What is the Difference Between Decluttering and Minimalism?

I’m delighted that decluttering is getting the attention it deserves. Lives will be changed in positive ways.

I’ve been asked about the difference between one who declutters vs. one who is a minimalist. Here is a short answer.

Decluttering is an activity, minimalism is a lifestyle.

In order to become a minimalist, you need to go through the process of decluttering, however what prevents you from re-cluttering is the minimalist mindset.

A lot of people who have eliminated the majority of their household items and are very proud, and should be, of their accomplishment. But then reality sets in and that blank wall looks like it could use some art, or that empty end table space can be refilled with a new beauty, that happens to be on sale.

We went through the process of decluttering our TV room into a peaceful place of rest where more meditation occurred than streaming entertainment binges. But there was a nagging urge to purchase a end table to store the remotes. This is when the minimalist takes charge; the minimalist does not buy the end table. We considered the following:

The room, in its current state is peaceful, complete.
The end table, if purchased, will reduce space and impact the aura of the room.
It is not necessary, it will require cleaning and maintenance.
And, for some ridiculous reason, we are willing to spend in the vicinity of one hundred dollars on a piece of furniture to store four remotes.

Instead, we added a small basket to a shelf in the room where the remotes now functionally sit.

Minimalist resist the desire to add or acquire things and focus on the freedom of having less.

Increase the peace.