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.

Future Trash

Clutter is just litter you haven’t yet admitted is trash.

Imagine if I dumped your bathroom waste bin all over your bedroom floor. You’d be upset, right?

Of course. You’ve already decided that everything in the trash no longer belongs in your home. Put it anywhere else, and it only gets in the way.

But what about the shrunken shirt in your closet? The chipped mug in the cupboard? The promotional tote bag, obsolete charging cable, stack of old receipts, cracked phone case, bottle of expired vitamins, mystery key?

These things haven’t made it to the dumpster or donation box yet. But in the back of your mind, you’ve already decided they no longer belong.

That’s exactly why clutter bothers you: a cluttered home is filled with future garbage.

—JFM

P.S. Ready to clear the clutter for good? Simplify Everything, our decluttering course, is now open—and it’s $100 off this month while we test the new format.