When we talk about minimalism, the phrase quality over quantity is often thrown around. It seems pretty straightforward but yet a lot of people are confused about what quality over quantity actually means.
In this article, I would like to give my insight into this phrase and how it applies to minimalism.
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What is Quality Over Quantity?
First, let’s take a look at the meaning of these two words separately.
When we use the phrase quality over quantity it means to prefer having fewer belongings, fewer relationships, fewer tasks, but investing in them your money, time, and effort and thus creating more quality and value out of them in the long run.
The quality over quantity approach is used by many people, especially those who are trying to be minimalists. For minimalists, there is no use in having a lot of these things, if they provide no value to them.
Minimalists know quality when they see it because they are very selective in what they buy or own. They prefer to lead a simple yet quality lifestyle where quality matters more than anything else. This means they will always choose quality over quantity in all aspects of their lives.
Which is Better: Quality or Quantity?
Minimalists would always choose quality over quantity because they cherish the things they own and would like to have them around for a long time.
Quality over quantity is the essence of minimalism because it teaches you to appreciate quality wherever you find it, since it may be rarer than we think.
Minimalists focus on quality in everything they do, from the food they eat to the people they spend time with.
On the other hand, there are situations in life when quantity beats quality, and I have to acknowledge them. Quantity usually beats quality when you need an item to fulfill its purpose and then you are finished with it. A good example would be a toothpick. You buy a big package of them so you don’t have to go out to buy them every time and they are cheap. You don’t need them to be quality since you are only going to use them once.
However, quality beats quantity every time when you are looking for something that you want to hang on to for many years.
Quality Over Quantity Examples
Quality over quantity can be applied to different aspects of life, not just material things.
Find below a few examples of the quality over quantity approach explained.
Relationships
To lead a content life you need quality people around you. Be careful when choosing people you surround yourself with. You don’t need toxic individuals bringing you down, so know how to recognize quality people in your life, and don’t be afraid to show them how you feel.
It is always better to have a few good friends than to have a lot of casual acquaintances. When you have a couple of good friends you have enough time to spend quality time with them and appreciate them properly. Only by doing that you can nurture your relationships into life-long friendships.
Having a big network of people is not bad if you run your own business, but you will never have enough time and energy to devote yourself to all of them.
Tasks
I was never a fan of multitasking because doing a lot of things at once may make you faster but will never make you more efficient. Stanford University study shows that multitasking actually reduces your efficiency and performance because your brain lacks the capacity to perform more tasks successfully simultaneously.
When you rush through your tasks you are more likely to make mistakes. This means you will have to go back to correct them at some point.
Focus on one task at a time and you will more likely produce a quality final result. You will also not have brain fog and will be able to think more clearly. Not only will you be more effective, but you will notice that once you put your energy into one task exclusively you finish it more quickly than before.
Material Possessions
The one simple truth is that quality items tend to last longer. Minimalists prefer to have fewer belongings and therefore they make sure that the items they own last them a long time.
When you invest more money into things that are made of quality materials and craftsmanship you are guaranteed that your possessions will serve their purpose efficiently, a long time, and they will continue to look great over time.
Be more selective while shopping and don’t let just anything enter your home. Your home should be your sanctuary and be filled with meaningful and quality items.
This applies to so many items: furniture, appliances, clothes, shoes, make-up, cars, construction materials, jewelry, and many more.
5 Simple Reasons To Choose Quality Over Quantity
If you are still not convinced that quality wins over quantity at most times, take a look at our simple reasons. They will surely change your mind.
1. Long-Term Satisfaction
When you invest a lot of time and money into finding and researching that perfect item, you will cherish it so much more. You will take care of it and it will bring you happiness and satisfaction for a long time.
This way you won’t get bored easily and throw away something that you just bought because it won’t be so easily replaceable.
2. Saving Money
Let’s be honest, quality costs more money. But once you buy a quality item it will last you for a long time and you won’t have to replace it. When you buy something cheap, you think you just saved money but it will most likely break quickly and you will have to buy another one.
Think of a life cycle of an item before you buy it and save yourself time and money on replacing the broken items. Buy once and be good forever.
3. Better Relationships
Notice when you focus your time on a few quality people in your life that you grow much deeper connections with them.
Evaluate the relationships in your life and choose to invest your time in the quality people in your life. Let them know that you cherish them by spending quality time with them. Work actively to better those relationships.
You will feel happy and content knowing that your people are here for life.
4. Fewer Distractions
When you value quality over quantity you have a clutter-free home, fewer tasks on your to-do list, and less email in your inbox. You are able to streamline your life.
Less noise and fewer distractions mean that you can focus on things that are most important to you.
Think about how you spend your time and learn to appreciate it. You only have so many hours in a day. Prioritize the tasks that will bring the most quality to your life.
That way, you can:
- work harder and more efficiently in your job,
- have more time to spend with your family,
- even have some time for yourself, and finally start to workout.
5. More Gratitude
Once you embrace the quality over quantity philosophy and keep the stuff you value the most, you learn to treasure them. The items you own are carefully chosen by you and you know exactly what your possessions are.
You are much more grateful for your stuff because you only possess one of each. You know when something breaks, you don’t have replacements for it. So, you treat your belongings with respect and learn to be thankful for everything you have.
Final Thoughts by a Minimalist
Having lots of something doesn’t make you rich. Minimalism’s guiding principle is less is more and this truly stands. Quality over quantity is just another way of saying this.
In my minimalist eyes, quality wins over quantity in most cases. I want to live a happy, sustainable life, and investing more, be it time or money, in the quality is a no-brainer for me.
My final advice:
- Surround yourself with quality people,
- clothe yourself in quality attire,
- furnish your home with quality furniture and appliances,
- focus your attention on quality work.
This is the true answer for a happy and fulfilled life.
Are you interested in living a minimalist lifestyle?
Learn more about minimalism from the following articles:
Create Minimalist Aesthetic in Your Home: 5 Simple Tips
Four-Step Easy Minimalist Makeup Routine for Beginners
Extreme Minimalism: Is It Worth the Trouble?
30-Day Minimalism Challenge: Getting Started with Minimalism
