On today’s episode of the podcast, Kathi is joined by Joshua Becker, author of The More of Less: Finding the Life You Want Under Everything You Own. Kathi and Joshua talk about his journey into a minimalist lifestyle and discuss his new book The Minimalist Home: A Room-by-Room Guide to a Decluttered, Refocused Life.
On today’s show you’ll learn:
• Why our belongings can keep us from living the life we wish we were living
• How clutter-free living and minimalism are similar and where they differ
• How minimalism is about intentionally promoting our values by removing anything that distracts us from them
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In the comments below share “what has kept you from pursuing a minimalist life?”
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Meet Our Guest
Joshua Becker
Joshua Becker is the founder and editor of Becoming Minimalist, a website dedicated to inspiring others to find more life by owning less. The website welcomes over one million readers each month and has inspired millions around the world to consider the practical benefits of owning fewer possessions and given them the practical help to get started. He is the bestselling author of THE MORE OF LESS: FINDING THE LIFE YOU WANT UNDER EVERYTHING YOU OWN. His latest bestseller is THE MINIMALIST HOME: A ROOM-BY-ROOM GUIDE TO A DECLUTTERED, REFOCUSED LIFE. Joshua is also the Founder of two family-focused magazines: Simplify Magazine and Simple Money Magazine and the nonprofit organization The Hope Effect, which is changing how the world cares for orphans by focusing on family-based solutions.
Joshua is a contributing writer for FORBES and has made appearances in the Wall Street Journal, Huffington Post Live, and CBS Evening News. Joshua and his family live in Peoria, AZ. Learn more.
Being in seasons of crisis, I.e. caring for ill parents, or having life packed up for a cross country move and/or a remodel x 2 and having to set my life on hold to care for others or our family. Not wanting to let go of things because I was never able to figure out in the first place if I was a “tomato gardner” or I should just stick to basics because I never had the time to explore me things the first place because I was strictly in survival mode for so many years.
I think what has kept me away from minimalism is thinking behind what I thought it was. I thought its focus was on numbers of items to keep— that felt limiting and controlling but Joshua’s description of his needs for kitchen items to serve guests gave minimalism a purpose to reflect your own life and needs. That is so valuable to focus on what you need to reflect that and it is personal to you. I love that! I have been steadily working at simplifying my life room by room each with a purpose. Every time I declutter I end wanting to declutter more until it feels right. But I know it will be a lifelong journey. But I have a lot to learn. What matters to me is to do it well. And that carries the perfectionist streak in me. That is what I battle!
I love his ideas about how the home is to serve a purpose…and am sitting here working on things while my kids ask me to “come play” too. Ouch!
What keeps me from becoming clutter free? Sentimentality, time, fear (I got this for a good deal, i might not be able to find it or afford it when I really do need it).
I am pretty minimalist when it comes to my stuff, and my husband isn’t bad (except when it comes to books, as he is a pastor) but we have 3 children and we hope to have one more. So I have hung onto a lot of hand me downs for my growing family. It seems unwise to give away items that we will need later on, but the tubs of hand-me-downs sure don’t make me feel like a minimalist in our 900 sq ft apartment!
I think FOMO has kept me from living a minimalist life! I get too concerned about missing out by not having something on hand, or not having enough money to repurchase or finding it again. I would love some help going through how to change my thinking!
I always had a bad stigma on the “minimalist” life thinking I could only have 2 pair of pants and a couple shirts and one sweater and one purse and one pair of earring, etc. But after listening to this podcast, I realize we get to really make our own definition of minimalism for each of us and for me the bottom line being “what is keeping me from serving others and Christ?” Do I have too much stuff to dust and sort and wash and keep up with that I am not using my time wisely to serve others? And so much more!! But anyway…….this is what I came away with. Sooooo good.
But I might need it someday….
I get too caught up in managing my day to day activities that I don’t take time to step back and see how minimizing things could make all of my life simpler.
I get too emotionally attached to things and have a hard time letting them go. Even when I know something is no longer needed or serving a purpose, I struggle to get rid of it. I need to refocus and get my contentment and security from God and not stuff!!! ?
I feel like I have to have a certain number of everything, and that number in my head seems overwhelming! I love Joshua Becker!!!
Trying to focus on what I have control has been helpful – like trying the capsule wardrobe and intentionally downsizing personal things. But I don’t live in my house alone; it’s difficult to dive deeper into minimizing when a spouse doesn’t have the same ideas about possessions.
I do fairly well most of the time, but when it comes to getting rid of things, my biggest struggle is often thinking “what if I need this one day?” Because I also try to steward my finances well, I hate to have to repurchase something that I used to own – even if it’s something I haven’t needed in a couple of years. Also, I have kids, and one in particular likes to hang on to. Every. Last. Thing. I’m trying to instill in him a minimalist mindset that will go with him as he becomes an adult vs. forcing him to get rid of things without grasping the heart behind it. It’s such a hard balance.
Aside from laziness and being overwhelmed by it all, sleep deprivation due to babies and toddlers who aren’t great sleepers has been the biggest reason. I just did not have the physical or mental energy to do it. So I was in survival mode and just doing the bare minimum. We also traveled with my husband for his job for two years, bought our house and still traveled so I never made it a priority. My youngest is finally sleeping better, and most nights I’m in bed by 9 so I get sleep too! I am also home full time now, we are hosting a small group at our home and it become very clear to me that my/our clutter is preventing me from truly living the life God has called me to lead. Hosting more at our home, starting/running a special needs ministry, homeschooling, spending time with friends and our kids and just enjoying being in our home! So the journey has begun and it feels amazing!! I’ve recruited a neighbor to join me on this journey together so we have accountability too. Thank you so much Kathi for your authenticity and desire to share your wisdom!!
I have very little time at home, and I choose to spend that time with my children mostly. I also have zero time at home without them around, and they will dig broken and crumpled things back out of the garbage, or recycling. Even scraps of paper they had once written on, with cries of outrage that anyone could throw that away. I barely have time to do laundry and dishes let alone clean and organize. But it does cause me a great deal of stress.
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I have hobbies that I truly enjoy that require art supplies. I also never feel like I’m very organized- if I had a good system, it would make things easier. And if we had a little more room than a family of 4 in a small 2bdrm apt!! I have little to work with. I wish my husband, who keeps our closets full of things he doesn’t use, to cut down!
I like to think I’ve done a decent job minimizing/decluttering the main floor of our home. The basement on the other hand is overwhelming and paralyzing. The time it will take to go through it is overwhelming although I go in productive spurts!!! The clothes, toys, “man cave” and all the “things I’m going to deal with someday!”
I have heard Joshua’s story before and it inspires me. I know I spend too much time “managing stuff” and not enough time with my kid. The guilt and heartbreak when she says “You never play with me!!” It’s often true, because I’m overwhelmed.
Thankfully, I have gotten over the bitterness and anxiety when my in-laws fill my house with stuff every birthday and Christmas for our only child. It’s not her fault and I know it overwhelms her as well.
I think time mostly keeps me from being more of a minimalist, you know the time to down size.
You are both people I look to in helping cut the clutter. Procrastination keeps me from moving forward. I have had a win in the area of buying a lot less over the past year! I am ready to tackle my home!
Love this minimal mentality! I suffer from ‘what if I need it’ syndrom!
My spouse and children. They love their stuff. Then would be time. Need time to declutter.
I have a hard time getting started. I keep talking about getting rid of things, but then I get overwhelmed and can’t get started.
I am sentimental and keeping too many “memories” ends up being clutter