There’s more to life than buying stuff.
There are many wonderful people pursuing and promoting simplicity. Fortunately, some of them are gifted in communication and choose to encourage and inspire us with their words. I enjoy reading their unique perspective. I’m sure you will too.
So fix yourself a nice warm cup of coffee or tea on this beautiful weekend. Find a quiet moment. And enjoy some encouraging words about finding more simplicity in your life today.
Buying begets buying: how stuff has consumed the average American’s life | The Guardian by Madeleine Somerville. Our addiction to consuming things is a vicious cycle, and buying a bigger house to store it all isn’t the answer.
Declutter your wardrobe: Lessons from people who’ve done it | CNN by Emanuella Grinberg. “You may have fewer items of clothing in your closet, but you have more space, more time to enjoy your morning, more opportunity to wear your favorite clothes.”
Drastically Increase Your Standards | New Minimalism. Clutter builds up when we stop making decisions about our stuff.
This couple lives on 6% of their income so they can give $100,000 a year to charity | Quartz by William MacAskill. We constantly overestimate the impact income will have on our happiness levels.
Photographer Removes Phones From His Photos To Show How Terribly Addicted We’ve Become | Bored Panda by Dainius. The project inspiration came from a chance encounter in a NYC cafe.
I read and enjoyed “Drastically Increase Your Standards”. I went through a big de-cluttering in my previous home, and came to the same conclusion at the end of the process: Be mindful about what you bring into your home in the first place. (It is better for your budget, and better for the environment, too).
When I moved into my current home, I found that the process of decluttering influenced how I organized things and used my space.
The article talks about the idea that clutter also builds when we don’t want to make a decision about the items in our home (Coincidentally, I just shared an anecdote on my blog about this same idea). I find that I procrastinate about making a decision because of sentimental attachment or the “what if I need it later” factor. Thanks for sharing. :-)
Hi Joshua, I just want to say how much inspiration and encouragement I have found from your blog. I look forward to your weekend reads and re-read your blog posts. It is so fantastic to know that there are others trying to live minimally and simply.