Author: Katie Coughran

Author of Young Adult and Chapter Book fiction, consumer of fine chocolates and teas.

This Week’s Minimalist and Simple Living Happenings

Posted on by Katie Coughran

This past week has been all about settling back into the PNW, home schooling, and all the things that come with being stationary in an RV. It’s been a bit of an adjustment, but when we’re practicing simple living, things always go more smoothly. Here are our happenings for the past week:

I spent a slow Saturday really thinking about all things How to be a Minimalist as well as my other author works and where they’re going. Before each quarter of the year comes to an end, I tend to do this, hoping to get clarity on what I want to accomplish during the upcoming three months. Feels good to have a refreshed plan. Sometimes it’s hard to take alone time when we’re on the road, so this was a much-needed day for me.

My husband and I watched a couple of episodes of Unsolved Mysteries. I wanted to watch the rest of The Game Changers, but whatever! It was still a fun little date night.

I used up some food from the pantry and freezer. It felt good to use some things that had been tucked back, but also to make space. With all of these blackberries everywhere, I’m hoping I can pick some for the freezer and make some jam as well.

Since many of our home school curriculum books are on back order or are taking a really long time to ship, I designed fun, simple, creative school plans for the week and also took the opportunity to use some books we already have. Going through our books so thoroughly made me realize we’ve already got a lot we can use, so I’ll be holding off on ordering most things for a bit so we can use up what we’ve got.

Pandora Disney channel, anyone? That’s what my kids turned on all week while playing board games. I now know music from movies I’ve never seen, ha!

We decided to cancel two subscriptions this week. Not only will we save money, but we don’t need to be wasting time using these services.

Now that we have electricity all the time, I’ve played the piano (weighted electric keyboard) several evenings. It’s relaxing and therapeutic at the same time, plus, I think it’s a calming sound to help the kids fall asleep and bring peace in our home. My kids started lessons with me again, so we’ll all be playing the piano a lot more often!

Between the cooler weather and having access to electricity at all times, I’ve been using my Instant Pot SO MUCH MORE. It’s awesome to be able to whip something up so quickly. Beans, rice, soups, and stews have all been so tasty this week.

What about you? What have you done to practice minimalism and simple living this week?

You can now purchase my book, How to be a Minimalist — A Beginner’s Guide! Click HERE to see the details. I sincerely hope you enjoy the book and thanks for supporting me/my family/my work! The ebook is out now and the paperback will be out in the next month or two.

Instagram @howtobeaminimalist

My book, How to be a Minimalist with Kids: Finding YOUR Kind of Minimalism

Broden and the Shark-Toothed Chicken — Book 1 of this chapter book series (should be marked as free)

My latest videos on YouTube:
Simple Crunchy Granola Recipe
Vegan Cheesy Fry Sauce
How to Make Cashew Yogurt
Sushi Bowl Salad

Your support of the show is so very appreciated! Ratings, reviews, and Patreon patronage all sustain this show. Don’t forget that Patrons now get bonus episodes! Thanks so much!

Want to leave a tip in my virtual tip jar? You can Venmo me @HowtobeaMinimalist Thank you so much for your support!

Four Minimalist Wardrobe Tips for the Changing Weather Seasons

Posted on by Katie Coughran

Ditching and donating when the weather seasons are changing is a great way to work on downsizing. Not only are you more easily able to see what you haven’t worn and can donate those pieces, but going through your clothing can help you to be more selective about what you bring in for the coming season.

Click the play button, or read all about it down below:

1. When looking at your clothing as the seasons are changing, ask yourself what will work for the next season? Most people have at least a few pieces that work year-round. Using these same pieces all year means you need less season-specific clothing and your closet can be a little more minimalistic.

2. If possible, keep your clothes in one closet. If you can do this, instead of packing away off-season clothes, you’ll have a better idea of how much clothing you ACTUALLY have. It’s all too easy to pick up a piece or two here and there until you have many more items than you’d actually like to own.

3. Ask yourself, What do I really need? Lay out and/or try on all of your clothing to see what works. Ditch clothing you no longer wear, then see what’s left over. Make a detailed list of exactly what else you’d like to have in your wardrobe. Include color, style, and amounts needed.

4. When you shop, don’t go looking to see what you can find. FIND WHAT’S ON YOUR LIST. It’s easy to find plenty of things we like when we go shopping. There are very few stores I’ve been to where I DIDN’T find something I liked. Those aren’t necessarily the pieces you need to make a wardrobe that makes you look and feel great, though. Be picky, take your time, and get what you want.

Good luck with your minimalist wardrobe and remember, it’s all about the experiences, not the stuff.

You can now purchase my book, How to be a Minimalist — A Beginner’s Guide! Click HERE to see the details. I sincerely hope you enjoy the book and thanks for supporting me/my family/my work! The ebook is out now and the paperback will be out in the next month or two.

Instagram @howtobeaminimalist

My book, How to be a Minimalist with Kids: Finding YOUR Kind of Minimalism

Broden and the Shark-Toothed Chicken — Book 1 of this chapter book series (should be marked as free)

My latest videos on YouTube:
Simple Crunchy Granola Recipe
Vegan Cheesy Fry Sauce
How to Make Cashew Yogurt
Sushi Bowl Salad

Your support of the show is so very appreciated! Ratings, reviews, and Patreon patronage all sustain this show. Don’t forget that Patrons now get bonus episodes! Thanks so much!

Want to leave a tip in my virtual tip jar? You can Venmo me @HowtobeaMinimalist Thank you so much for your support!

This Week’s Minimalist and Simple Living Happenings

Posted on by Katie Coughran

I often notice the big ways in which we practice minimalism and simple living — pretty easy when you wake up in an RV each morning. However, I don’t always notice the little things.

Last week I had a few days of staying in bed (LISTEN TO THE PODCAST EPISODE FOR THE FULL STORY. Hint: strep and double ear infections are no fun) and watched my family work through our family chores as well as live without my assistance. I can’t tell you how grateful it made me that our home and calendar are easy to maintain!

As I made a mental list of the sweet and simple things we do, I realized it was yet another way to share with this community. Don’t be shy about sharing YOUR simple and minimalist living happenings—I’d love to hear about it and be inspired.

  • On the days that I could cook, I made simple, low-stress dinners.
  • We turned music on often, enjoying listening and singing/rocking out.
  • We supported a small business and were able to replace our cracked cutting board. I only keep two cutting boards and I knew my small one was about to go at any time. I’ve got a large one from this small, local business and wanted to wait until we were back in the PNW to buy a small one from him. I’m glad I waited!
  • I created our budget for September—essential for supporting our needs as well as using our resources to further our financial goals.
  • I ate clean, healthy foods for breakfast and lunch while also keeping it simple.
  • I got rid of a tiered basket we used to keep on our kitchen counter. We used it for bread and tortillas, so I simply put those things into the produce baskets (aka, my little “store” on the shelf above our table/piano) and got rid of the baskets on the kitchen counter. Now, I simply have my herb garden on the kitchen counter, my chicken timer, and my dish soap. It feels SO much more open and I love it! Space is always an issue when living in an RV, but this just feels so great, it was worth the adjustments and effort. Where there’s a will, there’s a way! I’m much happier cooking in the space, now, so it was totally a positive change.
  • My husband turned on Pride and Prejudice (CLICK HERE TO SEE WHICH VERSION) the other night—I thought he was going to turn on Cobra Kai, so this was a nice surprise, ha!—and we had a spontaneous date night. I love my man.
  • I pulled out the craft supplies and my kids made some dream catchers that turned out beautifully. We don’t keep a ton of craft supplies in the RV, but it’s definitely been a major part of their growth and creativity, making them a vital part of our lives and home school.

I hope you enjoyed this post and thanks for being here! What are the minimalist and simple living happenings in your home?

You can now purchase my book, How to be a Minimalist — A Beginner’s Guide! Click HERE to see the details. I sincerely hope you enjoy the book and thanks for supporting me/my family/my work! The ebook is out now and the paperback will be out in the next month or two.

Instagram @howtobeaminimalist

My book, How to be a Minimalist with Kids: Finding YOUR Kind of Minimalism

Broden and the Shark-Toothed Chicken — Book 1 of this chapter book series (should be marked as free)

My latest videos on YouTube:
Simple Crunchy Granola Recipe
Vegan Cheesy Fry Sauce
How to Make Cashew Yogurt
Sushi Bowl Salad

Your support of my work/the show is so very appreciated! Ratings, reviews, and Patreon patronage all sustain this show. Don’t forget that Patrons now get bonus episodes! Thanks so much!

Want to leave a tip in my virtual tip jar? You can Venmo me @HowtobeaMinimalist Thank you so much for your support!

How to be a Minimalist: A Beginner’s Guide

Posted on by Katie Coughran

Grab it on Amazon by clicking HERE — How to be a Minimalist: A Beginner’s Guide

My book, How to be a Minimalist: A Beginner’s Guide is now up and available for purchase in ebook format! I’ve really loved working on this project and I hope you enjoy reading it. Thanks so much for checking it out and supporting me/my family/my work!

Note: The paperback will be out in a month or two in case you’re interested.

Why I’m Grateful for Minimalism — A Short and Sweet Episode

Posted on by Katie Coughran

You can now purchase my book, How to be a Minimalist — A Beginner’s Guide! Click HERE to see the details. I sincerely hope you enjoy the book and thanks for supporting me/my family/my work! The ebook is out now and the paperback will be out in the next month or two.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08FHSMQLL

Welcome to a short and sweet episode of the podcast. Minimalism has been a great help in my life and this past week, I had another insight into why. No article today, you’ll have to hit the play button below to hear all about it. Thanks for being here!

Instagram @howtobeaminimalist

My book, How to be a Minimalist with Kids: Finding YOUR Kind of Minimalism

Broden and the Shark-Toothed Chicken — Book 1 of this chapter book series (should be marked as free)

My latest videos on YouTube:
Simple Crunchy Granola Recipe
Vegan Cheesy Fry Sauce
How to Make Cashew Yogurt
Sushi Bowl Salad

Your support of the show is so very appreciated! Ratings, reviews, and Patreon patronage all sustain this show. Don’t forget that Patrons now get bonus episodes! Thanks so much!

Want to leave a tip in my virtual tip jar? You can Venmo me @HowtobeaMinimalist Thank you so much for your support!

Minimalism for Couples — Four Tips

Posted on by Katie Coughran

Practicing Minimalism by yourself has its own complexities, but practicing as a couple is a completely different story. While my husband and I are now on the same page regarding minimalism — most of the time — we weren’t always, which led to both struggle and growth. These four practices have helped us to work our way through the difficult minimalist moments, as well as work on building a lifestyle we love.

Press play to listen, or read the rest of the article below.

These are our top four practices:

  1. Be respectful. First off, not only is everybody on their own path and has their own pace, but nagging about minimalism has never worked for anyone I know. YOUR kind of minimalism may not work for them, and THEIR kind of minimalism may not work for you. When it comes to personal belongings, being respectful seems to work best. Ditching/donating your own things and letting them ditch/donate/declutter their own things will likely ultimately lead to a happier home.
  2. Create a minimalist home together. When only one person is “in charge” of making the home pleasant, not only is that a lot of pressure and work, but the other person in the partnership isn’t invested. When both parts of the pair are working on creating a beautiful, minimalist home, not only does it give both people an opportunity to share in the experience, it’s likely that there won’t be resentment. Besides, it’s fun to design or create minimalist spaces together! I may not always agree with my husband’s ideas, but in the end, it’s just stuff and I love that we’ve designed our home together more than being 100% in charge.
  3. Communicate clearly about your spaces and expectations. Which surfaces are you hoping to keep clear? What are your partner’s triggers? What can you each do to contribute to the home? Communicating in a loving way will help your minimalist practices to stick and go a lot smoother as a couple.
  4. It’s not just about your space, but also about your schedule and lifestyle. People often forget that this is a major part of minimalism; it’s not just about the STUFF, but the activities you say yes to, the time you spend on hobbies, and whether you’re spending quality — and also mundane — time together.

Spending time supporting each others’ dreams, hobbies, and creating a simple-living lifestyle together has been some of the best work we’ve put into our marriage. Again, most of the time, it’s really fun, especially considering the fact that we used to spend a significant amount of time on the insignificant and — in retrospect — boring. Not only was it a waste of our lives, but we weren’t creating stronger relationship bonds. Now that we’ve refocused our goals, our life is just better. 

Minimalism as a couple hasn’t always been easy. In fact, there were several years when we really clashed and it was a major struggle to overcome. Learning to practice minimalism and incorporate it into our life has been a slow process, but absolutely worthy of our efforts.

I hope these minimalism-for-couples tips help you along your path. Remember, it’s all about the experiences, not the stuff.

Here’s the article I talk about on the show, 6 Surprising Ways to Communicate Better With Your Partner

The PRE-ORDER for How to be a Minimalist — A Beginner’s Guide is up! Click HERE to see the details. I sincerely hope you enjoy the book and thanks for supporting me/my family/my work! The ebook will be out September 1st, paperback will be out in the next month or two.

Instagram @howtobeaminimalist

My book, How to be a Minimalist with Kids: Finding YOUR Kind of Minimalism

Broden and the Shark-Toothed Chicken — Book 1 of this chapter book series (should be marked as free)

My latest videos on YouTube:
Simple Crunchy Granola Recipe
Vegan Cheesy Fry Sauce
How to Make Cashew Yogurt
Sushi Bowl Salad

Your support of the show is so very appreciated! Ratings, reviews, and Patreon patronage all sustain this show. Don’t forget that Patrons now get bonus episodes! Thanks so much!

Want to leave a tip in my virtual tip jar? You can Venmo me @HowtobeaMinimalist Thank you so much for your support!

4 Ways Minimalism Can Save You Money

Posted on by Katie Coughran

The PRE-ORDER for How to be a Minimalist — A Beginner’s Guide is up! Click HERE to see the details. I sincerely hope you enjoy the book and thanks for supporting me/my family/my work! The ebook will be out September 1st, paperback will be out in the next month or two.

There are so many different ways minimalism has saved us money, it will be a recurring theme on this podcast. All of the emotional, mental, and spiritual benefits of minimalism are wonderful and I certainly go into some of that here. However, there’s also this other side that’s simply practicality and there’s NOTHING wrong with that. I hope you enjoy the episode (hit the play button) or feel free to read the article below.

1. Practicing Simple Living means a slower life for us, or faster paces in nature, which is often free or inexpensive. Going on a hike pretty much costs fuel and food/water and most people likely already have the necessary gear. The views, getting some exercise, accomplishing a challenge all are worth much more to me than spending ten bucks on some random item I find at the store. I’ve used the example of hiking here, but there are so many ways that living simply adds joy and beauty to our lives without expensive price tags and stuff that will ultimately become a strain on our time and space.

2. Multi-use items save both space AND money. I also find them to be more natural, which is appealing to me, personally. Do you know how many items baking soda has replaced in our home?? That stuff is amazing and really inexpensive. I also now only keep one homemade cleaner in the home instead of ten different cleaners for ten different things. Simple, inexpensive, natural — so many things I like.

3. I no longer head to the store to look for something to buy, I now go to the store to buy what I need. I have lists, I’m organized, and I avoid sections I don’t need anything from. That’s a major shift in mindset and definitely saves us money!

4. Lastly, the more I practice minimalism, the more I have an abundance mindset. Don’t get me wrong — I still struggle at times. However, in my general, daily life, I feel content with what I have and I don’t want more, which absolutely keeps me from buying more and ultimately saves money. Not only am I grateful to have what I need, but I’m happy to be able to use and enjoy my things in my uncluttered home. 

I hope these tips help and remember — it’s all about the experiences, not the stuff.

7 Way to Simplify Your Life article

Instagram @howtobeaminimalist

My book, How to be a Minimalist with Kids: Finding YOUR Kind of Minimalism

Broden and the Shark-Toothed Chicken — Book 1 of this chapter book series (should be marked as free)

My latest videos on YouTube:
Simple Crunchy Granola Recipe
Vegan Cheesy Fry Sauce
How to Make Cashew Yogurt
Sushi Bowl Salad

Your support of the show is so very appreciated! Ratings, reviews, and Patreon patronage all sustain this show. Don’t forget that Patrons now get bonus episodes! Thanks so much!

Want to leave a tip in my virtual tip jar? You can Venmo me @HowtobeaMinimalist Thank you so much for your support!

Pre-Order Time! How to be a Minimalist: A Beginner’s Guide

Posted on by Katie Coughran

I’m pleased to announce that the second book in the How to be a Minimalist series is now available for pre-order with a release date of September 1st! NOTE: Ebook only at this time — the paperback will be out in the next month or two. You can find the Amazon link HERE or by clicking the book cover above. Pre-order now and it’ll show up on your device when it comes out September 1st.

While How to be a Minimalist With Kids: Finding YOUR Kind of Minimalism focused on parents/families, this Beginner’s Guide is all about the individual and the various ways they can implement minimalism into their personal lives. It was a pleasure to write this book and I sincerely hope you enjoy!

DESCRIPTION:

Excited to start practicing minimalism, but uncertain about where to start? This book is — as titled — a guide just for beginners, and a great starting point. However, because of the variety of areas this book covers, experienced minimalists might also enjoy the different ideas explored in each chapter.

Although it’s difficult to capture EVERY aspect that simple living and minimalism can encompass, this guide goes over more than just how to go about decluttering your home. The reason for that? Minimalism is about more than just your possessions — it’s about your calendar, spending time on your goals, self care, maintaining your home once you’ve put in the effort to declutter it, emotional minimalism, and even keeping your budget in line. Don’t worry, though, this guide doesn’t skimp on the details of how to ditch, donate, and declutter so that you can move forward with confidence in your minimalistic practices.

That’s the beauty of minimalism — it can touch every aspect of your life. This guide is here to get you started with practical, realistic, and thoughtful methods so that you can find YOUR kind of minimalism.

Minimalism and Goals: My July Law of Attraction Experiment — Ep. 39

Posted on by Katie Coughran

I learned about the Law of Attraction, Thoughts Become Things, and the Power of Positive Thinking nearly a decade ago, but I feel like I’m just now learning to harness the power of this kind of positivity, combined with knowing what I want, and also taking action. The final push for me giving these kinds of mindsets a try? Negativity was getting me nowhere.

Because this episode was so long, detailed, and personal, I’ve decided I won’t be writing an article to go along with it this time. If you’re curious, you’ll just have to listen by hitting the play button below.

In case you missed it, my latest video is out: Simple Crunchy Granola Recipe

Article on speaking to yourself in the 3rd person potentially making you wiser

Instagram @howtobeaminimalist

My book, How to be a Minimalist with Kids: Finding YOUR Kind of Minimalism

Broden and the Shark-Toothed Chicken — Book 1 of this chapter book series (should be marked as free)

My latest videos on YouTube:
Vegan Cheesy Fry Sauce
How to Make Cashew Yogurt
Sushi Bowl Salad

Your support of the show is so very appreciated! Ratings, reviews, and Patreon patronage all sustain this show. Don’t forget that Patrons now get bonus episodes! Thanks so much!

Want to leave a tip in my virtual tip jar? You can Venmo me @HowtobeaMinimalist Thank you so much for your support!

Simple Crunchy Granola Recipe

Posted on by Katie Coughran

 

I absolutely love a good smoothie bowl with delicious granola on top. Or just some plain granola with cashew milk. I never found a granola that suited all of my dietary and taste specifications, though, so I finally decided to create my own recipe. It’s highly versatile, easy to make, and has the perfect amount of crunch. I hope you enjoy it!

Find the full recipe in the details of the video and thanks for watching!