The Simple Living Guide recommended by Gill
The Simple Living Guide was written by Janet Luhrs and first published in 1997. It was my first encounter with minimalism, or rather, living more simply, in the late nineties. It quite literally changed my life! So much so that I set up my own decluttering and organising company, Perfectly Organised, in 2004.
I started decluttering my own home, removing items that we no longer loved and those we weren’t using. Also, I began living more intentionally, which is the what the book is all about, and have been on my own personal minimalism journey ever since.
Approaching Minimalism
Many people believe minimalism means getting rid of everything you own and living with bare rooms and no belongings: austerity, if you like. This simply isn’t the case. It’s about surrounding yourself purely with things that you love, appreciate, and use (as this book will explain). If that means a wall full of photographs or your child’s artwork, that’s absolutely fine. As long as you love and appreciate it, then it deserves its place.
Living with Intention
It’s also about living with intention. Choosing quality over quantity. Shopping with a conscience, and not buying stuff for the sake of it. When you buy less, you’re obviously going to spend less. You won’t need to buy all the storage boxes, just to store stuff you’re never going to use. Additionally, you’ll free up the time you would have spent maintaining the items.
What do you think? Do you love everything in your home? Have you begun shopping more intentionally? Let us know in the comments, or reach out to us on social media.
As the famous textile designer William Morris (who definitely couldn’t be considered a minimalist) said: “Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.” Amen to that.
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