The More Of Less Summary

1-Sentence-Summary: The More Of Less teaches you how to declutter your time, mental capacities, and spaces to give more attention to the people and experiences that matter most.

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The More Of Less Summary

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How many belongings do you think you have? Take a guess. Would you say a few hundred? A thousand? On average, most households currently own about 300,000 possessions!

We live in a culture where the majority of us own too much stuff. We burden ourselves with clutter and end up wasting valuable time and energy managing and organizing it. Consumerism makes us want more and more but, ultimately, we end up too distracted with what we have and don’t have to focus on what brings true happiness in life – and that’s not possessions.

To help you avoid this trap, The More Of Less comes as an expert guide on how you can get more out of your life by owning less.

Joshua Becker is the writer behind Becoming Minimalist, a blog that has inspired millions to dump their clutter in favor of more meaningful endeavors. He gives practical tips and encouragement to help everyone become a minimalist in their own style.

Here are my 3 favorite lessons:

  1. Minimalism is about getting rid of the things that get in the way of what’s important.
  2. Advertisements have a powerful effect on our spending habits.
  3. We can reject endless consumerism by donating our unwanted stuff, which will make us happy.

Are you ready for less cleaning and stress in your life? It’s much easier than you think!

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Lesson 1: Minimalism is not about removing just for the sake of it, but about creating space for what you love the most.

In today’s world, it’s easy to look around and feel overwhelmed because we own too many things. We buy the newest phone, only to end up wanting an even newer one not too long after, and the cycle continues. The problem is we can’t buy happiness. Once we realize that, our lives will change for the better.

Becker had his start with minimalism when he cleaned out his garage on Memorial Day. After spending several hours, he realized he wasn’t getting anywhere. When a friend stopped by and mentioned minimalism, he had an epiphany. Instead of being with his family, he was devoting all of his valuable time trying to manage things. He knew something had to change.

Minimalism isn’t just about getting rid of things. It’s about making room for the things that matter most, such as your family, your health, and everyone around you. Whatever it is you care deeply about, consumerism will likely only distract you from it.

Lesson 2: Advertisements still affect how you spend your money – way more than you think.

As a whole, Americans are now spending more than any past generation. Why is that? The answer is simple: advertising is everywhere. You can’t watch a video online or drive anywhere without seeing advertisements. And whether you like it or not, this does impact the way you spend.

Many of us don’t realize that the ads we see all day every day are showing us images to convince us we need more. If only we had more, we would be happier! It doesn’t feel like it, but even if we just periodically buy small items on Amazon, this adds up to a significant amount of money over time. Money we could be spending on meaningful experiences.

Big businesses know how to get us to buy, buy, buy. They know limited-time sales and special offers are sure to bring us in. They also recognize the power of advertising, which is why they spend billions on it.

Becker wants us to understand how powerful they are so we don’t give them power over us. If we can acknowledge that they don’t have to influence us, we will be well on our way to starting the minimalist lifestyle.

Lesson 3: Donating our unwanted items will bring the greatest fulfillment.

If there is anything minimalism will teach you, it is that people are more important than possessions. Endless accumulation of belongings only brings short-lived enjoyment, while helping others is the gift that keeps on giving.

When the author made his shift to minimalism and started getting rid of stuff, he first tried selling things in a yard sale. He was disappointed when he earned only $135 for all of his items. But he and his wife didn’t really need the extra money, so why sell things for a measly profit when there are all these people in the world in dire need of these very items?

This experience turned them to donation, which they found to be much more fulfilling than a little extra cash.

Another example of using minimalism to help others in need is the story of a woman who decided that she wanted to improve the world. One day, she looked down at her wedding ring and noticed it would most likely be worth enough money to feed an entire African village. With the approval of her husband, she sold it and donated the money to a charity for sub-Saharan Africa.

Her friends followed this example, and now she runs a nonprofit encouraging others to do the same – she has never been more fulfilled.

The More Of Less Review

The More Of Less gives a very convincing and thought-provoking look at why we need less in our lives to have more meaning. Becker not only focuses on the importance of decluttering but also on using our newly found extra time and resources to help others in the world. If we follow his advice, we can learn how to live simpler, more meaningful lives, all while making the world a better place.

If you want to check out other interesting books about minimalism, start with The Power Of Less and Minimalism: Live a Meaningful Life.

Who would I recommend The More Of Less summary to?

The 58-year-old early retiree, who is tired of having too much stuff, a 24-year-old recent college graduate, who wants to become a digital nomad, but is tied down by their possessions, and anyone wanting to declutter their life and have more joy.

Last Updated on August 16, 2022

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Luke Rowley

With over 450 summaries that he contributed to Four Minute Books, first as a part-time writer, then as our full-time Managing Editor until late 2021, Luke is our second-most prolific writer. He's also a professional, licensed engineer, working in the solar industry. Next to his day job, he also runs Goal Engineering, a website dedicated to achieving your goals with a unique, 4-4-4 system. Luke is also a husband, father, 75 Hard finisher, and lover of the outdoors. He lives in Utah with his wife and 3 kids.