Francine Jay Quotes

“A place for everything, and everything in its place. Memorize this mantra, repeat it often, sing it out loud, say it in your sleep – it’s one of the most important minimalist principles.”

“Become a minsumer. Advertisers, corporations, and politicians like to define us as 'consumers'. By encouraging us to buy as much as possible, they succeed in lining their pockets, growing their profits, and getting re-elected. Where does that leave us? Working long hours at jobs we don’t like, to pay for things we don’t need.”

“Buying used items enables us to obtain the things we need, without putting further pressure on the Earth’s resources. Why waste materials and energy on a new item when an existing one will
do?”

“By simply not buying, we accomplish a world of good: we avoid supporting exploitative labor practices, and we reclaim the resources of our planet – delivering them from the hands of corporations into those of our children. It’s one of the easiest and most effective ways to heal the Earth, and improve the lives of its inhabitants.”

“Declutter clothes that don’t fit. Why torture yourself by storing different clothes for different weights? If you keep “fat clothes,” you keep the expectation that you might gain weight; if you keep “skinny clothes,” you’ll be depressed that you can’t fit into them.”

“Generally speaking, our stuff can be divided into three categories: useful stuff, beautiful stuff, and emotional stuff.”

“If one comes in, one goes out. Every time a new item comes into your home, a similar item must leave. For every drip into the bucket, there must be one drip out. This strategy ensures that your household won’t flood, and threaten the progress you’re making.”

“Ignore trends. They’re just a clever ruse to get you to part with your hard-earned money. Don’t buy stuff that’ll be obsolete, outdated, or out-of-style in the blink of an eye.”

“Is it really worth the environmental consequences to send a mango, or a mini skirt, on a 3000-mile journey?”

“Let’s take a breather, and reminisce about how carefree and happy we were in college. Not coincidentally, that period was likely when we had the least amount of stuff. Life was so much simpler then: no mortgage, no car payments, no motorboat to insure. Learning, living,
and having fun were far more important than the things we owned.”

“Most people hear the word “minimalism” and think “empty.” Unfortunately, “empty” isn’t altogether appealing; it’s usually associated with loss, deprivation, and scarcity. But look at “empty” from another angle – think about what it is instead of what it isn’t – and now you have “space.” Space! That’s something we could all use more of! Space in our closets, space in our garages, space in our schedules, space to think, play create, and have fun with our families… now that’s the beauty of minimalism.”

“Our goal: a clear, calm, uncluttered space that relaxes and rejuvenates us.”

“Our homes are our castles, and we devote plenty of resources to defending them. We spray them with pest control to keep the bugs out; we use air filters to keep pollutants out; and we have security systems to keep intruders out. What are we missing? A stuff blocker to keep the clutter out!”

“Practicing a minimalist lifetyle can sometimes feel like you’re swimming upstream. You’ll encounter people who feel threatened by any deviation from the status quo; they’ll say you can’t possibly get by without a car, a television, or a full suite of living room furniture. They’ll imply that you’re not successful if you don’t buy designer clothes, the latest electronic gadgets, and the biggest house you can afford. They may even go so far as to say you’re unpatriotic, and a threat to the national economy, if you don’t consume to your full capacity.”

“Say no to logos. If a company wants you to be a walking advertisement, they should be paying you.”

“The best way to reduce is to buy only what we truly need… We should develop a habit of asking “why” before we buy.”

“The more I’m told to consume, the more enthusiastic I become not to. And you know what? My rebellion has paid off in spades. I have a bigger bank account, a more spacious and serene home, and a better ecological footprint than if I’d accumulated a pile of unnecessary
material goods.”

“Things can be anchors. They can tie us down, and keep us from exploring new interests and developing new talents. They can get in the way of relationships, career success, and family time. They can drain our energy and sense of adventure.”

“We may be reluctant to admit it, but we likely acquired many of our possessions to project a certain image… Why would we pay double (or even triple) the price for a “luxury” car? Because automakers pay advertising firms big bucks to convince us that our cars are projections of ourselves, our personalities, and our positions in the corporate world or social hierarchy.”

“We should also keep the Pareto principle (also known as the 80/20 rule) in mind. In this context, it means we use 20 percent of our stuff 80 percent of the time. That means we could get by with just a fifth of our current possessions, and hardly notice a difference.”

“When we become minimalists, we strip away all the excess – the brands, the status symbols, the collections, the clutter – to uncover our true selves. We take the time to contemplate who we are, what we find important, and what makes us truly happy.”

“Your home is living space, not storage space.”