How’s your gratitude-meter these days? Closely connected to our discussion on contentment is the idea of gratitude. When we are grateful for what we have, it magically becomes enough. However, when we compare and complain that what we have isn’t good enough, we convince ourselves that more is the answer. We believe that more will […]
Simplicity
26 Steps to Simplicity: Faith
We are shifting gears after what I hope has been a productive week of assessing the mess, identifying the beauty, culling the keepers, and donating the items we no longer need, love, or use (otherwise known as clutter). Now, let’s look at the why behind what we are doing. Creating space in our lives is […]
How to Encourage (and Enjoy) Your Child’s Independence
(I am taking a break from our 26 Steps to Simplicity series to bring you this post. It still falls within the Blogging from A to Z Challenge, though: E is for Encourage.) I’m sitting here at the library, attempting to create an editorial calendar for my blog, while my four-year old daughter enjoys her […]
26 Steps to Simplicity: Donate
I hope you have amassed several bags and boxes of culled items from yesterday’s post in our Blogging from A to Z Challenge. At our house, we are tearing up the concrete floor in our basement today in preparation for a second bathroom. Last night, I went through all of our art/craft supplies and reduced […]
26 Steps to Simplicity: Cull
Today, in our Blogging from A to Z Challenge, we are going to begin the hard work of simplifying. Beginning in your room from day one, we are going to cull the clutter. Clutter is a Verb What is clutter anyway? Interestingly, we often refer to clutter as a noun or an entity, which it […]
26 Steps to Simplicity: Beauty
Welcome back for day two in the Blogging from A to Z Challenge. Today, we are talking about Beauty. I’m sure you are familiar with some of the following quotes: “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” “Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be […]
Blogging from A to Z Challenge
26 Steps to Simplicity My theme for this challenge is 26 Steps to Simplicity. As we go through the month, I will be writing- in alphabetical order- about both the qualities of simplicity and some action steps to achieve simplicity in your life. These posts will (hopefully) be briefer than normal, so take the time […]
Manifesto On Living with Passion and Purpose
I’m tired of seeing people live halfheartedly, without purpose or passion (myself included). It is too easy in our Western, consumer-driven society to cover our lack of meaningful living with the pursuit of more things. Shopping, eating, sex, TV, social media- we gorge ourselves on superficial excess and then fall into desperation from our meaningless […]
5 Strategies to Avoid Unnecessary Spending
“Whom have I in heaven but You? And besides You, I desire nothing on earth. My flesh and my heart may fail, But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” Psalm 73:25-26 Part of adopting a minimalist approach to life is living only with those things that are necessary and bring […]
Minimalism in the Bathroom and a Beauty Giveaway!
Over the past few weeks, I have slowly been working my way through our bathroom drawers and closet. We currently have one bathroom to service our family of seven, and lines are frequent in our hallway. The good news is that we will hopefully have a second bathroom installed this year yet- hallelujah! I don’t […]