I’m starting this blog to explore the joys and challenges of a minimalist lifestyle. I truly believe that having less stuff can lead to a happier life, and would like to discover that elusive point of “just enough.” Along the way, I hope to create a site where fellow aspiring minimalists can share their ideas and experiences, setbacks and success stories.
You may be thinking, “Oh, I could never be a minimalist,” “I have pets,” “I have kids,” “I have a closet full of shoes,” “My desk is buried in paperwork…” That’s okay!
The term “minimalism” can be intimidating; all too often, it conveys a sober, serious, sterile feel. Upon hearing it, your mind conjures up images of spare, cool interiors…concrete floors…gleaming white surfaces…hard edges…empty rooms.
While such austerity is quite beautiful to some (including me!), it’s not for everyone. Even if you’re not a fan of minimalist design, the world of minimalist *living* is wide open to you.
And what a wonderful world it is! Minimizing all the extra *stuff* in your life can be incredibly liberating. Why be tethered to a closet full of clothes you no longer wear, a living room packed with dust-collecting knick-knacks, or a garage stuffed with who-knows-what? Your things can weigh on you like hundreds of little anchors, committing you to housing them, cleaning them, insuring them, etc.
How light and free we could feel if we let go of some of them! Think of the extra space, the extra time, the extra peace we could have…
Ask yourself the following questions:
* Do you have a desire to declutter?
* Do you think you’d be happier without so many things?
* Are you ready to take steps to minimize the stuff in your life?
If you answered, “Yes! Yes! Yes!” then you’re already on the way to becoming a minimalist. Welcome to the blog, and please leave a comment—I’d love to hear your story!
hi! i love your blog – i followed a link from a link (possibly the simple living forums?) to it and have just read back through it – what great advice and encouragement to live minimally! i am not minimalist, but i’m striving to be simpler…i am going to add you to my list of blogs to read, hope that’s ok :)
keep up the good work!
p.s. i am off to purge my “one-a-day” ;) xx
Thanks for the lovely comment, Rachel! I’m thrilled to have you as a reader, and would love to hear about your experiences as you simplify your life. :-)
I just found your blog. I have been decluttering for some time but still feel bogged down with stuff. I can’t seem to let go of sentimental things but would love to have less to care for. How can I get to a minimalist attitude?
Hello, Sky! Decluttering can be a *slow* process–but I truly believe it gets easier with time. At some point, you realize that certain items are more burdensome than pleasurable–and it feels great to get them out of your life.
For sentimental items, I take photos to remember them by–and then try to give them to people who would appreciate them more. It’s easier when you know they’re going to a good home.
Just keep at it. If you declutter regularly (say, one item a day), and are careful not to bring *more* into your life, you’ll make real progress toward your goal.
Dear Miss Minimalist,
I am so HAPPY I found your site. I came across from You Simplified from another site about the family of 4 Minimalists (well, the parents are!).
I am so enjoying reading your posts. What I love most is that you are a woman, so you have the usual issues that we all encounter… eg Makeup, Shoes etc. Stuff that a male cant really get into.
I probably wouldnt say I am a Minimalist, but I am always working toward Living Simply (with style). I do find some things hard, mostly the allure of the “new”. The must have earrings, the must have shoes, or THE bag.
I have a husband and two young children, so I build it into my life rather than having it as a goal. I have tried this and it drove me crazy. So I released my hold and just continually edit and make it part of daily life.
Thank you for all the wonderfullness (yes, I made that up).
I have added you to my Simple/Minimalist blog folder.
Again, thank you.
Sara (in Sydney, Australia)
Hi Sara–it’s wonderful to have you here! I know what you mean–as DH says, I’m kind of “girly” (I like to dress up, etc), so have to work on keeping things to a minimum.
I try to keep my wardrobe simple and classic, and satisfy my desire for novelty with the occasional small purchase (like a scarf, or piece of jewelry), instead of items that take up a lot of space (like shoes or handbags).
Again, welcome–I hope you’ll share more about your experiences with minimalism/simple living in the Comments!
I am not a minimilist per se. But we have made a real effort to trim the items we own. I am sick of looking for items and not finding them and then buying a replacement just to have the original show up a week later.
I have started with the home office and purged tons of paperwork that was not needed. I also got rid odf a big box of computer cords and cables from various computers we have owned over the years. Then I organized the bookshelfs and got rid of several boxes worth. Now I have room to actually display meaningful items in that room and it is also more functional.
It is amazing how ggod it feels to be rid of items you no longer need or want. It is also amazing how much energy it gives you to continue on to more room to get rid of more “junk”.
This is a great blog and I have bookmarked for future reading.
Thanks so much for your comment, Dave! It sounds like you’re doing a fabulous job simplifying your life. :-)
I think you’ll find that you’re much more productive in your decluttered office (it’s like a mental cleaning, as well as a physical one!). And you’re absolutely right: it feels so good to declutter one room, that you’re energized to tackle the rest of the house!
So glad to have you as a reader!
I understand entirely what everyone on this website is talking about. I honestly believe that people have to much stuff. Including myself. Over the last year or so I have been purging my life of almost any possession or possessions in which I can’t live without. It has actually been very exhilarating. Not having so many things to worry about or be in the way even on a daily basis. It has helped me in everything including work. When I come home I am not bogged down with having to deal with all kinds of clutter and all kinds of different problems at home. I simply come home and continue my everyday routine minus having to deal with all kinds of clutter. If I don’t use something or plan on using something withing a year or two hopefully it is not in my everyday sight. At least that is my theory. :)
Thanks for sharing that, Chris! I’m so glad you’ve discovered how wonderful an uncluttered life can be. :-)
Every time I look at my messy closet from my bed I see the progress I have made already. There is a bit more white space showing! It’s going to be a long battle for this lifelong packrat, but the progress gives me hope and joy.
Happy birthday, Miss M! I really enjoy your blog, and even though I’ve been a fan of the simple, decluttered life for many years, I always find a new idea and a bit of inspiration when I read what you (or your readers) have to say.
My challenge has always been expressing my natural minimalism (yes, some of us are BORN minimalists!) while raising children. Sometimes I have had to let go of my ideals, or at least relax them a bit. Now that my youngest child is 18, my husband and I are talking about downsizing our home in a year or so, and I’m really excited about that! My oldest child is going to be married in January 2011, and it is amazing to see her and her fiance planning their new home by considering only what they NEED. This is not necessarily the same list I might come up with, but the point is that my daughter and her sweetie are not on the “buy-buy-buy-now-now-now” bandwagon. Only a few years ago I would not have believed my daughter would make these kinds of choices, but she seems very content to focus only on what she considers essential, and to let most other stuff go. Even the wedding we are planning will be simple and lovely, and so far we are within our (moderate) budget!
Wishing you the best, and looking forward to your continued blogging!
Some time ago I accidentally stumbled upon your blog – and since then I have lavished myself with all the inspiring things I read: from you and the comments I read.
(there might be some mistakes in my comments, as I’m Dutch, corrections from native speakers are very welcome!)
Reading your blog feels like a nutritious meal, a refreshing swim in a green lagoon, a cleansing shower.
For years and years I have tried to combat my things, my clutter. Growing up in a semi-hoarder’s home I do not really have built-in decluttering skills; I have been trying to maintain a tidy house since I was an adult. Sometimes I almost made it; but it was never entirely completed and never permanent.
Earlier this year I decided to re-do my bedroom and dressing room/office, partly motivated by reading Karen Kingston’s books. It took me several months, due to lack of money, but I will get there. However, the result is less storage because I didn’t want my home to be full of (stuffed) closets anymore. After months of stuff-in-crates-in-corners I started a major decluttering operation last weekend. Thanks to your blog, I must say.
I have come to the point that I really don’t want the stuff around anymore. And I certainly don’t want any new stuff coming in.
The decluttering isn’t finished yet; it will take another week to finisch round 1. Then, I think, I will have achieved 50% of the final result.
I am planning to start round 2 in a month or two, I think. Maybe then I can halve what’s left. In the meantime I might start decluttering my “garage” so I can use it as temporary storage for things I’m not really ready to part with – YET.
Final task will be electronic clutter. A daunting prospect. But as it doesn’t take up physical space, it is the lowest on my priority list – at least for now.
I can feel the energy draining because of its existence, though, so it will have to be done. And it will be.
Thank you for the inspiring thoughts and bubbling energy I gained.
Wow! Thank you for the inspiration. I just read your post about the Thai sutra and wanted to see where it all began, which brought me back to this post.
I think life has brought me to this point, and I intend to start an experiment. As I look back, I see so many points in life that have carried me to want to minimize what I have and take on a new outlook in life. I want less, but I not only want less, I want to want less.
I’m one of those who has quite a few children. I don’t want to force this on them, but I want to set the example and show them the difference between needs and wants, so I am starting today. I’m hoping this turns into a joyful journey and changes some things about how I see life.
Thanks for all you share here. I will be back again and again.
~Julie
I just recently discovered your blog and am thrilled. I have a lot to read and a lot to learn. Thanks for sharing your journey.
Thank you for this blog. I give you about 90% of the credit for my decision to seriously de-clutter my life and start over in my new flat with a minimalist outlook. So far, I have purged more than half of my clothing and books, and I’m starting in on the rest next.
I’m signing the lease for my first apartment this week, and I’m determined to stop lugging around all this useless stuff. It’s been a very freeing experience to let go, I’ve even started blogging about it!
I am a work in progress when it comes to minimalism. I have decided to go back and read all of your entries to see where I can do more. Thanks for all of the fantastic inspiration.
A while ago I read your book The Joy of Less. WOW! It is a powerful book. I am starting to get rid of more and more of my things. I like the freedom of less. I still have a l-o-n-g way to go. Slowly I will find new homes for my unwanted things. With very little money I don’t buy a lot of things. I am very careful of what I do bring home.
Hello! I’ve started my journey to declutter and aspire to be a minimalist – which is hard to do with 3 boys and a husband who doesn’t necessarily share the same vision. I’ve started blogging a few months ago about the process, hoping to keep me accountable and encourage others to take steps to simplify as well.
I have steadily decluttered and there wasn’t much here to start with. I found that I had much more art material than I knew. I have given away boxes and boxes of dishes, books, and hope that in a few years there will be much less here in my home.
I just filled this week’s big bag for Goodwill. My husband threw in some clothes he said never fit right and I found more baking and cooking items. I still have things to sell, and more to give away. There must be thousands of items in my kitchen alone.
I gave away a big pile of Christmas cards I got free from various charities. People mentioned their kids made gift tags or decorations with them. I am filling a bag for Goodwill as I look for more clothes to give away. My husband says he is giving away clothes but I haven’t seen them yet. I asked my daughter to bring me 2 bags of clothing to give away.
It is January in the Chicago area and very cold. It is good to stay inside and find a few bags of things to give away. My husband contributed a coat and a jacket. I am going to give away some more craft materials and maybe some dishes we never use. That will be a good start.
I have given bags of art supplies away and there is still more. I gave away 6 magazines and there are 5 more to go. Another stack of books went and more to go. And I don’t hoard.