What do you think the defining difference between the two is? Or is there one?
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Posted 1 year ago #
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Phew... Well, I guess for me, being uncluttered means that you have "a place for everything and everything in its place" and that you have made your life as easy/comfortable as possible by actively choosing what you own. Living minimalist is for me to make an effort to only own the bare essentials, sometimes choosing minimalism over convenience. For example, an unclutterer might own a car because he decided that it makes trips to his grandparents easier, and a minimalist would always choose to not own a car at all. (The example sucks, but I hope you get the idea).
So I guess, in my eyes, the Unclutterer and the Minimalist are different in respect to which criterion they value more when deciding about what to own, the two key criteria being "less stuff" and "more convenience". What do you think?
Apropos, there were two threads about minimalism and whether to aspire it or not in this forum, here: Minimalist, do I want to go that far? and Uncluttering and minimalism. There was also another thread I really liked that also touched on a topic that unclutterers as well as minimalists probably encounter daily, Do Relatives/Friends Think You're Down on Your Luck, in which people talk about outside reactions to their uncluttering efforts, e.g."[Someone] started a rumor that our house was in foreclosure and we were selling everything in it to make ends meet" or "One of them asked me if I was giving all the stuff away because I was dying". I bet that the stereotypical minimalist (you know: bare floors, one chair, insert all prejudices here) always has a lot of explaining to do ;o)
Posted 1 year ago # -
I think there's an enormous difference between an Uncluttered person (or space) and one that is Minimalist. Uncluttered is entirely subjective, whereas Minimal pretty much by definition means "the least possible."
Heaven knows, I would never qualify for the latter. But I'm close to achieving the former thanks to PEEP and a healthy dose of skepticism about my importance to the world. :-)
As trillie said "actively choosing" is the key to being Uncluttered. Whether we end up with a single shelf having one vase, five books, and a geode, or an entire wall of books and souvenirs - either may be Uncluttered, depending on whether each object has been actively chosen. But even the first would not be "minimalist" according to the strictest definition.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Minimalism is the end of organizing
Posted 1 year ago # -
Actively choosing and maintaining uncluttereness is within a comfort zone, imho.
Minimalism could go so far as to be self-deprivation and punishment. Examples: I appreciate my computer chair. I could choose to get rid of it and sit on my hardwood floor...but I don't have to. I could live out of a backpack every day, or just while on a hiking trip.
Again, these are just my personal beliefs, imho....;)))
Posted 1 year ago # -
I consider uncluttered to mean that the home/apt still has a lot of stuff, such as a large collection of knickknacks, pictures all over the wall, an excessive amount of seating, multiple sets of: dishes, silverware, pots, pans, etc..(just in case) However, these items do not overpower the living space and do not inhibit use of the space.
Minimalism (which is my goal) allows me to have enough for what I need to function easily and simply in my space. Instead of massive amounts of pictures mounted on the wall I have wide open wall space and one digital frame cycling through my photos. I have enough dishes to easily cook for myself and my husband no extras. The space is clean, easy, and spacious. I know some people strive for the extreme, I, however, do not.
Posted 1 year ago # -
There are different kind of minimalism, I think there are different ways to be uncluttered, it all depends on the individual and their circumstances. Like if they have a house, apartment, kids, or are married or single living alone. Hobbies, interests, weather they travel a lot, or like to stay in one location.
Posted 1 year ago # -
One can choose to unclutter just about anything: clothes, closets, a schedule, relationships, etc. It can be an ongoing process or even a habit. Once something is uncluttered, it may get cluttered again thus the cycle may continue.
Minimalism: Is a state of mind. One may actively choose to eliminate all distraction from one's life, thus uncluttering possessions, their time, their relationships etc. But the difference is, eliminating this clutter should be in balance with your values. Like not watching television so you can concentrate on your relationship with your family, ie, spend that time with them, nurturing them or yourself so that you will be a better spouse or parent. Or choosing to not buy anything made from a certain country that is known for abuses in human rights. Even some choose to limit their footprint of the planet. I think the word "Balance" is the most important word here. On many of these sites pertaining to simplification or minimalism, people go to extremes. Some need to do this to shock themselves to get their lives in order and eventually they do get balanced with their values. Then there are some who just like to hear themselves talk or like to shock 'you' the reader. Only you can judge yourself.
I personally feel, I do not need a 'title' or a 'movement' to define who I am, how I feel or live in accordance with my values.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Can women be Buddhist monks? ;o)
Posted 1 year ago # -
They are called bhikkhuni or nuns.
Sorry I couldn't resist. ;)
Posted 1 year ago # -
i started decluttering so that my home and life could become more minimalist.
i've got a looser definition of minimalism than some, perhaps.
i love comfort and beauty too much to pare things down to a real bare minimum.
where i am going is to: less of everything, but the best of everything.Posted 1 year ago # -
I'm with bandicoot regarding "comfort and beauty" and "less of everything, but the best of everything". Most people consider me as a minimalist, and I suppose that I am compared to most people. But I usually define myself as a collector - the only thing is perhaps that I don't let my collections get out of hand.
Posted 1 year ago # -
LOL, Demerna!!!
Posted 1 year ago # -
Minimalism carried to extremes is hair-shirt-ism and a form of self-punishment.
However, the minimalist philosophy is liberating. It's good to live with less, as a rule. It creates physical and emotional space in your life. This past weekend, the state of Massachusetts had a temporary moratorium on the state sales tax. I heard the news report about it on the radio and my kneejerk reaction was, "What do I need to buy?" Then I laughed at myself because I don't need to buy ANYTHING! I celebrated the weekend by not buying when everyone else in MA was loading up on stuff because it was cheaper. In the process of uncluttering (begun about a year ago) I have stopped recreational shopping almost entirely. I now buy only what I need and I usually throw or give something away after I buy something new.I could not live without a car (unfortunately) because my work depends on it. I have to transport heavy electronic instruments and amps for my gigs. I don't enjoy driving but it is a necessary evil. I much prefer riding my bike, but you can't put a 25 lb. jug of cat litter on a bike. I get annoyed by the smug minimalists who boast about how well they do without cars or chairs or tables--"I don't need a bed/table/chair--I am comfortable sleeping/sitting/eating on the floor." Please.
Live a little. What are you punishing yourself for? There are people living in mud huts in third world countries who would give anything to have a bed, a chair, or a table. They're not exactly luxuries.That being said, I returned from a road trip this weekend vowing to reduce the number of items in my overnight bag (mostly toiletries) which I estimate to be about 50. This is ridiculous. I have a neurotic fear of leaving my toothbrush or dental floss at home. This has expanded to include my large round hairbrush for blowdrying, my blowdryer, my hair products, makeup, sunscreens, earplugs, eyeshade,
cortisone cream--you get the idea. I tried hard--I really did--but could not bring myself to discard anything in my toiletries bag. I'm like a hoarder. I roll my eyes at the hoarders on TV who scream if anyone takes away even one of their collection of 75 glass jars, but I am exactly the same about my cosmetics and hair products. And I don't REALLY want to change, obviously!Posted 1 year ago # -
this is worth a read - a bit of perspective.
Posted 1 year ago # -
I started out by uncluttering, and the positive results in both my space and my mind was so amazing I naturally moved into a minimalist mindset. Like suzjazz I have to have a car and see no conflict in having furniture to sit and work on, etc. I have a few pieces of art I enjoy and a box or two of mementos. My home is very uncluttered, austere by most standards, yet cheerful as opposed to hair-shirty. The same attitude and approach has been applied to my working and personal life, as well.
Minimalism is a path, a process, a point of view and is so incredibly liberating, because you get things down to what is essential to you. As a result, it is easier to be more essentially yourself.
Posted 1 year ago # -
I'm with suzjazz and megwolfe. I started out by uncluttering. Not just systemizing, but really going over my stuff thinking: "Do I REALLY need this?" which often led to "No, I don't". So I started to sell, give or throw away a lot of my stuff. There's actually a new word for this: downshifting > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Downshifting
I still have chairs and tables and a car. It just feels so extremely liberating. Like suzjazz said it feels so good thinking: "I don't need ANYTHING." And I now feel much happier with what I have, I want less and started to focus more on relationships and experiences instead of stuff.
Look around the room you're in now: do you REALLY need all of that stuff?
Posted 1 year ago # -
Some minimalists live without cars, but you can be minimalist and still have one. My car isn't going anywhere. It took me five long years to pay off my car and I've put a lot of money into maintaining it and fixing it(after I wrecked it) and I need it to get to work, and I refuse to walk or bus anywhere in the winter if I don't have to. I did the winter bus thing when I first started working at 18 and I hated it. also in the extreme heat, screw that I'm keeping my car. I however have no problem with taking the bus when its convenient or riding my bike some places and not driving all the time and trying to drive less and rely on my car less. i have chairs and tables, but I don't have a couch or a coffee table anymore, and me and my boyfriend like it that way.
You just have to find what works for you and do that.
Posted 1 year ago # -
I'll have a go. From a design perspective...
Uncluttered means a space without clutter. Clutter is anything not contributing to a space either aesthetically nor functionally. One metric for whether a space is uncluttered is how quickly you can find something in that space. If it is uncluttered in the aesthetic sense then you can find it quickly because there isn't a lot to sift through. If it is uncluttered in the functional sense then you can find it quickly because you know exactly where to look.
Minimalist is a space sparsely appointed. It is a concern solely of aesthetics and not of functionality. For example, an Apple computer has a minimalist design even though it is as complex in functionality as any other computer.
Now... how about a declutter from a minimalist?
A declutter seeks to eliminate clutter. This can still result in a large quantity of things as long as they are well organized.
A minimalist seeks to eliminate quantity. It is about finding out how little is enough. It is about distinguishing the "wants" from the "needs" and eliminating the former.
Interestingly enough, I think both mindsets can end up in the same place. I think a declutterer ends up with less stuff over time and a minimalist has less stuff to manage and therefore less opportunities to become cluttered.
Hmm...
A uncluttered is concerned with quality of a space and minimalist is concerned with quantity in a space. Less stuff often leads to more space and freedom to enjoy life. Alternatively, a focus on improving the quality of a space often leads to getting rid of stuff. I think perhaps two approaches to the same goal.
Posted 1 year ago # -
I've enjoyed reading the comments to this!
I'm new to the game on both of these counts, and the understanding I have is that uncluttering is top-down and minimalism is ground-up. Uncluttering starts with what you have and says "do I need to keep this?" - nad it may be ideas or any other thing as well as stuff. Minimalisim starts with nothing or little, figures out what you need and then supplies that need acordingly. But in reality I think we all do a mixture of both, which I call "pruning".
So for example, last night I pruned my shoe collection. Some of these were no longer functional (let in water) and I was getting rid of them because they'd been sitting around for too long without getting mended - uncluttering. Some there were nothing wrong with but they didn't go with my clothing or they hurt my feet but were just sitting around waiting to get worn again - uncluttering. But when the shoe collection had been pared down a bit, I then starting thinking as if I was getting rid of all my shoes unless they proved their need - minimising. Helped get rid of a few maybes, also convinced me to keep a certain pair that I did need but wasn't sure about, and established that I do currently have a need in the shoe department - winter boots - that I ought to tackle soon.
And there's one other pair of shoes I have that are kept separate from the others, fancy satin shoes I had when I was bridesmaid and only to be worn with a bridesmaid/wedding dress or a ball gown. My other pair of "best" shoes whould actually look perfectly fine under most of the above, but I am keeping them on purpose as a luxury. So, maybe uncluttered = minimalist + purposeful luxuries?
Posted 1 year ago #
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