What is Minimalism?

Minimalism often evokes images of stark white rooms furnished with only the essentials. However, true minimalism transcends this simplistic notion. It’s about making deliberate, personal choices rather than adhering to a bland, uniform aesthetic. This article offers practical tips and insights for integrating it into your everyday life.

What is minimalism?

So, what does minimalism actually mean? It is part movement, part lifestyle, part philosophy. With so much information out there, it is easy to be misled by the idea that minimalism equals constant decluttering or a very specific aesthetic. In reality, minimalism is about prioritising what truly matters and making space for it, rather than owning as little as possible. It is not about stark white rooms or empty shelves. It is about intentional living, and it looks different for every person.

It applies to more than possessions. Minimalism is also about your habits and mindset. Do patterns like negative self-talk, gossiping or judging others earn their place in your life? Clearing mental clutter is as much a part of the practice as clearing a wardrobe.

Choosing quality over quantity

Once you’ve pinpointed your priorities, create room for them by reducing non-essentials. For instance, if family time is a priority, be fully present with your loved ones by limiting distractions like phones or TV. Regarding shopping, prioritise long-term value and meaningful purchases over fleeting trends and cheap items.

The personal nature of a minimalist lifestyle

Minimalism varies greatly from person to person, and there’s no singular way to practice it. Be cautious of notions that equate minimalism with empty spaces and a lack of belongings. A calm, uncluttered home means different things depending on your background, values, income and circumstances. A shoehorn may seem trivial to one person and be indispensable to another with reduced mobility. Minimalism is not a universal standard to live up to. It is a personal practice you tailor to your life, not the other way around.

Is minimalism really sustainable or a marketing trap?

In theory, minimalism and more sustainable living align, because both put the utility and value of a purchase first. In reality, ​“minimalist” has been co-opted as a look by some fashion and interior brands to promote a false impression of sustainability, where a pared-back aesthetic is used to signal responsibility that the supply chain does not back up. Look for evidence, such as certifications and published supply-chain information, rather than a clean-looking product page.

Minimalism versus zero-waste, what is the difference?

While minimalism and zero-waste share common values, they are not the same. Minimalism encompasses a broader spectrum of personal priorities, while zero-waste focuses specifically on cutting waste and pollution. However, both lifestyles advocate for reduced consumption and a focus on quality, making them complementary. If you want to learn more about the zero-waste movement, click here. 

How minimalism came into fashion

Minimalism’s rise in fashion traces back to the 2007 financial crisis, which shifted preferences towards simple, timeless basics made from durable materials. Combined with growing environmental awareness and the push for circular design, that shift put transparently made and timeless clothing in the spotlight. Done well, minimalist fashion is a practical tool for a more sustainable world where we cherish what we own and waste less.

Wear what you own: minimalism with the COSH! Digital Wardrobe

The easiest way to start practicing minimalism in fashion is to wear what you already have. 

The free COSH! Digital Wardrobe app helps you visualize your wardrobe and identify what you wear and don’t wear. Instead of buying more, you build a clear overview of what you own, wear it longer, and shop with intention when you need something new. The app lets you:

• Curate your wardrobe quickly. Photograph your items or add them from a webshop, the app removes the background and tags each piece automatically.
• Track your wears and see the patterns. Spot which items you actually reach for and which gather dust, so your next purchase is a conscious decision rather than an impulse.
• Give unworn pieces a second life. Find repair and resell options near you.
• Shop with a plan. Discover curated stores across 33 cities in Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany, plan a custom shopping route, and check the independent sustainability screening COSH! runs on more than 3,000 brands.

Download the COSH! Digital Wardrobe app and start with what is already in your closet.

How to get started with a minimalist lifestyle

Regarding purchases, choosing products from brands that reflect your values is crucial. Here’s a guide to embracing minimalism in different aspects of your life.

Tips for implementing minimalism in fashion

• Capsule wardrobe: Simplify your mornings with a capsule wardrobe, focusing on versatile, minimalist, clothing that mixes and matches easily. Add personal flair with colourful blazers or bold prints like a striking polka-dot blouse. Remember to keep what you love and responsibly rehome what you don’t. Reinvest in high-quality, timeless basics when needed. Read our step-by-step guide on how to start a capsule wardrobe with the COSH! Digital Wardrobe app.

  Get inspired by the brand common era from Eindhoven, which builds its collection around transparency. Expect comfortable jumpers, (T-)shirts and blouses for men and women, plus a unisex range in minimalist but bold colours. They bring their mantra ​‘feel good in what you wear and know what you’re wearing’ into practice by communicating the origin of the products, which materials are used, and the impact.

  For pieces built to stay in rotation, discover sweersocean, a womenswear label from Aachen. Its clothing is produced in small batches at a tailoring atelier in Frankfurt, using deadstock fabrics alongside natural fibres. Rather than seasonal collections, sweersocean works in small drops and reissues its basics in new colours. It also runs a pre-loved shop and a return-and-repair service to keep garments in use.

  Start your capsule wardrobe from the base: underwear. Minimalist underwear means timeless style and uncomplicated comfort, with no superfluous embellishment. Merz b. Schwanen makes undyed underwear and timeless basics using traditional manufacturing methods that date back over a century.

• Clothing rental and swapping: If you love changing up your style, renting or swapping keeps your wardrobe fresh without buying new. Check out clothing rental services like LENA Fashion Library and RENTGLAM in Amsterdam Dressr in Belgium and the Kleiderei branches in Germany or swap outfits with your friends! 

• Get styling help: A stylist focused on wardrobe longevity can help you rediscover what you already own and further develop your style. Book a styling or closet session with Ethical Fashion Stylist Ashna Chatta in Amsterdam, rea_​sn, or The Sustainable Stylist in Utrecht.

• Reinvent your beloved items: Interested in giving your cherished worn pieces a new lease on life? Sekundär Schick offers engaging workshops, events, and the option to join its celebrated Upcycling Club, transforming your old treasures into something uniquely stylish.

To round out a minimalist wardrobe, timeless everyday handbags and accessories made from durable materials and with more circular practices in mind are a smart, long-lasting addition.

Minimalism at home

• Bed and bath textiles. The brand Yumeko, founded in Amsterdam in 2010, makes bed and bath textiles from GOTS-certified organic cotton, recycled down and Tencel. The brand is B Corp certified and has a fully transparent supply chain. It also runs down-recycling and mattress-recycling services so materials with value are reused rather than sent to landfill.

  Kalani is a Belgian brand offering bed and bath linen with a transparent supply chain. Its cotton holds both Fairtrade Cotton certification, which sets social and minimum-price standards for cotton farmers, and GOTS organic certification via Ecocert, which verifies organic fibre content and strict environmental and social criteria across the whole production process. The range covers duvet covers, fitted sheets, pillowcases and plaids, plus towels, bath mats and bathrobes, at accessible prices.

• Low-toxic cleaning: Start by finishing the cleaning products you already have, then switch to lower-impact options. Upcycle where you can (like turning an old shirt into a cleaning cloth), and explore more natural-based products from brands like Humdakin and Yokuu.

• A minimalist body care routine: Swap plastic bottles for bar soap. At Nature Bar in Amsterdam, you will find handmade soap and shampoo bars that are vegan and plastic-free, made in small batches in the studio above the shop. There is a refill bar for your empty packaging and weekly soap-making workshops if you like getting hands-on. 

  In Utrecht, Zepig brings together more than 80 selected personal-care brands under one roof, from soap and shampoo to toothpaste and razors, with plenty of refillable and low-waste options. 

What you can do next

Minimalism is a way of choosing. The simplest first step is to see what you already own. Download the COSH! Digital Wardrobe app to digitise your wardrobe and wear more of it, and when you do want something new, find more sustainable stores near you.

By adopting these practices, you can seamlessly weave minimalism into your daily life, aligning your actions with your values for a more mindful lifestyle.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is minimalism? A: Minimalism is a lifestyle and philosophy focused on prioritising what matters most to you and making space for it, rather than owning as few things as possible. It applies to possessions, habits and mindset alike, and it looks different for every person.

Q: Does minimalism mean owning as little as possible? A: No. Minimalism is about intentional choices, not empty rooms or strict item limits. What counts as ​“essential” depends on your values, culture, income and needs, so a minimalist home can still be full of things you genuinely use and love.

Q: Is minimalism sustainable? A: Minimalism can support lower-impact living because it favours long-term value over impulse buying, but the two are not the same. Some brands use a minimalist look to appear responsible while still producing at fast-fashion speed, so look for evidence such as certifications and supply-chain transparency rather than a clean aesthetic alone.

Q: What is the difference between minimalism and zero-waste? A: Minimalism focuses on prioritising what matters across all areas of life, while zero-waste specifically targets reducing waste and pollution. They overlap in valuing lower consumption and higher quality, which makes them complementary approaches rather than identical ones.

Q: How do I start a minimalist wardrobe? A: Start by identifying what you actually wear, then build around versatile, well-made pieces you can mix and match. A capsule wardrobe is a popular approach, and a wardrobe-tracking tool like the COSH! Digital Wardrobe app helps you see your real habits before you buy anything new.

Q: What is a capsule wardrobe? A: A capsule wardrobe is a small, curated collection of versatile garments that mix and match easily, usually built around timeless basics with a few statement pieces. The aim is more outfits from fewer items, which reduces both decision fatigue and overconsumption.