On August 13, 2009, Becoming Minimalist caught a break. Unannounced to me, a blog with over 200,000 subscribers linked to this site. It brought countless new readers to this site and continues to drive traffic here even now. In many ways, it put Becoming Minimalist “on the minimalist living map.” And when people ask me how this blog has grown so quickly, I always reference that date and that link as a milestone in this blog’s growth.
Since that time, I have tried to use this platform to help other blogs increase their readership.
I am really quite excited about the current state and future of simplicity-focused blogs on the Internet.
Every couple years or so, it seems like a fresh wave of minimalist bloggers begins to appear on the scene. If you haven’t noticed, we’re in one right now.
Each writer offers a unique stage of life with unique circumstances and experiences. As a result, each one is able to connect with a different reader or segment of the population. And I think that’s great.
If you are looking for new inspiration, there is no doubt you will find someone on this list below whose voice resonates deeply with yours. I am confident each author would welcome the opportunity to connect with like-minded readers.
Break the Twitch | Anthony Ongaro. Anthony is the Marketing Director for the bike share program in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Nice Ride. He writes about observing the way we live, experimenting with our habits, and then changing to better suit our needs. He is creative and genuine. And his video posts are a welcome change of pace.
Smallish Blog | Evelyn Rennich. Evelyn and her family of six live happily in a small-ish house. She writes about their attempts to live modestly, frugally, and green. Evelyn shares beautiful details about her experience and how others can find inspiration through them.
No Sidebar | Brian Gardner. I met Brian several years ago through the introduction of a mutual friend and quickly found we have countless things in common. Since then, we’ve become good friends and he has helped me in immeasurable ways. Brian has assembled a talented team of writers for his No Sidebar Project, a collection of articles on minimalism, productivity and simple living.
Melissa Camara Wilkins | Melissa Camara Wilkins. I needed to read about 2-3 paragraphs of Melissa’s writing to fall in love. Her writing is encouraging and gentle and uplifting—but filled with powerful truth. She and her husband are raising their six kids in a beach town in Southern California. She writes about defining your unique life and living it with purpose.
Minimal Millennial | Emily Torres. Emily recognizes that many people in her generation (and outside her generation) are dealing with debt, cluttered homes, unhealthy relationships, stressful jobs, or even just trying to figure out how to “grow up” in this ever-changing world. She writes for seekers of happiness, simplicity, health, and well-being.
Jacob Jolibois | Jacob Jolibois. As a side-note, it was Jacob’s blog that inspired this post. I already knew many of the other blogs on this list when I ran into Jacob’s. His well-designed site and helpful approach to blog posts caused me to reflect further on the current state of simplicity-focused writing. Go check it out and make room for more meaning in your life.
Frugaling | Sam Lustgarten. Sam has been blogging for just over two years on the act and art of maximizing your budget and minimizing costs. I’m a big fan of Sam. I appreciate the voice he is bringing to the personal finance world—that financial success is not just about finding more income, sometimes it is found in redefining the life we live.
Blonde on a Budget | Cait Flanders. After paying off $30,000 of debt, Cait adopted a more minimalist lifestyle, tossed 70% of her stuff and is currently in the middle of a two-year shopping ban. Her blog is actually a bit older than two years, but I still thought it deserved mention. She’s funny, sharp, thoughtful, and lives in Canada (how could it get any better?).
Simple… Not Plain | Janie Baran. What I appreciate about Janie is that her posts contain detailed thoughts on implementing minimalism. She has written about her own personal routine in wardrobe, beauty, laundry, and decluttering. Her writing is not merely inspiration, but also instruction. Whether a reader implements everything she writes or not, just hearing how somebody else incorporates these principles is helpful.
These lists are hard. And even though I spend a considerable amount of time finding simple living-focused writing online, I admit my scope is limited. Almost without a doubt I have missed blogs that should be included in the list above.
Use the comment section to spread the word about even more new blogs focused on simplicity or minimalism. It can be yours or someone else’s. Include the blog name, one link, and a 2-3 sentence description. Thanks.
Kevin says
If anyone is interested in my budgeting blog… well, here it is: stickingtomybudget.com As a new dad and homeowner, sticking to a budget has proven to be a difficult task, despite being employed and having a steady job over the years that pays well. I would love some feedback!
Thanks guys
Noe says
http://www.salinachristaria.com
Noe says
Salina Christaria was born a minimalist and is passionate about the freedom that comes from owning as little as possible. Her blog posts cover a wide range of topics about living a simple, authentic and healthy life, and her vulnerability and sense of humor are truly captivating!
Deb says
I love your blog. Thanks for your advice on starting a blog. I recently started a new simplicity blog http://www.EnoughInTheCity.com . It’s about striving for simplicity while living in a big city.
Ekundayo peter says
Hi Becker you are one of those i look up to, your posts are exhilarating.
Check out this site pals
http://Ekundayopeter37.blogspot.com
http://facebook.com/thebestnichein100
Ayietim says
Thanks so much for this opportunity, let me introduce the following blog. It’s mine:
Name: Ayietim Blog
URL: http://ayietim.wordpress.com
Description: I share success tips based on my experiences in life. I use poetry, songs, quotes and short articles.
Fran says
Hi there!
Thanks, I love reading personal stories of finding simplicity.
I blog because it makes helps me to live a little slower and with more a little more intention.
If your interested you can find my story at http://www.thesimplicityjourney.com
Fran :)
April @ Oxford Mins says
I’ve recently found http://www.oneemptyshelf.com which I like very much.
Kali says
Minor usability comment: When posting links to external sites, can you program them to open in a different window (so I can easily get back to your blog and others you’ve linked)?
PS. LOVE this blog. LOVE this lifestyle. LOVE this community. Thank you.
Bethany @ Online Therapy and Coaching says
Thanks for the list, Josh! I love Smallish, and I look forward to checking out the rest.
A few more that I enjoy:
http://ahhthesimplelife.com
http://theecograndma.blogspot.com
http://joyfullygreen.com
And my own, of course, which is more personal development focused, although I offer Simplicity Coaching and a Simple Living Basics E-Course: http://onlinetherapyandcoaching.org