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100 Possessions: My Handbag

I’ve decided to start a new series here on Miss Minimalist called “100 Possessions.” My intent: to feature each item I own, and explain why I chose to include it in my minimalist life.

Sure, it may seem ironic to be talking about stuff on a minimalist blog. However, given that the majority of us are not Buddhist monks, we need a certain amount of things to function (and be comfortable) in our homes, jobs, and daily lives.

Furthermore, as minimalists, we must be mindful of, and make smart decisions about, the things we own—because the more versatile and functional each item, the less overall we need.… {Read more}

Real Life Minimalists: Sarah

Every Monday I post Real Life Minimalists, a profile of one of my readers in their own words. If you’d like to participate, click here for details. (Note: the schedule is now full until April — but if you don’t mind waiting, feel free to send me your submission!)

This week, Sarah gives us an international perspective on minimalism: she’s moved from Trinidad to Spain to the United States. She also shares what steps she’s taken to simplify her life.

Sarah writes:

I’m an international student from Trinidad and Tobago, and first got into minimalism a few years ago, having stumbled upon Leo Babauta’s blog, Zen Habits.… {Read more}

Real Life Minimalists: Katy

Every Monday I post Real Life Minimalists, a profile of one of my readers in their own words. If you’d like to participate, click here for details. (Note: the schedule is now full until March — but if you don’t mind waiting, feel free to send me your submission!)

Today we hear from Katy (who happens to be the twin sister of Rachel, who was profiled last month). She tells us why she’s decided to embrace a minimalist lifestyle, and how it’s changed her outlook on life. I think you’ll find her story quite inspiring (be sure to check out her blog)!… {Read more}

Happy Holidays!

This year, I’ve decided to give myself a very special Christmas gift. Don’t worry: it wasn’t bought at the mall, and it won’t clutter my closet – in fact, it doesn’t take up any space at all.

I’m giving myself a digital sabbatical.

From now until January 10, I’ll be completely unplugged from the internet: no blogging, no Twitter, no email. I also won’t be logging in to moderate comments. If you’ve commented in the past, your new comments should be published automatically. Otherwise, your comments will stay in the queue and be published as soon as I’m back (I apologize for the delay, but it’s necessary to keep things spam-free!).… {Read more}

Real Life Minimalists: Rachel Jonat

Every Monday I post Real Life Minimalists, a profile of one of my readers in their own words. If you’d like to participate, click here for details. (Note: the schedule is now full until March — but if you don’t mind waiting, feel free to send me your submission!)

This week, I’m pleased to feature Rachel Jonat. She and her husband are striving to live a minimalist lifestyle while raising their young (and might I say adorable!) son. To read more about their experiences, please visit her blog, theminimalistmom.com.

One more thing: a little bird told me that Rachel just celebrated a birthday — so let’s send some birthday wishes her way as well!… {Read more}

Minimalist Inspiration from Istanbul

A few weeks ago, I took a trip to Istanbul – a gorgeous city, though not one you’d ever describe as “minimalist.” In contrast to the cool, refined grandeur of many Northern European cities, Istanbul is colorful and exotic, full of history, intrigue, and arabesques. (And all the more beautiful for it.)

Yet even in such lush and embellished surrounds, I managed to dig out a few minimalist nuggets for your appreciation. When I travel, I enjoy soaking up the décor and cuisine and traditions of other cultures, and pondering how I might incorporate some tidbits into my own lifestyle. Here’s what inspired me in Istanbul:

1.… {Read more}

A Year Ago on miss minimalist

Minimalist Strategy: Don’t Organize Your Clutter: I used to be a big fan of organizational items. Although I wasn’t much of a shopper, a trip to The Container Store or Organized Living never failed to excite me. The idea of corralling hundreds of loose bits and bobs into sleek, perfectly-matched containers had great appeal.  I truly thought that by putting all my stuff into various bins, I could maintain a sense of order in my life…{read more}

Minimalist Office: Downsizing Supplies: Back in our former house, we had a plastic bin filled with office supplies. I can’t begin to recount all the contents, but know it included more envelopes, rubber bands, paperclips, staples, pens, pencils, markers, and sticky notes than we would ever use or need.… {Read more}

Real Life Minimalists: Kelly

Every Monday I post Real Life Minimalists, a profile of one of my readers in their own words. If you’d like to participate, click here for details. (Note: the schedule is now full until March — but if you don’t mind waiting, feel free to send me your submission!)

Today we have a wonderful submission from Kelly, who’s adopted a minimalist lifestyle in anticipation of her little bundle of joy. Check out her blog, Frugal Vegan Mom, to learn more!

Kelly writes:

My name is Kelly and I’d probably be considered a middle-of-the-road minimalist. My husband and I live more simply and spend less money than most everyone we know, but have never taken any extreme measures such as purging our possessions or quitting our jobs to travel around the world with one suitcase (although it does sound tempting!).… {Read more}

The Quick and Easy Guide to Coming Out as a Minimalist

“So, I hear you’re a minimalist. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.”

Last week, a reader emailed me for advice on how to “come out” as a minimalist. She wanted to explain to friends and family her desire to live simply—in a way they would understand, and without sounding judgmental of their lifestyles.

I think it’s a fabulous question, and imagine she’s not the only one struggling with this issue. For outside the cozy confines of the blogosphere, a declaration of “I’m a minimalist” may very well be met with, “You’re a minima-WHAT?” Smirks, raised eyebrows, and quizzical looks are not out of the realm of possibility, either.… {Read more}

Minimalist Holiday: Gifting Kindle Books

Good news for minimalists this holiday season: you can now gift Kindle books on Amazon.com. Woo-hoo!

As most of you know, I’m a huge fan of ebooks. They save trees, they save energy, and they save space in our homes.

You can imagine, then, how excited I was to learn about this feature. I come from a family of readers, and we’ve always enjoyed giving each other books. However, most of us have given up physical books in favor of digital ones, so our book gifting days had drawn to a close…until now. :-)

Here’s how it works:

1. Click the “Give as a Gift” button (pictured above) on the book’s Kindle page.… {Read more}