Newborn on a Budget: Everything you Need for your New Baby for under $500

You don't need to spend an arm and a leg on your new sweet bundle of joy.

Yes, your new baby needs food, clothes, a safe place to sleep, and a few other essentials. But trust me, you don't need to spend thousands of dollars to take good care of your newborn.

You can be prepared for your new baby for under $500 with the list below. Whether you're on a tight budget, choosing a simple lifestyle, or just curious about baby-related financial matters, today's post will show you exactly how you can keep things frugal and low-clutter when expecting a baby, with specific suggestions on what to buy to save money in the first six months of your newborn’s life.

This is a companion blog post to my "Minimalist Baby Registry Checklist" which lists my road-tested pre-baby purchase list, as well as a bunch of things you do NOT need to buy to capably nurture your new baby.

Today’s post here will use that list as a jumping off point and specifically address how to keep to an under $500 budget as you prepare your home for baby.

Maybe you won't have a registry or baby shower, or you don't want to ask your friends and family to buy new items for your baby. Or maybe you just want to keep your registry very affordable. Whatever your situation, this list is for you if you want to outfit your home for baby for under $500. While both of my lists are minimalist, this is the EXTREMELY minimalist of the two.

While I have road-tested many of the items in my Minimalist Baby Registry Checklist post, in this post I will be making some suggestions for things I haven't necessarily tested, but which fit the budget, and which I would be willing to purchase based on good reviews, if I were going to prepare for a new baby all over again for under $500. Some links below are affiliate links, and I earn a small fee if you purchase through them (at no cost to you). All opinions are my own and are not for sale.

I've also left some things off this list that are on the other list (things that seemed essential to me, but perhaps not to other people). Consider this the ultra minimalist version of the minimalist registry post.

Finally, I'm assuming you'll be breastfeeding exclusively for the first six months, so we won't need to leave room in this budget for formula. This is a judgment-free zone when it comes to how you feed your baby. I don’t have experience with formula feeding a newborn and it’s not ideal for a budget this tight, so I won’t be addressing it in this post.

Let's begin with the absolute essentials:

1. Infant Car Seat

Don’t leave the hospital without one. Here's one with 4.8 stars on Amazon for $89.99.

Someone on Facebook asked, wouldn’t it be better to buy a travel system that comes with a stroller? Or a seat that transitions to fit the baby when they are older?

I do recommend a travel system as a great option for quality over quantity on my other post about minimalist baby gear. However, it’s not the budget option. For those on a tight budget, it’s still cheaper to buy a car seat and stroller (or carrier for baby wearing, as I recommend below) separately, and to upgrade to an affordable front-facing carseat when the time comes and you’ve had a chance to price compare. And from a safety point of view, you want to keep your baby in a rear facing seat (like the one above) for as long as possible.

Here’s why you want to avoid spending too much money right up front before your baby comes. First of all, you won’t know your unique baby’s exact needs until they arrive and you get to know them. Secondly, you’ll be joining a new community (if you’re a first-time parent). One of the best things you can do, both for your budget and for your sanity, is to join a group for new parents as soon as possible, even if it meets only weekly or monthly. You’ll meet and befriend other parents who are going through the same life-changing transition to parenthood that you are. And you’ll be able to swap and trade things you might need for your baby, saving you lots of money. For example, one parent in the group might have purchased an extra car seat they do not need, or might have a family member with older kids who is passing down an abundance of baby stuff they are happy to share. I have found that once you form a social circle with other parents, they’ll give you money-saving secrets, second-hand buying options, and sometimes, free stuff.

2. Diapers & Wipes

Grab these (I've personally tested) great reusable diapers. You’ll want to get two sets, as each set includes six diapers, and twelve is about the minimum you’ll need if you only want to launder diapers every 24-48 hours instead of more frequently. Try these wipes so you don't have to buy disposables.

It will be worth your time to ask Google and YouTube your questions about cloth diapering.

There are many helpful hygiene and sanitation tips to learn that make cloth diapering easier than one might think. (Hint #1: This technique, which was taught to me in my doctor’s office by our pediatrician in Ukraine, where many people don’t use or can’t afford disposable wipes, is easier, cleaner, and more sustainable than wipes. Update: last I checked, the video had gone private. Use a bidet or warm water from the bathroom sink faucet to rinse your baby’s bottom, soap up, rinse, and pat dry with a towel or cloth wipe.) (Hint #2: If you’re exclusively breastfeeding, diapers soiled with your baby’s bowel movements can go straight into the washing machine. Otherwise the poopy diapers will need to be pre-treated, a process that may include scraping poo off by hand and a chemical soak.)

I found it almost impossible for any cloth diaper to keep my baby dry during a 6-8 hour stretch of sleep, and a wet cloth diaper would wake my baby. So to get some sleep, I used disposable diapers (which have a larger capacity) at night. Since these aren’t in the budget, I recommend asking supportive organizations in your community to donate diapers. Do this well before your due date so you don’t have to worry about it once you’re adjusting to life with a newborn.

You may also want to check out programs, nonprofits, and religious institutions for free diapers and other baby supplies. It probably goes without saying, but if your budget is tight, stockpile as much free baby stuff as you can during your third trimester.

If you’re in the USA, try the National Diaper Bank Network (dial 211).

Total: $108.97.

3. Sleeping Situation

I love the ease of a play yard for sleeping. My children never used cribs because we found they could comfortably and safely sleep in a play yard. You could buy an after-market mattress for added comfort (see safety notes below) for a total of $131.59.

Always do your own research on safe sleep practices and check with the AAP to learn about safe sleep for infants. If you add a mattress as I recommend, make sure it fits the bottom of the play yard very snugly on all sides to avoid suffocation risk. The mattress is nice for added comfort for your baby and improves feasibility as a long-term sleeping situation, but always check with your baby’s pediatrician before adding any after-market products to a play yard that will be used as a sleeping area.

4. Feeding

For breastfeeding, you'll want a pump and bottle so that you can be away from baby during work or other activities. In the US, many states require your insurance company to provided you with a breast pump free of charge. I recommend selecting one from those free options that is listed as "hospital grade." If a free pump is not available to you, try searching for a second-hand pump for a deal. Or try this manual breast pump for $12.94 as well as this bottle and these breast milk freezer bags for a total of $29.92.

5. Clothes & Coverings

The final item on the essentials list is a few things to keep baby clothed and cozy. How about this adorable 23-piece set for $50.63? Looks good to me. Alternatively, you could take your $50 to a thrift store or a few garage sales and try to get more than 23 pieces for your new baby.

So far, our total for the essentials listed above is $411.10.

We have some room to spare in the budget to add a few more things to make your life easier:

6. Baby Carrier

For the first few months, and longer if you want, you can skip the stroller as I did and opt for a baby carrier for more skin-to-skin time. Carrying (also called "wearing") your baby has many benefits, including increasing your core strength and breast milk supply. It's also a great way to keep your baby close while freeing up your hands for the many activities hands do. Let's go with my favorite carrier, a LILLEbaby, for $77.69.

7. Organic Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is an amazing all-around moisturizer, nipple cream, and even (for some babies - ask your pediatrician) diaper rash cream. Get it for $6.69.

8. Pacifiers

While professional opinions differ on how long to use a dummy, binky, or pacifier (and whether to use them at all), what remains constant is that tired parents want a way to sooth and calm their baby at 2 am. Enter the soothie. Grab a 2-pack for $3.69.

This will bring our total to $499.17, which is neatly under our budget of $500.

Where's Everything Else?

The list you’re reading is extremely minimal, even compared to my other already-minimal list. There are so many things advertised for babies that we don't need. Therefore, they aren’t on this list, which is my most minimal.

Note that you'll need to use some things for your baby that are not listed here, things such as bath soap, laundry detergent, and a thermometer, that most adults, even non-parents, already keep supplied in their homes. You can usually use the adult version of these items for your baby’s needs as well. Some soaps for adults can be drying, so make sure you that after you wash your baby you moisturize their skin well with coconut oil or another baby-friendly lotion. You’ll also want to co-opt an old towel on which to change your baby’s diapers; you can use it on a bed, couch, or on the floor, but never leave your baby unattended there, even for a moment.

You can take wonderful care of your baby and keep them very happy and healthy with just a few well-thought-out essentials. I hope this list helps you do so in a budget-friendly way.

And, may you richly enjoy the many simple, delightful moments that parenthood offers.

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Decluttering Books

I've learned that people have strong feelings about books. I do too.   I know that telling you to declutter your books may trigger a knee-jerk response of HELL NO DON'T TAKE MY BOOKS.  I get it. I was once a lonely teenage nerd and that part of me still views books as my best friends.

I love books. Reading is my go-to pastime. I buy new e-books frequently. I read 30-50 books a year. I love the way printed books smell and feel. I love the way books look lined up on a shelf or stacked up on an end-table. 

I tell you this because I want you to know I understand what it feels like to be a book lover before I advise you to give most of your  physical books away. I see that horrified look of betrayal, fellow bibliophile. Still, I recommend that you stop collecting physical books and perhaps give away the bulk of your current collection.

The problem with collecting books, let's be honest here, is that most of them aren't going to get a second reading. And that's sad for a book. It just sits there on your shelf, waiting to be read again or lent or given away. Books should be in circulation. They were made to be read.

For all your best intentions, you will probably not re-read that best seller from three years ago. And despite the generous idea that you want your family and friends to peruse your shelves and have a wide variety of books to choose from, that rarely happens, right? Correct me if I'm wrong. By all means, if you're an active amatuer librarian and all of your books are borrowed and read regularly, keep doing what you're doing. Otherwise, let libraries do their job. If the spaces between your books haven't seen the light of day in a year, let those poor books go free. Let 'em fly. Keeping a book without reading it is like keeping a sparrow in a cage for its whole life. Don't be that guy.

I suggest gathering all your books into a single room, and choosing to keep only those that you love so much you re-read or at least flip through them (with a joyful feeling, not a guilty feeling) once a year.

Give away the rest to a library, school, or charity.

Decluttering your books gives you a chance to really enjoy the few that you keep and keep the few that you enjoy.They won't get lost in the rest of your stuff anymore. They'll have a place of honor in your life, and they'll make it better.

Many people feel wasteful/guilty if they get rid of a book they haven't read yet or that they feel they could learn more from. If you've had it for a while and you still haven't read it, give it away. Let someone else enjoy it. And if in the future you find yourself with a strong desire to read it, get an e-copy of the book. Which leads me to...

I Love My E-Reader

It's not the same experience as reading a printed book, but for me, the benefits of an e-reader far outweigh the disadvantages.
My Amazon cloud holds a library of hundreds of books. No matter where I find myself  - in a park on a beautiful day or waiting in the doctor's office, I can take my pick from my current reading list.

On my Kindle App, I can simply press on a word I don't know and the dictionary definition appears. I can also borrow some books, or join a subscription service for access to certain books and periodicals. By buying e-books, I'm saving trees, which is icing on the cake.

There are several e-readers available, and now apps available for tablets and laptops and smartphones, making the book-buying process faster, easier, and less expensive.

Not every book is available in electronic format, and there will always be some books you want to have a physical copy of. But there's no need to have a large collection of books collecting dust and being moved from place to place. Unless, that is, you truly feel that your life would be worse without them.

Every bit of space in your home and energy in your life matters. It counts. Make conscious decisions about how your are going to "spend" your space and energy. Use them on things that fill your life with love and joy. If books do that, keep some around in physical form and more in electronic form.

How do you live free in a world that wants to clutter you up?

I'm enjoying all the engagement with this question in the Minimalist Living community on Facebook.

Things quickly get lost on Facebook, so I thought I'd share a screenshot with some great answers from our awesome community there.

Try a One Cupboard Challenge

You can start small.

If you're looking at a pile of clutter, the idea of becoming a minimalist can be overwhelming.
So you're looking for one easy, practical step, right?
This is it.

Start with one cupboard.

This summer we had our first One Cupboard Challenge in the Minimalist Living page on Facebook. 

It was a great idea from a  community member:

You can do your own one cupboard challenge anytime.

Here are the steps:

1. Take a "Before" photo. 

Even if you don't share anything on social media, a before photo will remind your of how far you've come when you finished.

2. "Blaze" your cupboard.

Blazing is my trademark decluttering technique I write about in this book. It's not recommended for every person or situation, but I do think it's great for kitchen cabinets (as long as you don't have any important paperwork in there and as long it's "your" territory or domain in the house).

It's simple and I love it because it is FAST. It is the fastest decluttering technique out there.
You simply remove everything from the cabinet into a bag or box without pausing to inspect each item. Then you put back only what you love and use.

The key is that you don't look at what you didn't put back. That's where guilt and second-guessing yourself comes in. Let's avoid that.

If you look back in the box you'll think, "oh, but my mother-in-law gave me that tea pot and so even though I hate it I should keep it."

Nope. Put the box, labeled, in some dark corner of your home (attic, basement, etc.) and set up a reminder to get rid of the contents. I like to wait 60 days because that gives me time to "miss" things. Usually I miss nothing. That tells you you can sell or donate all the items.

The reminder is very important because otherwise you will forget about decluttering that stuff. I suggest using either Google Calendar or Boomerang for Gmail to create a reminder. Or use whatever works for YOU. The important thing is that you will see the reminder and take action on it.

Decluttering after time passes is easier than doing it right away. This middle, resting phase gives you that confidence that you can donate the stuff even thought you didn't actually go through and gaze at each item.

3. Take an after photo.

The photo is for you to remember this milestone and mark your progress. 

Optionally, you can share it to social media. In fact, I invite you to share it in the comments on this One Cupboard Challenge post in the Minimalist Living community page. I personally love when people share their progress. It inspires me and gives me a little boost of encouragement on my own path of simple living.

I think it helps a lot of people.

If this post helped or inspired you, please like and share using the icons below.

P.S. If you haven't signed up for the free 3-Day Decluttering Challenge yet, be sure to do so below so you can get ongoing inspiration for keeping it simple to live your best life.

How to Get Your Family on Board with Minimalism

It's a frequently asked question.

 People in the minimalist living community often wonder how to deal if they are a minimalist and their family or other household members are not.

If there are toddlers or teens in the house, the question is asked with an even more urgency.

If you're struggling with or wondering how in the world to get the hoarders you live with aboard the decluttering train, first: I hope you know you're far from alone!

Our attitudes around acquisition, consuming, clutter, and keepsakes can seem so different. And when others we live with aren't on board with our minimalism, it can cause irritation. It can be a source of misunderstanding and strife.

Thankfully, it doesn't have to be like that.

We can remember that instead of decluttering at all costs, we can choose to simply love -- to understand those we love, and accept who they are right now without trying to change them. 

Start with Yourself

The first really important point to remember when it comes to your minimalism journey is to  of all start with your stuff and your spaces.

Your domains.

Reap the benefits for yourself first. 

Then with the family, see it as a process. It might take some time, but slowly and surely you can win over the more clutter-prone members of your household.

How to Win Over Your Messy Loves

Understanding The Collector Mindset

If your family members are messy, they are probably born collectors. Collectors are the opposite of purgers. Purgers find it easy to clear space, get rid of what isn't needed, and live in the moment.

Collectors tend to take joy in curating items that remind them of times past. Also, collectors tend to be inspired by clutter, instead of stressed out by it.

Among creative people, some are collectors who say they are inspired by a bit of chaos around them. Other creatives are purgers who are inspired by the equivalent of a blank canvas - a clutter free room.

I myself and a born collector who had to learn how to live more minimally.

Listen First

To win over those "hoarders" you live with, you need to show that you understand them, their collector mindset, and their concerns. Calm any fears about important things getting thrown out. Make sure your loved ones can trust you not to get rid of things willy-nilly, without regard to their significance.

Listen first, and explain later. Bring up the topic of minimalism, and see what your spouse and/or kids have to say.

Listen fully, and make sure you understand all their concerns. You might start the conversation by saying something like "I'm wanting to simplify our lives by decluttering and taking a new approach to acquiring belongings. How do you feel about living with less stuff?"

When listening, repeat their concerns back to them in your own language. Then ask "did I get that right or wrong?" to make sure you understand. On top of making sure you understand, this will help them really feel that you get their concerns, which is important to getting on the same page.

Note: this step is best done in a one-on-one setting. Avoid "calling a family meeting" to discuss minimalism for the first time. That's because each person will feel more listened to and valued when it's just the two of you chatting about the topic. Otherwise, you risk making your family feel preached at or like they have no control and no say.

Explain Yourself One-on-One

Once you've listened carefully to each family member, explain why you're drawn to minimalism and what you hope to accomplish. Is it a shared dream of saving money for experiences like a trip around the world? Is it because you hope to spend less time cleaning, maintaining, and organizing, and more time having fun with your loved ones?

An Individualized Approach

The key is to find out what would make it fun for each family member. You know your husband and kids the best, so you know what appeals.

Various Approaches to Introduce

There are so many reason to approach minimalism and different attitudes behind doing so. Some family members may be motivated by the compassionate-caring-for-the-earth side. Others by the aesthetic beauty of it.

Others by the adventure they could imagine if they travel the world with what could fit into one backpack. Still others by the frustation of not being able to find their favorite things amidst the clutter. The 17-year-old might be ready to save money and save up for things they want and you can show them how minimalism helps with that. 

Also, there are many of people blogging about living simply with less. Each of us has a different background and different way to writing about minimalism. My book and this blog may appeal to you, but you might want to send each family member another blog, book, or video that would appeal to them more specifically. 

Younger Kids

When it comes to getting kids to help out, I've found that I really have to appeal to their own sense of what is fun, and their own personality. For young kids, just doing things they see you doing might be fun.

I'm not sure how much longer mopping will be fun for my kid (that's him on the right), but I'll take all the help I can get for now.

Many kids like using vacuum cleaners, so you can say "when the floor of your room is clear, then you we can vacuum." That will help motivate them to clean their room. Again, all I know is it works for us for the time being.

Also, if your child wants a new toy, you can say "yes" after they've decluttered a specific number of unused toys. You can say, "When you pick out four toys you don't play with anymore to donate, then we can get the new toy."

Love Over Clean

Finally, like I talk about in Minimalist Living, your relationships are more important than decluttering. If minimalism is causing constant strife in your relationships, take a break.  Simply love.
Don't let their clutter make you give up your journey. Minimalist living will benefit your life even if you just apply it to the domains in your home and life that you have control over.

It's okay to just apply it to your stuff and leave your family alone if it's not worth the fight. You've got to pick your battles.

On the other hand, a clean, serene, minimalist home is, I would argue, healthier and happier for all members of the household, and it's worth the effort required to introduce this lifestyle to everyone in the family.

Did this post help or inspire you? If so, please like and share it using the icons below.

P.S. If you haven't signed up for the free 3-Day Decluttering Challenge yet, be sure to do so at the bottom. You'll want these motivational notes, tips, and tricks for keeping it simple right in your inbox.

Toy-Free Play

When you embrace simple living, you get to embrace more imaginative fun.

This post is about having fun with your kids without toys. Not that toys are bad (at all!) but sometimes you just want to get back to basics and use that imagination for a parenting win.

If your family is in one of the following situations...

• You're traveling and forgot or didn't have room to pack toys

• You just moved and the toys have not arrived or been unpacked yet

• You're not buying new toys right now and your kids are bored of their current toys

• The kids are stuck inside because of bad weather and got bored of all the toys

• You're just looking for new ideas on how to have fun with your kids

...Then you're in the right place.

Here are four ideas for how to have a blast with your kids (all ages) with NO TOYS. 

1.    Hand shadow puppet show
2.    Make stuff from trash
3.    Funny chin faces
4.    Blanket fort

These are classics that my own family has enjoyed through generations. If you want more inspiration or instruction (maybe you've never made a blanket fort?) or sense of permission to really unleash your creativity, I've added details and linked to sources for further ideas here:

1. Hand shadow puppet show.

My grandmother, years ago, gave my sister and I a book that we had fun with growing up. I think it may have been the book in the image on the right.

I don't think a book is necessary anymore, though, to learn how to have fun with shadows.

Check out these neat graphics via Pinterest for how to make a dog, a goose, an elephant, and more! All you need is a dark room and a flashlight or low lamp. Oh, and a wall and hands.

2. Make stuff from trash.

The photo above is something my son and I made together. He loves space shuttles and rocket ships. In his eyes, this taped together almost-trash is 3-2-1 blast off to fun. The perfectly curved wings are the tabs from a hinged-top cardboard box (like you'd get from ordering something via Amazon). The core is an empty plastic bottle and the rest is paint, lots of duct tape, and a robot sticker we happened to have around the house.

Check out this amazing gallery from goodhousekeeping.com with "18 amazing things parents made for their kids from cardboard boxes." One of my favorites is this DIY Cardboard Camper Playhouse from MerryThought.com. So creative! (Image below via MerryThought).

3. Funny chin faces.

At some point my dad showed his four children how to have fun with funny chin faces (I'm sensing a theme here - these toy-free games make me feel connected to other generations. Same for you?)

We use a ballpoint pen (or you could use eyeliner) to draw eyes on a chin, then look at it upside down and make the drawn-on person talk in a funny voice. But when I look at these google image search results for "funny chin face" I get so many more ideas. People really get creative - and slightly creepy. See the screenshot:

 Nowadays you can next level the fun by recording video on your phone so that the person playing the chin gets a chance to see exactly how funny their chin-head character is.

4. Blanket Fort.

There's a great Wikihow for this here . For aesthetic inspiration, I love the image above of a cozy blanket fort from Little Winter. For more details see the original blog post.

Imagine More Buy Less

The list is a reminder that what really lights kids up seems to be the element of imagination.

Sure, your kids can use their imaginations with their toys, but it's even often more fun to start with even simpler, everyday items. For example, there's magic that comes from turning a cardboard box into a highway on-ramp for a toy car, an alien space ship, or a sock puppet theater.

Imaginative fun is part of what grown ups tend to enjoy about minimalist living too.

That moment where you pause before buying something and ask, "Can I make this from things I already have?" or "Can I solve this problem in a different way that doesn't require buying something else?"

Simple living is about buying less stuff and having more richness of imagination and experience.

If this post helped or inspired you, please like and share it using the icons below.

P.S. if you haven't signed up for the free 3-Day Decluttering Challenge yet, be sure to do so below so you can get ongoing inspiration for keeping it simple to live your best life.

The Super Simple At-Home Manicure

You know what's better than the fanciest manicure?

The manicure that actually happens.

This manicure is more than trimming your nails, but far less than a pricey, fume-filled visit to a nail salon. I love colorful polish, smooth hands, and the occasional bit of nail art.  However.

Life as a mom means salon visits can tumble down my priority list. But I don't give up on #selfcare.

If you can find time to be alone and present and really focus only on taking care of your hands and nails, then this manicure feels lavish.

It's a three-step manicure that works for men and for women.

Step One

Trim or shape your nails.

Right now I'm in a phase where I like my nails to be super short, so I trim the tips off completely. But for this step you can maintain whatever shape you like with a file or nail clippers.

Step Two

Exfoliate with something from around the house: table sugar.

If you're traveling, snag an extra packet from a coffee shop.

Place a pump of liquid hand soap in your palm. Then, over a sink, pour the contents of the sugar packet into the soap, and mix it up. Rub the mixture all over your hands for one minute. Then rinse your hands well.

They should feel smooth and polished.

Step Three

Moisturize your newly-softened hands.

My favorite moisturizer was discontinued so I can't recommend it anymore. Currently I am using grape seed oil as a moisturizer. I purchased it from a grocery store, but if I wanted to order some via Amazon, I might try out this version.

My main recommendation regarding moisturizers is to choose things with short, simple (no surprise there) ingredient lists.  Things that go on your skin are absorbed into your bloodstream. When in doubt, use something you could eat. That's why I love to use food oils like grape seed oil, coconut oil, and olive oil in my hair and skin care.

Don't trust marketing; look at the ingredients listing. Something for "babies" or "sensitive skin" can still have harmful chemicals because regulations in the US are quite loose when it comes to skincare products.  I also like to check products against EWG's SkinDeep Cosmetics Database. I don't use it religiously, but more as an educational guide.

Here's where I'll get a little woo.

Send your hands gratitude as you do this manicure, and especially during this final step.

Your hands do so much for you. Think of all the different things they help you do each and every day.  They really do deserve to be taken care of. 

💖

Tell them thank you and imagine sending them healing, loving energy as you massage in your moisturizer.

💖

This quick, simple manicure, done with presence and care, can be revitalizing and luxurious.

Enjoy!

If this post helped or inspired you, please like and share it using the icons below.

P.S. If you haven't signed up for the free 3-Day Decluttering Challenge yet, be sure to do so below so you can get ongoing inspiration for keeping it simple to live your best life.

Why Minimalist Living is More Than a Decorating Trend

Minimalist living is not just a lifestyle choice, it's a design trend.

It's been trendy and stylish for a while now.

And I don't think it's going anywhere.

Sure, the "look" may change. Different furniture, textures, colors may come into style. That's all interior decorating.

But minimalist living should not be confused with a decorating style.

So why is minimalist living more than a decorating trend?

Minimalist living is the lifestyle that results from intentional living.

It's values-based living. It feels good to live by your true values. Often it creates a minimalist look in your home because you've realize - ah ha! I value spending my time with people! Therefore I want to spend less time cleaning, organizing, and maintaining my stuff. So that I have more time with my people. (Or my dogs. Or my knitting. Whatever.)

Kara Michelle

Sure, some people may cultivate a minimalist look in their home because it's in style, and they value keeping up with the trends. That's a value. Others may value things like freedom, creativity, presence, and wellness.

And the intentional part is that it takes focus, effort, and intention to live out our values through our actions and shape our environment so it truly reflects and supports our values.

Living out our values is minimalism or essentialism.

Each day has 24 hours in it.  Gary Keller, author of The One Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results, writes "You need to be doing fewer things for more effect instead of doing more things with side effects."

You know this. That's why you're here on a blog about simple living. So what are your values? Not the values you think you should have. The values you actually have.

Part of intentional living is self-honesty. It's probably the most important part. Once you identify your values to yourself honestly (and you don't have to talk about them with others unless you want to), only then can you examine your life to ask yourself if you're living intentionally.

Are you living by your values? That is intentional living. Taking fewer actions for "more effect" instead of doing, doing, doing, without examining what it's all for.

Quite a few people don't know what their intentions are behind 80% of what they do. That is called unintentional living. The result is usually regret and behavior that hurts themselves or others: harmful, embarrassing, or even abusive behavior.

I was recently watching a newscast of Aretha Franklin's funeral service. Singer Ariana Grande performed, and afterwards, the leader of the service, Bishop Charles H. Ellis III pulled her toward the pulpit in a horrifyingly tight and ongoing grasp which inappropriately reached the side of her right breast. She grimaced and appeared to try to pull away but he only groped more of her breast more tightly the more she struggled. After a social media outcry, he apologized, saying, in part, "It would never be my intention to touch any woman’s breast." So what was his intention? I suspect it wasn't to #respectAriana. I suspect he was living untentionally, and as a result, he publicly groped a young woman.

Quite a few people have intentions to live out certain values, but those intentions go unfulfilled. We end up living other people's values, or values defined by what we see on television or social media. You could those empty intentions, because we aren't living our own lives. When we see what we're actually doing day in and day out, we see ourselves living some other idea of what our life should be, not what we really want. The result is usually poor self-esteem, confusion, and self-doubt. Eventually it can result in depression and stress-related health problems.

For example, pretty much every politician has stated values and intentions when they campaign that they are then unable or unwilling to fulfill while in office. Then because it's so painful to be honest that they couldn't fulfill intentions, they lie to themselves and their constituency about it, creating more difficulties and distrust in the whole system.

It takes time to learn intentional living. You could say it's part of growing up and taking responsibility for your life and your choices. But no matter how old you are, it's an ongoing process, and it's never too late to begin or start over. It's takes courage, especially when you see that what you value is different than what is considered valuable in mainstream society or what is depicted on screens small and large.

But it's never too late. So whether you got into minimalism through a desire to have a clean, minimal-looking home, or because you want to live out your own values, I invite you to stay past the interior design trend.

Because minimalist living is really about examining the purpose of everything (not just furniture) you have in your life and choosing only what really supports your true values.

If you enjoyed this post, you might also enjoy my #1 Amazon bestselling book on the topic of embracing minimalist living for more joy, health, and creativity.

And if you haven't yet, sign up for the 3-Day Decluttering Challenge below to jump start your minimalism journey.

Small Things Others Live Without

The inspiration for this post comes from one of your requests.

I think this is a great topic to learn more about for minimalist living. I'm also curious what other people have given up to live a little lighter and easier.

The heart of Simple Living is NOT to live in a sparse, empty home lacking in basic comforts. This movement comes from the reality that most homes in North America have way, way, way more stuff than we need. It's a landslide of stuff, and it's stealing too much of our time to move it, store it, clean it, maintain it, and replace it. It's keeping us busy and cutting into simple, joyful presence with ourselves and our loved ones.

It also takes time away from habits that keep us healthy.

Not to mention the impact on the environment.

There are so many things that we don't need. Maybe other people need or want them, maybe we have an item because it's standard and it's just always been the way things are. But simple living asks "Do I really need this?" and "What's it for, really?" and "Can something else serve just as well?" and "Is there a different way that would work better for me?"

A small and rather funny example is number one on my list:

Small Things Others Live Without

1) A cutlery separator

It's a kitchen item, usually made of plastic, that some people really love. I posted over the summer in the Minimalist Living Facebook group that I realized I don't need to buy one for each of the apartments I live in. (I'm a nomad and frequently finding myself furnishing homes).

The bottom line?

I have no trouble quickly finding a fork, knife or spoon even when they are partying together. I save 1-2 minutes daily spent separating them when emptying the dishwasher is saved because I can simply dump the clean cutlery into the draw.

And it's not just about the saved time, it's about how the task of emptying the dishwasher SEEMS that much easier. And that makes it more likely to get done. Which makes my kitchen stay cleaner, which makes me happier.

And it all comes down to just a little more joy daily.

The comments on the post are funny in that they show our intense relationships with organizing our stuff. Many people agreed with me, and there was even a question over the need for a cutlery drawer at all.

Others, however, admitted they'd be driven crazy over the intermingling of their forks, knives, and spoons and the lack of apparent organization in the drawer.

The comment section is proof that, as the character Emma says in the Jane Austen novel of that name, "One half of the world cannot understand the pleasures of the other."

Your Own Path

It seems that there is never too much encouragement to take your own path. Never too many reminders that you don't have to do or possess what others expect you to.

You're free.

So here are four more things you may never have questioned before that others are finding a way to live without:

2. A toaster (and most kitchen gadgets like popcorn poppers, breadmakers, and deep fryers)

I haven't owned a toaster in quite a while.

I'm a fan of keeping small kitchen applicances only if you're going to use them at least once a week. If you don't use it once a week, there's usually another way to make the dish.

For example, you can fry bread in a pan instead of toasting it in a toaster.

Obviously, you can bake bread in the oven instead of a breadmaker.

Coffee makers are nice, but a simple pour over brew is also quick and easy.

And you can google just about any other alternative technique you’re interested in.

Want to read more about Kitchen Minimalism? Grab the guide I wrote with my husband on kitchen essentials and how to cook great meals with a few key items.

3. High heels and "Special Occasion Clothes"

Minimalist of five years Janell Kristina shared about this in her YouTube video "Things I STOPPED Buying & Owning"

I'm all over this one.

After a long, emotional goodbye, I no longer own high heels. They are pretty, but I don't wear them. And it's silly for me to own a shoe just to look at it. As for special occasion clothes, I love them, but find no reason to own them, especially because I don't like to repeat special occasion outfits. Unless it's a very basic LBD look.

What do I do for special occasions? I will shop something from a thrift store and then re-donate after wearing. For my sister's wedding, for example, I found a dress and heels at a thrift store. And then I gave them away after the wedding.

I also love Rent the Runway or borrowing from friends as an alternative to thrifting special event pieces. I have a couple of friends who are very passionate about fashion and have fashion-based businesses. They love to lend out pieces from their extensive closets.

4. Underwear

I need to keep it fresh. Have you questioned the need for undies lately? If you want to hear from someone who chooses not to wear them, (and the compelling health reasons behind her choice) check out this video from Brittany Taylor

Truly a small thing, panties, but still worth asking if you would be healthier and happier without them.

5. A couch

This is a big thing, not a small one, but I think it deserves a place on this list.

Francine Jay of MissMinimalist.com wrote a blog post called "questioning the couch," that includes this paragraph:

"instead of arranging delivery on a heavy, expensive sofa (the resale of which we would someday have to orchestrate), we decided on a more lightweight, mobile, and versatile option: we threw two Ikea Poang chairs and a coffee table into our Mini, and were on our way. And thus we completed the task of furnishing our flat."

It's good practice to question what we can live without.

We practice this in our homes, with our stuff, and then we apply it to more areas of our lives: careers, money, lifestyle:

What am I doing because I'm just following the herd?

What can I tweak so that it works better for me?

If you found this post helpful, please like and share it using the buttons below.

And of course, sign up for the 3-Day Decluttering Challenge to kickstart your minimalism journey. You’ll also automatically get the Simple Sunday with simple living tips and motivational stories I share via email.

How to Overhaul Your Kitchen Drawer

I know I should cook more.

It's healthier than eating out and it saves us money.

But when my kitchen's a disorganized mess, cooking seems harder and I'm more likely to skip it.

It's a lot easier when my kitchen is as simplified as possible, when I have everything I need, but nothing more.

Let's tackle one kitchen mess that's out-of-sight, and therefore frequently cluttered:

The kitchen drawer

I know you love before-and-after stories, so for this post, I'm teaming up with my dear friend Morgan Cooper.

She's an activist, urban farmer, restaurateur, mom, and chef.

Before….

And she has a great before-and-after story.

She writes, "In any cluttered home, there’s always a few places that are extra cluttered. In my house it’s my utensil drawer in the kitchen. Yes, I’m publicly admitting this. The shame."

See Morgan’s before picture to the right.

“Didn’t want to use any of them”

She writes, "When you love cooking, you are always looking for a utensil you enjoy using. I didn’t love the round wooden spoon, so I got a flat one. Didn’t love that so I tried another shape. Pretty soon I had collected 10 different utensils and didn’t want to use any of them."

In addition to her many other roles, Morgan runs an organization called Handmade Palestine that supports local artisans in the Middle East and funds environmental protection and education.

She writes,"I went shopping and actually got a dozen different utensils, not for my own kitchen, but to stock and sell for Handmade Palestine."

It was then that she found THE kitchen utensil that changed cooking forever in her own home kitchen in Ramallah, Palestine.

The Spatula that Changed Everything

"I didn’t realize why that drawer was so packed with unused utensils until I discovered and bought my perfect, favorite spatula. It’s made from sustainably sourced olive wood (points!), that is the result of annual pruning on the trees. The wood has been aged three years so it doesn’t crack, and then it’s been hand-formed on a gorgeous old machine in a basement of a wood craftsman’s home in Bethlehem. Handmade. Sustainably sourced. Organic wood. I was sold on it," Morgan writes.

After….

After realizing her love for the spatula (and dissatisfaction with the alternatives), she overhauled her kitchen drawer. Now it looks like this:

How you can Do it Too

Identify your favorite kitchen utensils that do the essential kitchen jobs you need for your favorite meals.

Then come to terms with the fact that it's just not true love with the rest of them. It's time to give them away.

Now when you reach for a kitchen tool, it will always be your favorite one.

A Multi-functional Tool

I regularly ask readers what they want me to blog about. Someone in the Minimalist Living community on Facebook asked for "purchasing tips for a multi-functional tools."

Morgan recommends this spatula as a multi-function tool and loves it for her kitchen.

She writes, "I especially loved the slight curve at the end of the spatula (it gets off all the brown flavorful bits stuck to the bottom of the cast iron skillet!).

It has a handle that is great for holding (I, unlike my mother, am not a fan of the skinny handle)."

Here are some of the various ways Morgan uses her spatula:

• As one half of salad tongs (she now owns two)

• To lift the corner of my pancakes and then flip like a spatula

• Stir batter and steaws instead of a wooden spoon

• Smack my husband’s bum when he acts out, ok, I just threaten it

Caring for Olive Wood

Morgan adds:

"This is olive wood, so it’s really smart to oil after washing. If you don’t, that’s okay too. But it gets a bit dried out and can chip. And if you don’t oil it (just rub some warmed olive oil on it once it’s dry), you’ll pick up the beautiful color of tumeric--as I have on mine. It just adds some charm to my last and only kitchen utensil I’ll ever buy."

A meal in progress using the perfect spatula.

A meal in progress using the perfect spatula.

I too can recommend this spatula which I've been using almost every day in my kitchen since purchasing one of my own.

If you want to purchase one for your own kitchen, (or for a gift) you can do so here. Handmade Palestine offers international shipping.

A Good Cause

I don't profit by your purchase of Morgan’s favorite spatula. Profits from the purchase of this fair trade product go to support Mashjar Juthour, an "eco project on 2.5 acres of publicly accessible land where native trees are protected and where the community comes to learn about Palestine's natural heritage."

I've personally visited Mashjar Juthour many times and it truly is a beautiful and very special place.

How often can you purchase a product that will to help you simplify your kitchen, bring back the joy of cooking, AND also contribute to peace in the Middle East?

It’s not every day. But today you can.

(It makes a great gift too, as you are quite literally extending an olive branch to the recipient.)

Take Action

Whether or not you purchase this specific favorite spatula mentioned in this post or find true love with another kitchen tool, go overhaul your kitchen drawer today and find your own favorite utensil that will make cooking a pleasure.

Interested in more tips and tricks to ease cooking stress? Read SIMPLE KITCHEN: The Essentials You Need to Cook Your Most Joyful Meals.

Defining Terms in the Simple Living Movement

Minimalism.

Simple Living.

Zero Waste.

Essentialism.

Nomad/travel lifestyle

Frugal living

Intentional living.

Seven different, yet related, movements, seven different buzzwords, all of which I've been known to use from time to time.

What does it all mean?

If you're feeling a little confused, read on for definitions as well as the vibes associated with each word:

1. Minimalism: A movement in art and decor in which less is beautiful. Also, a lifestyle of owning a minimum of stuff and also doing less for your own particular reasons: for the aesthetics, for your budget, cleanliness, stress reduction and more. Vibe: the "strictest" on the list and often associated with a modern, monochrome visual style, a keen eye for editing, and the ability to say "no."

2. Simple Living: A movement that rejects the onslaught of pointless complexity and busyness in our lives. Usually emphasizes quality time with family and friends and simple pleasures like a good meal, a hug, or a sunrise. Vibe: Family friendly, a bit "crunchier" and/or more outdoorsy than minimalism.

3. Zero Waste: A movement that aims to decrease or almost eliminate household trash entirely. Some focus areas include: bulk buying, reusing, repurposing, repairing, recycling, and composting. Vibe: There's a wide spectrum here, from people just wanting to decrease their use of plastic to a hard core contingent that applies a huge amount of energy to achieve the goal of not needing a trash can in their home.

4. Essentialism: A movement defined by the 2014 book Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less, by Greg McKeown. Similar to minimalism, but instead the emphasis is on the essential activities of your life and career more than a culling of your possessions. Vibe: Many of the examples of the book come from the corporate world and specifically the tech world, but the concept can be widely applied to just about any sector of life.

5. Nomad/travel lifestyle: A trend towards traveling significantly more than is conventional. Often, traveling or living abroad for more of the time than one is in one's home country. While not strictly associated with the above movements, nomads tend to be minimalists because having less stuff makes a traveling lifestyle much easier. It also makes it easier to say "no" to many other things that don't bring joy. Vibe: Often seems limited to young adults without children or retirees, due to the inconveniences of traveling with children. However, there are families up for the challenge. (Including mine!)

6. Frugal Living: A lifestyle that helps people spend less and save more money. The most financially focused of the movements, frugal living is all about paying off debt, sticking to a budget, staying out of debt, saving money, and finding cheaper ways of doing things. Often associated with the also-money-aware simple living movement. Vibe: Very family focused, very practical, often with a focus on affordable groceries, meals, couponing, and anything to keep to a slim household budget.

7. Intentional Living: A movement similar in some ways to essentialism in that it's about making thoughtful, conscious choices about what your life will be and nixing the rest. Includes a consideration of the "why" behind actions, especially choices around purchases, travel, career, and living situation. Vibe: Often intentional living advocates are somewhat counter-cultural because they've realized a norm in the culture isn't working for them, or for the environment, or for people they care about.

I hope you find my definitions helpful!

Which movement(s) do you feel most connected to?

If you liked this post, tap the heart button below, and if you want to share it, there’s a button for that too. Please share this blog as a way of helping others simplify to live their best lives.

Finally, if you haven’t signed up yet for the free 3-Day Decluttering Challenge, you have a chance to do so below. You’ll get a three-day burst of inspiration and instruction, plus The Simple Sunday, my weekly note on how to edit your life for more joy.

10 Mom-Friendly Simple Wardrobe Classics

I tend to avoid trends.

While I enjoy fashion, It just doesn't feel right to select what I wear based on what is in style. The fun in fashion for me is finding pieces that feel amazing on, and that I feel flatter my body. I appreciate when I see other people do the same -- especially women who don't have a "fashion magazine" body-type. I see great outfits everywhere, and most of them are made of classic pieces that fit just right, plus accessories where form and function meet.

That doesn't fit my life

You can find lots of lists online of claiming to be the final word on classic pieces that are always in style. However, I don't always find many of those lists realistic for my work-from-home mom lifestyle. I'm a parent, and I'm fairly active, and a traveler, so things need to pack well, be up for an occasional workout, and be good for chasing a three-year old. I feel like most classic wardrobe lists are made for... maybe someone who spends a lot of time at cocktail parties. And that's just not me.

For example, most of these lists include a little black dress. But that's a waste of capsule wardrobe space. If you have a black skirt and a black top you can create the look of the LBD, while having the flexibility to have other looks to from the same pieces. Another example of the failure of a "classics" list is they often include a trench coat, which really isn't that practical. It's not a rain coat, so it won't keep you dry in a downpour. And it's not a thick winter coat, so it won't keep you that warm. They look best styled with dresses and handbags, not the jeans and diaper bags or backpacks needed for parenting.

So what are these classic yet stylish mom pieces?

Here are the ten real mom life-friendly pieces I've never seen go out of style.

The List

1. Jeans

Multiple pairs. No frills, no holes, no weird trendy shapes, colors, or embellishments. Color: black or blue (or both).

2. V-neck tee

A v-neck is classic and flattering on most body shapes. My all time favorite is the v-neck tee from Encircled.

3. Black stretch pants.

You could call these yoga pants or leggings. Whatever you call them, these are a casual desk—to-yoga-to-playground staple.

4. Button-up Chambray Shirt

Sometimes the chambray shirt is more in style or less so, but I’ve never seen it completely out as a great momiform layering piece.

5. Black and white maxi

Whether it’s a maxi dress or skirt, this piece is something I usually get a lot of wear out of. My recent version is a black and white floral maxi I picked up at a vintage shop. Here’s a screenshot from a google image search for “black and white maxi” which is a good thing to do to get an idea of what you want before you start shopping.

6. Cotton camisole tank top

I wear these organic ones from ethical brand Pact.

7. Olive shorts

Olive is a darker, greener version of khaki that I find is more flattering on most people. Khaki shorts are often quite light/bright in color, which not only draws the eye, but tends to show dirt and stains.

8. Black running shoes or sneakers.

As tempting as it is to buy sneakers in any other color, eventually I regret it if I don’t go with basic, classic black.

9. Black zip tote or market bag.

I bought a very plain zip bag at Walmart. It’s insulated, which means the liner folds out and I can clean it. I’ve used it for everything from a farmer’s market bag to a diaper bag. And it’s so plain and an assuming that it doesn’t scream “I have to carry lots of stuff because I’m a mom.”

10. Black sunglasses.

I think all black sunglasses are the only classics except maybe aviators. But with aviators the nose piece part always gets stuck in my hair when I put them up on my head, so I opt for black sunglasses.

That’s the 10

Hopefully, this list helps you simplify your closet so you can get out and enjoy your life!

If you liked this post, tap the heart button below, and if you want to share it, there’s a button for that too. Please share this blog as a way of helping others simplify to live their best lives.

Finally, if you haven’t signed up yet for the free 3-Day Decluttering Challenge, you have a chance to do so below. You’ll get a three-day burst of inspiration and instruction, plus The Simple Sunday, my weekly note on how to edit your life for more joy.

Get Motivated with These 10 Simple Living Websites

So you're interested in living simply, right?

It's a topic I've been writing and coaching on for a while now, so I compiled this top 10 list.

These websites all help you live a more simple or minimalist lifestyle. The list is heavy on inspiration, rather than tools, because I believe if you feel inspired, the right tools tend to come to you easily.

I hope you enjoy these sites as I have.

1.  Becoming Minimalist

Joshua Becker helps guide one million readers with a humble voice and an encouraging attitude. He writes that the blog "quickly became a place to encourage others, the word 'becoming' representing an open invitation to all. It does not boldly require anyone to 'be' minimalist overnight – nor does it specifically define the word for you. Instead, it encourages you to consider the journey and the far-reaching benefits that come from owning less."

2. Be More With Less

Courtney Carver is an Oprah Magazine featured motivator. She gently guides readers on "mini-missions, " like "One In Two Out," that help make living simply achievable. Why listen to her advice? She says because she has "made all the mistakes. I have made a bunch of money and spent even more. I have been too busy, too tired, too full, too stressed and too overworked for too long and I’ve changed my ways."

3. 750words.com

I love this site and I use it almost every single morning. It helps me clear my head and do the internal/mindset work that keeps me from using shopping (or eating, drinking, drugs… etc.) to make me feel better when my heart is blue or my mind is confused. I love to journal, get ideas, dream, and even track my daily word count here.

4. The Minimalists

The Minimalists, (Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus) may have been my very first introduction to the online minimalism community. Through them, I realized that there were lots of people like me, who just weren't buying into the whole, well, buying thing.  At least not the consuming-as-a-lifestyle thing.  I love how they manage to fit both of their (very different) personalities into their blog posts. podcasts, books, and tv show. Uniquely, they tend to get a bit more philosophical and spiritual about decluttering than other simplicity/minimalist bloggers.

5.  Miss Minimalist

Author and blogger Francine Jay is a celebrity in the world of minimalist living. She has sold over 150,000 books and been featured on CNN, BBC, and NBC.  To me, she stands out in the sea of minimalists online because she cares about fashion and beautiful design. I love her "Real Life Minimalist" series where she profiles her readers in their own words.

6.  Pinterest

I chuckle at myself when I realize why Pinterest helps me live simply. It's because in Pinterest Fantasy World, I can have anything I want. One of the cornerstones of living with less stuff is halting all shopping-as-entertainment. Every item I buy is carefully considered, with few whim purchases.  Before Pinterest, I missed the visually enticing experience of shopping. But now? Why go shopping in the real world, when you can have it instantly on Pinterest without leaving the comfort of your home? Instead of buying, just pin it.

7. A Slob Comes Clean

Dana White takes a very playful approach to sharing about cleaning, organizing, and decluttering on her blog and podcast. She’s the author of two books, including her most recent book Decluttering at the Speed of Life. “Looking for perfection?” she writes. “You won’t find it here.” Instead you’ll find reality-based cleaning and organizing strategies.

8. Zero Waste Home

And now for something a little different! Bea Johnson is a celebrated author, speaker, and lifestyle expert. She and her family of four have reduced their annual waste down to what can fit in a small jar. While simple living can be said to encompass zero waste living, I’m very, very far from a zero waste life. However, I find the possibilities inspiring. We can all learn how to move, bit-by-bit, in a zero waste direction.

9. ZenHabits

This one is possibly my favorite simplicity blog, if I had to pick. There's a reason ZenHabits is one of the top 50 websites in the world, according to Time Magazine. Writer, runner, vegan, and father of six Leo Babauta writes for two million monthly readers about how to build habits for a peaceful, healthy, simple life.  He sounds like a superhero, but if you read his work, you get the feeling he's a regular guy who has slowly and steadily made healthy changes in his life. The website is the most simple and tranquil I've ever visited.

10. SimpleLivingToolkit.com

Well, you’re here already so I don’t feel like I have to extol the virtues of my own blog. My mission here is to help you simplify to live your best life. I’ve been writing on this topic for over six years and my book has been downloaded nearly (SO CLOSE) 100,000 times on Amazon Kindle. I try my best to mix the philosophical (i.e., why we choose simple living) with the practical (i.e., the t-shirt that should be in your capsule wardrobe).

That’s it!

If you liked this post, tap the heart button below, and if you want to share it, there’s a button for that too. Please share this blog as a way of helping others simplify to live their best lives.

Finally, if you haven’t signed up yet for the free 3-Day Decluttering Challenge, you have a chance to do so below. You’ll get a three-day burst of inspiration and instruction, plus The Simple Sunday, my weekly note on how to edit your life for more joy.

What Does a Minimalist Home Look Like? 🏠

A: Whatever a minimalist wants it to look like.

Minimalism and simple living mean different things to different people. For some, minimalism simply means not owning a lot of stuff. For others, it might mean living simply in a small space where everything is multi-use or foldaway. And for still others, it might refer to a spare, modern style of interior design.

There are many ways to be a minimalist. Your home can reflect a minimalist aesthetic (sleek lines, bare white walls...) but it doesn't have to. If you enjoy living simply and with only things you love, there's a great variety of ways your home can look.

As proof, today I'm sharing...

5 Unique Minimalist Living Spaces to Inspire You

1. Will and Jen’s Tiny House

What a thoughtfully designed tiny home in an unusual setting (not on wheels in the mountains or a backyard, but built in a subdivision).

2. This Fold-Up Kitchenette

This product from Culshaw Bell provides a lot of culinary power in a very small space. It’s a unique piece that would fit in any minimalist home. Also, just seeing how it’s designed is inspiring for what you can do in a small space.

3. Sleek Lines and Modern Style

This space exhibits a minimalist design as well as a minimalist approach to stuff. Although it was posted in 2014, I think it looks very stylish and up to date in 2018. Minimalism can be very classic.

4. The Professional Minimalist

Check out Joshua Fields Millburn's (of The Minimalists) home (for his family of three) right here via his blog. It's enough to make any minimalist sigh in admiration, or mutter "OCD!" jealously under her breath. Or is that just me?

5. Minimalist Home Tour

Here's another video tour of another minimalist home from "Sharayah Simple." I like that it seems, perhaps, more realistic than the others with the baby gear and the artwork.

Find what works for you

I love seeing how each minimalist defines his or her own version of minimalism. I hope these 5 different types of minimalist living spaces have you inspired! Now go and find what kind of minimalism works for you.

21-Day Minimalist Living Challenge

I love a challenge.

Especially a short one.

This minimalist living challenge will help you declutter and live more simply and intentionally in 21 days. It's for people who need a little kickstart of inspiration and instruction to get started with simple living. It will get you focusing on what matters.

If you start now, it will end right before holiday gifts start pouring in.

But you can start it anytime you choose.

The 21-Day Minimalist Living Challenge

Do one item per day.

(Below there is an image you can save or print for reference.)

1. Write a 1-sentence vision of how you want your home to look and feel.

2. Plan a internet-free day.

3. Cull your wardrobe.

4. Write down your 3 most-dreaded clutter categories.

5. Go without makeup.

6. Don't spend money on except food and necessarily consumables.

7. Write a 10-item gratitude list.

8. Wear the same outfit for three days in a row.

9. Declutter your #1 most dreaded clutter category.

10. Meditate for 10 minutes.

11. Plan a fun or relaxing outdoor experience.

12. Spend 10 minutes freewriting your own eulogy.

13. Read an article about an inspiring minimalist.

14. Pick one item from each room in your house to give to charity.

15. Call a friend who lives far away.

16. Meditate on what you would take with you if your house was on fire.

17. Declutter your grooming items.

18. Decide on 1 thing you will no longer do. Write it down.

19. Download one e-book or audiobook about minimalist living. (Recommended.)

20. Plan coffee with a good friend you'd like to catch up with.

21. Hire or barter help in an area that is not your strong suit.

Save this image digitally or print for easy reference:

If you liked this post, tap the heart button below, and if you want to share it, there’s a button for that too. Please share this blog as a way of helping others simplify to live their best lives.

Finally, if you haven’t signed up yet for the free 3-Day Decluttering Challenge, you have a chance to do so below. You’ll get a three-day burst of inspiration and instruction, plus The Simple Sunday, my weekly note on how to edit your life for more joy.

21 Unexpected Things to Declutter

Minimalist living isn't only about purging your wardrobe. It's not just about packing carry-on only when you travel. It's also about making sure you keep certain things, and leave other things out of the bag you take with you on this journey called life.

Photo by Roberto Nickson on Unsplash

Today I'm sharing 21 unexpected things to edit out of your life.

By ditching these things, you can live with more lightness and enlightenment. More delight and less drama.

What to Declutter:

1. Chronic stress

2. Guilt

3. Your inner critic

4. Your outer critic

5. Perfectionism

6. Blaming

7. Intolerance

8. Lying

9. Resentment

10. Hate

11. Chronic self-doubt

12. Procrastination

13. Paralyzing fear

14. Self-pity

15. Confining conformity

16. Violent action

17. Violent communication

18. Living in another moment that isn't now

19. Waiting for another time to pursue your dreams

20. Trying to be someone other than you

21. Hating on your body (stop right now forever)

The problem with keeping the above around is that they crowd out what you really want. Life is short. Our days are short. There's really not much space for the above things if you want to deeply experience what’s on this next list.

What to Keep for a Fulfilling Life:

• Love

• Gratitude

• Self-care

• Friends

• Passion

• Forgiveness

• Creativity

• Empathy

• Kindness

• Abundance

• Delight

• Serenity

• Playfulness

• Honesty

• Beauty

• Laughter

• Compassion

Life's a Short Trip

Advertisers, ego, and pain will try to make you think you need to bring everything on the first list along for the ride of your life, but you don't. That stuff will make your life way too crowded. When it comes down to it, we have 100% responsibility for what we choose to bring with us and what we leave behind. Choose wisely. Curate well.

If you liked this post, tap the heart button below, and if you want to share it, there’s a button for that too. Please share this blog as a way of helping others simplify to live their best lives.

Finally, if you haven’t signed up yet for the free 3-Day Decluttering Challenge, you have a chance to do so below. You’ll get a three-day burst of inspiration and instruction, plus The Simple Sunday, my weekly note about editing your life for more joy.

This is an updated version of an earlier post.

Minimalism: a Basic Definition

We’ve all got different ideas of what minimalism means.

Today I'm sharing my definition through a free excerpt from my book, Minimalist Living: Decluttering for Joy, Health, and Creativity.

Whether you've read the book or not, this is a great reminder of the place I think minimalism should have in our lives. Bottom line? My brand of minimalism is all about joy. (Not perfection or all-white furniture.)

What is Minimalist Living?

Let’s start by talking about the word behind the phrase “minimalist living.”

Minimalism.

The word “minimalism” comes to us from the world of art and design. It’s the less-is-more aesthetic that you’ve experienced if you’ve ever been in an art museum and found yourself pondering a canvas simply painted in one solid color.

I use minimalism here to describe a similar attitude toward our stuff, our thoughts, and our lives. When I talk about minimalism, I mean something that is different for each person. Although minimalism in this context isn’t the term used to describe a certain style of art or design, some of the connotations from that world can inform our definitions of minimalism. For example, to some, minimalism means clean lines, white space, simplicity, and a less-is-more mentality. But that conventional definition of minimalism won’t necessarily apply to everyone as they think about what kind of place they want their home to be or what they want their life to look like.

Within this context, what do we mean exactly when we say “I’m a minimalist?”

Well, the answer varies for each person, but first and foremost, a minimalist lifestyle is about increasing your joy through simplicity. It’s all about what gives your life meaning and makes you happy, and nothing more.

What Minimalism Is and Isn't

Minimalism is:

• Letting go of that which does not serve you.

• Designing your life based on how you want to live it, not the expectations of others.

• Letting go of negative or obsessive thoughts.

• Looking around and seeing your personality reflected in your living

space.

• Being surrounded by colors and textures that make you feel good.

• Putting furniture in rooms to reflect how you really live, instead of how other people live.

• Creatively using one item for more than one purpose.

• Borrowing from friends or neighbors, or renting, if you use something rarely.

• Giving unused things away now, not later.

• Knowing that you have what you need and it is enough.

• Spending money on experiences and adventures.

Minimalism is not:

• Saying “yes” to every request on your time.

• Keeping things out of guilt or a sense of loyalty to someone.

• Making sure your home looks like it could be in a décor magazine (unless that’s truly your passion).

• Having a couch and a TV just because everyone else does.

• Having a gadget for every possible whim you might have.

• Filling an attic, garage, or basement with things for the kids in case they ever want them.

• Keeping something because it’s easier than recycling it or giving it away.

• Keeping something only because it’s worth a lot of money.

• Renting a personal storage unit long term.

• Spending money on possessions that require maintenance or management.

Do these lists help you define minimalism for yourself?

I hope you found this post to be a great reminder of why you're part of the simple living movement and of what minimalism can do for you.

If you liked this post, tap the heart button below, and if you want to share it, there’s a button for that too. Please share this blog as a way of helping others simplify to live their best lives.

Finally, if you haven’t signed up yet for the free 3-Day Decluttering Challenge, you have a chance to do so below. You’ll get a three-day burst of inspiration and instruction, plus The Simple Sunday, my weekly note about editing your life for more joy.

This is an updated version of an earlier post.

5 Ways to Declutter Your Digital Life

This is a guest post by Jenn Baxter, author of Live a F.a.s.t. Life:  How Stripping Down and Cleaning Up Gave Me My Life Back.

When you think about decluttering, what comes to mind?  Most likely, an image of an overstuffed garage, a dusty old attic or a closet overflowing with clothes.

But there’s a whole other world of decluttering that you may have never thought about, that will indeed change your life: decluttering your digital world.

In today’s hi-tech, social media and device-obsessed society, we basically have two worlds - one that exists in the electronic realm and one that exists IRL.  (That is how you know what that means, after all.)

Our IRL world may seem like the most obvious place to downsize and declutter. But, even though we may not be as consciously aware of it, our digital worlds can easily become cluttered too.

If we’re not careful, our inboxes become flooded with thousands of emails.  Our phones become so overloaded with apps that we have to keep upgrading our storage.  And even our computer desktops get so overloaded with icons that we can hardly see that beautiful background of a beach cabana anymore. 

But the cool (and exciting) thing is, our digital worlds are actually easy to declutter and require a lot less heavy lifting than taking all of Aunt Susie’s old cookbooks down to Goodwill.  You can do most of these decluttering steps from the comfort of your couch or your bed.

However, the freedom and release that you’ll experience afterward will have you feeling like you’ve just run a marathon.

So, let’s get started.

1. Clean up your desktop

You know how it’s easier to cook when you’re starting with a clean, uncluttered countertop?  The same is true for decluttering your computer.  Before you even dive in to any of the programs or folders on it, you need to start with the first thing you see - your desktop.  If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably saved a couple dozen (or hundred) things to your desktop over time that you want to be able to easily come back to.  Only problem is, you’ve now saved so many shortcuts, that the time it takes to find anything isn’t so short anymore.

Take some time now to go through all of them (yep, every last one) and decide if it’s still something you need.  If not, delete it.  Remember, these are shortcuts, not the actual files or pages, so you’re determining whether you need to keep a shortcut to it.  You can still keep the original file in a folder on your hard drive.  Make sure you also go through any URL shortcuts you’ve saved and decide whether you use them frequently enough to warrant a shortcut on your desktop.  If not, you can still go into the page and save it as a bookmark on your browser for easy access.  

After you’ve finished, now arrange the icons that are left into a logical design.  For instance, you may want to group all of your personal shortcuts on one side of the screen and all of your business icons on the other.  This will also help save you time, which is kind of the whole point, right?

2.  Go through your programs, folders and temporary files

If you find yourself sitting in front of a computer that’s so slow you’re beginning to wonder if you’ve time-travelled back to 1980, you may have downloaded one too many freebies or plug-in apps.  This is another very common thing that we all do - visit a page and download a PDF (usually to our desktop), thinking we are going to consult it all the time, only to never look at it again.  Now is the time to clear out all of those old documents, files, folders and programs that you never use.  You can also go into your computer’s temporary files (or cache) and clear it as well for some more speed and efficiency.

Feeling uber-gutsy?  Go ahead and empty your Recycle Bin too.  Gasp!  

3.  Clean out your email inbox

Oh the infamous inbox... where thousands of emails go to die.  Now, this one may seem a little overwhelming and it may take a little more time, but I promise you... you can do it and it WILL be worth it!  If you have hundreds or thousands (please don’t tell me tens of thousands) of emails sitting in your inbox, don’t you think it’s about time to go through them?  Hopefully, many of them are trash, so it’s as simple as hitting delete on those.  Mark spam emails appropriately and unsubscribe from any email newsletters you no longer wish to receive.  You can also use a free app like “Unroll.me” to consolidate them into a single digest email that will unclutter your inbox.  Then, for those emails that you want to keep, set up a few folders for different categories (like bills, family, work, etc.) and file them into the appropriate folder.  This will not only help you to find them more easily later, but also keep your inbox clean, which, once you do it, will help you to feel less stressed and overwhelmed.

4.  Declutter your social media platforms

Whether you’re a full-blown social media junkie or just an occasional user, your networking platforms can probably use a little cleaning up too.  First, go through and delete any programs that you don’t even use.  Then, go through each one that’s left and clean out your “friends” or contacts lists.  (You know you don’t really have 1,000 friends in real life... don’t even try.)  This is also a great time to unfriend or remove those people whose posts you find offensive or disturbing.  You don’t need that kind of thing assaulting you on a daily basis, so get rid of it!

5.  Give your phone a break

Last, but surely not least... your phone - another digital space where we tend to deal with “clutter” by simply getting a faster one or a bigger memory card, when all we need to do is a little decluttering.  Go through your contacts list and delete any that you are no longer in contact with or no longer need.  If there’s no need to keep all of those old numbers in your phone log, go ahead and delete those too.  Delete old, unneeded text messages and save any that you do want to keep to the Cloud.  If you have tons of photos cluttering up your phone, clear them out by getting rid of ones you don’t need and downloading ones you want to keep to a digital photo frame or a photo printing app.  Most importantly, go through all of the apps that you’ve downloaded to your phone and delete any that you haven’t used in the last three months (or ever).  Not only will your phone start to feel cleaner and more organized, but you’ll miraculously have a faster phone without the upgrade fees!

Jenn Baxter is an accomplished speaker, freelance writer and the author of the book, Live a F.a.s.t. Life:  How Stripping Down and Cleaning Up Gave Me My Life Back, which is available here.

Double-click to edit…

She has been published in numerous print and online publications and appears at tiny house festivals, healthy living festivals and private engagements across the country, speaking on the subjects of downsizing & minimalism, clean eating, healthy living and spiritual health.  She appeared on HGTV’s “Tiny House Big Living,” is a regular guest on the NBC morning show “Charlotte Today” on WCNC-TV and has also appeared as a guest on several tiny house-themed podcasts including The Purpose Show, the Tiny House Podcast and Tiny House Canada. Visit her website to learn more.

If you liked this post, tap the heart button below, and if you want to share it, there’s a button for that too. Please share this blog as a way of helping others simplify to live their best lives.

Finally, if you haven’t signed up yet for the free 3-Day Decluttering Challenge, you have a chance to do so below. You’ll get a three-day burst of inspiration and instruction, plus The Simple Sunday, my weekly note about editing your life for more joy.

This is an updated version of an earlier post.

Peeling Back the Layers

Guest post by Tara Causland

“Have patience in all things—but first of all, with yourself. ”

— St. Francis de Sales

I’ve had a long term intention towards decluttering.

I’ve read articles and books on simplicity. I’ve watched everything from TLC’s Clean Sweep in the mid-2000s to Netflix’s recent Tidying Up with Marie Kondo. I love seeing the before and after transformations of people’s living spaces. Watching these, I feel renewed in my motivation to make my own space as lovely and clear as these professionally organized nirvanas.

Here’s the thing, though: my clutter hasn’t gone away in one phase of decluttering frenzy. Things accrued over years of filing without purging and piling without reviewing. Over years of putting off deciding what to do with this gift or that purchase. Ridding myself of all of it can’t be shown in a single, tidy episode of televised glory.

And that is okay.

When I began participating in Genevieve Parker Hill’s guided minimalist opportunities, like her 30-Day Map to Get Rid of Your Crap, it provided me clearer structure in how to address my clutter. The frequent catch was—not unlike friends, family, and many of you reading this—I had emotional hurdles to overcome before I was ready to let go of certain things.

At one point, I talked to Genevieve about how each round of decluttering felt like I was peeling back the layers. Each time I went through the effort, I was able to let go of more. It felt like a process of emotional and physical excavation.

Pulling off one layer of things gave me space to examine whether I was ready to send off other things. Plus, decluttering became easier as I’ve made it a habit.

The emotional toll of going through old paperwork can be especially challenging. I’ve found things in old files or boxes that felt like an internal bomb went off. You know those sorts of things—letters from someone who’s no longer in your life, a note from a family member, a paper you wrote that earned you an opportunity, goals you’d listed that didn’t happen when you’d hoped.

Those heightened good and bad emotions swirl. They can delay your ability to decide how to handle the item while you’re too overwhelmed with handling your internal response to it.

On top of all of that, decision fatigue is real. Going through multiple file drawers’ worth of paperwork taxes your mind and energy. Papers, which can cling tightly to each other in a tiny space, manage to be the densest of clutter. One thing I do for decision fatigue when I go through a file and realize I’m hesitating a lot is to put aside the things I am certain I don’t want to keep. Then I put the things I’m having a harder time deciding about into another pile.

Then I get rid of the pile I am sure I don’t want or need! Shred, recycle, toss it. I don’t want to let it slip back into a space where I will have to go through it again. I’ve peeled back that layer and it’s OK to let it go.

On the next round you’ll be able to let go of some items you couldn’t before. Sometimes you just need to be ready to acknowledge that something is no longer serving you. Other times, you may realize a good use for an item that you hated to throw away or thought of someone else who needs it.

As you declutter, you learn what you really need. You can gain confidence and perspective in making decisions. Just take it one layer at a time. The weight that’s lifted will help you breathe again and make the layers to come less daunting.

Knowing that I’m doing the best that I can and at least getting closer to the goal I want gives me comfort and motivation to keep going.

The truth is decluttering needs to remain a lifetime habit. It is all too easy to tuck away papers in file cabinets and other items in drawers and cupboards and end up with decades’ worth of things you didn’t look at again.

So keep at it and be kind to yourself. A little progress is still progress.

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Tara Causland is a freelance writer and script analyst who appreciates compelling storytelling and loves to make people laugh. When she emerges from decluttering escapades, she enjoys visiting gardens, traveling, rabbit advocacy, and adventures with friends or family.

You can find her on Twitter @taracausland.

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If you liked this post, tap the heart button below, and if you want to share it, there’s a button for that too. Please share this blog as a way of helping others simplify to live their best lives.

Finally, if you haven’t signed up yet for the free 3-Day Decluttering Challenge, you have a chance to do so below.

These Apps Help You Decrease Paper Clutter

Today's post is a visual guest post.

Karlie Kramer, who helped create this infographic, writes, "Hi Genevieve, I just read your piece on how to minimize paper clutter from bills and taxes and thought it was so helpful. Whenever I receive something important in the mail I'm always scared to throw it away or shred it — even though 90% of the time I totally could.

Since I can tell you’re passionate about fostering a clutter-free zone, I thought you’d appreciate this new visual I helped create on the best apps for digitizing your life and tidying up.

It covers the benefits and features of 15 apps for decluttering, scanning documents, and taking home inventory.

Whether you’re:

• moving,

• organizing, or

• taking a record of all your belongings,

  There’s an app that’ll simplify your life and reduce clutter."

The image below was created on behalf of Esurance but I have no business or financial relationship with them. I’ve never purchased a policy from them.

I'm sharing because I think this image is a really helpful resource.

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Did you find this post helpful? If so, tap the heart button below. If you want to share it, there’s a button for that too. Please share this blog as a way of helping others simplify to live their best lives.

Finally, if you haven’t signed up yet for the free 3-Day Decluttering Challenge, please do so below. You’ll get a three-day burst of inspiration and instruction, plus The Simple Sunday, my occasional newsletter on how to edit your life for more joy.