The 2021 Maximum Gratitude Minimal Stuff Recap

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As we come to the end of the year, I'm happy to share a recap of the most popular posts on Maximum Gratitude Minimal Stuff, and a few of my personal favorites that didn't quite make the Top Ten.



tiny Christmas house



Proud moments


This has been a great year on the blog.  There are almost twice as many subscribers as there were last January, which exceeds my goal for the year.  This post is the 99th I've written for 2021, and I also had well over a dozen posts featured on NoSidebar.com, which makes me very proud.  The huge financial website, Motley Fool, quoted from and directed their readers to my posts, "How to Recover from Winning" and "How to Get 100% Off This Black Friday."  Wow!


Additionally, I published four books this year:  The Minimalist Tool Kit* in March, The Minimalist Wardrobe in July, Comfortable Minimalism in September, and my kids' book Fairhaven Christmas Eve just last month.


* Updated June 2023 – The Minimalist Tool Kit is now out of print.


Listing it out like that makes it look like I kept a crazy writing schedule, but I can honestly say I loved doing it.  Minimalism not only directed me toward a passion I didn't even know I had, but helped me create time and space to fulfill it.


I am so grateful to all of you for reading.  Writing is fun for me, but it's also hard work and a challenge to my intelligence and creativity.  Without readers, it would be tougher to sustain the energy and commitment it requires.  I greatly appreciate your comments on the blog and the personal emails you send to me (karen@maximumgratitudeminimalstuff.com).  You inspire and encourage me.  Thank you!




10 most-read posts in 2021


1.  How to Get 100% Off This Black Friday

Black Friday frenzy promotes over-consumption, but avoiding it doesn't mean we won't overspend later.  Minimalists don't stop spending money; they just spend differently for more benefit.


2.  4 Easy Steps to Create an Attractive Minimalist Wardrobe Now (The 4x4 Wardrobe)

A capsule wardrobe lets you buy less clothing but love it and wear it with more ease.  The 4x4 Wardrobe is a tool for creating your minimalist closet.  


3.  How to Boost Your Energy With the Comfort of Hygge

The Danish concept of hygge isn't just a trend or aesthetic, it's a feeling.  Its "effortless comfort" is about taking time to find joy and connection every day.


4.  12 Practical Tips for a Wardrobe that Lets You Dress with Ease and Confidence

The capsule wardrobe movement is growing.  Experiment for yourself and find less stress, more convenience, and more personal style with fewer clothes.


5.  9 Simple Steps to Lighten and Renew Your Home By Undecorating

Sometimes we long to refresh our homes.  Instead of shopping, undecorate to get a new perspective, make deep cleaning easier, and decide what to keep and what to declutter.


6.  Declutter 30 Things (or More!) With Ease This Weekend

Clutter represents procrastination, but you don't have to stay bogged down and mentally drained by it.  Remove these 30 items and enjoy a simpler home today!


7.  15 Proven Tips to Make Life in a Small Home Pleasant

Living in a small space reminds us how to share, communicate, and consider others' needs.  Make your small home seem bigger to maximize its benefits.


8.  It's True – Clutter and Obesity Share a Direct Link

The link between clutter and obesity involves the stress hormone cortisol and insulin resistance.  Don't let clutter send you down this unhealthy path.


9.  5 Ways to Live More Simply Even If You Can't Declutter Yet

If you're struggling to declutter, try a new approach.  Minimalism is about more than possessions – it's also about your mind and your habits.  So start there.


10.  Every Day Looks Better When You Focus on Gratitude

Producers of stuff find ways to make us unhappy about what we own so we will buy more, but with eyes of gratitude we'll see how much we already have.




8 more of my favorite posts


1.  Why Mid-Century Minimalism Is the Way to a Better Future

Minimalism looks nostalgic to a Baby Boomer.  Return to a 1960's lifestyle, which is minimalist by today's standards, and enjoy plenty of comfort with much less waste, debt, stress, and pollution.


2.  Just Eat an Apple

Too much of our time and money is spent on complex solutions to simple problems.  A minimalist mindset clarifies choices and eases daily life.


3.  Ten Tiny Decluttering Tasks With Big Results

Want to declutter, but feel overwhelmed by the job?  Overcome avoidance with manageable tasks and enjoy clutter-free benefits sooner than you think.


4.  Three Little Words to Help You Keep Tidy

Even if you're not a natural tidying and organizing superstar, three little words can change your home – and your life – forever.


5.  Try 50 Ways to Leave Your Clutter – But Don't Stop There

Decluttering is the first step to a minimalist life.  It frees you from the lies of materialism and makes room for what really matters to you.  Let's talk about those 50 ways!


6.  How to Live Well

Most Americans feel anxious about finances, and our constant shopping makes it worse.  Living on less is a way to live well, with security and satisfaction.


7.  Why Life is Happier When We Look Through Lenses of Gratitude

Given the real benefits of a gratitude mindset, why do we often struggle to develop one?  How can we become more aware of the benefits and mercies we overlook?


8.  A Motto for Living: Look to the End

When you realize that your life will end, it changes you.  Which choices will add meaning and value to your life, and how can you have the most impact?


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