaching to the Congregation. And listen to this podcast: Criticism.

Results

Feel like you’ve tried everything but can’t get results? Read this essay: Stop Trying, followed by The Discomfort Zone. And listen to this podcast: Next.

Barriers

Want to know who’s holding you back? Read this short essay: Who Is Preventing You from Being Completely and Totally Free? And listen to this podcast: Education.

Links

Want to see 10 links that changed our lives? Read this essay: 10 Life-Changing Links. And listen to this podcast: Documentaries.

Blogging

Interested in starting your own website or blog? Read: How to Start a Successful Blog Today. And listen to this podcast: Writing.

More

Once you’re done with all that, check out our TV, radio, and print interviews, as well as our archives page, which contains all the essays on this site. Finally, you can check out some of our favorite websites about minimalism.

Have questions? See our FAQs page, or you can contact us.