Maximum Gratitude, Minimal Stuff

Everyone knows that their life will end someday, but no one likes to think about it.  Which is unfortunate, because as soon as you start thinking about the end of your life, you start to live differently. I believed I was thinking about the end of my life when I considered retirement.  I planned how to save in order to make my final years as comfortable and worry-free as possible.  I made a plan for how to distribute my possessions once I'm gone.  But all of it was still theoretical.  I figured my final days were far in the future, and even as I planned for them I didn't take them seriously. Of course it's normal to put a lot of energy and focus on a career.  No one wants to be stuck in a dead-end job with no challenge and no future – we want to climb a corporate ladder, or become a success in our own business.  We want tenure, and publication in peer-reviewed journals.  We want starring roles, medals, and awards.  Or we want to be social media influencers and the subject o

What am I going to wear? It's the most common question women ask themselves when they open up their closets, and it stirs up two very different emotions:  excitement or frustration. Based on my own experience, and the experiences of other women I've talked to, the feeling of excitement isn't very common.  Sometimes we get it when we've purchased a new outfit, but even then there's no guarantee.  How often have you brought new clothes home only to find that they don't fit, feel, or look as good as you thought they did in the store?  They end up in the back of the closet, tags still on, a reminder of fashion failure. And even if a new outfit is a success, the novelty fades, and our consumer society steps in with ads and promotions that promise even more pleasure if you make another purchase.   The results of buying new clothes every week aren't great.  That fast fashion fix leads to: a closet that's even more packed and hard to keep in order a bunch of cre

Comfortable Minimalism is not confined to one particular design.  I hope I've made it clear that your rooms don't need to be ultra-modern stark white boxes with chrome, glass, and abstract art in order to be comfortably minimalist. And you don't need to buy anything to make your home fit some minimalist ideal.  If your beige overstuffed sectional is still usable, and especially if you and your family love to cuddle up or spread out on it, keep it and enjoy! As you become more minimalist, maybe you'll no longer clutter that sectional with a dozen throw pillows, and you'll keep your large coffee table from becoming permanently covered with homework, magazines, remotes, and tchotchkes.  Then it can be ready for a board game or a movie night pizza. Similarly, if you adore your carefully curated gallery wall , especially if it regularly inspires conversations or reminiscences, keep it and enjoy!  There's no need to undo your heartfelt creation simply because it's

Beauty is important.  It makes you feel good.  It makes you happier.  It brings you peace.  This is true in the world around you and in your home environment too. We need the shelter that our homes provide.  But think about how you feel when you walk into your home.  What happens to your energy and your mood?  Does your home make you feel as good as it could?  Does it support the quality of life you need and want?  If not, why not?  What should you do to make a change? These are important questions, because the answers affect you and your family every day. With inspiration from my new book, Comfortable Minimalism: Create a Home with Plenty of Style and a Lot Less Stuff (paid link), you can start making your home more beautiful and welcoming right now, even if you have no money to spend.  Experience more open space, more natural light, and easier home care.  Choose and display the items that bring you most joy.  Make small changes for a big impact. Learn how to do a home tune-up, how t