Welcome to Becoming Minimalist. If you are new, welcome! With over 1M readers every month, we’re honored to have new readers every day. If that’s you, welcome. I’d love to make your experience as comfortable as possible.
Most importantly, Becoming Minimalist is designed to inspire people to pursue their greatest passions by owning fewer possessions.
To find out more about my new book, Things That Matter, click here.
About Joshua Becker
My story begins in suburban Vermont while I was cleaning the garage, my wife was cleaning the bathrooms and my 5-year old son was playing alone in the backyard. I struck up a regular conversation with my neighbor who commented, “Maybe you don’t need to own all this stuff.”
The juxtaposition was striking. My possessions piled up in the driveway… my son in the backyard… my day slipping away… I immediately recognized something needed to change. My belongings were not adding value to my life. Instead, they were subtracting from it.
My family and I began donating, recycling, and removing our unnecessary personal possessions. We embarked on an intentional journey to own less stuff.
As a result, we discovered more money, more time, more energy, more freedom, less stress, and more opportunity to pursue our greatest passions: faith, family, friends. And we decided to write about it.
Becoming Minimalist quickly became a place to encourage others to embrace minimalism. It does not boldly require anyone to become minimalist overnight—nor does it specifically define the word for you. Instead, it encourages each reader to discover their own journey and the far-reaching benefits that come from owning less.
We are dedicated to rational minimalism and discovering what that uniquely means for us. And the more who are introduced to this life-changing message, the better! Because we’re all just trying to make the most of this journey called life.
Over the course of the last eight years, I’ve become a best-selling author and have written four books:
- Simplify: 7 Guiding Principles to Help Anyone Declutter Their Home and Life*
- Clutterfree with Kids: Change your thinking. Discover new habits. Free your home.*
- The More of Less: Finding the Life You Want Under Everything You Own.*
- The Minimalist Home.*
- Things That Matter*
Past media coverage includes:
CBS Evening News, The Wall Street Journal, National Public Radio (NPR,) The Guardian, The Boston Globe, The New York Times, USA Today, Washington Post, Forbes, TIME, Fox News, The Huffington Post, Minimalism Documentary (Netflix), Reader’s Digest, LA Times, Sirius XM, CNBC, TODAY Show, Chicago Tribune, Boston Globe, Good Housekeeping, and countless others you can find all over the Internet.
Our Articles
Get introduced to our simple message by reading some of our most popular posts:
- How to Declutter Your Home: 10 Creative Decluttering Tips
- What Is Minimalism? The 8 Essential Aspects of Minimalism
- The 10 Most Important Things to Simplify in Your Life
- 10 Reasons to Escape Excessive Consumerism
- 15 Clutter Busting Routines For Any Family
Or, to discover the importance of owning less, try one of these posts:
- Don’t Just Declutter. De-own.
- Minimalism Benefits: 21 Benefits of Owning Less
- Living With Less: 7 Ways to Sample Minimalist Living
We learned quickly that our journey to live with less on the outside would force our attention inward:
- How to Be Happy: 8 Ways to Be Happier Today
- How to Stop Comparing Yourself to Others
- 20 New Ways to Measure Success
- Learning to Consider Gratitude a Discipline
And would be entirely unique because of our life’s values:
If you really can’t get enough, browse our most popular articles. But be warned, there’s a bunch of information there.
Our Community
If you would like to receive new posts via e-mail, sign up here. We are also connected to our community through social media. Find us here:
- Facebook: Inspirational quotes and links.
- Twitter: Quotes, thoughts, links.
- YouTube: Promoting simplicity in home and life.
For interviews, media requests, or general questions, contact us at becomingminimalist@gmail.com
For more information on Joshua, visit his Wikipedia entry here.
How do you become a minimalist, when you have nothing?
Like, no social life, no social skills, no money and live with people who barely scrape by. Top it off, everyone except 4 people dislike you for a stereotype (like, white but not good enough to be an anglo and even white people dislike you for being so weird type). Everywhere you go, you get rejected unless it’s like, buying something.
If your generally disliked and have maybe 4 assets (2 cars, tv, ps3) to your name.
Like, how do you cut out things properly to live (Whatever that is).
Discovered on facebook. Been so looking for something like this for a long time.
Didn’t know about this site. I could have written everything I read. Nice to know others see the benefits of CHOOSING a different life than chasing the status quo.
It so aptly demonstrates to me how indoctrinated and habituated people are not being aware of the potential negatives of the typical American lifestyle when, despite me carefully sharing with people, the simpler less materialistic less of a consumer based less selfish less human centric rather minimalistic less wasteful lifestyle I live, I describe it to them. They can not even grasp, much less accept, the concept that others live happy, safe, and productively differently than them. It’s a if I’m speaking Chinese to them and all they know is the English language when I describe a lifestyle without or with less TV, automobile usage, 401 k plan, cell ph/Ipod, living in a box style home, etc.
So often times it happens that we live our lives in chains
And we never even know we have the key
But me, I’m already gone
And I’m feelin’ strong
I will sing this victory song
‘Cause I’m already gone
Yes, I’m already gone
I’m sure it’s probably covered somewhere, but didn’t see it by browsing. I stopped buying things, for the most part, about four years ago and have gotten rid of quite a bit. I’m sure I’m not alone when it comes to having a difficult time getting rid of collectibles. I have several boxes full of things that I’ve collected over the years. I work in the film industry and there are collectibles that come along with each production. I’m a photographer and my collection of cameras, lenses and related gear is substantial.
Also, my garage is a bit of a creative workshop so there are tools of all kinds and boxes of nails, nuts, bolts, hooks etc. There are art supplies, paints, screen printing equipment and on and on.
So, two questions… How to deal with collectibles and how to deal with tools & supplies that you MIGHT need for whatever creative project that comes along?
Thank you.
I don’t really remember how I got to your site, but I thank you for helping me come to an ephiphany I needed. The paragraph about your 3 day weekend and your son sounds like my life, the important things in life have been consumed by the not so important things. I’ve been reading for a couple months, and will continue to read and change things one day or item at a time. Thanks for your site, great reading!
The admirers of these grills say that the grills’ extremely even heating and very powerful infrared sear burner makes them the best.
Broilmasters is one the highest quality and most efficient natural gas grills available today.
The size of your grill will most likely determine the size of your propane
tank.
Living a minimalist life is living a balance life, thus living a a life worth living as Socrates would say…I live that life!
The tiny house forums have great advice as well..
Tried to subscribe. I don’t have a newsfeed reader. Don’t want clutter of getting one. What’s wrong with e-mail or Facebook? Bye-bye.
Cutting back is hard to do! We just moved to a different home after 20 years and the stuff I collected. I have parted with four boxes of books. Considering my library was 20 boxes I made “some” progress. As a pastor books are my addiction. I have a NOOK and Kindle but how to reduce even more seems difficult at best. Plus I have another dozen boxes of stuff like wires and chotchkies that are hanging around. I am happy I found this site for guidance. If anyone out there has a home office setup where you have your working books/stuff I would like to hear your suggestions.
Thanks
Frank
Most of your books may be online.
Donate books to a library. Donate other items to Good Will.
To keep the wood piece from moving when you are
using a miter gauge, cut to shape and glue a piece of sandpaper to the face of the miter gauge.
Despite its steel roll cage base, the Dewalt
DW745 table saw is known for its light weight and portability.
The table saw additionally boasts 8″ treaded pneumatic wheels so, like a fierce, all terrain table saw, the tool confidently maneuvers through difficult jobsite environments.
>Neldian Galevski said, “I am looking for a woman to start the journey to become minimalist.”
The first step towards minimalism for you is to give up the idea of having a woman. One less thing to get rid of later ;-)
Just found you, and wanted to say “thanks.” You express a lot of what I have been feeling recently. We have sarted our own journey towards simplicity, and are blogging about it at http://thehomeplanetproject.wordpress.com/ We are glad to follow you, and be inspired to recommit to our own project each day.
I’m so happy that I found this site.
I recently moved to Angola, so I had to pack all my stuff in one luggage of 30kg. Without knowing I was starting my way to becoming minimalist. I’ll grabe this opportunity and stop buy useless and meaninless things, and just have the essential in my new home.
Thank you for all the useful tips.
Hey Joshua
Stoked to have found your blog site, love what you’re doing and what you stand for! We’ve had similar realisations around materialism and minimalism, and are now living our lives drastically differently as a result (and loving it!) Look forward to reading your posts and sharing your awesome messages with our networks :-)
Bernadette & Aaron
I’m curious to find out what blog system you have been working with? I’m having some minor security problems with my latest website
and I’d like to find something more safeguarded. Do you have any recommendations?
You really make it seem so easy with your presentation but I find this matter
to be really something which I think I would never understand.
It seems too complex and extremely broad for me.
I’m looking forward for your next post, I’ll try to get the hang of it!
Others such as tomato paste, modified food starch, salt,
yeast extract, caramel color, hydrolized soy protein, hydrolized yeast protein,
beef fat, flavoring, hydrolyzed wheat gluten, dextrose are
ingredients containing hidden MSG. Treat your family
to delicious, easy-to-prepare Italian beef sandwiches.
Make the most of your slow cooker by making clean up a
breeze with these simple tips.
Can you provide some details on how we may miss hidden MSG in those products. MSG is something I want no part of. When I see it on labels I avoid those products. Enlighten me. How is it hidden?
Dogwood I may be pretty late at posting this, but this is my first time here. Not sure if you ever got your answer to your question, but here is a link that may help:
http://www.truthinlabeling.org/hiddensources.html
I remember us chatting about that very conversation at WDS last year, Joshua. Remember? It was wonderful meeting you and I see your blog has grown in influence. What a great thing to see! See you later this year (2013)? :)
Below we list archeological finds from modern times that, if authenticated,
change history:. Shake the jars when removing them
to mix up the grains. This is a remarkably strong false base
when supported,yet easy to cut to shape.
It is a “patented microfilament brush” that has finer bristles than a other toothbrush
Its said that the toothbrush performs the same function as flossing, although it is recommended that you continue floss.
Each person might prefer the different features that come with the toothbrush; there are many
models to choose from so you can choose one that best fits your needs.
When you brush too hard or incorrectly you expose the
roots of the teeth, which are supposed to be below the gums
and therefore insulated.
The wrong use of electric toothbrush can damage your gums, so it
is very important to use it correctly. There’s a lot of advantages to switching to an electric toothbrush, many of which have actually been approved by the dental association. Another really awesome fact about the Sonicare electric toothbrushes is the fact that after your charge it, the Sonicare electric toothbrushes can last for up to two weeks with being charged again.
I do believe all of the concepts you’ve introduced on your post. They are very convincing and will definitely work. Nonetheless, the posts are too quick for starters. May just you please extend them a bit from subsequent time? Thank you for the post.
I have been a minimalist now for a couple years now. It all started when my job became unstable and I realized that my whole life as I knew it then was dependent on someone else. (a job). I thought there has to be better way and did some research. Long story short, I traded my large house, my boat, Corvette (all with large payments) for a small Rv, an old toyota, a bicycle and a kayak. The bottom line, I have never been more happy. My life is simple, peaceful, serene. I have very little stress and I have the time to do the things I want to do. I am no longer tied to a job, nor do I worry about what the economy might do. . I live well on less than $1000 per month. Instead of constantly working to pay for “stuff”, I have a life.
I have bee following Becoming Minimalist and a couple others now for sometime now, and I so appreciate the insight and inspiration. It has truly changed my life.
Great transition!