Resources for a Newbie Minimalist

I was going to do a final post for my kitchen organization today, and someone even told me they would love a post like that, but I kept feeling sort of panicky anytime I actually thought about writing it, so I am going to put that post on the back burner for another week or so, and talk about something else!  Hopefully that is okay.  I want to write a truly helpful post about it, and I don't think I can do that this week.  Here's for hoping that another week will help me organize my thoughts in a better way.

This week, I have been thinking about what has helped me be a minimalist.  Minimalism is not so much a destination, as it is a continual effort to simplify.  Choosing this road, beginning it, and then sticking to it, can seem extremely overwhelming, and often for a good reason.  Many people have way more than they could go through in a day, a week, or even a month.  Our culture is all about collecting stuff right now, just because it is a good deal, or because it was free. Or because finding a way to get rid of it is a pain.

I can relate to all of these, and fall prey to that kind of thinking sometimes, too. One of the ways that I maintain being minimalist (besides writing about it all the time), is by having some encouraging resources to turn to when I feel like throwing in the towel and buying 10 new pairs of shoes (shoes are my weakness), and an Everlane tee shirt in every color.  These are books and websites that helped me get started with minimalism or help encourage me to maintain this kind of a lifestyle.

Whether you just want to get started, are already a minimalist, or just want a new perspective, these are great resources for continually simplifying your home and life.

A few sites: 

Reading My Tea Leaves:  Erin has the most beautiful way of writing.  She also takes wonderful photos and talks about all the things I want to hear, like why using cloth napkins is a good idea, and how to make your homemade vegetable broth better.  Basically she speaks to my soul.

Into-Mind:  I just discovered this site a few weeks ago.  It has some great resources about being minimalist and capsule wardrobing.

Un-fancy:  She is a capsule wardrobe blogger, and has great style.  She has been a wonderful resource as I have worked towards putting together my own capsule wardrobe.

A Short Ted Talk: 

Less Stuff, More Happiness: This is a really great Ted Talk.  His arguments for a simpler life make me feel so validated.  He also has a great Ted Talk about being a part-time vegetarian.  Obviously, I loved that one, too.

A few books:  

Simple Matters:  This book is by Erin from Reading My Tea Leaves (see above).  Adam and I went on a date to Barnes and Noble a few months ago, and I saw it, read bout 30 pages and just fell in love with it.  I have been reading her blog ever since, and think this book is just wonderful!  Beautiful photos and lots of helpful and encouraging advice for simplifying

Zero Home Waste:  Completely extremist, but a fascinating and helpful read.  I applied what I wanted and think about the rest regularly.

Simplicity Parenting:  I had to return this book before I finished it, but what I read was fantastic! It is all about simplifying your life to help your kids, and protecting childhood.  I already have a hold request at the library to check it out again.

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up:  This one has been flying all over the internet the last few years. It actually wasn't as inspiring to me as it was to lots of other people, but I did think some parts of it were helpful.

A few pages from my site: 

Scaling back your kitchen (A four part series about what you actually need in your kitchen)

Making a Small Space Work (this post could be applied to most homes, not just a small space)

How to living minimally with a baby

My personal story of shifting to minimalism, and why I decided to do it

If you have any resources or books that have inspired you to live a simplified life, I would love to hear about them!  Hope you have a terrific weekend!

*There are a few affiliate links in here (mostly on the books), which means if you click on a link and buy something, I get paid a small amount. Thanks in advance for being cool with that and supporting the sites that help support this blog!