A special thanks to each of you for making 2021 such an enjoyable year at Becoming Minimalist. It was my thirteenth and I have loved every moment of it!
This website continues to reach people beyond my wildest dreams as we grow every year in new ways. As before, this growth has occurred because of the support from readers like you—thank you for helping to spread the inspiration.
Thank you for sharing this website on social media. But even more, thank you for sharing the life-giving message of owning less with your friends and family.
Here are some numeric representations of our growth:
- This website was read by over 8 million people last year.
- Our Facebook page grew from 2,100,000 to 2,400,000 followers.
- Over 88,000 people follow us on Instagram.
- 185,000 people currently receive Becoming Minimalist posts via email. Sign-up here to do the same.
- Simplify Magazine, our quarterly magazine, grew to over 180,000 subscribers.
- 11,682 new people went through our Uncluttered Course last year.
- Our YouTube channel grew from 135,000 to 217,000 subscribers.
- Over 20,000 people have now used the Clutterfree App to declutter their homes.
But some of our most significant successes this past year are not found in the numbers above:
- I finished a new book, Things That Matter: Overcoming Distraction to Pursue a More Meaningful Life, about overcoming the distractions that keep us from living out our true purpose. The book will be released in April.
- The Hope Effect, our non-profit continues to change how the world cares for orphans. Your continued support allowed us to expand into two new locations last year! Thanks to you, The Hope Effect is changing lives in Michoacán, Mexico and Chiang Mai, Thailand. In addition, you continued to grow family-style care in our existing locations in Mexico and Honduras.
In case you missed any, here are the top posts on Becoming Minimalist from 2021.
Most Popular Posts from 2021 (as determined by readers):
7 Daily Habits to Change Your Life Forever. The direction of our lives is decided more by the daily choices we make than anything else. And these choices are more influential to the person we are becoming than we often realize.
“Make Your Bed” and 20 Other One-Minute Habits for a Clutterfree Home. One of the most simple and effective rules for getting your life under control and keeping your home clutterfree is the “one-minute rule” introduced by Gretchen Rubin.
9 Modern Decluttering Strategies To Create a Home With Less Stuff. If you’re just getting started with minimalism, or looking for an approach to help you reach the next level, here are 9 modern voices and approaches in the decluttering movement.
Living in the Shadow of Death. During one of my last conversations with my grandfather, before he got sick on Thanksgiving, he made a statement to me that I found to be incredibly profound.
10 Things We’ve Never Regretted Spending Money On with Kids at Home. Minimalism recognizes that resources are finite and life is a trade-off. Money not spent on material possessions means more money available for other pursuits. And not just money, but time and energy and focus.
My Personal Favorite Posts from the past year:
Of Course Minimalism is For Everyone. Minimalism is not a set of specific rules or guidelines and the goal of minimalism isn’t to own the fewest number of things possible. Minimalism is about owning only the possessions you need to accomplish your greatest goals in life. And it is beneficial for everyone.
Defining Success Differently. I think all of society (ourselves included) would benefit if we started defining success differently.
Do You Like the Person You Are Becoming? One of the most self-reflective, and most helpful questions we could ever ask ourselves focuses less on what we are doing, and more on who we are becoming.
Most Popular Guest Posts in 2021:
The 15-Minute Rule by Hannah Brencher. “I love the idea of shifting gears and walking into a new year. I love the possibility of a fresh calendar. But I am overwhelmed by all the things I want to do, and all the things I think I can magically begin, just because January 1 arrives at the front of the calendar.”
7 Things I Learned While Wearing the Same Dress for 100 Consecutive Days by Becca Ehrlich. Yes, the same dress—every day. For 100 days!
What Growing Up “Poor” Taught Me About Minimalism by Cheryl Smith. “The nuggets of wisdom I gleaned from being raised in a low-income family are countless, and I wouldn’t trade those life lessons for anything.”
Minimalism in America is Hard. Here’s How to Do It. by Colleen Mariotti. “We are what you might call extremist when it comes to minimalism. In 2013, my husband and I sold all our belongings, packed one carry-on bag each, and set out to wander the world with our three young children.”
Most Popular Outgoing Links from the past year:
Why EVERYONE Should Adopt These 3 Minimalist Principles by Rachelle Crawford. Now, I typically take a more “you do you” approach to minimalism, but there is so much more to becoming a minimalist than reducing the number of material possessions in your home.
Drowning in her possessions, Jennifer turned to a ‘freeing’ new lifestyle by Evelyn Lewin. While emptying her home was hard, Jennifer also struggled with the idea of not buying new things. But she soon thrived on the “financial breathing room” it afforded her.
10 Problems Solved By Owning Less Stuff by Ronald Banks. It’s crucial to understand that when we hold on to things, we’re creating unnecessary hurdles in our lives that we can easily avoid if we let go of the excess.
Get Rid of Your ‘Sentimental’ Junk by Claire Lower. I don’t know how it is with other families, but mine has a tendency to be overly sentimental about every little gift, every token of affection.
Most Popular YouTube Videos of 2021:
3 Things to Buy to be Happier, According to Science. In “Prosocial Spending and Buying Time: Money as a Tool for Increasing Subjective Well-Being,” researchers from Harvard, the University of British Columbia, and Simon Fraser University, discuss four possible uses of our money and their effect on happiness.
20 1-Minute Habits to Keep Your Home Clutterfree. Clutterfree is more than a project, it is also a process. It is one thing to declutter your home one time. But keeping it clutterfree requires healthy habits going forward.
8 Easy Steps to a Minimalist Bedroom. Converting your room into a minimalist bedroom doesn’t mean sleeping in a sleeping bag on the floor. It means you reduce distractions so you can optimize rest and calm.
Whether you have been reading Becoming Minimalist for one week, one month, one year or longer, thank you. This blog owes its success to the support of its readers. Thank you for reading. And thank you for sharing these posts with others.
We look forward to an exciting 2022.
I am excited to launch the New Year’s Edition of Uncluttered—registration will open on January 3rd. Uncluttered continues to help people around the world own less and live more. And I look forward to hosting it again soon.
No doubt, Becoming Minimalist will continue to evolve and be redefined. Specifically, I look forward to the new opportunities and conversations surrounding my new book.
But this website will always stay true to its core message that there is more joy to be found in owning less than can ever be found in pursuing more. We will continue to invite as many as possible to discover this truth in their lives. And I hope you will join us.
I love, love, love receiving your emails. It has changed my life in
many ways (I have a lot less stuff), less cluttered mind and all your articles are so interesting and help. THANKS so much….
What an honor it is to have my post on this list. I am so thankful for the work you do and the knowledge you create and curate so generously. I am looking forward to being a part of the Becoming Minimalist community in 2022 and watching it grow!
Congratulations on the growing interest in your work. Minimalism has improved my life and creative work, and no doubt thousands of others. Here’s to continued focus on the things that matter in 2022 and beyond.
Thank you, Joshua.
You are very welcome.