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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 meet Robert Hickman, who’s found a wonderful way to reconcile his creative pursuits with his minimalist journey.

Robert writes:

Being mildly autistic, my interests and life choices could never be considered normal in any regard. Nor have I ever aspired to follow that path. The whole concept of buying large houses, mountains of clothes and overly expensive cars always seemed mad to me. Yet still I found myself weighed down by a disproportionately large amount of stuff.… {Read more}

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, it’s my pleasure to introduce you to Apple. In their quest for simplicity, she and her husband have made some big changes in their lives. Read her story, and I think you’ll be inspired!

Apple writes:

I am a born minimalist. As a child I loved tidying my room, my favourite activity was packing my backpack for holidays and then living out of my bag. I remember feeling overwhelmed after receiving more than one present for Christmas or the frustration of having to keep unused clothes, superfluous room decorations, bulky pieces of furniture in my room.… {Read more}

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 have an inspirational story from Kimberlie Dame. She tells us how a long wilderness trek completely transformed her perspective on material things (and more!). Check out her blog to read more about her adventures.

Kimberlie writes:

Setting off on an 819 mile wilderness trek can teach you a lot about minimalism. In the obvious, everything needed for survival must be able to be carried upon your back. There is room for items of luxury, but you must be endeared enough to them to be willing to pay in grunt-sweat for them.… {Read more}

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 first here in the Real Life Minimalist series: an update from a former participant! We originally heard from Heather over a year ago, and now she’s checking back in to tell us the progress she’s made on her minimalist journey.

Heather writes:

Where we are now? (and you asked for a minimalist family)

We have decided to downsize even more and move into a one bedroom apartment.… {Read more}

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, it’s my pleasure to feature Michele. She shares her minimalist lifestyle with us in wonderful detail, and has even included some lovely photos of her living space!

Michele writes:

The story I have in my head is that my mom asked me to clean up my room when I was very young, and I wanted a way to never have to hear that again! I started to clear everything out of my room, and loved sitting in a totally empty closet.… {Read more}

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}

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}

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}