Very, Very Simple: 12 Tools for a Simpler Life

by Joshua Fields Millburn

Very, Very Simple is a clear, compassionate guide to living with less—and finally feeling better about the stuff you own. Inside, you’ll discover 12 practical tools (flexible rules, not rigid dogma) to help you define what’s no longer acceptable in your life and let it go.

This isn’t about owning fewer things for the sake of minimalism. It’s about removing the excess—physical, mental, and emotional—that’s keeping you overwhelmed, distracted, and dissatisfied.

Short, thoughtful, and immediately actionable, Very, Very Simple helps you create space for what actually matters. Less clutter. Fewer distractions. More life.

In this expanded audio edition, Joshua Fields Millburn and T.K. Coleman pause throughout to discuss the philosophical implications of these tools—like a mini-podcast appended to each short chapter.

Kindle Edition

Published January 24, 2026

About the author

Joshua Fields Millburn is one half of the simple-living duo The Minimalists. As the bestselling author of five books, Millburn has been featured in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Time magazine and has spoken at Harvard, Apple, and Google. His podcast, The Minimalists Podcast, is often the #1 health show on Apple Podcasts, and his popular documentary, MINIMALISM, is available on Netflix. Raised in Dayton, Ohio, he currently lives in Los Angeles.

Reviews

[Julie Nicholson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short simple guide to how to live a simpler life based on years of experience.

[Anbu Manoharan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very short and to the point!

Some of the minimalism books are so unnecessarily long (ironic to the subject). This book does not fall under such a “this-should-have-been-a-blogpost” category.

[Stevanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short, practical, always good vocabulary.

[Jim Owen · Rating 5 out of 5]

less is more

Great advice with solid tools on not only getting rid of your clutter, but how to stop future clutter. Everyone needs these tools.

[Deborah L. Lemaster · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's very simple

As much as I declutter, I still need
reminders of why I still keep things.
Time to declutter again. Have fun if you decide on the decluttering journey.