Best Minimalism Books for Simple, Decluttered Living
Are you looking for the best minimalist books?
There are more books than ever before, all about the minimalist movement.
Some cover the minimalist lifestyle and its benefits, while others share practical tips and advice on changing your life.
Unfortunately, not all books effectively communicate the crucial things you need to know about living a simpler life.
That’s why I’ve compiled this list of the best minimalist books.
I’ve also tried to make this list of books as comprehensive as possible.
Even though you will find Marie Kondo’s book in this list, other less-known but equally valuable books are included in this list too.
You’ll find everything from how to declutter your stuff to habits you need to change to become a minimalist and everything in between.
Here are the top 11 minimalism books I will discuss in this blog post.
This post may contain affiliate links, meaning if you make a purchase, I may earn a small commission, at no cost to you. Please read the disclosure for more information.
Best Books on Minimalism
1. The Joy Of Less: A Minimalist Guide to Declutter, Organize, and Simplify
By Francine Jay
Book Reviews:
“An invaluable tool for the veteran and budding minimalist alike.” – David Friedlander, contributor, LifeEdited.com
“I loved the many words of wisdom in this book. The Joy of Less puts power back into the hands of all who feel like objects have overtaken their home or life.” – Holly Becker, author and founder of decor8blog.com
“An inspiring read for anyone wanting to downsize, finally park the car in the garage, or just clear out a few closets.” – Rachel Jonat, TheMinimalistMom.com
Summary of this Minimalism Book:
Does living a more minimalist lifestyle appeal to you, but you need help figuring out where to start?
The Joy Of Less has you covered!
Part one is about motivating you and sharing practical examples of how this approach in life can be so beneficial.
And it doesn’t stop there.
The author repeatedly talks about how she also wants to give you tangible advice on implementing this, so it isn’t just something you will do “one day.”
Parts two, three, and four of this book give you practical advice and a plan for following the steps and getting your family on board too!
While this book provides some inspiration at the beginning and plenty of how-tos, it does not dive into the philosophy and benefits of the minimalist way of life.
If you want to understand this better, I recommend reading one of the other books on this list, such as The Minimalist way by Erica Layne.
Minimalism Book Quotes:
“Remember, the things with which we choose to surround ourselves tell our story. Let’s hope it’s not “I choose to live in the past,” or “I can’t finish the projects I start.” Instead, let’s aim for something like, “I live lightly and gracefully, with only the objects I find functional or beautiful.”
2. Minimalism For Families
By Zoe Kim
Book Reviews:
“Zoë’s perspective of minimalism is pure joy. She brings years of experience as a mother and a wife to the table, paired with an ongoing love of the simpler life.” – Brian Gardner, Founder of No Sidebar
“Minimalism for Families is a must-read for anyone wanting to explore minimalism but feels held back by ‘having a family.’ Zoë, a mother of four and a military wife, gives approachable, practical, actionable and direct advice. If you follow the guide set forth in Minimalism for Families, you’ll be able to declutter every room in your house and maintain your simplified home once it’s achieved.” – Rebecca Shern, MPH, RDN, Creator of minimalwellness.com
“Zoë Kim has written a book on minimalism for families that is practical, encouraging, and motivating. And I’m glad she did – we need more guidance like this in the world today.” – Joshua Becker, founder of Becoming Minimalist
Summary of this Minimalism Book:
For families, living a simple life with fewer material possessions can be more challenging than when just one or two of you live in the home.
For example, kids constantly outgrow their clothes, get new toys for birthdays, do new craft projects at school, etc.
But rest assured, living a minimalist life as a family is possible.
In this book, Minimalism For Families, Zoe talks at length about the value of the total family approach, which means ensuring everyone in the household is on the same page and takes similar steps to live a simpler life.
Zoe provides a practical approach that all families, even the most hectic, can use to achieve their lifestyle goals.
One area this book could improve is that it addresses minimalist living with older kids, but not necessarily babies or even toddlers.
While the same general principles can be applied, you have to infer this information yourself, which may be challenging for some readers just starting.
Minimalism Book Quotes:
“Why are we keeping so many things that don’t bring lasting value and purpose to our lives?”
“And why are we doing so many things that disengage us from what really brings us meaning and happiness?”
“Busyness is likely to give us a false sense of purpose and materialism is likely to give us a false sense of being blessed.”
3. Clutter-Free With Kids
By Joshua Becker
Book Reviews:
“Clutterfree with Kids is a wonderful guide that any parent will find both practical and inspirational. If reducing clutter, creating more time and raising more aware children are your goals, this book is not to be missed.” – Peter Walsh, Author of It’s All Too Much
“Highly recommended for all parents.” – Zen Habits
Summary of this Minimalism Book:
As a parent, your home has likely felt overly cluttered at one time or another.
It might even feel never-ending.
The good news is that even though this is a normal feeling, it doesn’t necessarily mean you have to live with it!
In this book Clutter-free with Kids, author Joshua Becker shares helpful advice, practical tips, and sustainable habits that parents can use to reduce clutter in everyday life with young kids.
This book encourages parents to focus on making small changes first and then building on the habits as they become more consistent.
This approach makes it much easier to integrate these habits into your daily life without overwhelming yourself and the rest of your family right from the start.
While this is one of the best books to help families live happily with less stuff, it could better explain the philosophy or value it can add to your family.
If your family still needs to get on board with this idea of minimalist living, you should pair this book with one of the others on this list.
Minimalism Book Quotes:
“Owning less is better than organizing more.”
“Don’t just declutter, de-own.”
“There is more joy to be found in owning less than can ever be found in organizing more.”
4. The More Of Less
By Joshua Becker
Book Reviews:
“I’m so inspired by this wise, timely book! Like so many people right now, I’m drawn to the idea of minimalism, but, to be honest, I find myself pretty deeply entrenched in bad habits of clutter and accumulation. I’m so thankful for Joshua’s clear vision for what life can be when we choose to surround ourselves with less stuff, and how in doing so, we create more space for living and dreaming.” – Shauna Niequist, author of Bread & Wine and Savor
“Joshua Becker is a distinguished voice in the modern minimalism movement. Engaging and nonjudgmental, The More of Less masterfully articulates the benefits—and the joy—of living with less.” – Joshua Fields Millburn, creator of theminimalists.com and coauthor of Everything That Remains
“Those of us attracted to minimalism often face a challenge: how do we invite our friends and family into this liberating way of life? With amusing stories and on-the-ground practical advice, Joshua explains how to make your minimalist journey a group endeavor. There are going to be a lot of happy children, spouses, and friends because of this book.” – Dave Bruno, author of The 100 Thing Challenge
Summary of this Minimalism Book:
If you are searching for a book that talks more about the philosophy and overall benefits of the minimalist movement, this book is a good pick for you.
Written in 2016, Joshua uses this book The More of Less to help you recognize the life-changing benefits of living with less and how to declutter your home and life.
While this is one of the most helpful books on understanding the benefits of minimalism, it is written with some religious viewpoints that some readers may not resonate with.
If this is something that concerns you, take some time to read the description of the book and reviews before buying it.
Alternatively, you can borrow it from your local library if you want to avoid committing to reading it thoroughly.
Minimalism Book Quotes:
“You don’t need more space. You need less stuff.”
“Our excessive possessions are not making us happy. Even worse, they are taking us away from the things that do. Once we let go of the things that don’t matter, we are free to pursue all the things that really do matter.”
“Sometimes, minimizing possessions means a dream must die. But this is not always a bad thing. Sometimes, it takes giving up the person we wanted to be in order to fully appreciate the person we can actually become.”
5. The Life-Changing Magic Of Tidying Up
By Marie Kondo
Book Reviews:
“Ms. Kondo delivers her tidy manifesto like a kind of Zen nanny, both hortatory and animistic.” – The New York Times
“A literal how-to-heave-ho, and I recommend it for anyone who struggles with the material excess of living in a privileged society. (Thanks to Ms. Kondo, I kiss my old socks goodbye.) . . . To show you how serious my respect for Ms. Kondo is: if I ever get a tattoo, it will say, Spark Joy!” – Jamie Lee Curtis
“This book lives up to its title: it will change your life.” – B.J. Novak
Summary of this Minimalism Book:
One of the most common minimalism books is The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo.
This book was so popular that it now has a TV show and documentary.
There are also hundreds of blogs dedicated to the subject.
Also known as the Japanese art of decluttering or the Konmari method, the goal is to declutter your home by category instead of room by room.
This is a unique take on tackling decluttering in your home since most other methods focus on the room-by-room method.
Marie Kondo states this is a more effective way to create lasting change and results.
When decluttering, Marie encourages you to keep important things or things that spark joy, which applies to clothes, furniture, decorations, etc.
If you think the room-by-room decluttering approach will work better for you and your family, this may not be the best book to read in this list. But don’t worry; there are plenty of books on this approach!
Minimalism Book Quotes:
“But when we really delve into the reasons for why we can’t let something go, there are only two: an attachment to the past or a fear for the future.”
“The question of what you want to own is actually the question of how you want to live your life.”
“The space in which we live should be for the person we are becoming now, not for the person we were in the past.”
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6. Goodbye, Things
By Fumio Sasaki
Book Reviews:
“Inspiring in its straightforwardness and sincerity . . . I don’t think it would be possible to read Goodbye, Things without taking a look at your own home (and life) with a new set of eyes. . . . In the end, what matters is the thoughtfulness the book inspires.” – Apartment Therapy
“In his new book, Goodbye, Things, Fumio Sasaki shares the lessons he learned by going minimalist. . . . For Sasaki, minimalism isn’t about how little you have, but how it makes you feel. Sasaki credits his minimalist lifestyle with helping him lose weight, become extroverted and proactive, and above all, feel happy and grateful for what he has.” – Cosmopolitan
“Makes the case for radical minimalism . . . treat each of [Sasaki’s] 70 tips as an opportunity to reevaluate how you use and why you keep the things in your home.” – Curbed
Summary of this Minimalism Book:
If you want to learn about simple living from a regular guy, not an organization expert, look no further than this book Goodbye, Things.
In it, you will get an inside look at Fumio Sasaki’s story, what led him to join the minimalist movement, and the incredible benefits he got from simplifying his life, not just his home.
This book is much more focused on the benefits of living a minimalist life than the other books on this list.
While that may be what some readers want, others may wish for more advice on doing this themselves.
For readers that do want more of a tangible guide, consider pairing this book with the next book written by the same author.
Minimalism Book Quotes:
“Want to know how to make yourself instantly unhappy? Compare yourself with someone else.”
“Why do we own so many things when we don’t need them? What is their purpose? I think the answer is quite clear: We’re desperate to convey our own worth, our own value to others. We use objects to tell people just how valuable we are.”
“Minimalism is just the beginning. It’s a tool. Once you’ve gone ahead and minimized, it’s time to find out what those important things are. Minimalism”
7. Hello, Habits
By Fumio Sasaki
Book Reviews:
“Offers a methodology for developing helpful, healthful habits in this handy guide…. Readers who find establishing a routine frustrating will love Sasaki’s methods.” – Publishers Weekly
“Of minimal interest considering the many better books on the subject already on the market.” – Kirkus Review
“The book is […] full of little tossed-off asides from which readers are encouraged to draw deeper life lessons, and virtually every single one of those tossed-off asides should instead be tossed out – as blockheaded, off-point, factually wrong, or all three.” – Open Letters Review
Summary of this Minimalism Book:
In Fumio’s first book, Goodbye, Things, he talks more about the benefits and value of living a minimalist life.
But, in this book Hello, Habits, Fumio focuses instead on the habits he had to adapt to maintain this focused life.
Many people do a great job initially of decluttering. That’s usually the easiest part of the process.
What’s harder is changing all the habits that got you to that point in the first place.
That includes impulse buying clothes and other things you don’t need, common in our modern world, and not filling your schedule with appointments and tasks.
Minimalist living isn’t just about the stuff you have but your overall approach to life. Fumio uses this book to demonstrate how you can create lasting change by developing new habits.
It is essential to note this book is written in a Q&A format. Some readers enjoy this format, but others don’t. I recommend peaking inside the book before purchasing it or borrowing it from your library.
Minimalism Book Quotes:
“A friend of mine says he grins every time he fails at something. To him, failing is discovering a method that won’t work, and it brings you one step closer to succeeding. find many methods that don’t work and one day, you’ll find a method that does. Seen this way, failure is almost the same as success.”
“We can wait for our marshmallows if we’re feeling good”
“The objective of a diet is to find a lifestyle that is sustainable without suffering.”
8. The Minimalist Way
By Erica Layne
Book Reviews:
“The beauty of this book is that you will finish with a clearer picture of the life you want to build and how minimalist principles can help you get there. You’ll walk away with actionable steps and a personalized plan to help you get there. This is a message we all need to hear again and again.” – Joshua Becker, Founder and Editor of Becoming Minimalist
“The stories that weave these beautifully designed pages together inspired us to take a deeper look at the belongings, habits, and relationships we’re holding on to. The result is a life with fewer distractions, less stress, and more space for what truly matters. A must-read if you’re looking to make life simple again.” – Marc & Angel Chernoff, New York Times bestselling authors of Getting Back to Happy
“This book takes minimalism a layer deeper—applying a minimalist perspective not just to our belongings but also to our family lives, our careers, our relationships, and our use of time. Erica offers dozens of practical strategies while never losing sight of the goal: to build lives of purpose and joy.” – Zina Harrington, founder of Becoming Unbusy and Let’s Lasso The Moon
Summary of this Minimalism Book:
While many of the books in this list focus on removing unnecessary things from your home to live more simply, it is essential to understand that minimalist living applies to more than the things you have.
It also applies to how you think about your home, career, relationships, money, etc.
If this lifestyle change is something you want to learn more about, the book The Minimalist Way is a great book to read.
Author Erica Layne dives deep into the minimalist philosophy in this book while also sharing practical tips and ideas on how to implement minimalism into every area of your life, not just in how much stuff you own.
One category Erica does not touch on in this book is diet. While you can apply all the tips to your diet, some readers may have difficulty making these connections themselves.
This is important to note if simplifying your diet is important to you.
Minimalism Book Quotes:
“This is the beautiful secret of minimalism: It may seem like it’s about stuff, but once you’ve cut through the clutter and adopted a new frame of mind, you learn that it’s barely about ‘the stuff’ at all.”
“Too many of us are over-committing to others and under-committing to ourselves. Let’s stop living at a frantic pace if our hearts are pulling us to a slower, more focused way of life. Let’s start honoring our own needs for rest, self-care, and balance. Let’s recommit to our own vision and finally listen to the voice inside.”
9. The Year Of Less
By Cait Flanders
Book Reviews:
“If you’ve ever felt there must be more to life than consumerism and its vicious cycle, you’ll find inspiration to break free in The Year of Less. Cait’s highly readable and personal story is encouraging, challenging, and unbelievably helpful.” – Joshua Becker, author of The More of Less
“Cait Flanders is a brave woman. As I read, I cried. But my heart also brimmed with joy. For anyone who doesn’t think they can, Cait’s story shows that it doesn’t matter where you start, only where you go from there.” – Gail Vaz-Oxlade, host of Til Debt Do Us Part and author of Debt-Free Forever
“Cait’s audacious goal—a yearlong shopping ban—has sparked a deeply personal book full of lessons for all of us on finding more fulfillment and meaning in our lives (without all the stuff!). A game-changing read for anyone searching for simplicity in our consumer-focused world.” – Rachel Jonat, author of The Joy of Doing Nothing
Summary of this Minimalism Book:
Are you trapped in a never-ending cycle of consumer debt, surrounded by things that don’t bring you happiness or joy?
This is the same place Cait found herself in during her 20s.
This book, The Year of Less, is about her journey of not shopping for an entire year, except for consumable items such as food and gas.
Spoiler alert – the results were excellent!
Cait’s story is filled with inspiration, hard truths, and insight into why so many people are unfulfilled and unhappy in their current lives.
Unfortunately, this book only provides a few tips on how to make this change in your life.
That said, it is still an excellent read for anyone looking to learn more about the benefits of making such a big change in life.
Minimalism Book Quotes:
“One lesson I’ve learned countless times over the years is that whenever you let go of something negative in your life, you make room for something positive.”
“More was never the answer. The answer, it turned out, was always less.”
“But there were really only two categories I could see: the stuff I used, and the stuff I wanted the ideal version of myself to use. The stuff I wanted the ideal version of myself to use was everything I had once bought in hopes that it would somehow make my life or myself better.”
10. The Paradox Of Choice – Why Less Is More
By Barry Schwartz
Book Reviews:
“An insightful study that winningly argues its subtitle.” – Philadelphia Inquirer
“The Paradox of Choice is genuine and useful. The book is well-reasoned and solidly researched.” – New York Observer
Summary of this Minimalism Book:
This book, The Paradox of Choice, takes a unique approach to minimalism that can help you look at minimalism through a new lens.
In our modern world, we often find ourselves surrounded by choice.
Daily choices include deciding what to wear to work, what to make for dinner, etc.
Then there are substantial, long-lasting choices like deciding what house to buy, what school to send your kids to, etc.
All these decisions lead to decision-making paralysis, which can result in anxiety, high expectations, self-doubt, and more.
Barry Schwartz demonstrates how minimizing things in our life, thereby removing how many choices we need to make daily, can lead to a happier and more focused life.
If you are not someone who worries a lot or can make decisions effortlessly, then you may not find this book as helpful as others on this list.
But, if you are a chronic worrier or struggle to make decisions, this book is a must-read as you embark on your minimalist living journey.
Minimalism Book Quotes:
“Learning to choose is hard. Learning to choose well is harder. And learning to choose well in a world of unlimited possibilities is harder still, perhaps too hard.”
“Focus on what makes you happy, and do what gives meaning to your life”
“When asked about what they regret most in the last six months, people tend to identify actions that didn’t meet expectations. But when asked about what they regret most when they look back on their lives as a whole, people tend to identify failures to act.”
11. Digital Minimalism
By Cal Newport
Book Reviews:
“Newport is making a bid to be the Marie Kondo of technology: someone with an actual plan for helping you realize the digital pursuits that do, and don’t, bring value to your life.” – Vox
“Cal Newport’s Digital Minimalism is the best book I’ve read in some time about our fraught relationship with technology… If you’re looking for a blueprint to guide you as you liberate yourself from the shackles of email, social networks, smartphones, and screens, let this book be your guide.” – Adam Alter, author of Irresistible
“I challenge you not to devour this wonderful book in one sitting. I certainly did, and I started applying Cal’s ideas to my own life immediately.” – Greg McKeown, author of Essentialism
Summary of this Minimalism Book:
In addition to having too much stuff in our physical space, we tend to have too much digital clutter on our phones, computers, etc.
Consider how many apps you have on your phone, the number of documents on your desktop, or the hundreds of junk emails inevitably sitting in your inbox.
All this digital clutter can lead to feelings of overwhelm, becoming easily distracted, etc.
In this book, Digital Minimalism, Cal shares a 30-day digital declutter process that you can follow to help remove this problem from your life.
When you follow this guide, you will have devices that are much more organized and simple.
You’ll find yourself more excited than ever to get to work or relaxed while checking in with family and friends.
One area this book could improve is the demonstration of digital clutter’s psychological impacts.
While Cal highlights this in the book, there is not necessarily any data to back it up.
With that said, if you could benefit from doing some digital decluttering, this book is a great read!
Minimalism Book Quotes:
“The tycoons of social media have to stop pretending that they’re friendly nerd gods building a better world and admit they’re just tobacco farmers in T-shirts selling an addictive product to children. Because, let’s face it, checking your “likes” is the new smoking.”
“Digital Minimalism A philosophy of technology use in which you focus your online time on a small number of carefully selected and optimized activities that strongly support things you value, and then happily miss out on everything else.”
“Simply put, humans are not wired to be constantly wired.”
Final Thoughts about these Minimalism Books
Every book on this list will inspire you to live a simpler, more meaningful life.
But some of these minimalism books likely called out to you more than others. That is okay!
Start by picking out one or two you want to read and get started there.
Whenever I start reading books on a new topic, such as minimalist living, the best thing to do is borrow books from my local library.
Doing this allows me to read the book without adding clutter to my home. Then, I can buy the books I want to reread or make notes.
If you are short on time, consider listening to the audiobook version. These are great as you can listen to books while commuting to work, cooking dinner, or enjoying a bubble bath.
And if you’re in a relationship, share this list with your partner to see if any of these books on minimalism pique their curiosity.
This journey will be much more satisfying and easy if you’re both on the same page that this is something you want to do.
Overview Of The Best Minimalist Books
- The Joy Of Less: A Minimalist Guide to Declutter, Organize, and Simplify by Francine Jay
- Minimalism For Families by Zoe Kim
- Clutter-free With Kids by Joshua Becker
- The More Of Less by Joshua Becker
- The Life-Changing Magic Of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo
- Goodbye, Things by Fumio Sasaki
- Hello, Habits by Fumio Sasaki
- The Minimalist Way by Erica Layne
- The Year Of Less by Cait Flanders
- The Paradox Of Choice – Why Less Is More by Barry Schwartz
- Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport
Happy reading!
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