I’ve traveled a lot in my life. It’s a hobby I love, and I’ve visited 45 countries so far. I spent a good portion of my 20s on planes, for work and for fun. For most of that time, I had no idea how to travel light. I aimed to make my checked luggage exactly 50 lbs, maximizing what I could bring while avoiding fees. On top of that, I’d bring a heavy carry-on and a large backpack on the plane – stretching airlines’ definition of “personal item” to the limit. I mentioned in my minimalism story that when I arrived in country with the Peace Corps, with my maximum…
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Going minimalist? Planning a big declutter? If so, you’re about to create boxes and bags full of clutter. And those will need to go somewhere. I’ve written guides on how to sell and donate clutter. But some things won’t fit in either of those categories. You’re going to want to clear out clothes with holes or stains, worn out shoes, and random household items. If you feel guilty about throwing them away, you can use this guide to figure out how to recycle clothes and as much other clutter as possible. That being said, I’d like to issue a warning at the outset that you shouldn’t overthink decluttering. If you…
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I’ve written before about how I toyed with the idea of minimalism for a couple years before I really took it seriously. One January I finally dipped my toe in as a resolution. I started by decluttering, then creating a capsule wardrobe, minimizing my beauty routine, and buying less. In the process, I was shocked by the realizations I started having very quickly. Here are 10 things that took me by surprise once I became a minimalist. 1. I felt better, not worse, after letting things go. As a tidy person, I had done superficial decluttering before. It always feels nice to clear out trash and obvious junk from your…
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Designing a Minimalist Wardrobe For most of my life, I was pretty clueless about style. I had way too many clothes but somehow still struggled to put outfits together. When I tried to declutter, I had no idea where to start. When I started my minimalist journey, one of the first steps I took was creating a capsule wardrobe. That involved decluttering most of my clothes and creating a curated collection of pieces that could be mixed and matched. I had no idea how to approach this, so I did some internet research and learned how to design a minimalist wardrobe. Now, I’m still not a fashionista, but I’ve figured…
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Defining terms: Essentialism vs. Minimalism vs. Intentional Living This blog includes “essentialism” in the title, but you’ll notice that I often write about minimalism and intentional living. This post defines these terms and demonstrates how they intersect in a purposeful and authentic approach to life. What Is Essentialism? The most succinct definition for this term is in subheading of the 2014 book, Essentialism, by Greg McKeown. That is, simply, “The disciplined pursuit of less.” A longer explanation from the book goes like this: Essentialism is not a way to do one more thing; it is a different way of doing everything. It is a way of thinking…. There are…
