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.

Excess Is the Birthplace of Clutter

By The Minimalists

An empty room alone cannot be cluttered; it is not until we introduce physical artifacts that our homes grow messy, slowly suffused with stuff.

Minimalism, then, is not a radical lifestyle: it is simply a way to bring balance to our lives, to organize, prioritize, and discover what is appropriate. And if something is not appropriate, then it is excess—the birthplace of clutter.

Clutter: how inappropriate.