Tag Archives: minimalist

Day 3225 – Minimalism Series – What Is Minimalism? – repost

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Ah, I’m getting super close to finishing my review of my blog and cataloging my posts. This post was the last I reviewed this morning and as we get a lot of questions about minimalism when we talk to people, I thought it would be good to give you our definition again.

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As we’re gearing up for a new year, I wanted to do a series for y’all about minimalism. I’ll share some things we’ve learned over the past few years and give you some tips to make changes in your life.

For today, I wanted to answer the question “what is minimalism?” What I love about it is that it can have a million definitions and I don’t think any of them would be wrong.

To me, minimalism is minimizing the bad (and the good) to make room for the great.

If you want to get rid of a lot of things just so you can have a massive movie collection, I think you’re still a minimalist, for example. Or if you have a big house with furniture, you can still be a minimalist.

What minimalism has taught me is that is causes you to ask why more often about what you own, as well as the things you do, more often and more deeply. It’s not about getting rid of all of your clothes, it’s about asking – “Do I wear this? Do I enjoy wearing it? If it doesn’t fit right, why do I keep it?” Some things are harder to let go than others, to be sure, but it’s a continual process. I can tell you, about 90% of the clothes in my closet bring me joy and I would call them my favorite clothes.

It also makes me more purposeful in the things I own and do. I don’t just whittle down my to do list and social calendar for no reason. Everything I do and everyone I see is on purpose. This gives me more time to hit the businesses hard, to read a lot, and hang out with Bret.

Originally posted 12/24/17

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Day 3191 – Benefits Of Being A Minimalist – repost with updates

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We currently doing more purging of our things. Last night, I spent most of the evening going through my old wedding photography folders, recycling and shredding documents. It was so nostalgic looking through all the paperwork. Rereading notes from clients and reliving that time in my life. I also went through our two bookshelves and found even more to give away or recycle. I have to say, I keep looking over at the bookshelves because it feels SO good to see them clean and straightened.

One benefit of minimalism is that I know what we own, I know that we love what we own, and I know that we use what we own.

While, it doesn’t take ten minutes to clean up now – mostly because we don’t have a dishwasher in our current place, it’s still fast to clean up.

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originally posted 7/23/16
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I love living a minimalist life. It was one of those things that came out of nowhere but it makes complete sense for our lives. In the last few days, two experiences stood out that made me want to write this post.

First, the apartment was a little messy and impeding my ability to work. It was still morning and I wanted to get to work. So I set a timing for 10 minutes. In TEN minutes I cleaned the apartment. Not a “shoved everything into a box or a drawer” cleaned but actually straightened up. Since we have so little, everything has a place and it’s easy to get it there.

Second, I was able to spend about 3 hours last night finishing a book. I read about half of the book in pretty much one sitting. Now, this is more a time freedom thing, but I think it still goes along with our minimalist life. Because my responsibilities are light in the home and in life too really and I can carve out time on a Friday night to finish a book. It is amazing freedom.

What about you? Are you living a minimalist life? Even if it’s just one aspect of your life. What are the benefits you’ve found?

This is the book I finished last night. Great story by the way, I can’t wait to get the next book. This guy also write The Grimm Sisters series.

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Day 3095 – Minimalism Series – Challenges To Help You Minimize Your Life In January

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To finish out the series, here are some challenges to you to minimize your life this January!

Go through one drawer each day until you go through all the drawers in the house. Throw things out, recycle, shred, whatever you need to do to get it organized.

Turn all your hangers around and set a reminder to see what’s still backwards in a few months.

Get rid of dishes and cups you really don’t use. 12 place settings, there’s only two of you, and you NEVER have company? Why keep them?

Go through your movies – get rid of the ones you have watched before but haven’t watched in the last 2 years.

Go through your books – get rid of the ones you’ve read and won’t read again. Find a little free library or two and leave them there.

Create a custom friends list on Facebook. Bookmark that for when you go to Facebook.

Unsubscribe from 5 email lists each day. Seriously, are you EVER going to read those emails? Cut them loose.

Sit and enjoy your current situation. Life is about the journey, not the destination, so enjoy where you are today!

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Did you like what you read? Here’s some ways you can support us and this blog!
Join our Facebook group, Planning an Epic Road Trip on Any Budget
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Day 3094 – Minimalism Series – Cautions To Minimalism

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As you make changes, you will find yourself with more free time, but be careful how you fill it. Like I mentioned before, you get into minimalism to make room for the great.

Don’t try to fill the space you empty – whether it’s getting rid of physical stuff or mental stuff. This goes back to how minimalism forces you to be honest with yourself.

You will never arrive.

You will never finish.

Minimalism is a lifestyle change. It is a mindset shift.

And you will continue to change and shift as time goes by.

As Bret and I have been talking about if we ever “settle down” and buy a home, we’ve actually (GASP!) been talking about getting furniture. I don’t think this makes us less “minimal” but again, purposeful in what we own.

I could see a few hammock chairs in our future.

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Did you like what you read? Here’s some ways you can support us and this blog!
Join our Facebook group, Planning an Epic Road Trip on Any Budget
Join the Journey With The G’s email list (bonus – you get my Epic Road Trip Budget spreadsheet)
Buy my book, Planning an Epic Road Trip on any Budget
Buy my book, Trusting God With 2 Cents: 22 Days To Becoming A Successful Christian Business Owner.
Shop on Amazon (no additional cost to you, this gives us a percentage of what you order).
Check out our resources page.
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Day 3093 – Minimalism Series – Have Multi-Purpose Furniture

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We love our chairs (Amazon affiliate link – if you decide to buy them, we get a a little extra into our taco fund) and they are so versatile. We use them for every day use, as well as camping, sitting on the beach, or on the lawn or balcony.

We didn’t buy it with this intention, but our coffee table has had so many uses over the years. We’ve used it as a dinner table, an office table, and a coffee table. Pretty good for a basic Wal-Mart coffee table.

Our bed on the floor is also our camping bed.

Our clothes drawers were also used as hampers previously.

All of this makes moving and cleaning up very, very easy.

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Did you like what you read? Here’s some ways you can support us and this blog!
Join our Facebook group, Planning an Epic Road Trip on Any Budget
Join the Journey With The G’s email list (bonus – you get my Epic Road Trip Budget spreadsheet)
Buy my book, Planning an Epic Road Trip on any Budget
Buy my book, Trusting God With 2 Cents: 22 Days To Becoming A Successful Christian Business Owner.
Shop on Amazon (no additional cost to you, this gives us a percentage of what you order).
Check out our resources page.
Subscribe to our YouTube Channel