Here are ten signs that you might be a secret minimalist.
1. Clutter stresses you out.
You feel physically lighter when your space is tidy, and messy rooms make your brain feel scrambled.
If you have to tidy your house before you’re able to be productive on a project, or if you find yourself lying awake at a sleepover until you finally get up and clean your friend’s kitchen at 2am (too specific?), you might have minimalist tendencies. (Or OCD, but I’m not your therapist.)
2. You rewear the same outfits all the time.
Not because you’re trying to be trendy—just because they’re comfy and you love them. Who needs so many clothes? You’ve only got one body!
3. You don’t shop for fun.
If shopping has never made sense as a pastime for you, you might be a minimalist.
4. You crave calm, quiet environments.
Visual noise, loud colors, and packed rooms feel overstimulating. Give you a blank wall and a plant any day.
Now, not all minimalists love the Minimalist Aesthetic–gray or muted tones, natural simplicity, etc.–but chaotic rooms might cause them a bit of stress.
5. You instinctively edit your space.
Do you often get the sudden urge to rearrange, organize, or declutter your house? That instinct might align with minimalism!
Minimalists frequently revisit their belongings to really interrogate what is bringing value to their lives, and what is just taking up space.
This impulse might go beyond the physical space, too. Do you often scrutinize your internal biases, held beliefs, routines, and habits? That intentionality might just line up with a minimalist mindset.
6. You prefer experiences over stuff.
Are you not big on gifts? Perhaps you could pass on giving and receiving? Minimalists don’t put much value in having physical stuff added to their house. They prefer experiences, like concerts, hikes, creative projects, cooking classes, and other activities. They also like consumable gifts, like snacks, candles, and soaps (types they already use, probably).
7. You have strong opinions about storage baskets.
Enough said.
8. You value function over form.
Minimalists truly look at the purpose of an item and how it serves them in their lives. Very few things get a pass just for being cute, but cuteness is always a nice bonus.
9. You just want things to be simple.
Do you feel overwhelmed when things are too complicated? Or just straight up prefer things to be as straightforward as possible? You might be a minimalist!
10. You’ve often thought, “I don’t need much to be happy.”
Minimalists are content with where they are with what they have. They’ll do what they can to gently improve their life and surroundings, but acquiring more things isn’t on their to-do list, or their want-to-do list.
So what if I’m a minimalist?
If you don’t vibe with the label of “minimalist”, that’s totally fine! But practicing minimalism in small ways can give you insights and ideas into lifestyle tweaks that might make your day a little better!
I recommend starting here with our free 30-day minimalism challenge to simplify all aspects of your life in one short month:
