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My Story

The Joy of Less, A Minimalist Living Guide

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Today I have some exciting news to share with you: my second book has been published!

It’s called The Joy of Less, A Minimalist Living Guide: How to Declutter, Organize, and Simplify Your Life.

Here’s a look at the front and back covers:

As most of you know, I started this blog after I moved to the UK—a relocation that involved selling most of my possessions, and starting my minimalist life anew.

Before that, however, I was in the same position as many of you: I had too much stuff, and wanted to pare down. My things weighed on me like hundreds of little anchors, draining me of my time, my money, and my energy.… {Read more}

Real Life Minimalists: Me

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[Earlier this year, I ran a series called Real Life Minimalists, in which I invited readers to submit their own stories. I’d love to revive it, and thought I’d start by jumping into the ring myself. If you’d like to participate, click here for details.]

When I started this blog, I had no idea what kind of response I’d receive (to be honest, I never expected more than a handful of people to read it!). I didn’t know if people would find my minimalism a little weird, somewhat wacky, or way off the deep end. Most of all, I didn’t know if there were any other kindred souls out there.… {Read more}

My Minimalist Wedding Dress

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I recently received an email from a reader named Elise, who wrote: “You mentioned that you are married. I’d love to know what you have done with your wedding dress and other keepsakes.”

Great question, Elise! After the big day, many women struggle with how to store the “dress of their dreams”—as well as all the other stuff they accumulated from the ceremony and celebration.

Fortunately, I was a minimalist before I got married—and knew I could never manage to drag around a big, bulky, and delicate garment for the rest of my life. My husband and I also wanted little to do with the usual marriage accoutrements (favors, invitations, albums, cake, presents, and the like.)

Therefore, instead of a traditional wedding, we eloped and got married in Iceland.… {Read more}

My Minimalist Story, Part 5: Starting Over

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Don’t get me wrong, apartment hunting in a foreign country was an exciting experience—in fact, it’s something we’d always fantasized about on our travels. Unfortunately, however, it marked the end of our blissfully minimalist, hotel life.

It had been my long-time dream to live in hotels, with nothing more than a single suitcase; and I was fortunate enough to realize it, for six weeks, while we moved from the US to the UK (see My Minimalist Story, Part 3: My Life in a Duffel Bag).

For minimalists with deep pockets, it’s a great way to live. But for those of us with more limited budgets, it can’t go on forever.… {Read more}

My Minimalist Story, Part 4: Our Dirty Secret

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From the time we decided to move overseas, my husband and I fantasized about owning nothing more than we could carry with us. We were determined to get rid of all of our possessions, and pare down our lives to a single suitcase each.

We almost achieved our goal. But in our final week of purging, we were weakened by the uncertainty of our plans. My husband had a job offer in the UK, but it was contingent upon us receiving our visas—which, given strict new immigration laws, was not guaranteed. (We did finally receive them, two weeks after moving out of our house.)

Furthermore, we had no idea how long we’d stay.… {Read more}

My Minimalist Story, Part 3: My Life in a Duffel Bag

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For six weeks this summer, I lived my minimalist dream—residing in hotels, with all my possessions in a single duffel bag.

My husband and I purged almost all of our stuff, and sold our house at the end of July (see My Minimalist Story, Part 2: The Great Unraveling). However, we still had to wait several weeks for our visas to be processed before we could move to the UK. In the meantime, we “lived” in a series of hotels, as we wrapped up our old life and prepared for the new.

We each had pared down our things into one (large) duffel bag.… {Read more}

My Minimalist Story, Part 2: The Great Unraveling

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Most of us spend our lives in a constant state of accumulation.

It all starts when we leave our parents’ homes, and start acquiring the “stuff” to lead independent lives. What begins with a couple of plates, milk crates, and linens in college evolves into furniture, cookware, tableware, and decorative items when we get our first apartments. From then on, it’s a continual process of adding and upgrading as our abodes grow larger, and our lives more complex.

What’s more, we’re cheered on along the way. Our acquisitions are encouraged by advertisers, and celebrated by family and friends. We’re given housewarming parties and shower gifts, and congratulated when we purchase a new TV or living room set.… {Read more}

My Minimalist Story, Part 1: A Clean Slate

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I think every minimalist fantasizes about starting over with a clean slate—it seems a heck of a lot easier than the slow (and sometimes painful) process of decluttering the stuff you’ve accumulated over a lifetime. I for one had been decluttering for years, and still seemed nowhere near my goal of living with just the essentials.

But short of a fire, natural disaster, or other tragedy (which nobody wants to experience), there are few circumstances that would suddenly separate you from the bulk of your possessions.

Recently, I received my unique (and possibly once-in-a-lifetime) opportunity for a clean slate: an overseas move.… {Read more}

Born Minimalist?

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The A&E show “Hoarders” has prompted many a debate over whether the inclination to hoard is something people are born with, or something they learn.

I’ve often wondered the same about minimalism—and mainly because it’s been part of my psyche for as long as I can remember.

I’ve been told that in my early years, I found it upsetting to have toys, clothes, and other things scattered around me. Apparently, nothing made me happier than putting things “away.” My parents assumed they had an extraordinarily tidy toddler. Looking back, however, I’m not sure it’s neatness that motivated me (I had little interest in dusting or vacuuming), but rather an innate aversion to the distraction of too much stuff.… {Read more}