INSIDE: It’s time for another instalment of my favourite finds! The series where every Friday I share my favourite book, podcast, YouTube video, blog post and freebie so that you can check them out too! This week’s theme? How to lead a more minimalist lifestyle so that you have more time for the things that really matter. Let’s find out what they are!
(This post might contain affiliate links which means that if you click through and make a purchase, I make a small commission. Read my disclosure policy here.)
A minimalist lifestyle…
Part of the journey towards creating a life you love is eliminating the unessential so that you’re able to prioritise what really matters. And one of the ways to do this is to adopt a more minimalist lifestyle. A lifestyle where you place more of an emphasis on the ones you love and your goals, dreams, experiences and accomplishments instead of the things you own.
And so, for this week’s favourite Friday finds, I thought I’d share with you some of my favourite resources for doing just that. Want to know how to get started on leading a more minimalist lifestyle? Keep reading!
MY FIVE FAVOURITE FRIDAY FINDS: FEBRUARY 7th
BOOK OF THE WEEK: A Simplified Life
For this week’s book of the week, I’m sharing a book that’s been on my bookshelf since it came out in 2018. Having read it several times now, it’s full of post-it notes and an absolute must-read if you’re just starting out on your journey towards a more minimalist lifestyle.
What is it? A Simplified Life by Emily Ley.
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If you’re fed up with being surrounded by clutter and tired of your diary and to-do list calling the shots, Emily’s tips and strategies will help you to get rid of overwhelm once and for all.
And with the chapters being split into the ten key areas of home and family life, you’re able to dive straight into the area you’re struggling with most without the need to read the rest of the book. You’ll learn how to:
- Simplify motherhood.
- Take the stress out of meal planning.
- Take better care of yourself.
- Maintain a calendar with margin.
- …and much more!
Both easy to read and simple to follow, what I really like about this book is that there’s a list of five action points at the end of each chapter which help you take Emily’s systems and methods and put them into practice for yourself.
Prefer listening to your books?
A Simplified Life is available on Audible too. So, if like me, you prefer to listening to your books on the go, head on over and download it here. And if you’ve not yet been gifted an audiobook on Audible, let me know HERE and I’ll gift you a copy of A Simplified Life so that you can listen to it for FREE!
Want more like this?
Emily’s latest book, When Less Becomes More is next on my reading list. All about “living a life of more in a world that often overwhelms to the point of burnout” I know it’s going to help me become more intentional about the way I live my life. And if A Simplified Life is anything to go by, I know it will totally do the same for you too…so be sure to add both of these books to your minimalist lifestyle reading list!
Be sure to check out Emily’s other books on Audible too:
- When Less Becomes More: Making Space for Slow, Simple and Good
- Grace Not Perfection: Embracing Simplicity, Celebrating Joy
- Grace, Not Perfection for Young Readers: Believing You’re Enough in a World of Impossible Expectations
PODCAST OF THE WEEK: Minimal-ish – Episode #67: Less in our closets + simply showing up for your life
If like me, you’ve noticed how the clutter around you becomes the clutter in your head, you might just want to give this episode of the Minimal-ish podcast a listen.
In it, host Desirae Endres chats with former personal stylist and toddler mum Megan Jedlinkski about the benefit of having less in our closets and how after reading Marie Kondo’s The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying, Megan was able to eliminate nearly 80% of the items in her wardrobe.
Having recently completed a 30-day minimalism challenge where two of the days were dedicated to purging my own belongings, I found myself nodding along to everything both Desirae and Megan had to say. There really is a direct correlation between the state of our closets and our ability to think straight.
Outer order really does affect our inner calm!
Eliminating the unessential…
When we get rid of the things that no longer serve us or contribute to the person we want to become, we feel freer and less overwhelmed. And so, if you’ve ever thought about purging your closet but have wondered whether it’s actually worth it, I highly recommend checking out this episode of the Minimal-ish podcast.
Be sure to listen right to the end because there’s also a great conversation about the power of showing up every day and how it can help us to find ourselves again. Whether it’s getting dressed, working out for ten minutes each morning or trying something new, pushing past those excuses of ‘I don’t have time’ or ‘I don’t feel like it’ or ‘maybe tomorrow’ to simply show up and be present really does make all the difference.
Having only recently started listening to this podcast, I have a lot of episodes to catch up on but I’ve loved what I’ve heard so far. And I have no doubt you will too!
- LISTEN TO DESIRAE AND MEGAN’S EPISODE HERE >>
- FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE POWER OF SHOWING UP EVERY DAY HERE >>
YOUTUBE VIDEO OF THE WEEK: The 30-day minimalism game
Feel like all the clutter around you is stopping you from leading a more minimalist lifestyle? This week’s YouTube video will help! In it, Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus from The Minimalists share a fun new game called The 30-day Minimalism Game. With easy-to-follow rules, it’ll have you going from reluctant declutterer to purging pro in just one month!
How does the minimalism game work?
This idea is that you partner up with a friend and each day you get rid of things you no longer want, use or need. For the first day, you get rid of one thing. The second, two things. The third, three. And so on. Whether you choose to trash, donate, recycle or sell is up to you. Whoever keeps going the longest wins the game. Make it to the end and you’ll have got rid of almost 500 things – which is crazy!
Head on over to The Minimalists to find out more. Be sure to download their FREE minimalism game calendar while you’re there too so that you can track your progress!
I think I might have to give this challenge a try too at some point…so watch this space!
BLOG POST OF THE WEEK: How to win at decluttering – 18 ways to conquer the clutter for good
Want to take part in my YouTube vidoe of the week, The Minimalism Game, but have absolutely no idea where to start when it comes to getting rid of the things you no longer need? Then you’ll LOVE this week’s blog post of the week! In How to Win at Decluttering, I show you not only how to get rid of that clutter once and for all
A must-read for getting started on your journey towards living a minimalist lifestyle, this post will help you purge your wardrobe, declutter those toys, clean out your kitchen, get rid of those junk drawers and MUCH more. Split into four sections, I show you how to:
- Get started with decluttering.
- Decide what to get rid of.
- Keep the momentum going, and;
- Stop the clutter from coming back.
Want a sneak peek of some of the tips? Here are a few of my favourite ways to conquer the clutter for good:
- Give everything a proper home.
- Ask yourself whether the item sparks joy.
- Know that it’s okay to let go of sentimental items.
- Think twice before you buy anything new.
- Pretend you’re moving house.
This post also comes with a FREE decluttering checklist which is perfect for helping you clear that clutter once and for all so that you can start living a more minimalist lifestyle.
So, be sure to head on over, check out the post, discover my 18 tips on how to declutter like a pro and download the FREE cheatsheet so that you can get started on your minimalist lifestyle journey today!
FREEBIE OF THE WEEK: My life LESS stressed calendar
Leading a more minimalist lifestyle is about living with less so that you can live more fully. It’s about working to have an uncluttered mind and home so that you’re able to give your attention to the things that truly matter. And my latest freebie can help you to do just that.
My FREE life LESS stressed calendar will help you to not only make life easier to manage but help you to live more intentionally and spend more quality time with the ones you love too.
With 29 daily prompts for February, it’ll help you to take the first steps towards a more minimalist lifestyle. Simply download and print it and put it somewhere where you can see it. Then, complete each daily prompt. Come the end of the month, you’ll be amazed by how less stressful and more enjoyable has become!
What’s on the calendar?
Want a sneak peek of some of the prompts? Here are a few of my favourite:
- Write a bucket list of things you would like to do this year.
- Use what’s in your cupboard for dinner tonight.
- Make today a screen-free day for you and your family.
- Write a list of errands you need to run this week.
- Review your goals and to-do list ready for next month.
As an added bonus, once you’ve signed up for February’s calendar, you’ll automatically receive a BRAND-NEW calendar at the start of every month for the rest of the year – absolutely FREE!
THIS WEEK’S BONUS: Getting to Know You
In last week’s favourite finds, I shared one of my favourite most recent purchases; these awesome Mind Cards from LSW London. And so, I thought that Lili’s eBook Getting to Know You would be the perfect follow-on for the theme of this week’s favourite finds of leading a more minimalist lifestyle.
If you’re going to live with less so that you can make space and time for the things that truly matter, you need to know what those ‘things that matter‘ are. And that’s where Lili’s new eBook comes in.
Get to know yourself…
Full of exercises and journaling prompts designed to help you get to know yourself better, Getting to Know You helps you to dig deep and get started on your journey of self-discovery so that you can lead a more minimalist lifestyle in a fun and easy way.
A qualified Cognitive Therapist with her own practice in London, Lili spends her time helping others to look inside and discover their true authentic selves so that they can become the best version of themselves and create a life they love – which is exactly what A Simple and Contented Life is all about!
And having just gone through it myself, I can tell you that it’s packed FULL with golden nuggets and techniques that you can use right away to start tapping into your authentic self and create a more minimalist lifestyle. I especially like the daily log that helps you to reflect upon your day and pay more attention to what makes you happy and can’t wait to start using it!
Here’s what Lili has to say about her new book:
“I want you, the reader, to learn that change doesn’t need to be daunting. With the right guidance, it is possible to break the process down into manageable chunks. By truly discovering who we are and what we value we can discover what changes are needed to be the happiest versions of ourselves.”
Pretty cool, right?!
A minimalist lifestyle…
There you have it, this week’s five favourite finds – all of which are guaranteed to help you get started on your journey to a more minimalist lifestyle! Which was your favourite? I’d LOVE to know! Tell me your choice and share what you thought of it.
Send me a DM over on Instagram or drop me a line HERE.
Here they are again:
- Book of the week: A Simplified Life
- Podcast of the week: Minimal-ish – Episode #67
- YouTube video of the week: The 30-day minimalist game
- Blog post of the week: How to win at decluttering
- Freebie of the week: My life LESS stressed calendar
- Bonus of the week: Getting to Know You
Pursue a minimalist lifestyle every week!
Don’t forget to check back next week for the next instalment of my five favourite Friday finds. Not only will they help you become the BEST version of yourself, but they’ll also help you to lead a more minimalist lifestyle too!
Better still, subscribe to A Simple and Contented Life so that you’re one of the first to know when it’s published! You’ll gain exclusive access to my Resource Library packed full of FREE printables designed to help you make life LESS stressful and MORE enjoyable at the same time.
Do you have a favourite book, podcast, YouTube video, blog post or freebie? If it’s helped you on your journey towards a more minimalist lifestyle, I’d love to know what it is. I’m always on the lookout for new resources to dive into!
That’s it for this post! Which of my minimalist lifestyle resources will you be checking out first? Let me know in the comments!
Until next time…
P.S. Like what you read? Subscribe to A Simple and Contented Life!
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I love your passion for minimalism. I have been practicing for about 7 years now and at first it was incredibly difficult to be minimal but I find that I feel better when I have less things around me. The fact that we have moved so many times in the last five years helps too! I always have guests who are curious about minimalism. I even had a recent guest who asked if I had stuff in storage , but I have never had a particularly good answer. people think that they need to do a full Kondo on their things. After reading your post I have a much better idea of what to say. minimalism isn’t’ just about having less but it’s also about using what you have and not buying too much. I really liked the simple ideas you give like making dinner from what you have on hand. I also like the 30 challenge. I know someone who this would be perfect for already! Thank you for sharing your passion, I look forward to getting your calendar and using some of the tips!