I’ve seen this topic spark up a bit lately in other blogs and YouTube content. It was intriguing to me because I feel that many non-minimalists or people not informed about the lifestyle often times associate it with this idea of perfection. It is no where near it.
I think the reason people have this belief is in part due to the photos of these white, clean and crisp homes with everything in its place and no signs of people living there. That is just an aesthetic part that a few minimalists choose to incorporate into their homes. You can be a minimalist and have a beautiful home full of color or live in an RV traveling across the country or even own just a backpack to travel the world. There is no set definition of this lifestyle. And the work behind this change of life did not happen overnight. For many of us, it took months even years to reduce the amount of items we owned down to the bare necessities or what makes us happy.
The next time you see someone that calls themselves a “minimalist”, don’t judge them on that idea of perfection or a set standard. Everyone has their own definition. We can be messy or super organized by nature, so it is not fair to set standards on how high or low you rank on a scale.
What are your thoughts on this minimalism connected to perfection topic?
The Minimalist Taurus 
Your absolutely right! Minimalism is nowhere near perfection. In fact, I see perfection as unattainable yet everyone strives for it. Each takes their own path, minimalism is a path, but there are an infinite amount of paths to take. The journey is the goal more so than the destination.
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Exactly! Each will carve their own path, and even if that looks different or “wrong” to someone else it shouldn’t be a reason to judge. We choose our own “why” for being minimalist. Thanks for the reply!
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I suppose people confuse two different terms.
The art or style called minimalism and the „lifestyle“ (or whatever) of a minimalist.
I wouldn’t tell I am a minimalist, even if I try to lead my life in a more essential lifestyle with less stuff and lesser waste.
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Yes to this, Love this post!! After months and months of work, we have just recently recognized and built our own minimalist lifestyle. For us, it is NOT about perfection, or white walls and crisp rooms, but about having only the things we: 1) need and/or 2) spark joy. It is about me (as a mom of 3 small children) being MUCH less stressed as there is so much less cleaning to do, really appreciating the things that we did choose to keep, and having more TIME to spend doing things we love with our children. So, though some in my life find it “perfectionist” or “restricting”, to us Minimalism has given us more time (and money) to create memories and experiences, and we are loving it!
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Congrats on the new lifestyle change! I completely agree, having only things that bring functionality or joy make life a little easier. I aim to also have less stress and cleaning to do when I have kids in the future, and I love seeing more moms take on that approach. Thanks for replying!
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Hi April, I loved this post – it’s amazing how the two concepts are confused – but how boring if minimalism was perfection – where’s the fun in that?! Lxx
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Thank you. I agree, everyone is different with their own goals…that’s what makes it interesting and fun!
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Simplifying our lives is something that seems unique to the industrial age, given how much “stuff” we now have available to us and how constantly we’re now assaulted by ads encouraging us to consume. Endlessly consume.
I think there’s an appeal to minimalism that presents itself cyclically through different books. There were Elaine St. James Simplify Your Life books in the 1990s that captured the idea of less. All the decluttering books reflect that same feeling: that our stuff owns us rather than the other way around.
And recently I came across the minimalists podcast; you probably know about them, but if not, here’s a link to a web page about them.
https://www.theminimalists.com/podcast/
Thanks for offering a gentle approach to the idea that minimalism or decluttering or simplifying isn’t so much about how anyone does it, but about finding what works for you.
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This is such a refreshing read! I’m starting to get into minimalism so it is nice to hear there is no “cookie cutter” way of defining minimalism. Being able to adapt it to your personality, style, and mindset is what drew me to the concept to begin with! I can’t wait to discover what it means to me.
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Thank you! I agree and it also gets better, more freeing with time and you’ll find deeper focus to what really matters to you. Enjoy the journey!
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I find this so important. Minimalism is so much more than having a clean home and only owning white things. There’s also a mental aspect to it. Minimalists just don’t participate in the over-consumption of things that have plagued our everyday lives. No one is perfect. People just make choices they think is better for them and that should be okay. Loved this post!! 🙂
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I agree! I wish more non-minimalists would understand that minimalism applies to so many areas, such as the mind and body, not just aesthetics. Thank you, I like the way you put it in words!
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No, thank you for writing a great post! 🙂
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I have to admit, a clean and orderly home is one of my top minimalism goals. But I do agree that those “perfect” minimalist examples often come off as stark and lifeless. I hope to eliminate clutter and excess, not color or decoration.
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Clutter does drive me crazy, but agree that this does not equate with perfection. Thank you for liking my post “Consumed by Consumerism”. I really appreciate the support!
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Great post. I’ve been thinking about this topic lately as well. We have kids, pets and chaos in our life but have been steadily pursuing minimalism and reaping the benefits for a few years now, not a white wall in sight!
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