Never underestimate the importance of removing stuff you don’t need.
Encouragement provides us with motivation to persevere. It invites us to dream dreams of significance for our lives. And it begs us to work diligently with optimism and promise.
Overcoming the pull of consumerism is a difficult challenge regardless of our stage in life. Simplicity requires encouragement. To that end, I hope you will find motivation in these articles below.
Each post was intentionally chosen to inspire simplicity in your life. For maximum effect, find a quiet moment this weekend and enjoy them with a fresh cup of coffee or tea.
The Death of Clothing | Bloomberg by Lindsey Rupp, Chloe Whiteaker, Matt Townsend and Kim Bhasin. Apparel is being displaced by travel, eating out, and activities—what’s routinely lumped together as experiences.
Seven Things I’d Do Differently If I Got A Minimalist Do-Over | Tiny Ambitions by Brittany Bruce. Now that I’m five years in, I’ve had the chance to reflect. And if I became a minimalist today, there are a few things I would do differently.
Want to Save More Money? Try These Three Financial Fasts | The Washington Post* by Michelle Singletary. I would like to propose three types of financial fasts to help you on your journey to financial freedom: a food fast, a clothing fast, and the 21-day financial fast.
Meet The Woman Who Got Married Without Buying Anything New | CBC Radio with Alexa Carson. Carson’s “Buy Nothing Year” also became the year that she got married and had her first baby.
I’m Starting a “No-Shopping-for-Clothes” Year and It’s Healing My Soul | Apartment Therapy by Shifrah Combiths. “I felt like I was following a chain-linked sisterhood of women who had extricated themselves from the hamster wheel of shopping and I wanted in on it.”
*Editor’s note: The Washington Post limits the number of free Post articles nonsubscribers can read to 10 per month.
Awesome blogs. I love the Financial tips from The Washington Post. It was really a good read.
Thank you for the list, and your work over the years Josh. I really enjoyed the Bloomberg article on Death of Clothing. You, and others, have been a great inspiration.
We have a large home. My husband decided last year to sell our home, buy a camper and travel the country for a few years. Needless to say, we had to go minimalist. I never realized that the freedom from things would be as great and rewarding as it has been. Our home is about ready to put on the market, and I can’t wait to shed the rest of our stuff. Thank you for the encouragement
Great articles, thanks! Very inspiring!
I was raised in a minimalist home, somewhat out of necessity in the 50’s. Adding to that lifestyle was my mother who did not allow excess of anything simply to avoid clutter. I recall the time when she was forced to purchase a ball point pen which was only available in a package of five. To her dismay she wondered what to do with the other four pens. Most of my 70 years I have enjoyed the freedom of a lifestyle uncluttered by stuff. Even now, I continue to weed through and clear out things that no longer are needed or are important in my life or my husband’s. We clearly understand that our family will not want our stuff which is special and sentimental only to my husband and I, neither would they have room for it. Now our attics are mostly cleared except for a fishing rod and tackle box that has too many memories for my husband to part with. We even have an empty closet in our retirement home. We lack nothing and live life abundantly without the albatross of stuff and the life-sucking nature that defines it. As we have lived this lifestyle before it became popular, we have watched in sadness as family and friends deal with the stress of consumerism and finding a place for it all. Last year during a Spring storm, we watched as our neighbor’s vehicle was pelted with hail. Because of a garage full of stuff there was no room for the vehicle to be parked inside. Minimalism is freedom. Go for it! Embrace it.
Enjoyed reading every single article! Thanks for the recommendations.
I just wanted to thank you for taking the time to curate these inspiring pieces. I look forward to reading these every weekend and very much appreciate the calm and focused tone of writing. Thank you!
Love the article on the 3 fasts-I use the 40 days of Lent to get back on track and fast food,clothing and toileties. I complete the 40 item clutter challenge ( used to be bags- but not enough stuff to do that),by using stuff up.
Im not smug, you see Ive never stopped wanting to buy more eventhough clutter causes me stress. The fast helps me to remain in focus x
I like what you wrote about encouragement
Believe it or not, only in the last several months at the age of 47 have I become a coffee drinker. So this morning I took your advice: I sat down with a cup of coffee and the goal of reading one of your suggested weekend reads. I chose the article from Tiny Ambitions, since I am near the beginning of my minimalist journey and thought I could gain some insights. I sure did. And it led me to another blog of interest.
Thank you for curating good blog posts/articles and sharing with the rest of us. A nice cup of coffee and a little light reading is going to now become a weekend ritual for me.
I actually wish people dressed up more. I feel like our society has lost something. It’s ok to walk around in public wearing PJ bottoms and an oversized t-shirt? Not too long ago…people dressed. Just watch an old movie! ;)
I agree with you Judy.
I saw someone not too long ago in pyjama bottoms in a restaurant. I knew it was pjs because I have a pair that I bought in the sleepwear section.
Are there articles or sites to view the newly designed, uncluttered space? I have become more of a minimalist, but I think that I need ideas on how to make the new look “put together.”
Very good.
Thanks for the articles. I find it helpful as I am working thru the physical stage of following the weekly Uncluttered schedule.
I was not able to get into the Washington Post article, even tho I have never read an article from them. However, the others were very helpful.
Thanks again.
Thank you so much for these weekend reads. They keep me focused and on track. I am loving this new way of life. I am so much more content with what I have. Had no idea how freeing it would be to get rid of “stuff”. It’s wonderful and my home looks great!
Always a few gems for my weekend reading, thank you.