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The Joy of One: Handbag

Okay, everyone…are we ready to talk about One Handbag? This should be a good one.

I don’t know if I’ve ever told you before, but I’m a “bag person”—not a designer bag or novelty bag person, but a utilitarian one. I get excited about zippered compartments and adjustable straps and water bottle holders (be still, my heart!).

And to be clear, I’m not a bag person who wants a different carryall for every occasion or day of the week. I’m far too lazy for that. Not only can’t I be bothered to make such a decision in the morning, there’s no way I’m going to shuffle the contents around from one bag to another.… {Read more}

The Joy of One: Shoe

I feel a little guilty that last week’s One Coat challenge was so easy. It was a good warm up, though, and I hope it inspired some of you that yes, it can be done! We often discover on our minimalist journey that what might seem daunting or pointless at first can actually be quite doable and gratifying.

But still—a bit of a struggle makes for a more interesting blog post, doesn’t it?

Well, I have that struggle for you today, as I tackle what might be the most difficult item to reduce to One: shoes.

Now, I’m no Carrie Bradshaw when it comes to footwear; beyond looking presentable and feeling comfortable, I have little interest in what’s on my feet.… {Read more}

The Joy of One: Coat

When I moved from the Northeast to the Pacific Northwest, I took the opportunity to rethink my outerwear. I no longer needed my heavy winter coat (goodbye snow, ice, and sub-freezing temperatures!), but I did need something more waterproof (hello rain!).

I wanted just One Coat that would work for fall, winter, and spring, and settled on a mid-weight raincoat with a removable quilted liner. I opted for one with a hood, to eliminate the need for a hat (and hopefully, an umbrella—optimistic, I know, but so far, so good).

As far as color goes, I normally default to black for outerwear.… {Read more}

The Joy of One

I have long been enamored with the concept of One.

How lovely would it be to have One coat you could wear all year? One pair of shoes that worked with every outfit? One bag that filled all your needs? One pen, One pan, One sauce pot, One spatula, One lipstick of the perfect shade.

Ahhh…..for me, that’s minimalist heaven. It’s the culmination of all the decluttering I’ve been doing, and minsumerism I’ve been practicing, for the past decade.

One is restrained. One is elegant. One is beautiful.

I talk a lot about Limits in my book, The Joy of Less: like limiting our shirts or books or towels or plates to a certain number or certain space.… {Read more}