Fill your life with stories to tell, not stuff to show.
The simplicity/minimalism movement is a beautiful community. It is friendly, encouraging, and helpful. There is a genuine understanding that any promotion of simplicity is good for society—and there is little concern over who gets the credit.
It is a pleasure to be part of such a wonderful group of people. And I enjoy every opportunity to promote writing that encourages people to live more by owning less.
So 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.
A Japanese How-To Has Americans Tossing Out Clutter by the Bagful | USA Today by Hollie Deese. The new minimalism is a shift away from the materialistic mindset that has been pervasive in recent years.
The Evolution of Simplicity | New York Times by David Brooks. Striving for fullness and variety has always sparked a counter-impulse toward simplicity and naturalness.
Teen Instagram Star Speaks Out About The Ugly Truth Behind Social Media Fame | TIME by Megan McCluskey. It’s a system based on social approval, likes, validation in views, success in followers.
Instead Of Decluttering, It May Be Time To Think About ‘De-owning’ | WPR with Joy Cardin. I don’t think people realize how much time, how much of their lives are being taken away by the things they own.
thank a lot for your website it aids a whole lot.|
Hi Joshua, It’s been said before, but these Weekend Reads are one of my favorite things! You are indeed bringing us a variety of perspectives from which we can each form our individual “brands” of minimalism. As we read more and do more in this arena, we can continue to evolve our personal minimalism “brands”. Thank you so much!!!
Thanks for the weekend reads, I’ve already caught a few of these, but looking forward to reading the others and seeing what ideas they might spark. Love your generosity to share the work and thoughts of others. Peace.
minimalism has some great pros but a lot of your particular blog is based on “pinching” off other bloggers. You’ve set yourself up as a minimalist alright. And not everyone you take from is that interesting as much as just plain cheap. I love to do what I call “weeding”, tossing out what is no longer used but I also do a lot of reorganizing beloved momentous about every two-three years that have often made me so glad I hadn’t tossed out forever at earlier opportunities. This said, encouraging people to live like you because you dig it, well it’s kind of lazy, minimalist you might say. And, I feel just a fad. You are advocating a loss of remembrance and heritage, and…a lot of not so good, in the end. What’s great and a new ideal for you, after reading your blog and links galore to some really real info for about two hours, is “enough” for me.
I am sorry, but I have to wholeheartedly disagree. I found Joshua’s blog a few years ago when I just started thinking about minimalism. He is actually one of the first people who convinced me to give this crazy idea a try, and I am enjoying every step of it. I am definitely not the most minimal of the minimalists because I still have stuff that I don’t need or use, but I have found that getting rid of many of my possessions has been extremely freeing.
I have never once read (on this site or any other minimalism site, for that matter) that you must give up rememberance and heritage to be a minimalist. In fact, the way I have seen minimalism described is usually “the removal of objects that you do not find happy, useful, or beautiful.” I think that the point of minimalism is to remove the stuff you don’t need to make room for the stuff you do. And rememberance is is definitely part of that.
I find that there is not a need to keep every sentimental item I have. I am not loosing the memories, heritage, or feelings associated with that item. They are all stored in my head. But if you are someone (like my mom) who loves her sentimental objects, then minimalism helps you make room for those items by getting rid of things that do not bring you happiness.
Minimalism is different from every single person in the world, but the idea behind it is great. Remove anything from your life that does not bring you happiness to make room for a life filled with happiness.
I love these weekend reads. One of the things I look forward to every weekend now. Thanks!
Joshua—just wanted to let you know, you’ve been in my thoughts and prayers :) :) :)
Dropped off a huge bag, stuffed to the gills yesterday at Goodwill. It was heavy! When I make a donation there, I like to feel the weight of the bag and think about all that heaviness being out of my home and life. Reduce- Re-use- Recycle.
I always enjoy these posts especially when I feel an urge to bring more possession into my home. Thanks for sharing!
Same here! :)
Thank you very much for the tips! I have been following the story about the teenager model and I still have so doubts: it´s true what she says, but when “normal” people (I don´t know how to put in another way. I mean those people who aren´t stars) share something on social medias it normally is not to show something that isn´t true, but simply to share their life…
But I am immediately going to check the other articles you suggested!
https://pandaonavespa.wordpress.com/
Thank you for the great Weekend Reads, I always love to read more about minimalism from different perspectives and seeing all this diversity out there makes me really happy!
I would like to add to the “Teen Instagram Star Speaks Out About The Ugly Truth Behind Social Media Fame” article as there doesn’t seem to be much of a discussion but more of a one-sided argument about this going on, as it is really easy to bash social media without thinking about it. I found this great response from a youtuber which I feel has some valid points: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPOGIRAfzS8
Also I would like to mention that I have a hard time to identify with Matthew Varney’s way of minimalism, especially after reading his blog post about “7 Examples of Simplicity in My Life” where he writes that getting an iPhone and Macbook and taking pictures in grayscale brings simplicity to his life.
Feel free to disagree and discuss :-)
I will view that You Tube video, thanks for mentioning it.
I understand where that teen is coming from, but I do think it is just one perspective. As someone who has accidentally become quite popular on social media (Instagram @hippieindisguise) I can say I have a different experience and different motivations from day one in terms of what I share. I think her story is very telling of a young girl maturing, looking to popularity and beauty as conduits for approval. I strive to share simple moments of beauty, not to set myself apart, but to inspire others to see they are already there. Xo