Fill your life with stories to tell, not stuff to show.
The simplicity/minimalism movement is a beautiful community. And I enjoy any opportunity to promote writing that encourages people to live more by owning less.
I invite you to fix yourself a nice warm cup of coffee or tea. Find a quiet moment this weekend. And enjoy some encouraging words to inspire more simplicity in your life today.
HGTV is Making Our Homes Boring and Us Sad, One Study Says | The Washington Post by Rachel Kurzius. A pair of professors found that home renovation media leads homeowners to decorate for the masses, not for their own happiness.
The Hidden Luxury of Living Frugally: A Path Less Traveled | Simple Money by Joshua Becker. Living simply and staying out of debt is better than living large and owing money.
6 Things Minimalists Always Do to Maintain a Tidy Home | The Spruce by Megan McCarty. Insider knowledge of how minimalists maintain a tidy home from Ashley Murphy and Marissa Hagmeyer.
10 Reasons Why a Simple Lifestyle Can Boost Your Happiness | No Sidebar. Simplicity is about choosing the things that add value to your life and discarding the rest. Here are 10 reasons why you should simplify your life.
The Incredible Power of Focusing for 15 Minutes | Happy Simple Living by Eliza Cross. We can do amazing things by when we take small steps with consistency and perseverance.
Recently Released Inspiring Videos
10 Ways Minimalism Will Help You Be Less Busy | YouTube by Joshua Becker. Sometimes it seems as if being busy has become a badge of honor we love to wear. But does this endless chase ever bring true fulfillment? Doubtful. Here’s how to be less busy.
10 Things We’ve Never Regretted Spending Money On with Kids | YouTube by Joshua Becker. Because we have pursued minimalism for the last 12 years, and have spent less money on possessions, we have more money left over for other things which we have found helpful as a family.
What a thought-provoking and inspiring blog post! I truly appreciate how you’ve delved into the concept of simplicity and its transformative power. Your narrative about the impact of living with less and embracing a minimalist lifestyle is both captivating and motivating. The notion that minimalism is not just about decluttering physical spaces, but also about decluttering our minds and priorities, really resonated with me. Your key points about finding contentment in the essentials, breaking free from consumerism, and fostering meaningful connections rather than material possessions are spot-on. Your personal experiences and anecdotes add a relatable touch to the message you’re conveying. I’m truly inspired to reevaluate my own life and strive for a simpler, more intentional way of living. Your post is a true gem, reminding us all of the profound joy that can be found in embracing the beauty of simplicity. Thank you for sharing these valuable insights!
In addition to paring down time spent watching Home Improvement shows, I find it is best for me to be very intentional about time shopping in a store such as Hobby Lobby. This is a fantastic company that has faith based values and offers just what I need when I go there for a specific home decor item/gift etc. BUT… I came to realize that allowing myself to aimlessly walk up and down the isles of stores such as these results in me feeling very dissatisfied with my current decor and desiring to just scrap it all and start over. I am in my 60s and have everything I need and more in my beautiful home. These things are in great condition and have lots of use left in them. However, they are not the latest style and truthfully are not even a style I would choose if I were to completely start over. On a daily basis, I do not feel especially discontent with my home, but browsing the latest and greatest can result in those feelings surfacing. So—
my advice to myself and others is to only go to this type of store when I truly have an item I need to shop for and resist the urge to wander once there.
Great reads! I find I hardly watch HGTV anymore. Everything looks the same. All the shows I liked years ago like Paul James’s gardening show and shows about using what you have are long gone. I’m always fascinated by homes that incorporate family pieces and Goodwill treasures.
The home renovation article really spoke to me. I belong to a diy home improvement group and it’s great for learning how to do stuff and getting support from others, but…people are always asking questions about colors to paint and stuff like that. I just answered someone who wanted to know if quartz countertops would look good. I told them that I’m a house sitter and spend time in a lot of kitchens. Quartz always ends up with chips because, life happens and that it always looks like it has dirty spots on it. I also said I’m old school and prefer butcher block which will pretty much last as long as your house and is so easy to maintain. Home renovation has truly become another version of fast fashion. And don’t get me started on stainless steel appliances which never look clean and always show fingerprints. Just because something looks shiny before you buy it doesn’t mean it’s going to stay that way.
So true about renovating homes now equating with fast fashion. More than likely, if you remodel for resale, the new owners will remodel your remodel.