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The Minimalists
The Minimalists are Emmy-nominated Netflix stars and New York Times–bestselling authors Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus. Alongside their podcast cohost, T.K. Coleman, this simple-living trio helps millions of people eliminate clutter and live meaningfully with less. Learn More.

What Things Can You Get Rid Of?

We’re overrun by stuff. Our homes are crowded with unused items—things that aren’t adding value to our lives.

Overwhelmed, many of us want to simplify, but we don’t even know where to start.

Here’s an idea: Start in the easiest places. Identify some things that you’re certain are not adding value to your life. What unnecessary things are you holding on to just in case?

That bin of dusty VHS tapes? When’s the last they were watched?

That hall closet teeming with mismatched bath towels? How many towels can we actually use?

That stack of unread magazines piled in the basement? Why do we hold on to these when we know we won’t ever read them?

That extra kitchenware that has gone untouched for years? How many plates and cups and bowls do we really need?

That junk drawer brimming with electrical cables and old cell phones? Sure, those old electronics used to be worth something, but not anymore.

What else? Be honest with yourself. When’s the last time you found value in many of the items cluttering your home?

You see, just because those things aren’t adding value to your life, that doesn’t mean that someone else can’t get value from those items. Donating your excess stuff doesn’t just clear some of the clutter from our homes—from our lives—it allows others to benefit from the items we’ve unnecessarily hoarded.

Getting started is freeing. Amid an endless sea of stuff, simplifying our lives keeps us from drowning.