Tag: how to be a minimalist

How to Declutter — Negative VS Positive Value

Posted on by Katie Coughran

Sometimes it’s really difficult to evaluate our possessions and determine whether something has earned its place in our home. I hope my take helps!

Watch by hitting the play button or read the recap by scrolling down.

There was a time when I didn’t understand when or why I should keep or ditch something. As soon as I realized that each item I own has both positive and negative value and vibes, it became so much more clear what I wanted to have around me. Things with bad vibes? Absolutely not! Beautiful, space-efficient things I love? Heck yes!

Here are just a couple of tips for determining negative and positive value:

How much space does it take? Items can be useful and wonderful but still have a lot of negative value if they take up too much space. This is where you have to decide if an item is worth the space or not. If it’s not worth the space but you still want that type of functional tool in your life, look for a similar item that is space-efficient.

Do negative memories surround an item? I’ve used this example many times in my books and podcast, but it’s the example that cemented negative value in for me. I had a blouse that was beautiful and looked great on me…but when I purchased it, somebody said something incredibly rude to me. I kept the shirt but hated wearing it and I tried to avert my eyes when I opened the closet because every time I saw the blouse, I couldn’t help but remember that comment. Ditching that shirt was like ditching that comment. Now when I use it as an example and remember it, I see that comment as that person’s character issue and not mine. Even though it stung at the time, I’m grateful for the lesson I—eventually—learned.

If you have items that bring back terrible memories and make you feel bad about yourself, why are you keeping them? Is there enough negative value there that you can let those items go?

The same goes for the opposite—if you have something functional and to your taste with great memories attached, try to make space for it in your home.

Is it adding to the style you want to achieve in your home/wardrobe? If you have something that doesn’t add to the vibes you’re trying to achieve in your space, why are you keeping it? The negative value is that you have something that isn’t making your home/wardrobe feel the way you want, therefore taking up space you could be using for something that would make your home exactly the way you want it to be.

When I bring something into my home/wardrobe now, I’m hyper aware of style, quality, and space. I never want something that won’t be well-loved and used in our home again. Of course, I know I’ll fail at this task at many points, but I find myself succeeding more and more often.

Whatever you need to declutter, I hope these tips help you make decisions about what earns a place in your home and what needs to find a home elsewhere. After all, if you have to spend your precious time and resources housing it, shouldn’t you make sure it’s truly worth the effort?

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

Want to listen to the How to be a Minimalist podcast? You can find it here

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How to be a Minimalist Q&A

Posted on by Katie Coughran

In this episode, I do my best to answer some of your questions. I hope you enjoy and that they’re helpful!

Click the play button to listen to the podcast episode or scroll down to read the How to be a Minimalist Q&A. Thanks for hanging out with me!

I absolutely loved answering these questions. It made me consider carefully and allowed me to see how far I’ve come. I hope you’ll take a moment to see how far you’ve come, too.

Here are the questions and my answers:

1. What do you do with photographs? Personally, because we so heavily invest in experiences and travel, I love having photo albums. We don’t have a ton, but my kids love them, it’s a bonding experience to look at them together, and it’s preserving our family history. In the future, I’d like to replace the albums we have with one that’s made of wood or something that will go beautifully with our home—a feature instead of an excuse of a place that holds our memories.

If you don’t want a photo album, go digital. Ask family members if they want the originals of the old black and white photographs and consider uploading them to a genealogy site where many can enjoy them.

In my opinion, it’s not so much a problem that we keep photos of memories, but that we take SO MANY on our smart phones and never go through to clean them out. This is a project I’ve been working on a bit and want to dive into more, but even more importantly, I’m trying harder to not remove myself from the moment unless it’s truly worth the photo to disturb it. Taking less pictures will most certainly help with this question!

2. Do you have any tips for going plant-based? Absolutely I do! Here are the things I wish I would have learned ten years ago: Eat the best produce you can afford and more of it in general, and make simple meals that have complex flavors.

I wish I would have been eating as much produce as possible all these years because it has drastically improved my health to get lots of greens, veggies, and potatoes and rice into my body. They’ve healed so much of what was messed up. Also, most of the time, big box store produce is awful and I’m not surprised when I hear that people dislike salads or veggies. I don’t like salads or veggies from big box stores, either! As often as I can, I try to purchase produce at farmers markets, Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, Sprouts, or other places like that. It’s far superior and worth the extra cost (if there is any—I often find savings).

Keeping the meals simple by creating new dishes with basic ingredients saves so much time and effort! I season and cook things differently, which prevents boredom and actually makes cooking interesting.

Eating plant-based takes effort and has forced a lot of change in my pantry, but it’s been one of the best things I’ve ever done. I feel amazing and so much happier.

3. Bullet Journals—how do you use one to achieve your goals? This question honestly needs a video, so watch out for that in the future. Basically, though, I use my bullet journal to plan out and achieve my goals, keeping a few lists of completed tasks in the pages.

1. Keep a write-out-your-goals page—don’t include how-to steps, here.

2. Keep a monthly spread page that has tasks you’ll complete within the month to be able to achieve your goals. Put check boxes next to the tasks because that’s just a nice feeling and also allows you to see success as well as areas you can improve.

3. After each monthly spread page, create basic weekly pages much like you’d find in a planner. Here you’ll turn your monthly tasks into micro tasks to check off each day.

Because I’ve focused on goals for my bullet journal (these dotted grid blank journals can be used for anything!), it’s very centered on that and doesn’t include things other than my goals. I’ve gotten so much done using this form of organizing! I might get one for home schooling next year because I love the way they work so well.

4. What made me decide to practice minimalism? There were two key moments that convinced me that a firm commitment to minimalism would greatly enhance my life. These stories are a lot longer than I try to keep these posts, so you’ll have to listen to the podcast episode on the player above in order to hear the full scoop, but basically, I had two moments a couple of years apart that massively contrasted each other and that’s when everything began to change.

First, when we were traveling a decade ago, I realized that everything that was truly important and necessary to me was in the car and tent trailer we towed. It made me feel vulnerable for a moment before a feeling of focus and love for my family washed over me. It made me committed to keeping what was enhancing my life and ditching the rest.

Secondly, when we were settled into a home we were renting a year or so later, I found myself overwhelmed by the mess and dredges from letting too much stuff into our home and lives. I’d felt betrayed by minimalist expectations and had walked away from minimalism, but this was an even greater betrayal—stuff really doesn’t make you happy if it’s excessive, unnecessary, and unused.

I’m so grateful for those two experiences—my mental shift never would have happened without them.

5. Where can I find your recipes? First off, you can find most of them by scrolling through the blog right here. Also, you can find them on my YouTube channel—How to be a Minimalist—or at all the links I’ve conveniently placed below. There are a few special recipes that I give to Patrons. If you’d like to become a patron of my work, you can do so by clicking HERE. Thanks for your support!

Hope this Q&A helps and I’ll see you next time. Remember, it’s all about the experiences, not the stuff.

How to be a Minimalist YouTube Videos—52 videos in 2020 Goal:

20. Minimalist Tips for Beginners
19. 5 Chores that Keep Your House Tidy
18. Vegan Sour Cream and Salsa Dip
17. Meals for Maximum Weight Loss
16. Minimalist Nightly Routine
15. Goddess Dressing Recipe + Minimalist Weekly Food Prep
14. Vegetable Orzo Pasta Recipe
13. VLOG: Beacon Rock State Park—RV Minimalists Edition
12. 5 Things I Don’t Buy Anymore as a Minimalist
11. Homemade Hummus Recipe
10. Five Daily Habits that can Improve Your Life
9. Creamy Butternut Squash Soup (Plant-Based/Dairy-Free)
8. Soft and Fluffy Dinner Rolls (Plant-Based, Oil-Free, Dairy-Free)
7. Chocolate Cream Pie (Plant-Based with Oil-Free Crust)
6. Simple Crunchy Granola Recipe
5. Vegan Cheesy Fry Sauce
4. How to Make Cashew Yogurt
3. Sushi Bowl Salad
2. Cashew Milk Recipe
1. WeColor Silicone Straw Review

The Darwin Awards Podcast — My husband and his brothers’ podcast

Something Interesting: Embrace Intentions YouTube Channel & Instagram

You can now purchase my book, How to be a Minimalist — A Beginner’s Guide! Click HERE to see the details.

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!

Instagram @howtobeaminimalist

Minimalist Tips for Beginners

Posted on by Katie Coughran

There are so many reasons to practice minimalism, but sometimes it’s easy to get lost when we begin to simplify our lives. Here are some tips to help you out.

Click the play button below or scroll down to read the article.

There are so many tips that can aid you in your minimalistic practices, but these are a few of my favorites that keep me going time and time again. I hope they help you, too!

1. Define your “Whys.” Sounds kind of cheesy, but it actually works. If you don’t know why you’re doing something, when times get tough, it’s easy to give up. However, if you know what you want to get out of minimalism and you’re either going to continue practicing minimalism or give up your goals and dreams, it’s a lot harder to throw in the towel than when you don’t realize what you’re giving up. Define your “Whys” — those wants and dreams. It’ll be a lot harder to quit and will ensure you get closer to what you want.

2. Declutter one micro space at a time. If you’re just starting out, I usually recommend starting small. Start with a drawer in one piece of furniture, then work on the next drawer in that piece, and the next until the entire piece is decluttered from top to bottom. You’re much more likely to feel really good about that piece, it’s easier to see progress than if you grabbed random stuff from around your home, and you’ll probably want to put in a little effort to keep the space clean. Grabbing random stuff from around the house isn’t quite as noticeable.

3. Don’t stop progressing—set aside items you’re stuck on and continue moving. Lots of times people stop their forward motion while decluttering because they get stuck on an item/set of items. Instead of setting them aside and continuing to ditch and declutter items they CAN make decisions about, lots of people simply stop their progress. Some even quit.

If you’re stuck on an item or space, move on. Set that item aside in a box or even empty the drawers of a particular piece of furniture (use a couple of boxes), then tuck those boxes away into a space labeled, “Still deciding.” Once you’re done decluttering and ditching stuff in the rest of your home or after several months, come back to the box and see if you’re ready to decide.

Call yourself a minimalist, practice minimalism, and don’t worry about whether your home has been decluttered 100%. We’re all works in progress and honestly, I don’t think it’s ever done. Minimalism isn’t about one massive overhaul, but about living mindfully about what you choose to allow into your life. The massive overhaul is just an initial clearing out that gives you more opportunities to make those choices about what you really want in your life.

4. Minimalism is about more than physical possessions. Check out your schedule—what’s cluttering it up? Or what ISN’T on your schedule that really should be? What about your budget—what’s on there that’s keeping you from experiences or isn’t on there that would enhance your life? What’s cluttering up your mind or not taking up enough space in your thoughts? My commitment to minimalism truly began once I realized it wasn’t only to be practiced with my kitchen gadgets.

5. Find YOUR kind of minimalism. This is pretty much the heart of everything I talk about when it comes to minimalism. It’s great to gather information about how to practice something, but the way you actually make it functional in your life is by trying it out and seeing what works for you and your home. Learn from others, but in the end, don’t worry about how they’re implementing minimalism—do it your way or it’ll never be all it can for you.

I hope these tips help! Remember, it’s all about the experiences, not the stuff.

Want to listen to the How to be a Minimalist podcast? You can find it here

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Want to become a patron to the show? Get two bonus exclusive podcast episodes each month by signing up for just $3 a month by heading over to Patreon RIGHT HERE. Thanks for considering!

Vegetable Orzo Pasta — Oil-Free and Vegan

Posted on by Katie Coughran

 

Eating plant-based has been a major game-changer for me and it’s been a positive influence on my family. This recipe can be easily adapted so that most vegetables you have on hand can replace the ones I use here. Green beans, asparagus, shredded or thinly diced carrot, or celery would likely all be quite tasty in this recipe. I hope you enjoy!

Find the recipe details below and don’t forget to click on the video link to see how I make it. Thanks for watching!

Want to listen to the How to be a Minimalist podcast? You can find it here

Hang out with me on Instagram

 

VEGETABLE ORZO PASTA RECIPE

1.5-2 Cups orzo pasta, cooked and drained according to package instructions 

1 yellow squash, chopped

2 cups chopped broccoli

1 cup chopped onion

.5 cup chopped red bell pepper

.5 cup chopped mushrooms

.5 tsp thyme

.5 tsp basil

1 tsp garlic

1 tsp onion powder

.5 tsp Himalayan pink salt 

.5 tsp ground pepper

Water or vegetable broth for water sautéing 

Cook the orzo pasta according to package instructions. Water sauté onion, bell pepper and mushrooms until the onions are translucent and fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. Add in the squash and broccoli and continue cooking until the broccoli heads are bright green and a fork goes into the stalk to your desired tenderness. Add water or vegetable broth as necessary for sautéing.

Drain the pasta and set aside until the veggies are done.

Once the vegetables are to your liking, add in the pasta and herbs/seasonings. Mix well to combine and it’s ready to be plated.

Minimalist Night Routine — Getting Ready to Rest

Posted on by Katie Coughran

While I have an episode on creating morning and nightly cleaning routines, this one doesn’t include much tidying up. In this episode, I talk about the things I do—or don’t do—in order to get ready for a great night of sleep.

Listen to the episode by hitting the play button below, watch my YouTube video on the topic by scrolling down a bit, or feel free to read my written thoughts on the topic below.

I don’t think I’m the only one that—at one point or another—has struggled to get good sleep. After pinpointing some things I did that were contributing to poor sleep hygiene, I’ve begun practicing these habits and it’s made a huge difference. Now, sleep comes much more easily.

1. Tidy up before bed. This doesn’t have to be some massive chore. It doesn’t have to include vacuuming or wiping down bathrooms. Just focus on putting bags and shoes away, straightening couch pillows, and clearing off the coffee table. This way, you’re ready for the morning and don’t have these chores nagging at you while lying in bed.

2. Check your calendar. It’s not always my favorite thing to schedule out a busy day, but once I have a plan, I can let it go and prepare for better rest knowing I won’t wake to chaos.

3. Relax for a bit. Once the house is tidy and the schedule created and let go of, taking a moment to have tea, be quiet, chat with a loved one, or cozy up with a good book is well-deserved. By this time of night, I’m exhausted and ready to quit working. Giving myself a break is one of the best self care practices I could indulge in.

4. Avoid Information Overload. When it comes to getting ready to sleep, nothing can disrupt relaxation more than checking in on media/social media. I’m not heartless—I absolutely care considerably about the happenings near and far from me. But 99.9999% of the time, there’s nothing I can do about any of the many issues I could potentially across 10 minutes before bed. I am a much more productive person in the morning, so I try to save my social media time for daylight hours only.

5. Turn off the screens. I continuously hear more and more about screens making a person more alert and straining eyes rather than preparing a person for bed. I’ve been making more efforts to give my eyes and mind a break by getting off of screens well before I turn off the light for bedtime and it’s making a huge difference.

6. Think of successes right before sleeping. This one can be tricky—I often think of my struggles as wife and mother as I drift off to sleep. Unsurprisingly, when I allow my mind to do this, I sleep terribly, wake unrested, and usually have bad dreams. Journaling about my successes, then thinking about them—no matter how small they are—has been a huge help in getting better sleep.

Thanks for reading this article, listening to the podcast, and/or watching my YouTube video! I hope these tips help you to sleep better and thanks for being here.

The Darwin Awards Podcast — My husband and his brothers’ podcast

My Something Interesting: Ellen Fisher’s YouTube Channel

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.

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!

Instagram @howtobeaminimalist

Oil-Free Goddess Dressing + Vegan/Plant-Based Weekly Food Prep

Posted on by Katie Coughran

Links to HUMMUS and CASHEW MILK below!

Eating plant-based has been a major game-changer for me and it’s been a positive influence on my family. That being said, it’s a good amount of work, even though it’s worth it. While I don’t do meal prepping, FOOD prepping has made it so much easier! Watch the video and find the Goddess dressing below and don’t forget to check out the other links to my podcast, Instagram and other YouTube videos.

Want to listen to the How to be a Minimalist podcast? You can find it here:

Hang out with me on Instagram:

HOMEMADE HUMMUS RECIPE:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFTIZe5xgiI

CASHEW MILK RECIPE:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99cmjhAxkCg

https://youtu.be/vM-Wgs_xDMo

GODDESS DRESSING RECIPE:

1/2 C tahini

1/4 C + 2 TBS water

2 TBS lemon juice

2 TBS apple cider vinegar

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp onion

1/2 tsp dried basil

In a blender or small mixing bowl, blend or whisk all ingredients until smooth and creamy.

Can be used immediately or chilled before used. Store in the refrigerator.

VLOG: BEACON ROCK STATE PARK

Posted on by Katie Coughran

For those of you that are curious about our RV lifestyle, here’s a little taste of a travel day, what we eat in a day, as well as some of my thoughts on minimalism and health. I hope you enjoy!

Homemade Hummus Recipe

Posted on by Katie Coughran

This is my go-to hummus recipe. Great with veggies, bread, and crackers and even my husband who won’t eat store-bought hummus LOVES this recipe. Find the recipe below and thanks for watching! 

Want to listen to the How to be a Minimalist podcast? You can find it here

Hang out with me on Instagram by CLICKING HERE

Homemade Hummus 

2 Cups Cooked Chickpeas (Garbanzo Beans) 

1/4 Cup Tahini 

Juice of 1/2 Lemon 

1/2 Heaping tsp Himalayan Pink Salt (regular salt will work, too) 

3/4 tsp Garlic Powder 

1/4 Cup water 

1 tsp Dried Basil 

1/4 tsp Curry Powder 

Add all ingredients to a high speed blender or food processor and blend until smooth and creamy or to your taste. Refrigerate or enjoy immediately. Store in the refrigerator.

Soft and Fluffy Dinner Rolls (Vegan/Dairy-Free/Oil-Free)

Posted on by Katie Coughran

Thanks for joining me! I hope you find the videos helpful and I’m glad you’re here. Enjoy this recipe, but don’t forget to check out these other two recipes that are a part of this Thanksgiving 3-Part Series to make your plant-based holidays yummy!

My Mom taught me to make bread. I started kneading dough when I was eight or so, and by the time I was twelve, I could make beautiful loaves of bread. This is a special recipe, but I’m thinking I need to share my everyday bread. For now, I hope you enjoy these soft and fluffy dinner rolls that are perfect for sopping up soup. Hit the play button above to watch the video or scroll down to see the recipe.

Vegan Creamy Butternut Squash Soup Recipe:

Want to learn to make my Vegan Chocolate Cream Pie? Here’s the recipe link:

Want to listen to the How to be a Minimalist podcast? You find find it by clicking HERE

Hang out with me on Instagram by clicking HERE

SOFT AND FLUFFY VEGAN DINNER ROLLS RECIPE:

3/4 cup warm water

2 tsp yeast (I use instant yeast)

3 TBS coconut sugar (regular works fine, too)

1 cup canned coconut milk (shake well before measuring. You could also use a different plant-based milk like cashew or soy milk, but the rolls won’t turn out as soft and fluffy)

3.5 to 4 cups All Purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp salt

In a large bowl mix the water, yeast, and sugar. I use instant yeast. If you don’t have instant and only have regular yeast, stir it in with the water and sugar and let sit about 10 minutes or until frothy and bubbly.

Add in 2 cups of flour and the coconut milk, then stir a little. Add in the baking powder and salt, stirring once more.

Kneading the dough roughly 5 minutes, add 1/2 cup flour at a time until your dough is getting smoother, the flour is incorporated, it’s tacky but not goopy or hard. Watching the video if you haven’t made bread dough before should be helpful!

Form the dough into a ball, then drizzle a little oil over the top (optional), roll the dough in the oil, form into a ball once more and cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap. Let sit 45-60 minutes or until the dough has risen and doubled in size.

Once the dough has risen, pinch the dough ball into twelve even pieces. Fold, tuck, and pinch each piece into a ball, then place on a silicone mat or parchment paper on a cookie sheet. I suggest you watch the video to see how I do it and how closely the dough pieces should be placed.

When all twelve pieces have been formed into dough balls, cover and let rise 45 minutes or until doubled in size. Preheat oven to 375 Fahrenheit 15 minutes before the rolls are done rising.

Once the rolls have doubled in size, bake 15-25 minutes or until deeply golden brown and hollow-sounding when tapped with a fingernail.

Let cool at least 25 minutes before serving.

Minimalism in the Workspace

Posted on by Katie Coughran

Whatever kind of work you do, in this episode I’m walking you through several ways you can bring minimalism to work. After all, many people spend almost as many hours doing their work as they spend on their personal lives. I hope these tips help you to have a more productive and peaceful workspace.

Listen to the episode by hitting the play button or scroll down to read the article.

Today, I want to talk about minimalism in workspaces, but talking about minimalism and an office space isn’t broad enough, but I also can’t possibly talk about every type of different work and how to apply minimalism to that particular area. I decided to break it up into a few different areas. I hope you find these tips helpful!

At Work, In Person:

This may sound basic, but keep your drawers nicely sorted. It’s hard because you’re working and taking the time to tidy up might even be frowned upon. In the end, though, it’ll make you better able to work efficiently, so spending a little time outside of work hours will end up helping you to work more quickly and have a more enjoyable space.

On a similar note, keep your desktop sorted out! Ask yourself, “What do I really need and want on my desk?” From there, you can decide how many photos and desk toys you want. I know from experience that shuffling things around your desk isn’t productive.

If you need organizing tools, get them…but only if you actually have thought about it and determined that you need them. It’s easy to have a space full of organizers without being organized at all.

If there’s a lot of drama at work, choose carefully who you spend optional time with. On the other hand, find those people that are uplifting and eat your lunch or collaborate with them as much as possible. Yes, your desk space is important, but your head space and choosing to fill it with either negativity or positivity is way more important. Negativity is the worst kind of clutter.

Driving for Work/Commuter Tips:

Spending a lot of time in a vehicle can lead to a lot of garbage tucked into door pockets and cup holders. Having a system for your garbage is essential! Keep a bin, bag, or garbage gadget in your car so it’s easy to toss your apple cores.

There’s a rule in hiking; “Pack it in, pack it out.” The same applies to vehicles—if you pack it in, pack it out. Don’t leave garbage or objects behind, no matter how tired you are after your day of hard work.

Don’t forget to wash the outside of your vehicle! It can be a challenge—especially if you drive a commercial vehicle—but it’ll make you feel great to drive a rig that’s clean inside and out.

Find ways to eat healthfully while you’re on the road. It’s already a sedentary life to be driving and sitting so much, eating unhealthy junk foods all day doesn’t help. Minimalism has been a big help when it comes to travel and packing foods for my husband—we keep it simple and healthy, which saves food and menu prep time. I’ve been making myself 1-2 things at the beginning of the week so I can save food prep time and it’s been an awesome way to allow myself to have more time to write and podcast instead of spending that time on cooking or opting to grab something unhealthy, instead.

Working at Home

If you’re working an office Job at home, what do you really need on your desk and in your space? Also, since you’re working from home, I’m assuming you have at least a teeny bit more control of your space than when you’re at an office building. How can you be happier in your space? Better lighting? Tidying your home the night before? Take advantage of being the decider of your office space so you can add to your happiness.

If you’re working at home as a homemaker, what tools do you need? I know that as the keeper of budgets, schedules, activities, menus, etc., I have things I NEED, but don’t often treat myself to. It’s wrong and I’m working on it. Need an hour so you can take care of your budget? Schedule it in. Need a desk drawer so you can have a place to keep your tools? Re-organize the desk. Almost every type of work requires some type of tool, so making sure you have what you need as the home maker is important. With the wide variety within the many areas we manage, it’s impossible to do it well without having the essentials.

Put your work away when you’re done. While we spend a good part of our lives at our work, our home life is more important and where we can take care of ourselves, reenergize, and spend time with loved ones. No need to keep our work out on our desk or other areas; this visual will only nag at us and keep our minds from relaxing into our home life.

Minimalist Challenge: Ask yourself, “What’s one thing that bothers me about my work area?” Maybe it’s your cluttered desk, unorganized pantry, or trash in your vehicle. Whatever the case, spend ten minutes working on it during your lunch or after work hours until you’ve got it the way you want it.

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

Here’s the article I talked about in the podcast episode.

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.

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!

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