Minimalism can still seem like an unconventional lifestyle, so this week we invited expert Joshua Becker to explain how taking small steps toward minimalism can yield big rewards at home and in life. He discusses how to prevent the slow creep of household clutter, what minimizing teaches kids, and how simplifying your surroundings can help you reach major life goals that aren’t directly related to organizing. We also show you a rarely-seen area of our house and share the sleep habits and tools we’re each using to rest better.
You can also find this episode on your favorite podcast app, like Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, TuneIn Radio, Stitcher, and Spotify.
What’s new
- Below is the photo of our attic from Episode #123’s shownotes that sparked a lot of interest in this “secret” space (it also included a small peek at Sherry’s collection of baskets in the attic).
- As promised, Sherry recorded a video tour last week so you can see how the attic looks now. NOTE: If you’re viewing this in a feed reader you may need to click through to watch the video.
- We haven’t photographed this space much because it was full of leftovers, decor “in purgatory,” and general junk. For scale, here’s a photo we took when we first bought the house:
- It’s not as tidy as it was then, but it’s far less chaotic after we decided what would go to the duplex and donated items we’d been holding onto for too long.
- Sherry’s video also includes an exterior view to help orient you: the attic functions as our unfinished third story and runs under the entire roof, as shown below.
Joshua Becker, The Minimalist Home
- You can learn more from Joshua at his site, Becoming Minimalist.
- His new book, The Minimalist Home, offers room-by-room guidance for paring down and simplifying. It has been selling quickly, so try to grab a copy if you’re interested.
- Sherry also recommends his earlier book, The More of Less.
- If you’d like to hear more episodes where we talk about minimizing or decluttering, here are several past shows on that theme:
- Episode #30: How Minimalism Almost “Grinched” Our Christmas
- Episode #33: In Pursuit Of Buying Less & Doing More
- Episode #45: Why We Got Rid Of Half The Toys In Our House
- Episode #78: How We (Mostly) Pulled Off A Merry Yet Minimal Christmas?
- Episode #82: What’s It Really Like To Live In A Tiny House?
- Episode #87: Lessons From The Messiest Homes In America
- Episode #89: A Year Without Shopping
- Episode #96: Our Complicated Relationship With Stuff
- Episode #106: What’s It Really Like To Downsize?
- Episode #111: Can Minimalism Be Cozy?
- Episode #116: How To Get More Style With Less Stuff
We’re Digging
- Here are screenshots of the Autosleep app that I’ve been using to stay accountable with sleep habits. The app visualizes sleep like the Activity rings on Apple Watch, tracks your “sleep bank,” and shows whether you’re operating on a surplus or a deficit so you can adjust accordingly.
- In addition to Sherry’s weighted blanket, she’s been using a Sleepy lotion from LUSH as part of her evening routine, and her favorite organic caffeine-free chamomile tea helps wind down the night.
If you’re trying to find something we mentioned in an earlier episode but can’t remember which show notes to check, here’s a master list of everything we’ve been digging from past episodes. You can also browse all the books we’ve recommended on our Book Club page.
Finally, thanks to Agility Bed for sponsoring this episode. This week one listener can win a free Agility mattress and a pair of Therapedic pillows by entering at AgilityBed.com/YHL. Giveaway ends February 8th.
Thanks for listening!
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