Becoming Minimalist unites people around a common, life-giving pursuit. We have discovered there is more to be found in owning less than we can ever discover pursuing more.
Regardless of where we find ourselves on this journey, we are resolved to live by these ideals and make it true in our lives.
This is an important worldview because it provides potential and opportunity to all who embrace it. And it offers joy. And joy is best experienced when it is shared.
All around the world, family and friends will gather together to celebrate various holidays. We will take time to catch up with loved ones. And for those whose lives have been changed by the adoption of minimalist ideas, the season represents a golden opportunity to share your story and newfound approach to life with those you love the most.
If you are actively pursuing simplicity, you are living a counter-cultural lifestyle. You have a personal story of discovering simplicity in a world that champions consumerism. Almost by default, your story is unique, interesting, and compelling. People will be interested to hear it.
Over the years, I’ve heard countless stories of people discovering minimalism. Some found it through their upbringing. Some were introduced through disaster (fire, burglary, downsizing). Some were introduced by a friend. While others picked up just the right book or stumbled onto the right website at the right moment .
Regardless of how you personally discovered it, your story has the power to inspire others and further the message of finding more life by owning fewer possessions.
So share your story with friends, family members, co-workers, and neighbors this holiday season. Look for opportunities to retell it over coffee, around the dinner table, or during a family tradition. Be bold with the truth of simplicity and owning less.
Of course, when you do, tell your story in humility, motivated by love, without confrontation. Be patient with your family (especially if some of their traditions run contrary to your pursuit). Refrain from attitudes and words that communicate any hint of superiority.
Our message may not be fully embraced by those who hear it the first time. But that’s okay. Our job is not to change someone’s life for them.
Our role is to simply offer the invitation.
In my early 20s I read Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger. It was eye-opening! This catchphrase really stuck with me
“LIVE SIMPLY SO OTHERS MAY SIMPLY LIVE”
I’ve lived a lot of life since then and not lived very simply at all! But in the last couple of years I have tamed a lot of the stuff in my life. Josh’s post “Do not declutter, de-own” was a light bulb moment for me and showed me the way to simplify my home.
My other online mentor is Rachel Jones at nourishingminimalism.com. I’ve removed over 3000 items from our home and still moving steadily forward.
I love the cleaner spaces and sense of order in our home. And just recently my husband and daughter have caught some of the vision for themselves ????
In 2017 the journey continues!
Love this. Thank you for always reminding me to adopt a life of simplicity.
Every time I get the chance I share with others that I’m a minimalist. My childhood story weaves easily into the simplistic lifestyle. As the youngest of eight children I grew up in a 1650 square foot home and realize I was never a “stuff gal!” When my daughters were pregnant with our grandkids I told them I wasn’t going to be a “stuff grandma.” We spend our time outside, baking cookies and playing games.
Joshua, The following words are my favorite of this post. If we could follow these actions in everything in life we would be so much better off. Thank you for your articulation.
“Of course, when you do, tell your story in humility, motivated by love, without confrontation. Be patient with your family (especially if some of their traditions run contrary to your pursuit of minimalism). Refrain from attitudes and words that communicate any hint of superiority.
Our message may not be fully embraced by those who hear it the first time. But that’s okay. Our job is not to change someone’s life for them.
Our role is to simply offer the invitation.”
Wow Joshua—you lied! Good bye.
How so?
I’m not sure what you are referring to here Judy. How can I help?
I’m very sorry—I didn’t mean to sound so cruel…I’ll just keep my feelings to myself. It’s going back to another post that we talked about. One person says one thing—and their post stays up. Another person says something else—and it gets deleted. That doesn’t seem fair…but you are in charge of this site and it’s your call. I’ll just drop the matter and move on…
Once again, I do apologize.
Huh.
I really appreciate your articles, Joshua. The idea of living with gratitude and being a minimalist has made a huge difference for me. There are burdens that have been lifted because there are less decisions to make about purchasing things; and it’s a financial blessing as a result, too! I have shared these ideas with my family and I am making every effort to be sincere in my example.
i started de cluttering 10years ago, and it gets easier all the time, mistakes still happen silly purchases, something i am focusing on is?
how does this keep happening, what am i not getting to stop things coming into my life over and over again, i think i buy things that are not truly what i really want, so then i am not satisfied and the urge to have more or replace is usual what happens, maybe i need to just hold back and wait,
love jacqueline
I’m recording my journey into minimalism here.
https://minimalistexposure.wordpress.com/about/
Wonderful, Joshua! I was actually prepared to get to the bottom of your email and see an ad for “The More of Less” with a suggestion that we could “share our story” by purchasing several copies to give as Christmas gifts. I should have know better. One of the things that attracts me to your message is your integrity. Kudos–and Merry Christmas!
When you’re living something out that brings you joy, then the people in your life will often end up asking: 1) why you live that way or 2) how do you get that joy? That’s the best and most contagious way to spread the message :)
My husband has taught me that less is better…Case in point…We rode our motorcycle from Yosemite to Colorado Springs with only two changes of clothing…Didn’t think I would get by but I did…He has also suggested for every new article of clothing, something must go from the closet…Another feat I thought impossible but alas it is not…What a difference an organized closet with fewer items makes…Less hassle, less stress, no less, and aesthetically pleasing, no doubt…Did I mention our garage?
Bonnie: Ideal capsule wardrobe (men too) is simply: neutrals on the bottom (pants, skirts, capri’s, shorts incl denim jeans or shorts) and solid or subtle stripe or plaid shirts and tops in your best colors on top, this way tops goes with the bottoms. I don’t own dresses in years, as many women wear pants to church. Only two pair of dress shoes in black. Have several athletic shoes and neutral rain jackets and outerwear. Janice: Kitchen is worse room for clutter to build up. I had kitchen tools I donated last year, no longer used for some time incl extra plates and mugs all went to group homes.
Simplicityis not abauth deprivation. Simplicity is abauth greater appreciation for things that realy metter. (Oscar Niemayer)
Since the mid-90s, when I moved into a college dorm room, I’ve committed to have less. Only recently have I really caught the vision of Minimalism though. I read an article about capsule wardrobes and realized that that has been my goal for years.
This is a great time to remove excess for, at least whe I live, there are many who are struggling. The treasures (not trash) that I no long need/want can be a great blessing to others. I just took yet another load of clothes to a clothing bank in my community. Living simply and with less is a great blessing and benefit to me, but it also opens opportunities for me to connect with others and provide a blessing to others.
I try to live by example (rather than preach-it’s a turn off) and have found people to be naturally curious about minimalism. I write about my experiences too and people seem eager to share their simplicity questions, successes and works in progress with me. It’s fun to share stories and learn what’s working for others. I’m definitely the first in my circle of friends and family to embrace this lifestyle so it’s nice to engage with others here and elsewhere who are further along than me. Thanks for sharing!
My fiancee and I have been together for 8 years. We are both active members of the military and have moved quite often over the years. It was shortly before we bought our first house that we had come to realize we had to much stuff. Thats all it was “stuff”. We moved, unpacked but nothing changed. Still stuff coming into the house, nothing ever left.
It was only just before the birth of my 1st son that we realized the house was getting smaller and there would soon be a third person living here with us. So I initially started decluttering. Small things at first, broken unused objects that were just lying around. It never seemed like much. I was scrolling thru ways to declutter on the internet, and how to organize better and I found a website that linked me to Minimalism. Natural curiousty, I took a look. I read and reread the concept behind the lifestyle, stories of those who took the plunge to be happier for themselves, their kids, those who found themselves swallowed in debt. So I figured, how can I incorpriate this lifestyle into my own, with a baby on the way .. & it began. Slowly, at first… doubles of things that we had owned, extra baby objects we knew we would never use. But, when he finally came I found myself swallowed up by more stuff and still no place to organize and place it all. I then decided that enough was enough.. So after living a few years this way with what had seemed no end in sight, I did a major overall. I started with my kitchen. I took everything out of the drawers and cubbords. One by one I looked at it, decided if i was usable, if i had ever used it, would ever use it and i decluttered almost 4 huge boxes that day. The next day I went to clean up from supper, I realized it took me only about 10-15 minutes to have the dishes done, everything put away oppose to the 30-45 minutes it normally did. & that was how I had started, the closet was next, my sons bedroom and toy stacked everywhere. Donated, thrown out, sold. We are still in the process of decluttering things, changing things to be more reusable instead of plastic containers and bags and things to just throw out all the time, but Ill get there. One object tossed at a time.
Encouraging quotes for you:
“Baby steps”
“Slow and steady wins the race”
And my favorite, “You have to eat the elephant one bite at a time”..
You go, girl!! You’re doing a great thing for yourself and your family!
This holiday season I’m able to see that a simple life is becoming effortless! I had 3 totes for decorations and one is on its way to goodwill. I thought hard about my sons Xmas gift and went for things he’s really asked for and some are from thrifting but he’ll like them none the less. My son is 5 so he’s too young to fully understand, but he does agree to clean out old toys and broken ones too, which is a start.
This is definitely the part of Christmas that I love – it makes me connect with people once a year that I don’t see regularly and is a great excuse to get back in touch with people when it would otherwise be socially awkward. I was just at a holiday business lunch and we were all talking about our Christmas plans, and I made a really effort to say we keep things simple.
I share my story here https://moretimethanmoney.co.nz
Amy, I enjoyed reading your post on gifts!
Thanks so much Carrie. Such a tricky area of life for aspiring minimalists like me.
Update: I just had a great conversation with my mum, which shows the power of sharing your story. I’ve played The Minimalism Game for a few months a while ago to progress my decluttering. I’d told my mum very casually as part of our everyday conversations about what I’d been up to. Tonight while we were chatting, she said she’s started her decluttering on is on Day 2 of The Minimalism Game.
How encouraging!
A simply beautiful message, even outside of living a minimalist lifestyle. I think any changes in lifestyle, this is the time of year to approach your story with love and compassion when sharing with others. Story sharing should be without judgement.
Minimalist lifestyle is sort of new to me but something I realize I do try to live by as I live in a house with too many people and when they won’t downsize, I find myself downsizing my own stuff. It feels great to release the extra clutter that fills up the empty spaces.
My mom just died. I had cleaned her large condo and we moved her to a nursing home 2 years ago.
I am giving away her books to her friends and her clothes to charity. In the end we have pictures and a few
small items. It is the memories we leave behind which are the most lasting.
This is such a beautiful article! Thanks for sharing it.
I have tried to encourage several people to clean out their garage of junk and use it for cars less car washing and waxing and out of the weather. They would rather keep their junk and let cars deteriorate, so be it. Now, last few years I have brought up minimalism casually to retirees near me. I say pass things on to nieces and group homes . House cleaning then is more efficient and streamlined. Retirees need less clothes, less paper clutter and nick naks. Few entertain anymore, from my observation when people have grand kids over they eat out or spend time at son or daughters house. Others meet friends at coffee shops or restaurants.
In the Christmas cards we will soon send to friends and family, my wife wants to share how we have “simplified our lifestyle” and “removed the excess in our lives to focus on what’s most important” (quoting her actual words here). It’s a perfect opportunity, but I did warn her, she may get some pushback during a time when excess sometimes knows no bounds.
A number of years ago I received a Christmas card with a holiday letter explaining how this family embraces simplicity and the joy it brought them. I was so struck by it and totally impressed. I thought, “Wow, what would that be like?” It didn’t occur to me at the time that I could make the same change in my life. I think it’s great that you are going to share your experience, and who knows who you will impact?
I agree, you may never know, but I am sure you will inspire some to think and act differently.
Now, when my husband & I receive invitations to parties (I mean 6-7 hour marathon extravaganzas at fancy-dance catering facilities – not a nice, simple gathering at someone’s home), I now rsvp Will Not Attend- & write a brief note, stating that we have “simplified our lives” & have “eliminated unecessary social obligations, to free up more time to simply relax & enjoy life!” Since our social circle is Italian, I cannot begin to imagine the enormous amount of scandal & gossip that this has caused… but I couldn’t care less. My husband has finally allowed me to do it, bec he’s sick of parties too, so, I’m doing it!!!! Feels AWESOME, let me tell you. :-)))))))))
That is awesome Brooke. It’s great you can follow your heart and not give in to people’s expectations.
Ouch! I like what you’re doing, but consider being kinder in your reply. If you are gracious, you are more likely to win them over, and in time they may ask what has changed about you. If you are hurtful, they will not seek to be like you. A simple thank you for thinking of us, with regrets is all you need to say.