Category: minimalism

Mid-Life Minimizing

Mom often told me, “Cheryl, none of us came here to stay always.” It always bothered me when she said that because I deeply feared losing her and Dad. Now I stand on the other side of that fear becoming reality, and my husband, Kevin, and I are around the same age my parents were…


A Minimalist Guide to Health

Minimalism is intentional living. It’s stripping away what isn’t needed, in order to focus on what matters most. It’s a framework that can be applied to just about any area of life, including your own personal health. I approached writing this article with two questions in mind: What are the essential factors in promoting a…


Closet Clutter Problems (and How to Fix Them)

Have you recently taken a good look at what’s inside your clothing closet? You can probably think of a handful of items you wear on a regular basis, but what about the rest? Does it only contain items you’ve worn lately? Shoes that still fit? Jeans that make you feel good about your body? A…


Letting Go of Imaginary Needs

Live simply, like a child. An infant needs very little to be happy. Clothes, food, love, and a place to explore, that’s it. They have so few needs. And yet they’re so happy. Or when they’re not happy, it’s usually because one of their few needs is not being met. As these toddlers grow up,…


Living Simply by Letting Go

About eight years ago, I convinced my husband to move from our four-bedroom home to a smaller townhome. Our kids were grown and we were tired of mowing the lawn, shoveling snow, and raking the snowdrifts off the roof. We’re now tucked into a townhome with a lot less stuff. Even better, we’re nestled in…


My Favorite Pieces of Life Advice

One of my goals for sharing my writing is to keep myself accountable. It fills the role of a coach who keeps telling me to stick to the fundamentals and do the little things right. I’m absolutely convinced that the best advice for living well is simple. Go ahead and scroll through the archives of…


The Power of the Room

In what room are you living? What’s the mental and emotional space you inhabit? Who do you share it with? Did you consciously choose your room, or did you just kind of drift into it? Within your room are the people you spend time with regularly. They’ve introduced you to many of the mindsets, ideas, and…


Life Lessons From a Year of Simplicity

What does it mean to live life more simply and embrace the practices of simplicity? What’s simple to you may be different than for someone else. This difference lies in what motivates, encourages, and enriches your own life. Your journey should be unique, where the habits you choose and the routines you establish are meaningful…


When Minimizing Was the Only Option

After 35 years in the banking industry, my husband’s steady, good-paying job was outsourced, and he, along with his co-workers, lost their jobs. In his last position, he worked the third shift from home. His job in the IT department was processing the data for 100+ bank branches. We were warned about the outsourcing for months…


How to Live Intentionally

I can guess two things about you: You’re reading this article, so there’s a good chance that you’re at least an occasional reader of self-help advice. You stopped on this particular headline about living more intentionally, which tells me that maybe you feel like you haven’t figured it all out yet. That’s OK. Who has?…