Wake up. Come home. Fill up. Be simple.
This October 3-4, in Minneapolis, MN, I will be speaking at an event dedicated to promoting simplicity in all its various forms. I want you to know about it.
SimpleREV is a two-day gathering intentionally designed to unite and inspire simple-living enthusiasts and advocates.
In a world where excess is the norm, simplicity needs a voice. Recognizing this need, the SimpleREV movement is intentionally designed to help people:
- Wake up to the world of simple-living that already exists around us.
- Come home to healthy relationships built on common pursuits.
- Fill up on gratitude and contentment and hope for the future.
- Find new motivation and tools for your personal pursuit of simplicity.
Throughout the weekend at SimpleREV, we will focus on expanding our lives and simplicity’s reach through intimate workshops, energizing main stage sessions, informal meet-ups, and new relationships.
Some workshops and leaders have already been planned. But an important theme of SimpleREV’s culture is contribution and participation—not just attendance. So the weekend provides significant opportunity for you to share your own story and simple-living passion with others.
Attend to grow. Attend to be inspired. Attend to contribute.
If you are committed to simple living and desire to see its influence grow, I hope you will consider attending SimpleREV. It’s going to be an unforgettable two days.
I am excited to be delivering a message of encouragement and challenge from the main stage. I am also leading a Blogging/Writing workshop at the conference. But mostly, I’m excited about meeting (and being encouraged by) each of you. To hear more of my motivation, here is a short interview with me and the organizers, Joel and Dan, of the SimpleREV event and movement.
You can find more information about the SimpleREV Conference and SimpleREV community by subscribing to their newsletter. Or join us there by purchasing your tickets today.
I would love to! But, I will be glad if you post something about it soon.
Kelly. You may need to rethink your sitution. Sorry, and good luck.
I live right by where this is going to be and read/follow your website/advice … My problem is that the guy I care about is the exact opposite of minimalist, and this is a major problem between us. He has dozens of boxes in the basement he hasn’t opened in a couple of years full of God Knows What, has dozens of unread books in boxes, fifty or sixty pairs of black dress socks (for example) that he won’t donate because they were expensive, dozens of shirts he doesn’t ever wear, and buys multiple copies of everything (think 15 decks of cards and 8-10 nail clippers and 5-6 bottles of ibuprofen) because he can’t find anything ever. When I put all his 15 decks of cards together, he won’t donate 12 of those even though he never plays cards because they’re “brand new”. His (8 and 10 year old) kids have iPods, Nintendo DS, a Wii, laptops, iPads, and a Playstation 3. The fight and bicker constantly about who gets to use what when even though there is so much of this stuff everywhere. He’s always stressed out and broke, but used to have a lot more money than he does now. He tears around the house every morning and evening looking for stuff he can’t find, making his morning routine very hectic and long. He tells me he can’t afford vacations or anything fun to do together. His solution to all his problems is to increase his income even though you can’t do that overnight.
He won’t read this website or any like it and thinks my suggestions that he reduce his stuff is a form of control on my part. He thinks it’s asinine to donate a 75 cent paperback that he’s owned for 10 years and not yet read because he will read it someday, even if it’s in 20 years. His solution is to read more books faster to declutter (and not declutter anything in the process because he’s reading).
Are there any good articles that you or others have written to try to nicely convince someone of this lifestyle that will have nothing of it even though it’s obvious that it’s needed? He won’t talk to an organizer and has let me declutter some areas for him (without him really helping), but they get cluttered again. He says he wants to have the house in better shape, but won’t take any actions to make this happen, just throwing more clothes in piles. His house isn’t DIRTY, just cluttered full of everything under the sun.
I hope by October, he might come along to this conference, but need to do some pre-work to even not get him to bite my head off for suggesting it. He’s a good person otherwise, but has no idea how to live a de-cluttered and organized life, and it’s sad he won’t even try. I don’t want to have to leave him because of this!
Kelly, Im feeling the same way you describe (see my comment in the previous pge). Its hard, but the hardest thing for me is when the (my partner’s) clutter is organized and under control, another bag of “extremely necessarry” stuff comes into the house (who needs 20-30 make up colours of exactly the same colour? And dont let my get started of the shoes/clothes….). And there we go again, repeating the process in an endless circle :s
There is a Facebook group 40 bags in 40 days 2013 or words to that effect. It started Lent 2013, but it is not at all evangelical, w idea of getting rid of one bag of staff each day of Lent. Not all met the goal and others, like me, only found the group this spring. It is open to anyone who wants to de clutter. The “bag” might go to consignment, donation, trash. It is self help, warm hearted and good humored. People sometimes quote from sites like this but mostly it’s just sharing and supporting and has dealt w situations like yours. I’m downsizing after retirement and find the group to be a great inspiration. Most are far younger than I. Best wishes and good luck.
One bag of stuff, not staff.
I noticed you said “his” house. If that means you have your own home, that certainly helps lower your concerns. You can run your own home in your own way.
Think about how much energy you want to spend on the thought, “My loved one should be different than how he is.”
Think also about how much energy you want to spend on policing and monitoring someone else’s life.
Do you want to spend your time with your partner on trying to conform him to your beliefs? Is this enjoyable to you? Ask him how enjoyable it is for him.
To me, it’s rare to find a really great match for a relationship; patience and peace with oneself as a solo entity is required. If you define a great match to be someone who shares your core beliefs, and your core beliefs include minimalism, then he might not be the match for you.
If the traits you love about him fit your core beliefs, then I would nurture and appreciate those traits like crazy. And keep separate residences, have him over at your place instead of his, and cherish what you have together as the people you both are -right now-.
Another one who will be with you in spirit, it’s rather a long trip for me! Will you be producing some form of feedback from the event?
FYI: For me at least, the link to Dan’s website is not working.
Thanks Willow. Looks like they are having some database troubles on their end. I’m sure it’ll be working again shortly.
Angel and I are going to try to make it. But with a baby on the way, it’ll be more of a last minute decision.
Would love to see you rock the stage, Joshua. ;-)
You’ll get to see Joshua rock the classroom too, Marc. I’m stoked to see his workshop in a university environment!
What do you think? Does “Professor Becker” sound good?
Great idea!
I will certainly be there in spirit and wish you well Joshua. Sounds like it will be a great weekend spreading a great message.
Next stop UK hopefully!