Introduction

Tired, broke, and stressed out? Overwhelmed with cluttered junk drawers, a bursting calendar, and mile-long to-do lists? Feel like you’re always behind on bills and work? The answer to the ailments of modern living and the constant busy-ness we all experience isn’t a new organizational system, an app, or a manifesto on how to do it all.

It’s minimalism.

Minimalism can help you get rid of the clutter in your home, life, and work so you can spend your time, money, and energy on the things you really love. The essence of minimalism, originally a movement in design and art, is using the fewest elements to create the maximum effect.

Voluntary simplicity is the act of embracing minimalism. Note the word “voluntary.” Yes, you have a choice. Do you want to live with clutter, with things you don’t need or use? Do you want to spend your hard-earned money on clothes you never wear and décor you have to spend your free time dusting? Or do you want to live in a soothing, spacious home that’s easy to clean and have all the time and resources you need for the activities and people you enjoy? If you scale back your possessions and commitments to just what you really need, you will have more time and energy for those things that truly bring you joy and enrich your life.

Minimalism can make your living room more inviting, bring you more sleep, and help you find your dream job. But where do you start? If you’re already tired, stressed out, and broke, how do you find the time to declutter your home, the energy to resist the sale signs, and the resources to create that streamlined life you dream about? This book will show you how.

This is a simple, realistic guide to getting simple. You won’t have to spend weeks or years emptying your garage. You don’t have to give up your favorite television shows. You don’t have to live like a monk, eating meals out of your one pot while leaning over the sink because you sold your dining room table. You won’t find cutthroat checklists or complicated philosophical exercises. Just simple, easy ways to quickly declutter your life and home so you can focus on what you love most.