January « 2010 « miss minimalist

Real Life Minimalists

By miss minimalist | 113 comments

Please note: I currently have Real Life Minimalists scheduled through March 2012, and will resume accepting submissions in the near future.

I feel incredibly lucky to have such a great group of readers and commenters, and know I have some pretty amazing people visiting this blog. However, I (and other readers) only get small glimpses into your stories; I wish I could sit each of you down, buy you a cup of coffee, and learn more about your experiences in minimalist living.

Even better: I’d love to share your stories with everyone here. I’m pretty sure we’d all like to get to know each other better. To that end, I’d like to introduce a new feature here on the blog: Real Life Minimalists.

If you’d like to be a featured minimalist, simply email me something about yourself in approximately 350-750 words. (I’ll post your words exactly as written, so don’t include anything you don’t want on the internet!)

You can remain as anonymous as you’d like; if you don’t want to use your real name, simply make up a handle (sorry, Miss Minimalist is already taken!). If you’d like to include a photo, fantastic—it can be of yourself, or some aspect of your home that showcases your particular minimalist style.

It doesn’t matter whether you’re a master minimalist, a minimalist-in-training, or a minimalist newbie—we take all kinds here! No matter where you are on your minimalist journey (even if you’re just starting out), we’d love to hear your story.

And if you have a blog, please include your URL and tell us something about it. That way, we’ll all know where to go if we want to learn more!

I’m so excited about this, and hope you share my enthusiasm! If so, all you have to do is:

1. write up an approx. 350-750 word profile about yourself
2. email it to me {note: not currently accepting submissions due to full schedule}
3. include an optional .JPG photo of yourself or home (500 x 500 pixels maximum size)

If you have any questions, simply ask them here in the comments.

I can’t wait to get to know you better!

Ode to January

By miss minimalist | 23 comments

(Photo: kalandrakas)

January is my favorite month of the year.

It’s not simply a matter of aesthetics—though I do appreciate the beauty of bare branches, snow-covered ground, and a monochromatic winter landscape.

The appeal, however, is more psychological than visual: after the excesses and over-stimulation of December, January is like a huge sigh of relief.

Where December is noise, January is silence. Where December is indulgence, January is restraint. Where December is crowded and chaotic, January is empty and serene.

Where December carries all the baggage of the previous year, January is a fresh start. It’s an opportunity to begin with a clean slate and a free spirit, a chance to eliminate unproductive endeavors and concentrate on new, more promising ones.

January provides me with renewed inspiration to live a minimalist lifestyle. In January, I buy less, eat less, and stress less than at any other time of the year. Instead of shopping, I avoid the stores and clean out my closets. Instead of dining out, I enjoy simple, healthy food at home. Instead of keeping a busy schedule, I relax, knowing I have a whole year ahead of me to accomplish my goals.

Where December is more, January is less. And to this minimalist, less is beautiful.