Are you an Abundance Lover or a Simplicity Lover?

Going through the KonMari Method of decluttering and organizing my home I’ve had conversations with family and friends who seem to fall into two distinct camps. Those who are attracted to the idea of paring down their belongings and living in a more minimalist environment and those who dismiss the idea outright shuddering at the mere thought of letting go of their things.

That’s because not everyone with a lot of stuff in their home is unhappy with that. According to Gretchen Rubin, a celebrated author and philosopher of happiness and human behavior, people often fall into one of two categories: Abundance Lovers and Simplicity Lovers.

Simplicity Lovers

From what I gather, Simplicity Lovers are rather minimalist by nature. They are attracted to the idea of emptiness and less. They like bare surfaces, few choices, and empty space. Simplicity lovers easily feel overwhelmed when there’s too much going on at once or too much noise. They prefer to work in quiet spaces with minimal decoration.

Abundance Lovers

Abundance Lovers on the other hand are attracted to the concept of more. They crave ampleness, extra, and full spaces. They want to have more than enough and enjoy having a wide array of choices. Abundance Lovers like to be in a bustling environment and thrive in a place that is lively and filled with visual details.

I think I’m somewhere in the middle. At my core, I’m an Abundance Lover, especially visually. I like lots of visual details and layers, and I prefer to have options. But, I’m also an editor by nature and I pick things out that don’t belong. It’s just what I do. I have a hard time focusing with too much noise or too many distractions, so I really need a good balance to feel my best.

Wondering which camp you fall into? Here are a few questions to ask yourself:

1. Do you prefer buffet-style dining where you can sample a little bit of everything that strikes your fancy or restaurants with a limited menu where you can order exactly what you want and not have to be bombarded by choices?
2. If you are faced with a nearly empty shelf, how would you feel? Would you feel a pressure inside you to start filling it and arranging the items on it or would you look at it and feel inner calm?
3. When you shop for food do you get only what you need for the next day or two or is your cart brimming with items, some of which you do not have a specific plan for?
4. When you are in a hotel room for an extended stay do you feel satisfied only having the items you packed or do you feel anxious being away from your possessions?
5. What do you do when you see something you love, but already have, on clearance? Do you buy another? Do you buy several?

If you find yourself answering that you prefer variety to constraint and more rather than less, I’m going to go out on a limb and say you are probably an Abundance Lover and there is nothing wrong or right about that! It’s a difference of preference.

I connect the term “Simplicity Lovers” with Minimalists and “Abundance Lovers” with Maximalists and each is a very distinct and lovely style with its own appeal. In my opinion, as long as the overall look is cohesive and stylish, it’s going to look like a million bucks.

So, circling wayyyy back around to that decluttering method I was mentioning earlier. If you are an Abundance Lover, you might not be interested in decluttering. You might be very content with your home and your belongings. If you are, don’t let any Minimalist Mama tell you that you only need twenty one pieces of clothing to be at your best. That chick is obviously a Simplicity Lover and what works for her isn’t going to work for you.

If, however, you are not happy with the state of your home or your belongings, you might be a Simplicity Lover who is living in an Abundance Lover household and you feel overwhelmed. Or maybe you are like me, an Abundance Lover who realized that she needed some simplicity to focus. In fact, if you are reading along with my KonMari Method posts (and, really, why wouldn’t you be?) you might have realized by now that decluttering doesn’t always have to be about sparsely-filled closets and empty rooms. Decluttering can be about discovering yourself and what makes you happy, and then filtering out the things (activities, objects, people) that don’t. It’s really a means to realize your ideal life, and that’s something I’m fully onboard with, even if it feels a little uncomfortable to let go at first.