Minimalism

The road to minimalism is not always a short one.

It often takes multiple sources of inspiration, learnings and validation to understand why it makes sense to only keep that which is most important to you. There are many blog posts about minimalism, but it can be great to hear people speak passionately about their experiences of getting rid of stuff.

Here are three inspirational videos that will help you down the road on your minimalism journey.

[Read more…] about Three Inspirational TED Talks On Minimalism

Last weekend I made the trip from Minneapolis to Los Angeles to take care of some business and visit some good friends. When booking the flight, I was using an app called Hipmunk (which I’d recommend) to find weekend deals to different places I want to visit. I saw a $170 direct flight on Spirit Airlines to Los Angeles and decided to go for it.  It was about $100 cheaper than the next competing airline so it was a no-brainer, but I quickly learned about some of Spirit’s restrictions.

[Read more…] about The Weekend Trip: Living More By Packing Less

Moving towards minimalism and getting rid of many of possessions might seem pretty overwhelming, but keep in mind that we don’t have to do it all at once.

Even small improvements can be very powerful.

Remember, it’s up to you to decide what minimalism means in your life. Although we’ve been working on this since late November, it still feels like we’re right in the middle of it all. There are still areas of the house to improve, areas that still feel ‘heavy’ with things.

Although we’re not done, the minimalism effect from what we have accomplished is profound.

[Read more…] about The Minimalism Effect: Three Benefits to Getting Rid of Stuff

After hearing continual praise from just about everyone I know about how amazing this book is, I had to read about the magic of tidying up.

Amy and I had just gotten rid of over 100 books in December, (some completely unread) and while I was hesitant, I ended up purchasing the book via Kindle. The first major (unrelated) observation I made was that I easily finished this book in a few evening reading sessions.

I’ve previously found it difficult to read a book all the way through due to the number of unread books on my bookshelf asking for my attention. Reducing the number of ‘obligations’ that I had on my bookshelf allowed me to relax and focus on the one book I was reading.

This realization and learning caused me to create the following rule:

[Read more…] about Book Review: The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing

In December of 2014, my wife and I removed 992 items from our home. It started with a discussion over a fresh cup of french press at a friend’s place.

Before dropping my laptop, notebook and pen on to its surface, the dining room table had been completely clear. So were the countertops—other than the water filter, blender and a few of the other kitchen normalities. I couldn’t pinpoint exactly what it was, but it felt different being there. The overwhelming sensory input that comes with the all so common household clutter didn’t happen.

Instead, the view was relaxing.

Noting my admiration, my friend Jeff said, “You should try minsgame”.

[Read more…] about Playing the Minsgame

We make thousands of decisions every single day both consciously and unconsciously and it’s hurting you more than you’d think.

Decision fatigue is real.

This post will discuss decision fatigue, how it affects you and how to create a mental filter that helps you figure out how to choose what really matters to you.

From the moment we wake up to the moment we fall asleep, we ask our brains to guide us in the best possible way—always hoping to end up making the ‘right’ decision.

To snooze or not to snooze? Glasses or contacts? White or brown socks? Eggs, oatmeal, or no breakfast at all? Drive, bus, or bike? Do I need a jacket? Drip or Cappuccino?  What should I work on first? Which email should I respond to first? What do I want for lunch?

[Read more…] about The Decision Filter: How To Reduce Daily Decision Fatigue