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Real Life Minimalists: Jason Billows

Every Monday I post Real Life Minimalists, a profile of one of my readers in their own words. If you’d like to participate, click here for details.

Today, I’m pleased to share this contribution from Jason Billows, blogger at Stop & Breathe. Jason tells us how he “accidentally” became a minimalist and how it has made him and his family happier.

Jason writes:

An Accidental Minimalist

I used to have lots of stuff. I had work stuff, personal stuff, sport stuff, household stuff, workshop stuff, school stuff – there was an endless amount of stuff. Of course I had to have somewhere to put all of my stuff, so I had a big house.… {Read more}

Real Life Minimalists: Joshua Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus

Every Monday I post Real Life Minimalists, a profile of one of my readers in their own words. If you’d like to participate, click here for details.

This week we meet Joshua Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus. These guys take an intellectual approach towards minimalism, and write essays about living a more meaningful life with less stuff at The Minimalists. Joshua Millburn also writes fiction; his first novel, As A Decade Fades, will be published later this year.

Joshua and Ryan write:

Happiness is an expansive concept, it goes without saying. At its fundament, the term “happiness” is abstract and abstruse and can be a mind-numbing, migraine-inducing thing to try to explain with words.… {Read more}

Messages from Japan

Kaori, a reader from Tokyo, left a very thought-provoking comment on last week’s Real Life Minimalist post. I know that many of you don’t subscribe to the RSS Comments feed; therefore, I thought I’d share it in today’s post in case you missed it:

hi. I’m writing from Tokyo, Japan where as a city we’re having to rethink our priorities in terms of stuff, power and fuel. As you may know, this country is in the midst of the greatest national crisis (earthquake, tsunami, nuclear plant meltdown) since WWII and as I write, tens of thousands of people are stuck in evac shelters with no cash, no home, no job and a dark, uncertain future.… {Read more}

A Year Ago on miss minimalist

Minimalist Philosophy: Cherry Blossom Living: Every year, I look forward to cherry blossom season with great anticipation. I love to sit under the pink clouds of delicate blooms, and wax poetic on the beauty of life. (A few years ago, I fulfilled a lifelong dream, and spent two glorious weeks in Japan doing just that.) I used to think life would be more beautiful if the cherries bloomed all year round; but, somewhere along my minimalist journey, I realized that life is more beautiful because they don’t…{read more}

Extreme Light Travel: A few months ago, I wrote about the contents of my carry-on.… {Read more}

Real Life Minimalists: Sofia Reddy

Every Monday I post Real Life Minimalists, a profile of one of my readers in their own words. If you’d like to participate, click here for details.

Today we hear from Sofia Reddy, who tells us how minimalism has helped her through a challenging time in her life. Please visit her blog to learn more!

Sofia writes:

This last year has been the most stressful year of my adult life. I felt so blessed to have so many wonderful new beginnings in 2008 – I married the man of my dreams, had a beautiful baby boy, Nikolas (pictured with me), started a new job at the Veteran’s Health Administration as a clinical social worker, and we had just bought our first home together the year before.… {Read more}

Smitten: The Cupboard-Less Kitchen

When my husband and I renovated our former home, we completely gutted the kitchen (not a frivolous endeavor, but a necessity—it was a grungy, wood-paneled, 1970s nightmare). But instead of installing kitchen cupboards in every nook and cranny, we left the overhead space bare. Practically, it worked for us, as we were fortunate enough to have a large pantry and minimal kitchenware. And aesthetically, we loved it—the absence of overhead cabinets gave the space an open, airy, and serene look.

At the end of next month, we’ll be moving into our fifth “home” in less than a year (and another temporary one, at that).… {Read more}

Real Life Minimalists: Aisha

Every Monday I post Real Life Minimalists, a profile of one of my readers in their own words. If you’d like to participate, click here for details.

This week, I’m happy to bring you Aisha’s story. I love her honesty, and think we can all relate to her decluttering experiences. Minimalism doesn’t happen overnight—but it’s the journey that gives us a wonderful mindfulness. Surf on over to her blog to read more.

Aisha writes:

I’ve come a long way on my path to minimalism, even if I’m not quite there yet. When I went off to college in 2003 I brought things like a Merriam-Webster’s dictionary with me.… {Read more}

Real Life Minimalists: Lindsay

Every Monday I post Real Life Minimalists, a profile of one of my readers in their own words. If you’d like to participate, click here for details.

Today we have a wonderful contribution from Lindsay, a mother of three. She tells us how her family’s minimalist journey has changed their lives for the better. What a great example, and inspiration, for aspiring minimalists with children!

Lindsay writes:

I am currently on the journey to becoming a minimalist. We are a military family and uproot our lives every three to four years to move to a new part of the world.… {Read more}

100 Possessions: Monk’s Bowl

It may come as a surprise to some, but not all of my possessions are uber-practical. Some commemorate my travels, give me pleasure to look at, or remind me of how I’d like to live.

This monk’s bowl is a recent acquisition, purchased on my December trip to Thailand. In Bangkok, there’s a tiny neighborhood called Soi Ban Baat (Monk’s Bowl Village), where residents have been making alms bowls for monks for generations. Although most such bowls are now made in factories, a few artisans continue the tradition, beating out the bowls by hand. They’re made of eight strips of metal, to symbolize the Eightfold Path of Buddhism.… {Read more}

Real Life Minimalists: Shelby Gonzalez

Every Monday I post Real Life Minimalists, a profile of one of my readers in their own words. If you’d like to participate, click here for details.

This week, we meet Shelby Gonzalez. She purged her possessions for an around-the-world trip, and continues to embrace a minimalist lifestyle. Shelby tweets about travel, outdoor adventure and fearless living at www.Twitter.com/ShelbyGonzalez.

Shelby writes: As a teenager, I favored what could be described as the “magical flea-market bordello” aesthetic, characterized by an attic bedroom bedecked with dark posters, old velvet drapes, and arrangements of dust-frosted candles and glass bottles studding every horizontal surface.… {Read more}