image courtesy of simplify life
bonjour and welcome to july!
we returned from our travels last night a bit fuzzy from 16 hours o' travel. i unpacked, went through heaps of mail, and crashed two hours later. up bright and early (yay flying east to west) and am excited to share this month's online book club choice: the joy of less: a minimalist living guide by francine jay.
i was introduced to miss minimalist's work by a blog reader encouraging me to interview her for the podcast. then i picked up her book and finished it while traveling in france. loved it! after living out of two bags and a purse for nearly six weeks, coming home to my small pink palace filled with flea market finds, stacks of paperwork and art supplies, accessories, vintage clothing, and overflowing books has me doing a double take. as i fell into slumbering bliss last night, i decided to pull together an online yard sale as i begin my decluttering process. i have so many treasures, but so few needs and it is time to pare down. stay tuned for my blog yard sale coming soon and pics from my decluttering process.
in the interim, let's begin to simplify together (july's edition of tranquilologie releases today goes into this further concept further). first step: reading this book and taking a few action steps to slip down our possessions. i can't wait to hear your thoughts on this book and to hear how the process unfolds for you!
more on simplification:
book review by redefining the meaning of wealth
love her post "400 square feet is the new black"
and this one on how living with less is a revolution
my podcast interview with rowdy kittens from last year
simplicity journey with janet luhrs (my first intro to simple living 15 years ago)
everyday minimalist blog
everyday minimalist blog
here is my favorite quote from her book, "minimizing our consumption to what meets our needs,
minimizing the impact of our consumption on the environment, and minimizing the
effects of our consumption on other people’s lives. once we’re warm, safe, and
fed, we shouldn’t feel compelled to browse a shopping mall, or surf the internet, to find more things to buy. instead we could devote that time and
energy to other, move fulfilling pursuits – such as those of a spiritual,
civic, philosophical, artistic, or cultural nature." um, wow!
may we begin to pare down, relish in basic luxuries, and find our way back to simpler times.
bisous. x
4 comments:
Oh, this online yard sale sounds like fun :o) That saying about spending more time spiritually hits home. I feel like reading books has gotten out of control. I do donate my books to the library when I am done, though (most anyways).
I've downloaded the book, read the introduction and feel more spacious already. Count me in!
I can't wait to read this book! :)
I'm enjoying the philosophy and some of the how to's. But I'm frustrated on the bedroom section. I live with roommates (and always have). So my bedroom needs to be a little more multi-purpose than I know is ideal. I wish the author touched on that a little better, or at least acknowledged it.
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