It’s fairly easy to find out how much is too much when it comes to clothes. Overflowing closets and overstuffed drawers that are impossible to shut are a pretty good clue! But when you’re a recovering shopaholic, downsizing your wardrobe can be the hardest part. For many people, it can seem like having more clothes… Continue reading How Many Clothes are Enough?
Category: Minimalism
The Simple Joy of One
Making the conscious decision to cut down on your possessions can be daunting to say the least. But once you embark on this life-changing journey, you may come to find that you have collected duplicates of many items. In such a materialistic culture, it is easy to conclude that if owning one thing is good,… Continue reading The Simple Joy of One
Don’t Just Declutter, De-own
For many Americans, a major New Year’s Resolution is to organize, de-clutter, and simplify their lives. But by organizing, we create only a temporary solution for the real problem at hand. When you simply have too much stuff, you will have to organize time and time again. By embracing minimalism and starting to thin out… Continue reading Don’t Just Declutter, De-own
Wanting Everything is (Almost) the Same as Wanting Nothing
Aristotle said, “I count him braver who overcomes his desires than him who conquers his enemies; for the hardest victory is over self.” Joshua Becker, in making his point, shares this quote and some very personal insight. Becker has a lovely six-year-old daughter: friendly, fun, intelligent and a collector of everything. She has a passion… Continue reading Wanting Everything is (Almost) the Same as Wanting Nothing
The Cheapskate Guide: 50 Tips for Frugal Living
This article gives 50 tips for frugal living, all helpful suggestions to help control your finances, with the top 20 listed here to get you started. Go with one car. Go with a smaller house. Go with a smaller car. Rent rather than own. Look for used first. Eat out less often. Eat out frugally.… Continue reading The Cheapskate Guide: 50 Tips for Frugal Living
Happily Welcomed Side Effects
Markus Almond of Brooklyn to Mars shares reflections on some big events in his life: finally paying off his credit cards, and getting rid of some possessions in preparation to moving into an apartment. He has learned a lot about becoming a minimalist, and has recently been inspired to “declutter, digitalize and simplify.” Almond’s reprioritization… Continue reading Happily Welcomed Side Effects
Our Resources are Finite and It Matters
Writer Joshua Becker explains how he came to grips with the finite nature of our resources. He started, four years ago, by getting rid of unessential possessions, while knowing that he did not have the money to indulge in crass consumerism anymore. He came to understand that sometimes we own our possessions, and sometimes our… Continue reading Our Resources are Finite and It Matters
The Antidote for Selfishness is You
It is easy to see selfishness in others. Politicians, corporations, and governments all seem to be wallowing in greed. We decry the injustices in the world because of their avarice. We may feel powerless to stop this greed but the power to overcome is within each of us. The first step is to look within.… Continue reading The Antidote for Selfishness is You
The Parable of the Lorelei
A mermaid, beautiful and alluring, sings from the top of a rocky point in the most dangerous section of the Rhine River. Like the sirens of the Homer’s Odyssey, she causes sailors to jump overboard and captains to forget about the deadly dangers surrounding them. Is this German legend about a seductive mermaid a parable… Continue reading The Parable of the Lorelei
We’re All Trading Our Lives for Something– Trade Up
Are we trading the precious time of our lives for values such as comfort, luxury and being better than others? Becoming Minimalist blogger Joshua Becker suggests we are, and believes the trade is a foolish one. These pursuits are self-centered, and don’t really satisfy. Instead, he says to trade our lives for social justice, significance,… Continue reading We’re All Trading Our Lives for Something– Trade Up