Francine Jay > Quotes

“My goal is no longer to get more done, but rather to have less to do.”
― Francine Jay, Miss Minimalist: Inspiration to Downsize, Declutter, and Simplify

“Your home is living space, not storage space.”
― Francine Jay

“We are not what we own; we are what we do, what we think and who we love.”
― Francine Jay, The Joy of Less, A Minimalist Living Guide: How to Declutter, Organize, and Simplify Your Life

“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.”
― Francine Jay, The Joy of Less, A Minimalist Living Guide: How to Declutter, Organize, and Simplify Your Life

“surfaces are not for storage. Rather, surfaces are for activity, and should be kept clear at all other times.”
― Francine Jay, The Joy of Less, A Minimalist Living Guide: How to Declutter, Organize, and Simplify Your Life

“The problem: we put more value on our stuff than on our space”
― Francine Jay, The Joy of Less, A Minimalist Living Guide: How to Declutter, Organize, and Simplify Your Life

“The only wealth which you will keep forever is the wealth you have given away.” –Marcus Aurelius, 121–180 AD”
― Francine Jay, Miss Minimalist: Inspiration to Downsize, Declutter, and Simplify

“Remember: you are not what you own. Storing all those books doesn’t make you any smarter; it just makes your life more cluttered.”
― Francine Jay, The Joy of Less, A Minimalist Living Guide: How to Declutter, Organize, and Simplify Your Life

“He who knows he has enough is rich.”
― Francine Jay, The Joy of Less, A Minimalist Living Guide: How to Declutter, Organize, and Simplify Your Life

“But to be richer, happier, and freer, all you need to do is want less.”
― Francine Jay, Miss Minimalist: Inspiration to Downsize, Declutter, and Simplify

“Most importantly, by not buying, we redefine ourselves: by what we do, what we think, and who we love, rather than what we have. And in the process, we rediscover the meaning in our lives.”
― Francine Jay, Miss Minimalist: Inspiration to Downsize, Declutter, and Simplify

“We must realize that we don’t live in a vacuum; the consequences of our actions ripple throughout the world. Would you still run the water while you brush your teeth, if it meant someone else would suffer from thirst? Would you still drive a gas guzzler, if you knew a world oil shortage would bring poverty and chaos? Would you still build an oversized house, if you witnessed first-hand the effects of deforestation? If we understood how our lifestyles impact other people, perhaps we would live a little more lightly. Our choices as consumers have an environmental toll. Every item we buy, from food to books to televisions to cars, uses up some of the earth’s bounty. Not only does its production and distribution require energy and natural resources; its disposal is also cause for concern. Do we really want our grandchildren to live among giant landfills? The less we need to get by, the better off everyone (and our planet) will be. Therefore, we should reduce our consumption as much as possible, and favor products and packaging made from minimal, biodegradable, or recyclable materials.”
― Francine Jay, The Joy of Less, A Minimalist Living Guide: How to Declutter, Organize, and Simplify Your Life

“Anything you use often, and which truly adds value to your life, is a welcome part of a minimalist household”
― Francine Jay, The Joy of Less, A Minimalist Living Guide: How to Declutter, Organize, and Simplify Your Life

“At some point I realized that I wasn’t organizing my life; I was organizing my clutter.”
― Francine Jay, Miss Minimalist: Inspiration to Downsize, Declutter, and Simplify

“Decluttering is infinitely easier when you think of it as deciding what to keep, rather than deciding what to throw away.”
― Francine Jay, The Joy of Less, A Minimalist Living Guide: How to Declutter, Organize, and Simplify Your Life

“If a certain item is really that special, display it proudly in the house; it’s not proving anything to anyone stashed away in the basement.”
― Francine Jay, The Joy of Less, A Minimalist Living Guide: How to Declutter, Organize, and Simplify Your Life

“Is it really worth the environmental consequences to send a mango, or a mini skirt, on a three-thousand-mile journey?”
― Francine Jay, The Joy of Less, A Minimalist Living Guide: How to Declutter, Organize, and Simplify Your Life

“Every day, I commit to purging one item from my house. It can be anything—like a worn-out pair of socks, a book I’ll never read again, a gift I could live without, a shirt that doesn’t fit, or an old magazine article. It doesn’t take much effort, and at the end of the year, my home is at least 365 items lighter.”
― Francine Jay, Miss Minimalist: Inspiration to Downsize, Declutter, and Simplify

“finding ways to “enjoy without owning” is one of the keys to having a minimalist home. Case”
― Francine Jay, The Joy of Less, A Minimalist Living Guide: How to Declutter, Organize, and Simplify Your Life

“Generally speaking, our stuff can be divided into three categories: useful stuff, beautiful stuff, and emotional stuff.”
― Francine Jay, The Joy of Less, A Minimalist Living Guide: How to Declutter, Organize, and Simplify Your Life

“Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.” It’s”
― Francine Jay, The Joy of Less, A Minimalist Living Guide: How to Declutter, Organize, and Simplify Your Life

“Remember, your stuff is not a record of your life - you are.”
― Francine Jay

“Remember, space is of equal value to things (or greater, depending on your perspective.)”
― Francine Jay, The Joy of Less, A Minimalist Living Guide: How to Declutter, Organize, and Simplify Your Life

“Since my house burnt down, I now own a better view Of the rising moon.”
― Francine Jay, The Joy of Less, A Minimalist Living Guide: How to Declutter, Organize, and Simplify Your Life

“Ask each item, "What are you and what do you do?" "How did you come into my life?" "Did I buy you, or were you given to me?" "How often do I use you?" "Would I replace you if you were lost or broken, or would I be relieved to be rid of you?" "Did I ever want you in the first place?" Be honest with your answers–you won't hurt your stuff's feelings”
― Francine Jay, The Joy of Less, A Minimalist Living Guide: How to Declutter, Organize, and Simplify Your Life

“In our quest to become minimalists, we want to reduce the amount of things in our homes that require our care and attention. Fortunately, we have ample opportunity to do so—simply by shifting some of our pleasures and activities into the public realm. In fact, such action produces a pretty wonderful side effect. For when we hang out in parks, museums, movie houses, and coffee shops—instead of trying to create similar experiences in our own homes—we become significantly more socially active and civically engaged. By breaking down the walls of stuff around us, we’re able to get out into the world and enjoy fresher, more direct, and more rewarding experiences.”
― Francine Jay, The Joy of Less, A Minimalist Living Guide: How to Declutter, Organize, and Simplify Your Life

“It’s not about living in a sleek loft with three pieces of designer furniture. It’s not daring, nor dramatic, nor even all that difficult. What is minimalism then? It’s eliminating the excess. It’s asking “why” before you buy. It’s embracing the concept of enough. It’s living lightly and gracefully on the Earth. It’s uncovering who you are when all of the logos, brand names, and clutter are stripped away. It’s simple, it’s ordinary, and it’s accessible to everyone—from singles to families, teenagers to retirees. I’m reminded of the saying, “Zen is chopping wood and carrying water.” In other words, the world of enlightenment is none other than our everyday world.”
― Francine Jay, Miss Minimalist: Inspiration to Downsize, Declutter, and Simplify

“Happiness is wanting what we have.”
― Francine Jay, The Joy of Less, A Minimalist Living Guide: How to Declutter, Organize, and Simplify Your Life

“Family room surfaces shouldn’t be reserved for a lifeless parade of ceramic figurines—quite the opposite. They’re meant for four-year-olds to color, teenagers to play games with their friends, and adults to enjoy a cup of coffee.”
― Francine Jay, The Joy of Less, A Minimalist Living Guide: How to Declutter, Organize, and Simplify Your Life

“Want less. Advertisers, marketers, and corporations will do everything in their power to make you want more. But to be richer, happier, and freer, all you need to do is want less.”
― Francine Jay, Miss Minimalist: Inspiration to Downsize, Declutter, and Simplify