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More Than Enough: How One Family Cultivated A More Abundant Life Through A Year Of Practical Minimalism
As another year unfolded, lifestyle blogger and mom of three Miranda Anderson realized she felt weighed down by the mass of belongings her family had been accumulating. In an effort to pare down and cultivate a deeper sense of gratitude and abundance in their lives, she and her husband decided to embark on a minimalism challenge, where they would stop all unnecessary shopping for one year. It meant learning to use what they already had and being more creative. Less Stuff, More Adventure became their mantra as they focused on gaining enriching family moments and seeking personal development. Life became about only choosing what truly matters and simply disregarding the rest. With candid narrative of her experiences, insightful discussion of principles, and practical pages to fill in, Miranda s journey will empower the reader to make small, impactful changes to live more intentionally and will show that whatever they have today can be more than enough.
221 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 9, 2019
213 people are currently reading
1687 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 143 reviews
May 21, 2019
I LOVED this book. So many minimalism books feel completely outside the realm of reality or have a very high-and-mighty tone. This had neither. Instead, it felt warm and welcoming, with lots of practical ideas and wonderful storytelling. I finished the book in one sitting, inspired to soak up the beauty of my life right now.
July 17, 2019
Although the journey was inspiring in general and meant to be shared, I felt the author also tipped toed around outside people feelings, consistently making statements how “you don’t have to do it this way, this is what worked for us”. It portrayed a lack of confidence or a lack of just “owning” her story and being unapologetic. I didn’t pick up the book to be rest assured every other chapter. I wish she would have owned it more, her journey and showed it strong in her book.
While reading the book, after a few chapters, it was extremely hard to figure out where each chapter or story started in the timeline. It wasn’t obvious the place / time and so I’d read and with the tid bits of info, I’d figure out “oh this was when or before . She jumped all of the place making it hard to stay involved and want to read with consistently trying to figure out a place in time.
Lastly, the book was written like an extremely long blog posting with chapters. I wish her editor would have caught this.
I would have probably enjoyed her journey better if it was organized better and finished sooner. There are golden nuggets through out the book and it inspired me.
It wasn’t a total waste of time. So if you are looking for new ways to understand less stuff, more adventure, the holiday ideas, birthday gift giving ideas were great. I’ll probably never downsize to <1000 sq ft home but that’s okay, I can still apply the items that resonated with me in my life.
While reading the book, after a few chapters, it was extremely hard to figure out where each chapter or story started in the timeline. It wasn’t obvious the place / time and so I’d read and with the tid bits of info, I’d figure out “oh this was when or before . She jumped all of the place making it hard to stay involved and want to read with consistently trying to figure out a place in time.
Lastly, the book was written like an extremely long blog posting with chapters. I wish her editor would have caught this.
I would have probably enjoyed her journey better if it was organized better and finished sooner. There are golden nuggets through out the book and it inspired me.
It wasn’t a total waste of time. So if you are looking for new ways to understand less stuff, more adventure, the holiday ideas, birthday gift giving ideas were great. I’ll probably never downsize to <1000 sq ft home but that’s okay, I can still apply the items that resonated with me in my life.
September 24, 2019
I loved this book. I don't really have any desire to become a live out of your suitcase sort of minimalist, but this book was just a really down to earth simple discussion about how possessions influence our life. It got me thinking about how much energy is expended in the things we buy and own, and wondering if I WANT to expend my energy in that way. We spend so much time getting things and then don't enjoy them when we do get them because we're then looking forward to the next thing we can get. Why do we buy things? What is the intended purpose? Usually it's to help us a feel a certain way, but then we find out that it didn't make us feel that way after all, or even if it did, I could have felt it even without buying the item. This book has led me to be more intentional .... about spending in general but also about uses of my time and energy. It's easy to get swept up in the culture of materialism and busy-ness and forget that we have choices. Miranda shows us how she used her choices to try a little bit of a different route. Very good read.
December 20, 2019
3 stars
An average book. I read this one for book club (seems like we always have to start the new year with a self-help book... sigh) and it's not a book I would have chosen to read on my own, because I have already read the ultimate book about managing one's possessions, Marie Kondo's The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing. More Than Enough is about more than just stuff, in theory, but it boils down to a lot of the same ground Kondo covered (Anderson even references Kondo's book at one point, which, weird flex but okay!).
I did like some of Anderson's ideas, and can definitely agree with her that a lot of people would do well to have a healthier relationship to consumerism (to quote her: "Who gets to choose what I need in my life?"). She points out that "life is made up of small decisions and small moments that create our whole experience of life," and it does take some effort not to fall into the trap of mindless consumerism. I also liked her argument for imperfect minimalism as a rejection of the “perfectionism” encouraged by capitalism (i.e. needing to perfect one’s home/life with the perfect amount and combination of objects, which obviously inflates the more we're subjected to advertising and peer influence). You're never going to hit that magic number of possessions that will make you perfectly happy, so why not move the goalposts and cut yourself some slack?
But as she says that, she also seems to have some sort of threshold of possesions that she wants to stick to, because whenever the family received a gift, she made a point of donating another item to make room for it. Anderson is inconsistent in a lot of ways besides that. But the biggest issue I had was the way she only offers the barest acknowledgment of her privilege. She doesn't really work through how her privilege makes her uniquely capable of adopting her philosophy and strategies in ways that less privileged people/families could not. For example, in the chapter where she frames time and energy as resources that you have to invest to buy things as well as money, she comes off as very tone-deaf because she's inadvertently emphasizing how much choice she has in working or not. It's insulting to point out that hourly wages translate into money to spend to someone who is living paycheck to paycheck. Just saying.
There are also just some logical inconsistencies, like with the idea of making up for not buying things by borrowing and "building community." I don't want to make assumptions... but, okay, I'm totally going to make an assumption that this woman is very obviously Mormon, and the kind of community that she has is not the experience of community that most people have. You can argue that everyone should be making a point to make relationships with their neighbors and form community groups, but that's not realistic for everyone, especially not in neighborhoods with mostly dual-earner families who, you know, don't have a ton of free time for crafting and playdates and such. (I want to clarify that I have nothing against Mormons in general, just pointing out that their lifestyle is not necessarily the norm for most Americans)
And on the note of crafting... I get the principle behind trying to be resourceful and make what you need with materials you already have, but I feel like her family has to have a ton of junky and cheap-looking "substitutes." And realistically, how durable will those makeshift items be compared to a high-quality purchased product? The cycle continues...
On a minor note, I had to laugh that she rejects retail therapy so starkly. Some of us have willpower and genuinely just enjoy looking! I can't tell you how often I used to go to NorthPark mall in Dallas when I was stressed just to pet the fabrics at Barney's and window shop. It helped! And I didn't buy anything because I literally couldn't afford it.
So overall, it's not that I really disagree with anything Anderson said in this book, I just think she's a little detached from reality in some cases. I was especially struck by this during the chapter on receiving gifts. It's all well and good to be committed to this philosophy for oneself and one's family, but if your friends and family are frequent gift-givers and aren't buying into the same philosophy, you're going to have to either a) disappoint them an awful lot or b) get really friendly with your local donation center.
*whispers* Read Marie Kondo's book instead, trust me. It actually is life-changing! Or it was for me, anyway.
An average book. I read this one for book club (seems like we always have to start the new year with a self-help book... sigh) and it's not a book I would have chosen to read on my own, because I have already read the ultimate book about managing one's possessions, Marie Kondo's The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing. More Than Enough is about more than just stuff, in theory, but it boils down to a lot of the same ground Kondo covered (Anderson even references Kondo's book at one point, which, weird flex but okay!).
I did like some of Anderson's ideas, and can definitely agree with her that a lot of people would do well to have a healthier relationship to consumerism (to quote her: "Who gets to choose what I need in my life?"). She points out that "life is made up of small decisions and small moments that create our whole experience of life," and it does take some effort not to fall into the trap of mindless consumerism. I also liked her argument for imperfect minimalism as a rejection of the “perfectionism” encouraged by capitalism (i.e. needing to perfect one’s home/life with the perfect amount and combination of objects, which obviously inflates the more we're subjected to advertising and peer influence). You're never going to hit that magic number of possessions that will make you perfectly happy, so why not move the goalposts and cut yourself some slack?
But as she says that, she also seems to have some sort of threshold of possesions that she wants to stick to, because whenever the family received a gift, she made a point of donating another item to make room for it. Anderson is inconsistent in a lot of ways besides that. But the biggest issue I had was the way she only offers the barest acknowledgment of her privilege. She doesn't really work through how her privilege makes her uniquely capable of adopting her philosophy and strategies in ways that less privileged people/families could not. For example, in the chapter where she frames time and energy as resources that you have to invest to buy things as well as money, she comes off as very tone-deaf because she's inadvertently emphasizing how much choice she has in working or not. It's insulting to point out that hourly wages translate into money to spend to someone who is living paycheck to paycheck. Just saying.
There are also just some logical inconsistencies, like with the idea of making up for not buying things by borrowing and "building community." I don't want to make assumptions... but, okay, I'm totally going to make an assumption that this woman is very obviously Mormon, and the kind of community that she has is not the experience of community that most people have. You can argue that everyone should be making a point to make relationships with their neighbors and form community groups, but that's not realistic for everyone, especially not in neighborhoods with mostly dual-earner families who, you know, don't have a ton of free time for crafting and playdates and such. (I want to clarify that I have nothing against Mormons in general, just pointing out that their lifestyle is not necessarily the norm for most Americans)
And on the note of crafting... I get the principle behind trying to be resourceful and make what you need with materials you already have, but I feel like her family has to have a ton of junky and cheap-looking "substitutes." And realistically, how durable will those makeshift items be compared to a high-quality purchased product? The cycle continues...
On a minor note, I had to laugh that she rejects retail therapy so starkly. Some of us have willpower and genuinely just enjoy looking! I can't tell you how often I used to go to NorthPark mall in Dallas when I was stressed just to pet the fabrics at Barney's and window shop. It helped! And I didn't buy anything because I literally couldn't afford it.
So overall, it's not that I really disagree with anything Anderson said in this book, I just think she's a little detached from reality in some cases. I was especially struck by this during the chapter on receiving gifts. It's all well and good to be committed to this philosophy for oneself and one's family, but if your friends and family are frequent gift-givers and aren't buying into the same philosophy, you're going to have to either a) disappoint them an awful lot or b) get really friendly with your local donation center.
*whispers* Read Marie Kondo's book instead, trust me. It actually is life-changing! Or it was for me, anyway.
October 10, 2019
I really liked the overall message of this book. There were a few parts that lost me (and maybe people who aren’t ‘upper middle class’?). One was when she talked about different trips they were taking- a spontaneous extra long weekend in Europe, Italy for spring break for the whole family, taking over a month to road trip in summer to see family and friends. I absolutely love the idea of choosing adventure over stuff and I know this was the point she was making but it seemed somewhat out of reach for an average family. I don’t know why these things bothered me but overall it was a decent and quick motivational read.
December 20, 2021
There are some really compelling ideas in this book - but ultimately the writing was so completely trite and, quite frankly, obnoxious that I cannot give it more than one star. The author is a blogger and that is clear from the writing style, but the editing was careless and the result is cringeworthy.
January 23, 2020
I loved this! There are so many minimalism books out there, but this one encompasses more than just having less clutter in your house, and in a very real, relatable, “normal” way. There’s no guilt trip happening here! :) Miranda and her family start a challenge to stop buying non-consumable goods for a whole year, and see where it takes them. It wasn’t always easy with three young kids! But they had more focus for important things, more gratitude for what they already had, more peace without emotional needs to shop or acquire new things, more joy being together and creating, more energy spent fun and less on decision-making, and more adventure! I’ve read so many books about simplifying our lives, but this is one I’ll def return to. Miranda is just so down to earth (I’ve followed her on Instagram for years!), so I know she’s living it. I know I feel free and more joyful when I want less and enjoy what I already have. I’d already been unsubscribing from tons of needless, distracting emails for sales and stores starting in January—with the idea that they’ll be out of sight, out of mind, and won’t make me feel like I NEED to buy something. I don’t like that feeling. And I don’t like buying something that loses its luster as soon as it’s home. This book was a great reminder to create the life I want for my family and I, especially at the start of a new year!
July 20, 2020
Although I follow Miranda Anderson on Instagram and like a lot of the content she puts out, I didn't love this book. I'm not sure if it was the memoir-like writing style where it jumped around in time and place or if it was the combination of vignettes and some more practical type tips. I do think I was expecting more tips and how to's; this book didn't have a lot of those. It was clear that having your spouse or significant other on board is so helpful with this kind of lifestyle switch.
April 18, 2024
Sigh. So many amazing things to say about this book… where do I start?
Here are my takeaways:
-What defines practical minimalism is not how many things you can eliminate but how intentional you are about the things you eliminate and the things you keep around.
-When we are grateful for something, we feel abundance in our life.
-The Pareto principle says that only 20% of our things are used 80% of the time. As we reduce the other 80% of our stuff, we only gain time, energy, and focus.
-We tend to value the stuff that goes into the spaces more than the space itself, which is why we find ourselves with bulging closets and cupboards. More clothes than hangers and books than shelves. Once the space is full, it isn’t really space anymore. We have removed all of the benefits of having a little breathing room.
-Have a capsule wardrobe
-Although it is hard to believe, once your basic needs are met, having more money doesn’t increase happiness, yet we still all chase more money, prioritize more money, and even measure our self-worth by the size of our bank account. But, you know what does increase happiness? Having new and exciting experiences with people you love. Taking that trip, seeing that play, enjoying that new restaurant, crushing your kids on the mini golf course.
-Have you ever sat and watched kids open gifts on Christmas morning, and they take one look, toss the item, and ask for more? That whole more, more, more experience takes away so much from the ability to process, enjoy, and feel grateful for receiving something. It feeds the feeling of discontent, and there is nothing more sad than kids sitting surrounded by their piles of gifts, feeling bad for themselves.
-You could potentially spend your entire life always consuming, never creating. But you can’t consume when you create. These two actions don’t happen simultaneously. The act of creation allows the opportunity to simply turn off and ignore those incoming messages for a while. Then, in the space and silence, you get to make your own!
I just loved this book so much. It breathed life into me. Not spending money on anything but groceries for an entire year seems absolutely unrealistic but I finished this book feeling like I could start making small steps in that direction! This book helped me feel more empowered and grateful and inspired.
Epicurus: “Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for.”
“There is no end to what the world has to offer, so it is critical that we learn to recognize when we have enough.”
“It was simply all in my head. Enough wasn’t an amount. It was a decision.”
Here are my takeaways:
-What defines practical minimalism is not how many things you can eliminate but how intentional you are about the things you eliminate and the things you keep around.
-When we are grateful for something, we feel abundance in our life.
-The Pareto principle says that only 20% of our things are used 80% of the time. As we reduce the other 80% of our stuff, we only gain time, energy, and focus.
-We tend to value the stuff that goes into the spaces more than the space itself, which is why we find ourselves with bulging closets and cupboards. More clothes than hangers and books than shelves. Once the space is full, it isn’t really space anymore. We have removed all of the benefits of having a little breathing room.
-Have a capsule wardrobe
-Although it is hard to believe, once your basic needs are met, having more money doesn’t increase happiness, yet we still all chase more money, prioritize more money, and even measure our self-worth by the size of our bank account. But, you know what does increase happiness? Having new and exciting experiences with people you love. Taking that trip, seeing that play, enjoying that new restaurant, crushing your kids on the mini golf course.
-Have you ever sat and watched kids open gifts on Christmas morning, and they take one look, toss the item, and ask for more? That whole more, more, more experience takes away so much from the ability to process, enjoy, and feel grateful for receiving something. It feeds the feeling of discontent, and there is nothing more sad than kids sitting surrounded by their piles of gifts, feeling bad for themselves.
-You could potentially spend your entire life always consuming, never creating. But you can’t consume when you create. These two actions don’t happen simultaneously. The act of creation allows the opportunity to simply turn off and ignore those incoming messages for a while. Then, in the space and silence, you get to make your own!
I just loved this book so much. It breathed life into me. Not spending money on anything but groceries for an entire year seems absolutely unrealistic but I finished this book feeling like I could start making small steps in that direction! This book helped me feel more empowered and grateful and inspired.
Epicurus: “Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for.”
“There is no end to what the world has to offer, so it is critical that we learn to recognize when we have enough.”
“It was simply all in my head. Enough wasn’t an amount. It was a decision.”
July 17, 2019
I was able to read an advance copy of this book requested from the author as I've read her blog for years and really like her thoughtful approach to life. At first this book rubbed me a little bit the wrong way. I'd followed her blog all through her "Challenge" year and knew most of the events and ideas she'd already written about there, but was struck by what felt like such a lack of awareness of her privilege in this book. Her decision to stop buying non-consumable goods for a year had nothing to do with budget or money, and she only spends one short chapter on money in the whole book, and it just struck me how much she focused on all of this being an optional life-style decision, like we all have the option of buying non-essential plates from Anthropologie or not based on our life-philosophy, not our budget restrictions. But the more I grappled with her message, the more I came to appreciate that just because I don't have the same lax budget that she has, and just because any tighter restrictions on buying things would not automatically equate to more world travel in my life, it doesn't mean her lessons are any less insightful. In fact, they might even be more helpful for people in tight financial circumstances. Whether you don't buy some things because you can't afford to or because you choose not too, you can still always be grateful for what you already have and find greater peace and contentment by not focusing so much on material possession. I have lots more thoughts about this book, but in general, it is a strong recommend for being practical and thought-provoking about our relationship with stuff.
January 6, 2021
The author presents a good idea: Challenge yourself to live a year without purchasing more than the necessities. And she encourages thoughtful minimalism. However, this was really a trite collection of platitudes one can find on an Pinterest or through iG search. It reads like a series of self-satisfied blog posts, only I had to pay for it. And, at the end of the book, she tells us she uses this challenge idea as a pitch for a competition for bloggers. And wins. That's when I really felt I had been duped in to purchasing this book, the lines between the author's real life and consumerism are blurred, the irony of which is rich given the premise of this book.
July 14, 2019
This book was fantastic! I have been following the author for about a year and I thoroughly enjoy her take on minimalism. Her story is thought provoking and insightful. I also feel like her “practical minimalism” is something that my family and I can adopt for ourselves.
July 28, 2020
"More Than Enough" gave me lots to think about. I love the idea of "practical minimalism." I enjoyed the exercises at the end of each chapter. I'm thinking more about my time/energy levels, unnecessary decisions, focusing on experiences/adventures, being creative, borrowing/sharing, and simplifying our family's clothing.
As much as I liked this book it really bugged me that after a few chapters she jumped around in her story so much. I could figure out the timeline but it bugged me that I had to.
As much as I liked this book it really bugged me that after a few chapters she jumped around in her story so much. I could figure out the timeline but it bugged me that I had to.
August 12, 2020
I love following Miranda on Instagram. She's a source of positivity and inspiration. I enjoyed reading her family's experience of not buying any non-consumable items for one year. Lots of good ideas on how to make the most out of life. One of her mantras: less stuff = more adventure.
October 15, 2022
I liked this! A woman decides with her family to go a full year not spending money (other than bills and food). She explains her journey and what the experience was like for them all. I love minimalism. This was a nice cozy book. 3.5 stars
September 5, 2019
Simple but important advice to living a simpler, more intentional life. I really like Miranda and I now follow her blog and her instagram!
September 20, 2019
This wasn't life-changing for me, as I've already implemented many of the same strategies that this family did during their year-long challenge, but I did enjoy it. I've found that to live a countercultural lifestyle such as minimalism (or my attempt at minimalism anyway, which resembles Anderson's pretty closely as it's more conducive to family living), it's important to constantly be finding ways and stories to inspire yourself to keep with it. I also enjoyed the reflective exercises at the end of each chapter.
January 18, 2020
I really enjoyed this. It gave me lots to be more mindful about. Definitely thought provoking and useful.
January 14, 2021
1/The Guidelines: The purpose was to stop mindless shopping. Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without. The challenge was created to help them live more in line with their values, and she had always known that relationships and experiences are more important than stuff.
2/A brief History of Consumerism: When it is happiness for sale, we take one in each color. Shopping used to be a function of necessity. Before the age of manufacturing, regular people did not entertain the idea of owning more than what they needed. Variety was low, but quality was impeccable. Industrial revolution caused mass production to be the norm. They had to entice people to buy things they didn’t need. Advertisers aimed to appeal to the emotions of the consumer and made them feel that they needed to be happier. Who gets to choose what I need in my life? Is it me, or the one selling goods disguised as success, joy, and peace?
3/Redefining Minimalism: At it’s core, this new minimalism is recognizing what matters most to you and our family, and the consciously disregarding the rest. This more approachable and realistic minimal lifestyle could be called ‘practical minimalism, intentionalism, or conscious consumerism.’ The guiding principles are: acknowledgement of your abundance, evaluation of what things matter most to you and your family, choosing to intentionally eliminate those things that don’t actually matter much to you. There are sure to be things you own or ways you spend your time that do not add joy to your life. Eliminating those things will free up the space and energy you need to use towards other things you DO value, which will, of course, lead to more happiness and a life of true fulfillment.
4/More Verses Enough: She notices the wild abundance that filled her kitchen, living room, closets, and every single area of their life. Our brains simply cannot process and bring to mind every detail of our surroundings all the time, so they learn to turn off attention to things that are already there. Everywhere we go there are things for sale. There will always be something that you want. She learned that day that some things needed to wait. Our current society doesn’t do a great job of preparing children to think before they buy. Very little is needed for happiness. Through the challenge, her ability to see what she already had as enough grew stronger. We can reclaim time and energy that would have been spent browsing online or wandering in stores. There is no end to what the world has to offer, so it is critical that we learn to recognize when we have enough.
5/Cultivating Gratitude: Through months and month, each time we said “no” to more stuff, it caused a flicker of gratitude for what we already owned. She took her kids to Costco to do some grocery shopping and they, of course, wanted all kinds of other things. Rather than just saying no and leaving everyone to feel frustrated, she invited the kids to explore the warehouse through the lens of loving what we already had. Soon the exercise turned into a game where each time one of my children mentioned an item that they thought was really neat, I challenged them to think of something we had at home that made them feel that same excitement. We would practice feeling gratitude. As we rolled our cart to the back of the store, I thought how incredible it is to not really need any of this beautiful stuff. I realized how freeing it was to know exactly what I had come for and not be distracted around every turn. A big rush of empowerment as I stuck to my list, stuck to my goals. Gratitude practice: gratitude journal, write thank yous. If you have a special chair that you love, you won’t feel so enticed by a new chair, because you already feel quite content with the one that you have.
6/the power of patience: Sometimes we choose to wait and sometimes life chooses for us. Her kids start asking if they can visit the toy aisle (verses get something from the toy aisle). How can we go beyond the simple waiting into an understanding of next-level patience where we recognize the long-term power of postponing some immediate gratification for bigger, more inspiring and more impactful long-term goal? We can transform the waiting into an experience of learning, growth, development, and inspiration if we focus on the beauty of the present while also maintaining enthusiastic anticipation of the future. We are no longer passively patient but becoming active in that form of patience – it is truly empowering. I came upon the idea that there might be two kinds of patience: a true kind that brought peace and a false kind that invited questions. We could allow the circumstance beyond our control to be what it was, while we focused on things that we could appreciate in the moment. This whole challenge was about eliminating those small unnecessary purchases to develop a greater sense of intention, abundance, gratitude, and patience. And maybe one small moment didn’t seem very important. But if one small moment didn’t make a difference, then what would? Life is nothing but a series of small moments all layered together to create our experience. Sometimes you cannot see the power of one decision until it is layered with hundreds of other small similar decisions. Let’s go beyond level one patience, where we simply wait for things when necessary, to next-level patience, where we are actually reaping the long-term benefits of actively appreciating the wait. What her kids had at the end of the year was an emotional tool kit filled with experiences of times they had waited for something they wanted, and survived. Thrived even.
7/Imperfect Minimalism: That focus on all or nothing success is what keeps so many people from trying, learning, and living out their dreams. Miranda buys a laptop bag (during her year of not purchasing). She made a deliberate decision to buy it. The beauty of the decision is that it was deliberate. She had paused to think and consider whether or not this item would add value to her life for the long term, and intentionally decided that it would. One purchase was not going to derail her from her larger goals of developing gratitude, abundance, and focusing on all she had. If you believe in imperfection as a gift and an opportunity for growth, rather than a weakness or failure, you might be more willing to push ourself beyond what feels comfortable right now.
8/Less Stuff = More Focus: The kids simply played with what was there, without worrying about what wasn’t. She slowly and intentionally pared down their toy collection. It did not affect the kids play time. They played happier and longer with fewer toys to decide between. Their ability to play only seemed to increase even as our toy collection decreased. The more clutter in our houses, the more mental energy we spend maintaining it. The Pareto principle says that only 20% of our things are used 80% of the time.
9/Building Community through borrowing: Each time we asked for help, we were going out on a limb into a space of vulnerability, and learning we could trust others to care for us in a tie of need. And each time they asked for help, we learned that to serve and share is to love. Miranda discusses borrowing clothes for a family picture, sharing with their neighbors in DC, and owning a lawn mower with their neighbor in Texas.
10/Capsule Wardrobe and Unnecessary Decisions: Over the past few years, I had simplified my wardrobe down to the most essential pieces. Things that fit my body, fit my style and fit my budget. I just needed to put on clothes I like and that made me feel comfortable. Downsizing and editing my closet had not only reduced the time and energy I spent getting dressed everyday. It had also increased my confidence. I had probably received more compliments about my wardrobe in the five months that I had stopped shopping completely than in the whole rest of my life. I had found a new type of confidence and ease that just say more than a simple outfit could. To spend less energy, you can tuck a few choices nicely into a routine, and not think of them again. Examples: having a meal plan, setting days of the week to complete different household tasks, shopping at only a couple favorite stores that align with your style and budget, and operating with a wardrobe made up of only your favorite clothing. Considering thoughtfully which items of clothing I owned and wanted to wear often made my personal style pretty clear, and it helped me see which brands of clothing I love and that truly lasted.
11/The value of space: Part of what I love about the openness in a room is the possibility. That space allows some rest for the mind and in turn invites creativity and inspiration. After living in their home for four years, she realized that so much of the space they had initially chosen was gone as they had covered it up with stuff. The challenge had allowed them to take themselves off the hamster wheel of more, bigger, and better. She started viewing which rooms in their house were used and unused. What about having more room to rest, more time to play, and more ease in cleaning and organizing because everything has a place with some room in between?
12/It is not about the money: We stopped adding stuff to our life, and instead added more life to our life. She describes a trip to Europe with her sisters, that she was able to pull off because of the extra in their budget from ‘the challenge.’ Money is a renewable resource. When we focus on putting money in the bank, sometimes we forget about what money is good for. How it can be spent to enrich our lives with experiences and memories that shape our perspectives and build our relationships. Money is energy and when we develop a positive relationship with it, often it flows more easily into our lives. As a society, we can easily become caught up in the idea that more money equals more happiness.
13/Giving and Receiving Gifts: Receive with Gratitude and Give with Love. Her parents come to visit and bring gifts. She gets rid of toys or clothes equal or greater quantities to what the gift contained. The joy of gift giving is universal. They do a family theme for the Santa presents that unite them (sleeping bags or bikes). They put practical gifts in their stockings. 1. The gift is only a representation of the emotion or relationship. 2. You can’t control how gifts are received. 3. Gifts of experience are the very best kind of gifts.
14/Creativity in Minimalism: You gain all of the value, inspiration, benefits of creativity regardless of the outcome. So, if you choose to create, that is enough. Exercising creativity improves lives. Do something! Anything! It is easy to consume all day long, everyday. You could potentially spend your entire life always consuming, never creating. But you can’t consume when you create. The act of creation allows the opportunity to simply turn off and ignore those incoming messages for a while. Taking time to create rather than consume will stimulate your imagination, connect you to your intuition, build your problem solving skills, reduce your anxiety and stress as it encourages you to live in the moment. Many people don’t create because they fear imperfection.
15/Self Care vs. Retail Therapy: Maybe there is a more effective way to feel better than hitting the newest sale. Replace retail therapy with self-care experiences. During some ‘solo time,’ She realizes that her life is beautiful. Her husband anchors her with his constant, unwavering love and support. She never feels alone in her concerns or challenges, because he bears life as an equal and encouraging partner. Other solo things to do: movie, museum, hiking, restaurants, baths, manicure, burning candles, read a book, journaling, volunteer, hammock, gym. The self-care things that did cost money felt like an investment in her well-being and mental health. As with most things, the more work we put in, the more benefit we can receive. Actively working on self-reflection and mindfulness practices in the place of mindless consumption brought a measurable added peace into my life.
16/Time and Energy as resources: We pay for things before, during, and after the moment we purchase them. Before choosing not to shop for the year, every single trip into a store had included at least a short meander through the different sections. I am not a productivity expert, but I can easily understand that when you stop spending time and energy on something you automatically have more time and energy for other things. Unless you are a very schedule-conscious person, it is likely that you have very little idea how much time you actually spend shopping for things you don’t need. Both time and energy are valuable resources that impact our lives on a daily basis. You spend time thinking about what to buy, then time researching where to buy it. You spend time driving to and from the store-or sometimes multiple stores. There is time involved with the actual walking through, picking up, trying on, evaluating. Then when you come home, you have to put the items away, washing them and organize them. Also you have to make the money to buy the item. Energy is also a resource. It can be built up and sustained through doing things she loves. Other activities can be an instant energy drain. Making decisions over and over was an energy drain. Thoughts could build or drain energy levels, depending on whether they were positive or negative. Her life is feeling a lot more meaningful.
17/A Life of adventure: The challenge had helped us change our mindset from following the path that had been readily trodden down before us, to intentionally choosing how we wanted to live, then forging our own path. She made a pitch to Alaska Airlines that (if she won the tickets) she could spread the message of ‘less stuff, more adventure’ by highlighting some of the adventures her family might have. What they wanted was a life filled with gratitude, abundance, creativity, and adventure, and here we are living it. They gained time, energy, and money. By focusing on developing an adventure mindset you will be more able to fully experience and even enjoy the unexpected. Adventure principles: explore (looking for things you don’t understand and learning about them), experience (the situation you are going through), enjoy (even if it is not what we have chosen), enthusiasm (positive energy to circumstance), enterprise (resourceful, innovative – creative solutions to problems).
2/A brief History of Consumerism: When it is happiness for sale, we take one in each color. Shopping used to be a function of necessity. Before the age of manufacturing, regular people did not entertain the idea of owning more than what they needed. Variety was low, but quality was impeccable. Industrial revolution caused mass production to be the norm. They had to entice people to buy things they didn’t need. Advertisers aimed to appeal to the emotions of the consumer and made them feel that they needed to be happier. Who gets to choose what I need in my life? Is it me, or the one selling goods disguised as success, joy, and peace?
3/Redefining Minimalism: At it’s core, this new minimalism is recognizing what matters most to you and our family, and the consciously disregarding the rest. This more approachable and realistic minimal lifestyle could be called ‘practical minimalism, intentionalism, or conscious consumerism.’ The guiding principles are: acknowledgement of your abundance, evaluation of what things matter most to you and your family, choosing to intentionally eliminate those things that don’t actually matter much to you. There are sure to be things you own or ways you spend your time that do not add joy to your life. Eliminating those things will free up the space and energy you need to use towards other things you DO value, which will, of course, lead to more happiness and a life of true fulfillment.
4/More Verses Enough: She notices the wild abundance that filled her kitchen, living room, closets, and every single area of their life. Our brains simply cannot process and bring to mind every detail of our surroundings all the time, so they learn to turn off attention to things that are already there. Everywhere we go there are things for sale. There will always be something that you want. She learned that day that some things needed to wait. Our current society doesn’t do a great job of preparing children to think before they buy. Very little is needed for happiness. Through the challenge, her ability to see what she already had as enough grew stronger. We can reclaim time and energy that would have been spent browsing online or wandering in stores. There is no end to what the world has to offer, so it is critical that we learn to recognize when we have enough.
5/Cultivating Gratitude: Through months and month, each time we said “no” to more stuff, it caused a flicker of gratitude for what we already owned. She took her kids to Costco to do some grocery shopping and they, of course, wanted all kinds of other things. Rather than just saying no and leaving everyone to feel frustrated, she invited the kids to explore the warehouse through the lens of loving what we already had. Soon the exercise turned into a game where each time one of my children mentioned an item that they thought was really neat, I challenged them to think of something we had at home that made them feel that same excitement. We would practice feeling gratitude. As we rolled our cart to the back of the store, I thought how incredible it is to not really need any of this beautiful stuff. I realized how freeing it was to know exactly what I had come for and not be distracted around every turn. A big rush of empowerment as I stuck to my list, stuck to my goals. Gratitude practice: gratitude journal, write thank yous. If you have a special chair that you love, you won’t feel so enticed by a new chair, because you already feel quite content with the one that you have.
6/the power of patience: Sometimes we choose to wait and sometimes life chooses for us. Her kids start asking if they can visit the toy aisle (verses get something from the toy aisle). How can we go beyond the simple waiting into an understanding of next-level patience where we recognize the long-term power of postponing some immediate gratification for bigger, more inspiring and more impactful long-term goal? We can transform the waiting into an experience of learning, growth, development, and inspiration if we focus on the beauty of the present while also maintaining enthusiastic anticipation of the future. We are no longer passively patient but becoming active in that form of patience – it is truly empowering. I came upon the idea that there might be two kinds of patience: a true kind that brought peace and a false kind that invited questions. We could allow the circumstance beyond our control to be what it was, while we focused on things that we could appreciate in the moment. This whole challenge was about eliminating those small unnecessary purchases to develop a greater sense of intention, abundance, gratitude, and patience. And maybe one small moment didn’t seem very important. But if one small moment didn’t make a difference, then what would? Life is nothing but a series of small moments all layered together to create our experience. Sometimes you cannot see the power of one decision until it is layered with hundreds of other small similar decisions. Let’s go beyond level one patience, where we simply wait for things when necessary, to next-level patience, where we are actually reaping the long-term benefits of actively appreciating the wait. What her kids had at the end of the year was an emotional tool kit filled with experiences of times they had waited for something they wanted, and survived. Thrived even.
7/Imperfect Minimalism: That focus on all or nothing success is what keeps so many people from trying, learning, and living out their dreams. Miranda buys a laptop bag (during her year of not purchasing). She made a deliberate decision to buy it. The beauty of the decision is that it was deliberate. She had paused to think and consider whether or not this item would add value to her life for the long term, and intentionally decided that it would. One purchase was not going to derail her from her larger goals of developing gratitude, abundance, and focusing on all she had. If you believe in imperfection as a gift and an opportunity for growth, rather than a weakness or failure, you might be more willing to push ourself beyond what feels comfortable right now.
8/Less Stuff = More Focus: The kids simply played with what was there, without worrying about what wasn’t. She slowly and intentionally pared down their toy collection. It did not affect the kids play time. They played happier and longer with fewer toys to decide between. Their ability to play only seemed to increase even as our toy collection decreased. The more clutter in our houses, the more mental energy we spend maintaining it. The Pareto principle says that only 20% of our things are used 80% of the time.
9/Building Community through borrowing: Each time we asked for help, we were going out on a limb into a space of vulnerability, and learning we could trust others to care for us in a tie of need. And each time they asked for help, we learned that to serve and share is to love. Miranda discusses borrowing clothes for a family picture, sharing with their neighbors in DC, and owning a lawn mower with their neighbor in Texas.
10/Capsule Wardrobe and Unnecessary Decisions: Over the past few years, I had simplified my wardrobe down to the most essential pieces. Things that fit my body, fit my style and fit my budget. I just needed to put on clothes I like and that made me feel comfortable. Downsizing and editing my closet had not only reduced the time and energy I spent getting dressed everyday. It had also increased my confidence. I had probably received more compliments about my wardrobe in the five months that I had stopped shopping completely than in the whole rest of my life. I had found a new type of confidence and ease that just say more than a simple outfit could. To spend less energy, you can tuck a few choices nicely into a routine, and not think of them again. Examples: having a meal plan, setting days of the week to complete different household tasks, shopping at only a couple favorite stores that align with your style and budget, and operating with a wardrobe made up of only your favorite clothing. Considering thoughtfully which items of clothing I owned and wanted to wear often made my personal style pretty clear, and it helped me see which brands of clothing I love and that truly lasted.
11/The value of space: Part of what I love about the openness in a room is the possibility. That space allows some rest for the mind and in turn invites creativity and inspiration. After living in their home for four years, she realized that so much of the space they had initially chosen was gone as they had covered it up with stuff. The challenge had allowed them to take themselves off the hamster wheel of more, bigger, and better. She started viewing which rooms in their house were used and unused. What about having more room to rest, more time to play, and more ease in cleaning and organizing because everything has a place with some room in between?
12/It is not about the money: We stopped adding stuff to our life, and instead added more life to our life. She describes a trip to Europe with her sisters, that she was able to pull off because of the extra in their budget from ‘the challenge.’ Money is a renewable resource. When we focus on putting money in the bank, sometimes we forget about what money is good for. How it can be spent to enrich our lives with experiences and memories that shape our perspectives and build our relationships. Money is energy and when we develop a positive relationship with it, often it flows more easily into our lives. As a society, we can easily become caught up in the idea that more money equals more happiness.
13/Giving and Receiving Gifts: Receive with Gratitude and Give with Love. Her parents come to visit and bring gifts. She gets rid of toys or clothes equal or greater quantities to what the gift contained. The joy of gift giving is universal. They do a family theme for the Santa presents that unite them (sleeping bags or bikes). They put practical gifts in their stockings. 1. The gift is only a representation of the emotion or relationship. 2. You can’t control how gifts are received. 3. Gifts of experience are the very best kind of gifts.
14/Creativity in Minimalism: You gain all of the value, inspiration, benefits of creativity regardless of the outcome. So, if you choose to create, that is enough. Exercising creativity improves lives. Do something! Anything! It is easy to consume all day long, everyday. You could potentially spend your entire life always consuming, never creating. But you can’t consume when you create. The act of creation allows the opportunity to simply turn off and ignore those incoming messages for a while. Taking time to create rather than consume will stimulate your imagination, connect you to your intuition, build your problem solving skills, reduce your anxiety and stress as it encourages you to live in the moment. Many people don’t create because they fear imperfection.
15/Self Care vs. Retail Therapy: Maybe there is a more effective way to feel better than hitting the newest sale. Replace retail therapy with self-care experiences. During some ‘solo time,’ She realizes that her life is beautiful. Her husband anchors her with his constant, unwavering love and support. She never feels alone in her concerns or challenges, because he bears life as an equal and encouraging partner. Other solo things to do: movie, museum, hiking, restaurants, baths, manicure, burning candles, read a book, journaling, volunteer, hammock, gym. The self-care things that did cost money felt like an investment in her well-being and mental health. As with most things, the more work we put in, the more benefit we can receive. Actively working on self-reflection and mindfulness practices in the place of mindless consumption brought a measurable added peace into my life.
16/Time and Energy as resources: We pay for things before, during, and after the moment we purchase them. Before choosing not to shop for the year, every single trip into a store had included at least a short meander through the different sections. I am not a productivity expert, but I can easily understand that when you stop spending time and energy on something you automatically have more time and energy for other things. Unless you are a very schedule-conscious person, it is likely that you have very little idea how much time you actually spend shopping for things you don’t need. Both time and energy are valuable resources that impact our lives on a daily basis. You spend time thinking about what to buy, then time researching where to buy it. You spend time driving to and from the store-or sometimes multiple stores. There is time involved with the actual walking through, picking up, trying on, evaluating. Then when you come home, you have to put the items away, washing them and organize them. Also you have to make the money to buy the item. Energy is also a resource. It can be built up and sustained through doing things she loves. Other activities can be an instant energy drain. Making decisions over and over was an energy drain. Thoughts could build or drain energy levels, depending on whether they were positive or negative. Her life is feeling a lot more meaningful.
17/A Life of adventure: The challenge had helped us change our mindset from following the path that had been readily trodden down before us, to intentionally choosing how we wanted to live, then forging our own path. She made a pitch to Alaska Airlines that (if she won the tickets) she could spread the message of ‘less stuff, more adventure’ by highlighting some of the adventures her family might have. What they wanted was a life filled with gratitude, abundance, creativity, and adventure, and here we are living it. They gained time, energy, and money. By focusing on developing an adventure mindset you will be more able to fully experience and even enjoy the unexpected. Adventure principles: explore (looking for things you don’t understand and learning about them), experience (the situation you are going through), enjoy (even if it is not what we have chosen), enthusiasm (positive energy to circumstance), enterprise (resourceful, innovative – creative solutions to problems).
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 27, 2020
I really appreciated the authors approach from having a more minimal but more adventurous life style. I felt like I could relate to her in many ways.
July 26, 2019
Loved this! Gave me so much food for thought. I read a few chapters at a time so I could think about it. Also started listening to her podcast. Even though I haven't started my own no buy challenge yet, I find myself not wanting to buy anything and making do with what I have. Less stuff, more adventures!
June 17, 2019
I really loved this. It was validating (we are very conscious about our spending and working to be more intentional in all aspects of our family life) and motivating and I’m excited to get the print copy so I can read it again and do the journal exercises. Highly recommend to anyone—don’t let the whole “buy nothing for a year” idea turn you off from this book. It outlines the lessons her family learned from more intentional consumerism and more minimalism but gives practical ideas for anyone to use.
Also I read it at the PERFECT time as we are getting ready to move states and I’m currently packing up my house. Really helped me evaluate what things I need and don’t need in my home/life/business.
Also I read it at the PERFECT time as we are getting ready to move states and I’m currently packing up my house. Really helped me evaluate what things I need and don’t need in my home/life/business.
March 22, 2020
I am drawn to books on simplicity and minimalism, but this one took me a little time to get into. It comes across as very informal and light, but by the end I had collected a lot of good advice. It reminds me of Jen Hatmaker's "7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess," and while there are some crossover themes, each brings unique ideas to the table. The Anderson family went a year without buying any nonessential items, while following these two rules: 1-use what you have and 2-keep only the things that add value to your life. They found that this year of fasting from consumerism and extra "stuff" filled them with feelings of gratitude, abundance, patience, and creativity. It helped them focus and live their values more intentionally as opposed to getting wrapped up in the race for more. It felt refreshing to read about it.
--Gratitude helps us remember that what we already have is worthy of appreciation and celebration.
--When we are grateful for something we feel abundance in our life. Abundance leads to feelings of contentment, connection, and satisfaction.
--Epicurus - "Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for."
--Practicing patience and delayed gratification in our wants leads to peace and joy...in a time of instant gratification it's important to remember that things of true worth take time.
--Elder Michael John U. Teh - "There is no end to what the world has to offer so it is critical that we learn to recognize when we have enough."
--I like her idea of borrowing and sharing more...its creates a greater feeling of community.
--To avoid decision fatigue, make some decisions habit - simple meal plans, a household chore schedule, shopping at only a couple stories, and edit and simplify your wardrobe (as someone who is drawn to only a few basic clothing items and colors, I loved her comments on capsule wardrobes)
--Focus on gifts of experiences, adventures, service, and self care over buying more things and stuff
--Remember that time and energy are resources...pay attention to what things drain and boost your energy levels. Use your time and energy for things that you value more than shopping.
--I liked how her family uses the "adventure mindset" to get through challenges or unexpected changes.
--Gratitude helps us remember that what we already have is worthy of appreciation and celebration.
--When we are grateful for something we feel abundance in our life. Abundance leads to feelings of contentment, connection, and satisfaction.
--Epicurus - "Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for."
--Practicing patience and delayed gratification in our wants leads to peace and joy...in a time of instant gratification it's important to remember that things of true worth take time.
--Elder Michael John U. Teh - "There is no end to what the world has to offer so it is critical that we learn to recognize when we have enough."
--I like her idea of borrowing and sharing more...its creates a greater feeling of community.
--To avoid decision fatigue, make some decisions habit - simple meal plans, a household chore schedule, shopping at only a couple stories, and edit and simplify your wardrobe (as someone who is drawn to only a few basic clothing items and colors, I loved her comments on capsule wardrobes)
--Focus on gifts of experiences, adventures, service, and self care over buying more things and stuff
--Remember that time and energy are resources...pay attention to what things drain and boost your energy levels. Use your time and energy for things that you value more than shopping.
--I liked how her family uses the "adventure mindset" to get through challenges or unexpected changes.
March 7, 2020
I relate to so much of what she says about the impetus for her and her husband embarking on this challenge. She was so weighed down by having SO much stuff. I relate to this so much. I hate moving because I hate how much STUFF I have and the realization of how little I use most of what I have and WHY am I moving it yet again so it can just sit in my new dwelling like it did in the last one?!?! The intensity of these feelings is probably exacerbated by the fact that I moved 6 times between May of 2015 and August of 2017, but the frustration is real nonetheless. Reading The Year of Less: How I Stopped Shopping, Gave Away My Belongings, and Discovered Life Is Worth More Than Anything You Can Buy in a Store by Cait Flanders made me want to do a yearlong shopping ban, but reading More than Enough made me think it might actually be possible as a non-single person. Now to get my husband to agree to it (I actually think the ban would be easier than he thinks, but he doesn't like anything remotely resembling being told what to do, so...)
September 18, 2021
Probably a 4.5. This book made me think a lot about what I own and if I really need it. It also made me think about the value of patience.
At times it was just a bit too optimistic for me. Idk if the author is like that in real life, if so, that’s awesome, but in the book her attitude sounded too perfect to be true, despite her saying multiple times that she’s not perfect. But I loved the concepts taught and I hope to be able to live with “less stuff, more adventure.”
At times it was just a bit too optimistic for me. Idk if the author is like that in real life, if so, that’s awesome, but in the book her attitude sounded too perfect to be true, despite her saying multiple times that she’s not perfect. But I loved the concepts taught and I hope to be able to live with “less stuff, more adventure.”
March 14, 2021
Really enjoyed this book! A refreshing and realistic perspective on minimalism (that actually works for families with kids). Loved the exercises at the end of each chapter that help provide practical steps to take to implement the concepts into your own life.
July 28, 2020
Definitely worth reading as a reminder of the things really matter.
Alison’s Summer Reading 19/35
Alison’s Summer Reading 19/35
September 1, 2019
This was just the book I needed at this point in time. I have recently been clearing out my own closets, donating toys and clothes, and even instituted my own month of non-spending, after a July in which it seemed by children wanted every single thing they saw on the shelf in any store we went to. I’m just done with all the STUFF in my house, and have been looking to make a change.
I listened to the audiobook, read, by the author, and really loved it. I appreciated her honesty in how she and her family handled their year of non-spending, and how she admitted they weren’t perfect, but equated it to having a donut while you’re on a diet. Just because you make one mistake, or go against the rules a couple of times, doesn’t mean you’re a failure and you should stop. It means you’re human, and you can learn from that experience.
I also really liked how she explained her children’s reactions and role in the project, and I would have liked even more details related to their attitudes. I have two children who are very similar in age to her children, and the entire time I was listening to the book, I was thinking, “Could I really do something like this with them?” Since listening to the book, I have tried more project-based tasks with my children, including making a cat bed out of a cardboard box, and printing calendar pages and coloring sheets so my daughter could make her own calendar, after she saw my calendar and decided she wanted one. I will admit, these projects have been fun, and have left us all with a huge sense of satisfaction in seeing the result of what we’ve created together. And, it makes me think that making instead of buying is very possible, maybe not with everything, but with many things.
I did have a couple of issues with the book, such as the fact that it seemed to jump around a lot. I did not necessarily think it needed to be chronological, but I had a hard time settling into some of the stories she told, because I wasn’t sure where they fit into the larger picture. Also, I do think that Anderson has some privilege and skill that aided her family in being successful with this challenge. For example, she admits that, before they began, she and her husband made a few “last minute purchases”, such as an Instant Pot, and she clearly has a wealth of craft supplies and know-how so that she could make toy cars and other such things. Not all people have access to so many materials, or can afford to buy an Instant Pot at the last minute. However, I do not think either of these details take away from the suggestions offered in the book, nor are they necessary for success with a “no-buy” project.
Overall, I really enjoyed the book, as well as the challenges at the end of each chapter, and am inspired to implement some changes in my own household.
I listened to the audiobook, read, by the author, and really loved it. I appreciated her honesty in how she and her family handled their year of non-spending, and how she admitted they weren’t perfect, but equated it to having a donut while you’re on a diet. Just because you make one mistake, or go against the rules a couple of times, doesn’t mean you’re a failure and you should stop. It means you’re human, and you can learn from that experience.
I also really liked how she explained her children’s reactions and role in the project, and I would have liked even more details related to their attitudes. I have two children who are very similar in age to her children, and the entire time I was listening to the book, I was thinking, “Could I really do something like this with them?” Since listening to the book, I have tried more project-based tasks with my children, including making a cat bed out of a cardboard box, and printing calendar pages and coloring sheets so my daughter could make her own calendar, after she saw my calendar and decided she wanted one. I will admit, these projects have been fun, and have left us all with a huge sense of satisfaction in seeing the result of what we’ve created together. And, it makes me think that making instead of buying is very possible, maybe not with everything, but with many things.
I did have a couple of issues with the book, such as the fact that it seemed to jump around a lot. I did not necessarily think it needed to be chronological, but I had a hard time settling into some of the stories she told, because I wasn’t sure where they fit into the larger picture. Also, I do think that Anderson has some privilege and skill that aided her family in being successful with this challenge. For example, she admits that, before they began, she and her husband made a few “last minute purchases”, such as an Instant Pot, and she clearly has a wealth of craft supplies and know-how so that she could make toy cars and other such things. Not all people have access to so many materials, or can afford to buy an Instant Pot at the last minute. However, I do not think either of these details take away from the suggestions offered in the book, nor are they necessary for success with a “no-buy” project.
Overall, I really enjoyed the book, as well as the challenges at the end of each chapter, and am inspired to implement some changes in my own household.
October 7, 2019
(EDIT: My original rating was a 3.5 because I'd heard most of it in hear time on Instagram, but I've decided that's not a fair way to rate. There's a lot of good info in this.)
It is a great look at how changing one thing (even if it's pretty major like a no-spend year) can totally change your whole life. Yes, there are lots of books on minimalism and clutter and embracing more of life, but this might be the one that makes sense to you. It might match you more. As she Instagrammed this during the process, I was fascinated hearing the transformations their family made and they they personally made.
Highlights for me:
*Use What you have and keep only the things that add value to your life.
*eliminate unnecessary and mindless and consumption
*Their guidelines: No buying non-consumable goods, only buy consumable when necessary, and instead of getting new see if you can make, borrow, or wait for it.
*Minimalism is recognizing what matters to you and your family the most and throwing out the rest
*Practical minimalism isn't about having nothing. It's about recognizing your abundance, figure out what matters most to you, and removing those things that don't matter (both physical and time and energy consumers)
*Realizing what brings us joy can help eliminate want and comparison and help us to be happy for those that are doing things differently, but that work for them.
*A quote from Michael J. U. Teh "There is no end to what the world has to offer, so it is critical that we learn to recognize when we have enough."
*Practice gratitude and feel thankful for what you own. This helps when wanting something new that is sort of similar to something you already own. If you can focus on the good you have, it keeps you from wanting the thing you don't have but believe you want.
*We consume more than we create. We buy things, we spend too much time on social media, watching TV, looking at other people's ideas, but don't spend enough on making things ourselves. * I loved this section because I feel like i often do this: "Anytime you act upon an idea, you are creating. And far too often, you don't act! You think about the things you would like to create, and often instead of creating, you consume. You want to write in a journal, and instead you scroll through Instagram. You want to learn to water color, instead you browse online. You want to build business, and so you listen to a hundred podcasts and read a hundred books, and absorb everyone else's ideas about the why and how and where and when. Still, at the end of the day, what have you created?"
*Creativity is not perfect, but a way of learning how to do things.
*Another part I really liked was when she wrote about how the dollar amount isn't the only cost when you buy something. What if the amount of time you had to care for it was listed instead or as well? What if it was marked as how many hours you'd need to work to ear it. Money isn't the only cost. Time, space, energy are all additional costs that need to be considered.
*Creating a schedule is often a way we think of to manage time, but can also help manage our energy. Plan things according to energy levels if you can. Also, make sure to do activities that are giving you energy boosts.
*More energy thoughts - you invest it on deciding where to buy things, what to buy, if it is too much, what to do with it once it is purchased, taking care of it and so on. There is also energy drain on other things where you have to make decisions. She makes meals on repeat to reduce decision fatigue. That's one I wouldn't do because I enjoy selecting my meals and it doesn't wear me out (most of the time). But I certainly have a lot of areas I could slim down my choice options (she also does a capsule wardrobe).
*You spend energy worrying about whether or not things will live up to expectation.
*Instead of spending time and money on buying and browsing, spending time in meaningful memory making ways to SO MUCH more valuable. Everyone needs to figure out what makes the most sense for them and stay focused on it.
*Be prepared with a mindset for adventure and then when things good or bad come up, you can look at them as just a new opportunity...even if it's not a good thing.
*Explore, experience, enjoy, be enthusiastic, and be a problem solver instead of a problem creator.
*Freedom and contentment are the byproducts of simplifying you life.
*Often people shop to fill a void. They want to feel the rush of having something new, even though that newness goes away quickly. What the rush makes them feel is momentarily happy, and ultimately all they really want is to be happy. Shopping doesn't really fill this void/need.
It is a great look at how changing one thing (even if it's pretty major like a no-spend year) can totally change your whole life. Yes, there are lots of books on minimalism and clutter and embracing more of life, but this might be the one that makes sense to you. It might match you more. As she Instagrammed this during the process, I was fascinated hearing the transformations their family made and they they personally made.
Highlights for me:
*Use What you have and keep only the things that add value to your life.
*eliminate unnecessary and mindless and consumption
*Their guidelines: No buying non-consumable goods, only buy consumable when necessary, and instead of getting new see if you can make, borrow, or wait for it.
*Minimalism is recognizing what matters to you and your family the most and throwing out the rest
*Practical minimalism isn't about having nothing. It's about recognizing your abundance, figure out what matters most to you, and removing those things that don't matter (both physical and time and energy consumers)
*Realizing what brings us joy can help eliminate want and comparison and help us to be happy for those that are doing things differently, but that work for them.
*A quote from Michael J. U. Teh "There is no end to what the world has to offer, so it is critical that we learn to recognize when we have enough."
*Practice gratitude and feel thankful for what you own. This helps when wanting something new that is sort of similar to something you already own. If you can focus on the good you have, it keeps you from wanting the thing you don't have but believe you want.
*We consume more than we create. We buy things, we spend too much time on social media, watching TV, looking at other people's ideas, but don't spend enough on making things ourselves. * I loved this section because I feel like i often do this: "Anytime you act upon an idea, you are creating. And far too often, you don't act! You think about the things you would like to create, and often instead of creating, you consume. You want to write in a journal, and instead you scroll through Instagram. You want to learn to water color, instead you browse online. You want to build business, and so you listen to a hundred podcasts and read a hundred books, and absorb everyone else's ideas about the why and how and where and when. Still, at the end of the day, what have you created?"
*Creativity is not perfect, but a way of learning how to do things.
*Another part I really liked was when she wrote about how the dollar amount isn't the only cost when you buy something. What if the amount of time you had to care for it was listed instead or as well? What if it was marked as how many hours you'd need to work to ear it. Money isn't the only cost. Time, space, energy are all additional costs that need to be considered.
*Creating a schedule is often a way we think of to manage time, but can also help manage our energy. Plan things according to energy levels if you can. Also, make sure to do activities that are giving you energy boosts.
*More energy thoughts - you invest it on deciding where to buy things, what to buy, if it is too much, what to do with it once it is purchased, taking care of it and so on. There is also energy drain on other things where you have to make decisions. She makes meals on repeat to reduce decision fatigue. That's one I wouldn't do because I enjoy selecting my meals and it doesn't wear me out (most of the time). But I certainly have a lot of areas I could slim down my choice options (she also does a capsule wardrobe).
*You spend energy worrying about whether or not things will live up to expectation.
*Instead of spending time and money on buying and browsing, spending time in meaningful memory making ways to SO MUCH more valuable. Everyone needs to figure out what makes the most sense for them and stay focused on it.
*Be prepared with a mindset for adventure and then when things good or bad come up, you can look at them as just a new opportunity...even if it's not a good thing.
*Explore, experience, enjoy, be enthusiastic, and be a problem solver instead of a problem creator.
*Freedom and contentment are the byproducts of simplifying you life.
*Often people shop to fill a void. They want to feel the rush of having something new, even though that newness goes away quickly. What the rush makes them feel is momentarily happy, and ultimately all they really want is to be happy. Shopping doesn't really fill this void/need.
April 23, 2020
3.5. I've listened to the author's podcast semi-regularly over the last couple of years, and I follow her on Instagram, so in some ways I felt like I was listening to a friend while reading this; I could clearly "hear" the way she would say things, and a lot of the material in it is familiar. She makes some really good points about choosing what we allow into our lives and how we spend our time and energy. Still, this wasn't anything groundbreaking for me. I don't think I shop enough in my normal life (I'm writing this during the time of Covid-19 quarantining) that it would make such a drastic difference for me if I stopped shopping. For Miranda Anderson, eliminating the purchase of non-consumable goods resulted in substantially more money, time, and energy; if I were to do this, I'd save a little money, but I don't know that it would really make a huge impact overall. Additionally, this is self-published. It's one of the better-written self-published books I've read, and she thanks her editor in the acknowledgements, but this book could have benefited from more rigorous editing. As a copyeditor, I find that even minor errors become glaring when there are enough of them.
It's a good book and I think it's worth reading, even if it could use a little polishing. :)
It's a good book and I think it's worth reading, even if it could use a little polishing. :)
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