For the latest installment in my Joy of One series, I’d like to talk about cosmetics, bath items, personal care products, and the like. Though disposable in nature, we often don’t dispose of them—opting to buy a new color or scent or formulation before we’ve used up our old ones. Oftentimes we get them for free from cosmetic counters and hotels (those tiny toiletries are super-cute and hard to resist). They accumulate in our drawers and cabinets, and on our countertops and shelves, and can lead to a real clutter problem. So even though we may not consider them “possessions,” they’re certainly worth discussion.… {Read more}
Bathroom
My Minimalist Bathroom Makeover
For the last two months, my husband and I have been tearing out all the “storage” in our newly-purchased 1920s house. (Don’t worry—not original built-ins, but renovations that had been done in the 80s and 90s.)
Why? Because when you’re minimalists, you don’t have a lot to store—and all those closets, cabinets, consoles, and pantries take up precious living space!
For example, here’s the “before” shot of our bathroom:
It measures only 6’ x 8’, and the under-counter cabinets lining both walls left only the tiniest pathway to move around. Not only was it cramped for us adults—but our 3-year-old daughter attempts to incorporate ballet moves into every task she does (brushing teeth, drying off after a bath), and was forever banging into some fixture or other.… {Read more}
My Minimalist Bathroom
Earlier this year, when we were living in a hotel, we had a TV for the first time in two years. We rarely turned it on, except for a few days when sidelined with the flu—at which time we managed to catch some episodes of House Hunters on HGTV.
I’m always amused when buyers on such shows complain that a bathroom doesn’t have double sinks or a Jacuzzi tub. As a renter, I’m just happy if it’s clean, the toilet flushes, and hot water comes out of the taps. It’s a special bonus if it’s not covered in garish-colored tiles, or sporting fake wood cabinets.… {Read more}
The Story of Cosmetics
My main reason for pursuing a minimalist lifestyle is that I enjoy an uncluttered environment. Nothing makes me happier than a sparse, open space with little visual distraction. I also love the freedom that results when you don’t have a lot of stuff to worry about, care for, and move around.
However, I also have a second reason for practicing minimalism: I’m worried about the impact of all that stuff on the world and its people. I’m concerned about how the manufacture and disposal of material goods affect the environment, and how the chemicals contained in them affect our health.
With the latter point in mind, I was thrilled to discover Annie Leonard’s latest addition to her Story of Stuff series: The Story of Cosmetics.… {Read more}
How to Create a Minimalist Bathroom
How wonderful it would be to have a bathroom with simple lines, gleaming white surfaces, not a toiletry in sight…ahh…
Seem out of reach? Don’t despair! You can achieve a similar “clean and serene” look in your own home—even if designer Italian fixtures aren’t in the budget.
Just follow these ten tips for creating a minimalist bathroom, and you’ll have a space that soothes your soul while you brush your teeth.
The basics:
1. Empty all the (moveable) contents out of the bathroom. Yes, really. You’ll be surprised how many things you’ll find that don’t really need to be there: that moisturizer that made you break out, the hotel samples you brought home from your last vacation, the curling iron you haven’t used in a decade.… {Read more}