Tag: minimalist podcast

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

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!

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.

6 Happiness Practices — Episode 38

Posted on by Katie Coughran

Living in the PNW in the winter has its challenges, as does the normal stresses of life, so I’ve been doing my best to implement simple living, minimalism, and happiness practices that help me to be able to live my best life, no matter what’s going on around me. Today, I’m sharing 6 practices I’ve implemented into my life that allow me to feel more positive and have higher energy levels in my daily life.

Click the play button below to listen to this episode of the How to be a Minimalist podcast or read a shortened version below

NOTE: While these practices work for me, they may not work for you! If you need professional help, you should definitely seek it.

1. Light body movement is one of my favorite ways to boost my energy and happiness levels. I always feel more mental clarity, and my body feels so much better afterward. There are countless ways to do this, but stretching, going for a walk, dancing, or even just stepping outside for a minute always create a little more positivity in my life.

2. Intake uplifting information. Several months ago, I realized that I only had deeply negative topics of conversation to bring to the table because that’s what was running through my head. Choosing wisely how much time I spent with negative sources, ditching or limiting all forms of media, and discerning between educating myself and indulging in negative articles/posts helped me to return to the person I really want to be. Being uplifting and being a source of positive energy are two extremely important focuses for me and allow me to do more good for others than drenching myself in negativity.

3. Get in touch with your Higher Power. For me, this is God, for you it might be nature, spirituality, the Universe, or any number of sources. When I get out of touch, I notice a lack in my life and always feel a pull to return. And when I do, I notice a boost in happiness.

4. Look at your successes. I had a tendency to never slow down and appreciate my accomplishments and instead, constantly tried to figure out what I was supposed to be doing next. This led to me always feeling frenzied. Knowing that I can take a moment to pause and be happy that I got the kitchen cleaned or a podcast episode uploaded has added greatly to my happiness and self-love.

5. Get into nature. This can even be done by bringing a plant into your home to put on your bedside table. Whether you walk down your street, go for a bike ride, head to a state park, or add a succulent to your bathroom counter, being in nature is a beautiful way to get grounded, feel peace, and find inspiration. This world is a beautiful place to explore.

6. Live in joyful gratitude. I’ve recently had an epiphany about gratitude. I’ve always been full of gratitude, but I never knew all it could be and the joy it could bring until a couple of weeks ago. I saw a YouTube video from the Gem Goddess where she talked about doing everything with passion. The second she mentioned something about passionately being grateful you actually have dishes to clean, I realized that I had been grateful all my life, yes, but it wasn’t with joy. And it was always with a touch of guilt — like I would be an awful person if I wasn’t grateful for what I had and if I wanted to progress onward to better things. Since watching her video, I’ve been trying to do things with passion and joyful gratitude simply for the sake of adding happiness to my life. It’s allowed me to truly see all that I have and bask in the joy for all that’s in my life.

There are a lot of things to be happy and positive about. My life is better when I focus on and find them and I’m much better able to share my positivity with others.

The article I talked about: 9 Natural Ways to Boost Your Energy Levels

Instagram @howtobeaminimalist

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

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

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!

7 Minimalist Cleaning Tips

Posted on by Katie Coughran

Keeping things minimalist-minded when it comes to my cleaning routine has saved me hours of cleaning time and kept me on track when it comes to having a tidy home. My family and I all benefit from having a nice space and I’m happy I don’t have to spend extra minutes cleaning — some more bonuses of minimalistic practices.

Hit the play button to listen to the episode, or you can quickly read through my tips below.

If you’ve listened to many of my podcast episodes or read my book, you’ll know that I dislike cleaning, but I love having a clean house. Minimizing the amount of time I spend on chores but also being able to enjoy a tidy home is one of my goals with minimalism and here are my top tips for having the best of both worlds.

  1. Clean the dishes after every meal. Yep, it’s a bit of a pain, but it’s impactful when it comes to amount of dishes you need — if you only have a dish or two for each person In the home, you HAVE to clean up after every meal. If you have 50 plates, it’s easier to let them pile up and create a huge mess. Also, having a tidy kitchen won’t only feel good, but it will likely help you to eat better foods if your kitchen is clean.
  2. Have the right tools. You don’t need a million, just the right ones. I finally made a daily cleaner that I love and crocheted a few wipes that are specifically for the bathroom. The bonuses were that I was able to ditch the other products I had used and I now have more space in my tiny RV cabinet. Even better, our bathroom is clean most of the time because the process is quick and simple with the right tools.
  3. Deal with clutter daily. Put away paperwork as soon as it comes in, make sure your surfaces are cleared off at least once daily, and make sure clothes get put away in the hamper or closet when you’re done with them. You’ll feel less stress and be able to enjoy the benefits of being organized. Plus, it won’t be a big deal if somebody stops by.
  4. Fold and put laundry away as soon as it’s dry. This one’s the worst for me, quite frankly. I’ve learned that having a pile of laundry out makes your home feel cluttered and messy faster than most things, so it’s worth it to just deal with folding it and putting it away as soon as possible.
  5. Make constant efforts to downsize and evaluate. Did you spot a shirt tucked into the back of your closet that you never wear when you put your laundry away? Can you ditch it? You don’t have to be compulsive about searching for things to ditch, but looking at your things objectively when you’re tidying up helps to keep working on minimalistic practices.
  6. Make your bed every day. In the morning is preferable. Have you ever taken a look at how large your bed is? If it’s messy, it looks like the whole room is messy. In comparison, if you leave a glass and book out on your bedside table, but the bed is made, nobody would hardly notice. Making my bed each morning just makes me feel good and gives me a place to comfortably rest or hang out during the day.
  7. Create a cleaning routine. Focus on the flow — move fluidly from one room to the next instead of bouncing around your home like a ball in a pinball machine. It’ll take less time and you won’t have to put much mental effort into making sure you check everything off your list. Check podcast episode 12 for some tips, although I go into the nitty gritty depth of how to do this in Patreon Exclusive episode 7. $3/month patrons get two bonus exclusive podcast episodes each month and you’re also supporting the show continuing, my friends. Thanks for considering!

The Darwin Awards Podcast

Jenny Mustard Minimalist Cleaning Habits — Get Tidy + Organized

Instagram @howtobeaminimalist

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

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

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 and the Power of Positive Thinking — Ep. 34

Posted on by Katie Coughran

There is so much power in positivity, I’ve made one of my life’s focuses attempting to surround myself with as much of it as possible. I’m happier, I get more done, and I personally feel I have more positive impact on others when I’m positive. Minimalism and positivity go hand in hand — removing negativity means making free spaces in our minds and homes so we can live our best lives.

Listen to the full episode by hitting the play button, or read a shortened snippet below:

There are so many tools out there to support embracing positivity. We’re all different, though, and what works for one person won’t work for another. While I’ve tried a lot of different positivity practices, these are just a few of my favorites.

Vision Boards

I’ve been using some form of vision boards since I was a kid. My brother was the first person to teach this to me, though he didn’t call it a vision board or even have a traditional one — he had posters of those that inspired him on his wall. This left a great impression on me and I used the same technique growing up until I discovered more traditional vision boards.

Journalling

I’ve also used journals to focus on my goals since I was kid. I didn’t realize it at the time, but I was also able to remove negativity by expressing myself. I now have two different types of journals — one strictly for emotions I’m processing that I’ll toss someday, and another for posterity. Journalling is inspiring to look back on and helps to give a beautiful vision of how far we’ve come. Or where we can improve.

Ideal Live Vision

I’ve used this idea (see link below) in the past, though I’ve never taken the official course, so I’m really not certain about whether I’m doing it “right” or not. However, I HAVE felt the positive effects of writing out and recording my goals and dreams as if they’ve already happened and listening to it daily. It’s been a beautiful way of assisting progress.

Remove Negativity From Your Life 

This one is tricky. I absolutely don’t mean to be selfish, brush problems under the rug, or ignore feelings. However, after validating my and others’ issues and feelings, dealing with problems with a positive outlook has been really helpful to me and I feel I’ve been more supportive to others by doing my best to be uplifting.

Thoughts Become Things … Choose the Good Ones — Mike Dooley

I’ve got to say, Mike Dooley is my favorite Law of Attraction-type guru. I can relate so well to his main idea of “do your best with what you’ve got right now.” It’s so easy for me to get on board with this idea that being positive and doing your best will get you to your main destination more quickly and happily. My favorite book from his is linked below.

It’s not always easy to practice being positive. Sometimes life sucks — there, I said it! But having a few tools to help me out of emotional ditches has vastly improved my life. I hope you’ll find some of these ideas helpful to you, too.

Mike Dooley’s Infinite Possibilities

Ideal Life Vision

Instagram @howtobeaminimalist

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

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

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!

How to Start Practicing Minimalism — Ep. 32

Posted on by Katie Coughran

If you’ve been enjoying the How to be a Minimalist podcast or are new to it but haven’t quite figured out where to start with minimalism, this is the podcast episode for you. I offer four steps I wish I would have started with when I first began practicing minimalism and I hope they help you on your minimalist journey. Listen to the podcast by clicking the play button below or read about the four steps below.

Step 1. Stop accumulating STUFF

This is important for two reasons — first off, this gives us time to evaluate what we have and what we actually need, which makes the process of getting rid of things easier. It’s also helpful to building better habits.

Secondly, this allows the “wear and tear” process to begin and ensures that we actually use up what we have. There’s nothing wrong with getting something new! You might consider if it’s the best choice to buy now, or wear out the thing you want to replace, first.

It’s worthwhile to note here that you should be mindful about what you bring in. Even thought it’s tempting to buy the first thing you see when you’re ready to replace an item, taking your time to purchase something that you both love and find perfectly useful will serve you well in the end.

Step 2. Write down your WHYS

We all need motivators. Understanding why you’re practicing minimalism is like creating a reward for yourself when you ditch an item, and also cements in why you’re practicing living this lifestyle.

When we finally decided to sell our home and purchase an RV to live in full time, I began getting rid of even more stuff than I ever had before. I would look at an item, tell myself, “I want to live in an RV,” then decide if I should keep that item or not. I can’t tell you how many things I got rid of just from saying that little mantra over and over.

Times will get tough. You’ll wonder why you are living simply. Saying something like, “I want to spend more time with my family and less time cleaning up my stuff,” or “I want a healthy budget” can help you to overcome those moments when you want to make a spontaneous purchase or don’t understand why you’re trying to donate your old prom dress.

Step 3. Ditch, Donate, and Declutter

I understand wanting the downsizing process to happen quickly, but many people that try to rush this step pass up developing good habits. Snapping our fingers and having everything we don’t want disappear would be amazing, yet it wouldn’t give us the same opportunities for growth. Making consistent efforts to work through your things until you’ve achieved your ideal minimalist home will most likely go better than one ditching session over a weekend.

On top of that, going through your things just once isn’t really enough. I’m constantly evaluating our possessions, determining what is still useful and wanted. Taking the time to do this has made me a much more mindful minimalist.

Step 4. Don’t forget minimalist practices on your calendar

Practice saying “no.” Look carefully at your activities and obligations — are they adding meaning and value to your life or are they simply running out the clock? In the podcast episode today, I talk about wanting my life to mean something. Ditching activities that weren’t getting me and my family to that end goal has been an important part of living minimalism to its fullest.

Good luck with finding YOUR kind of minimalism and remember, it’s all about the experiences, not the stuff.

Here’s the article from Beautiful Minimal Millennial and her Instagram

Instagram @howtobeaminimalist

My latest videos on YouTube:
How to Make Cashew Yogurt
Sushi Bowl Salad

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

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!

10 Things I Don’t Buy Anymore — Another List — Ep. 31

Posted on by Katie Coughran

There are so many things that I used to purchase that weren’t necessary! When I think back, sometimes I bought those items because I felt some sort of social obligation. I also would buy things without considering the non-monetary cost of owning those items. Now, I’m much more mindful about what I bring into our home and try to make sure that when I purchase something, it’s actually necessary or worth the cost and space if it’s more of a luxury item.

Check out the podcast by clicking the play button below:

Ron L Banks Youtube channel and the video I talked about — Check it out HERE

Here’s the Berkey Water Filter System we bought (this is an affiliate link — thanks for your support of the show!)

Instagram @howtobeaminimalist

My latest videos on YouTube:
How to Make Cashew Yogurt
Sushi Bowl Salad

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

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!

Minimalist Hobbies — Ep. 28

Posted on by Katie Coughran

If you’ve been looking for some new hobbies to try out, but don’t want to get involved in anything that requires a lot of materials, I’m hoping this list will get you inspired. Some on my list are new-to-me hobbies, some are old, all are things I enjoy and am grateful are a part of my life. Hit the play button below to listen or find the How to be a Minimalist podcast on your favorite podcast app.

Here’s the YouTube Channel I talked about: Heal Your Living

My latest videos on YouTube:
How to Make Cashew Yogurt
Sushi Bowl Salad

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

Instagram @howtobeaminimalist

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!

Why I Practice Minimalism — Ep. 27

Posted on by Katie Coughran

For many years, I found myself practicing minimalism for the wrong reasons, or straying from minimalism because I didn’t understand its true purpose in my life. Now, I have a better understanding, and today I’m sharing what I’ve learned. Click the play button below to listen or find the How to be a Minimalist podcast on your favorite podcast app.


Simple Happy Zen Youtube Channel

My latest videos on YouTube:
How to Make Cashew Yogurt
Sushi Bowl Salad

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

Instagram @howtobeaminimalist

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!