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The Simple Guide to a Minimalist Life
"What is a minimalist life? It's one that is stripped of the unnecessary, to make room for that which gives you joy. It's a removal of clutter in all its forms, leaving you with peace and freedom and lightness. A minimalist values quality, not quantity, in all forms." So writes Leo Babauta, the creator of Zen Habits and author of The Simple Guide to a Minimalist Life. A joy to read, this little book will help you clear out clutter, be content with less, and simplify your life--with tips on everything from creating a minimalist workspace to going paperless. In short, it will help you enjoy a simpler, happier life!
105 pages, ebook
First published January 1, 2009
71 people are currently reading
1620 people want to read
About the author
Leo Babauta
93 books709 followersLeo Babauta is a simplicity blogger and author. He created Zen Habits, a Top 25 blog (according to TIME magazine) with 260,000 subscribers, mnmlist.com, and the best-selling books focus, The Power of Less, and Zen To Done.
Babauta is a former journalist of 18 years, a husband, father of six children, and in 2010 moved from Guam to San Francisco, where he leads a simple life.
He started Zen Habits to chronicle and share what he's learned while changing a number of habits.
Babauta is a former journalist of 18 years, a husband, father of six children, and in 2010 moved from Guam to San Francisco, where he leads a simple life.
He started Zen Habits to chronicle and share what he's learned while changing a number of habits.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 138 reviews
October 26, 2017
Zdecydowanie wzrasta ilość książek, które lepiej zrobiłyby pozostając w swerze blogowych artykułów xD
October 7, 2010
Leo Babauta is one of my favorite minimalists. He's so practical and unassuming.
This book gets the basics of his message all down in one place. It covers how to simplify each area of your life, starting with why, and then giving what steps to take. It's very concrete and helpful.
I love the minimalist principles: realizing you have more than enough, eliminating the excess, being content with what you have, and refraining from acquiring more. I wouldn't say I live them enough to be a true minimalist; I guess I'm just a "lessist" or a "fit-ist"--I still have more than the bare minimum of necessary things, but I've eliminated things to a level that works for me. Everything fits and looks tidy in my house. It's easy to maintain and restful to look at. I think that's little enough.
In the chapters on decluttering your house, I discovered that Leo takes basically the same approach I do: start with something you can do pretty easily and keep spreading your efforts throughout the house as the momentum builds. That pleased me.
He also had some very good ideas for a more peaceful setup on the computer: eliminating all icons from the desktop, hiding the dock most of the time, and using a program called Quicksilver to open applications using hotkeys. He also recommends a word processor called WriteRoom that takes up the full screen and doesn't do anything but allow you to enter text, green on black, old school style. I can see where these things could be helpful if you're easily distracted, but the dock and the toolbars in a regular word processor really disappear into the background for me. I should probably try these suggestions anyway, though--I always thought people were being silly suggesting that blog posts be composed in a word processor instead of a post window on the blogging site, and they've turned out to be right about that.
He also recommends ditching paper altogether and storing nearly everything online. He doesn't even keep his archives sorted, just uses search when he wants to find something. I don't like these ideas, but obviously they work for him. It just seems like he gets a little carried away. Get absolutely everything off your desk! No drawers! No inboxes! No knick-knacks! No pens! I'm glad that works for him, but I need to be able to jot a note to myself, and it's a lot quicker if I can grab a pen in reach, write it down, and go back to what I'm doing. And no, doing it in some sticky note program on the computer is not just as good.
He goes on to give the usual suggestions about travel (pack less stuff, duh) and appearance (keep fewer clothes that all go together and put less gunk on your hair and face). Same with eating: eat less. Stop eating when you're 80% full, which is probably good advice. Cook at home, clearly good advice. Eat less processed foods... although he gives examples including soup based on vegetable bullion, because that's soooo natural. I have never understood people who go to the trouble of making their own soup yet base it on a bunch of factory-made artificial flavors from New Jersey. Then, he goes on to preach veganism, ending with this patronizing conclusion: "Being a vegan is actually just as liberating as being a minimalist, because you realize that before becoming vegan, you were tied to meat and other animal products almost involuntarily, because of advertising and a culture of excess." Sorry, Leo, you just lost me. I have refrained from eating any animal products for periods of time in the past, and it was neither liberating nor healthy for me. I don't eat meat because I'm brainwashed and ignorant, I eat meat because I feel like shit when I don't. And although you could argue that it's not completely necessary, I could survive without it, so I should cut it out, I think that is completely stupid. Yes, people in the third world do without, but that's only because they don't have any choice! To have the opportunity to enjoy better conditions and pass it up just because it's not the absolute worst you could survive seems wasteful and wrong-headed to me.
Then he goes into the usual obvious advice about exercising and finances: get moving, even if it's just a 20 minute walk a few times a week; don't buy stuff; pay off your debt; set up an emergency fund; etc. Not new, but good advice.
Overall, this is a good basic book on minimalism. I guess the point at which Leo and I diverge is that I'm not convinced that the best way is to get rid of everything that's not necessary. Yes, I could live with only one or two pairs of underwear (or none), but then I'd have to do laundry much more often. Yes, I could eliminate everything in my kitchen but one pot, one spatula, and one knife and eat everything with my fingers and have to do the dishes every time I want to make another meal, but if I can own three cutting boards, five spatulas, a whole bunch of plates and silverware, and a dishwasher, and spend more of my life doing stuff other than washing the same three things over and over, the choice seems obvious to me. I agree 100% that it's way better to have a streamlined collection of stuff than to have a bunch of clutter. I just think there's a point between getting rid of everything that's not necessary, and having heaps of junk and clutter everywhere. It's the point where everything looks good and fits nicely with a little room to spare. To me, that is the ideal point, not the absolute minimum. But, to each his own.
This book gets the basics of his message all down in one place. It covers how to simplify each area of your life, starting with why, and then giving what steps to take. It's very concrete and helpful.
I love the minimalist principles: realizing you have more than enough, eliminating the excess, being content with what you have, and refraining from acquiring more. I wouldn't say I live them enough to be a true minimalist; I guess I'm just a "lessist" or a "fit-ist"--I still have more than the bare minimum of necessary things, but I've eliminated things to a level that works for me. Everything fits and looks tidy in my house. It's easy to maintain and restful to look at. I think that's little enough.
In the chapters on decluttering your house, I discovered that Leo takes basically the same approach I do: start with something you can do pretty easily and keep spreading your efforts throughout the house as the momentum builds. That pleased me.
He also had some very good ideas for a more peaceful setup on the computer: eliminating all icons from the desktop, hiding the dock most of the time, and using a program called Quicksilver to open applications using hotkeys. He also recommends a word processor called WriteRoom that takes up the full screen and doesn't do anything but allow you to enter text, green on black, old school style. I can see where these things could be helpful if you're easily distracted, but the dock and the toolbars in a regular word processor really disappear into the background for me. I should probably try these suggestions anyway, though--I always thought people were being silly suggesting that blog posts be composed in a word processor instead of a post window on the blogging site, and they've turned out to be right about that.
He also recommends ditching paper altogether and storing nearly everything online. He doesn't even keep his archives sorted, just uses search when he wants to find something. I don't like these ideas, but obviously they work for him. It just seems like he gets a little carried away. Get absolutely everything off your desk! No drawers! No inboxes! No knick-knacks! No pens! I'm glad that works for him, but I need to be able to jot a note to myself, and it's a lot quicker if I can grab a pen in reach, write it down, and go back to what I'm doing. And no, doing it in some sticky note program on the computer is not just as good.
He goes on to give the usual suggestions about travel (pack less stuff, duh) and appearance (keep fewer clothes that all go together and put less gunk on your hair and face). Same with eating: eat less. Stop eating when you're 80% full, which is probably good advice. Cook at home, clearly good advice. Eat less processed foods... although he gives examples including soup based on vegetable bullion, because that's soooo natural. I have never understood people who go to the trouble of making their own soup yet base it on a bunch of factory-made artificial flavors from New Jersey. Then, he goes on to preach veganism, ending with this patronizing conclusion: "Being a vegan is actually just as liberating as being a minimalist, because you realize that before becoming vegan, you were tied to meat and other animal products almost involuntarily, because of advertising and a culture of excess." Sorry, Leo, you just lost me. I have refrained from eating any animal products for periods of time in the past, and it was neither liberating nor healthy for me. I don't eat meat because I'm brainwashed and ignorant, I eat meat because I feel like shit when I don't. And although you could argue that it's not completely necessary, I could survive without it, so I should cut it out, I think that is completely stupid. Yes, people in the third world do without, but that's only because they don't have any choice! To have the opportunity to enjoy better conditions and pass it up just because it's not the absolute worst you could survive seems wasteful and wrong-headed to me.
Then he goes into the usual obvious advice about exercising and finances: get moving, even if it's just a 20 minute walk a few times a week; don't buy stuff; pay off your debt; set up an emergency fund; etc. Not new, but good advice.
Overall, this is a good basic book on minimalism. I guess the point at which Leo and I diverge is that I'm not convinced that the best way is to get rid of everything that's not necessary. Yes, I could live with only one or two pairs of underwear (or none), but then I'd have to do laundry much more often. Yes, I could eliminate everything in my kitchen but one pot, one spatula, and one knife and eat everything with my fingers and have to do the dishes every time I want to make another meal, but if I can own three cutting boards, five spatulas, a whole bunch of plates and silverware, and a dishwasher, and spend more of my life doing stuff other than washing the same three things over and over, the choice seems obvious to me. I agree 100% that it's way better to have a streamlined collection of stuff than to have a bunch of clutter. I just think there's a point between getting rid of everything that's not necessary, and having heaps of junk and clutter everywhere. It's the point where everything looks good and fits nicely with a little room to spare. To me, that is the ideal point, not the absolute minimum. But, to each his own.
March 22, 2016
* Eylül ayında karşılaştım bu kavramla. 'Minimalizm' Hayatı daha sade yaşamak. O gün başladım düşünmeye, bu kadar eşya içinde nasıl boğulmadan yaşayabiliyorum. Eşyaları geçtim zihnimde dönen bunca düşünceler, yanlış arkadaşlıklar, zamanı kötü kullanmam.
* Bana kattığı en büyük fayda zaman konusunda oldu meğer ne kadar boşa gidiyormuş 24 saatim. Bu durumda özellikle sosyal medya hesaplarıma yansıdı gerçekten düşünüyorum nerede olduğumu paylaşmam, insanların neler yaptığını farklı farklı sosyal medyadan takip etmem kişiliğimi geliştirmek için bana ne sağladı. Koskoca bir hiç.
* Yazar bu rehber kitapta bütün kapsamları ele almış adeta benim baş tacım oldu minimalistliğe adım atmamda. Kendinize bir program çıkartıp elinizdeki çoğu ürünleri eliyorsunuz. Bunu yaptıktan sonra elimde tıpatıp aynı renkten 4 farklı ruj buldum gerçekten aynı renk ve 4 tane sadece bununla kalsada iyi daha neler neler. Ama en zor olanı kitaplığımı minimalleştirmem oldu, kitaplarımın yarısını kütüphaneye yarısını köy okullarına bağışladım sadece bende yeri ayrı olanlar kaldı :)
* Kitabı anlatmakla bitiremem ve bence inanın 5 yıldızdan fazlasını hakediyor.
* Hayatı daha sade yaşamak dileğiyle :)
* Bana kattığı en büyük fayda zaman konusunda oldu meğer ne kadar boşa gidiyormuş 24 saatim. Bu durumda özellikle sosyal medya hesaplarıma yansıdı gerçekten düşünüyorum nerede olduğumu paylaşmam, insanların neler yaptığını farklı farklı sosyal medyadan takip etmem kişiliğimi geliştirmek için bana ne sağladı. Koskoca bir hiç.
* Yazar bu rehber kitapta bütün kapsamları ele almış adeta benim baş tacım oldu minimalistliğe adım atmamda. Kendinize bir program çıkartıp elinizdeki çoğu ürünleri eliyorsunuz. Bunu yaptıktan sonra elimde tıpatıp aynı renkten 4 farklı ruj buldum gerçekten aynı renk ve 4 tane sadece bununla kalsada iyi daha neler neler. Ama en zor olanı kitaplığımı minimalleştirmem oldu, kitaplarımın yarısını kütüphaneye yarısını köy okullarına bağışladım sadece bende yeri ayrı olanlar kaldı :)
* Kitabı anlatmakla bitiremem ve bence inanın 5 yıldızdan fazlasını hakediyor.
* Hayatı daha sade yaşamak dileğiyle :)
December 25, 2015
Not the best guide on how to become a minimalist... Badly edited and outdated (in references and links). I haven't been reading Leo's blog for long, but even just in this guide, there was a lot of repetition.
Why do all these minimalist 'writers' not know how to 1) write, 2) use punctuation, 3) proofread, and 4) EDIT THEIR WORK?!!
I think the only chapter I thought added some new information to my knowledge of minimalism was the chapter on dealing with non-minimalist loved ones. Another cool thing I learned was that you can send your print photos to a company to scan them for you.
Why do all these minimalist 'writers' not know how to 1) write, 2) use punctuation, 3) proofread, and 4) EDIT THEIR WORK?!!
I think the only chapter I thought added some new information to my knowledge of minimalism was the chapter on dealing with non-minimalist loved ones. Another cool thing I learned was that you can send your print photos to a company to scan them for you.
February 18, 2023
O Cie, jakie to było złe. Co jakiś czas próbuje tego typo poradników, mając nadzieję, że powiedzą mi jak żyć. Po czym siadam do nich i czuje mocne zażenowanie poradami autorów. Albo są to oczywiste rzeczy, które wiem, albo rady nieprzystające ani do realiów, ani nie mające wiele wspólnego z normalnością.
W każdym razie fajnie że Leo żyje sobie minimalistycznie, ale nie powtarzajcie jego sposobu na życie.
W każdym razie fajnie że Leo żyje sobie minimalistycznie, ale nie powtarzajcie jego sposobu na życie.
July 29, 2019
If it’s your first book on minimalism you’ll benefit from it. Personally felt it’s repeating tips I’ve come across before in other books.
July 2, 2022
2.5 niezle, ale nie na 3 gwiazdki, ok-
October 19, 2018
I didn’t gain much from my re-read, but that’s just because I have absorbed and incorporated many of the precepts of minimalism in my daily life. When I first read this seven years ago? Enlightening.
February 16, 2017
osinskipoludzku.blogspot.com
Ta książka ma jedną zaletę jak dla mnie, no może dwie. Po pierwsze jest krótka, bo naprawdę bardzo bym żałował mocno poświęconego jej czasu, a po drugie promuje filozofię bardzo mi bliską. To by było na tyle, co spowodowało u mnie spory zawód bo nie lubię źle pisać o książkach i z reguły nie muszę bo sięgam głównie po dobre pozycje, ale tym razem stało się inaczej. Leo Babauta popełnił naprawdę słabą pozycję...
Spodziewałem się po tym tytule czegoś bardziej głębokiego, choć odrobinę ocierającego się o kwestie duchowe, egzystencjalne. Być może, że nie powinienem mieć aż takich oczekiwań i wtedy odebrał bym "Minimalizm" jakoś inaczej, ale z drugiej strony mam poczucie że Leo Babauta napisał swoją książkę na siłę i nic wielkiego ona w moje życie nie wniosła. Ma się wrażenie obcowania z jakimś miernym poradnikiem, momentami z pozycją stworzoną tylko i wyłącznie jako pretekst do ulokowania produktu. Tak w ogóle to poruszane tu kwestie jakby w kółko się powtarzają, a styl jest tak monotonny, że mimo iż nie jest to książka pojemnościowo duża, to cały czas towarzyszyła mi myśl - niech się to w końcu skończy.
Pisanie książki, nawet jeśli ma to być poradnik, o tym jak segregować ubrania i w jaki sposób ma wyglądać pulpit na komputerze. Rozwodzenie się nad tym jakich aplikacji komputerowych używać i porady dotyczące gotowania posiłków w taki sposób, żeby nie marnować produktów i czasu bez poświęcenia należytej uwagi temu na czym tak naprawdę polega minimalizm i jakie istnieją przesłanki żeby tą filozofię wprowadzać w życie to według mnie jednak nie najlepszy pomysł. Tym bardziej mija się to z celem kiedy autor robi to w takim stylu jak Leo Babauta.
Pastwię się trochę nad "Minimalizmem" - wiem o tym, ale naprawdę trudno coś pozytywnego napisać o tytule po którym obiecywaliśmy sobie tak wiele, a zostaliśmy jakby zrobieni w konia. Z tego też względu w klimacie minimalistycznym potraktuję też opinię na temat tej książki i skończę ją tymi słowami: Nie warto tracić czasu na tę książkę, można go wykorzystać na inne fajne rzeczy, a "Minimalizm" Leo Babauta omijajcie szerokim łukiem.
Ta książka ma jedną zaletę jak dla mnie, no może dwie. Po pierwsze jest krótka, bo naprawdę bardzo bym żałował mocno poświęconego jej czasu, a po drugie promuje filozofię bardzo mi bliską. To by było na tyle, co spowodowało u mnie spory zawód bo nie lubię źle pisać o książkach i z reguły nie muszę bo sięgam głównie po dobre pozycje, ale tym razem stało się inaczej. Leo Babauta popełnił naprawdę słabą pozycję...
Spodziewałem się po tym tytule czegoś bardziej głębokiego, choć odrobinę ocierającego się o kwestie duchowe, egzystencjalne. Być może, że nie powinienem mieć aż takich oczekiwań i wtedy odebrał bym "Minimalizm" jakoś inaczej, ale z drugiej strony mam poczucie że Leo Babauta napisał swoją książkę na siłę i nic wielkiego ona w moje życie nie wniosła. Ma się wrażenie obcowania z jakimś miernym poradnikiem, momentami z pozycją stworzoną tylko i wyłącznie jako pretekst do ulokowania produktu. Tak w ogóle to poruszane tu kwestie jakby w kółko się powtarzają, a styl jest tak monotonny, że mimo iż nie jest to książka pojemnościowo duża, to cały czas towarzyszyła mi myśl - niech się to w końcu skończy.
Pisanie książki, nawet jeśli ma to być poradnik, o tym jak segregować ubrania i w jaki sposób ma wyglądać pulpit na komputerze. Rozwodzenie się nad tym jakich aplikacji komputerowych używać i porady dotyczące gotowania posiłków w taki sposób, żeby nie marnować produktów i czasu bez poświęcenia należytej uwagi temu na czym tak naprawdę polega minimalizm i jakie istnieją przesłanki żeby tą filozofię wprowadzać w życie to według mnie jednak nie najlepszy pomysł. Tym bardziej mija się to z celem kiedy autor robi to w takim stylu jak Leo Babauta.
Pastwię się trochę nad "Minimalizmem" - wiem o tym, ale naprawdę trudno coś pozytywnego napisać o tytule po którym obiecywaliśmy sobie tak wiele, a zostaliśmy jakby zrobieni w konia. Z tego też względu w klimacie minimalistycznym potraktuję też opinię na temat tej książki i skończę ją tymi słowami: Nie warto tracić czasu na tę książkę, można go wykorzystać na inne fajne rzeczy, a "Minimalizm" Leo Babauta omijajcie szerokim łukiem.
January 21, 2021
I found this extremely repetitive and thus, utterly boring. Granted, I'm not good with audiobooks, but I could only find this in audiobook format currently, so I had to take notes to make sure I paid attention to it...
"My philosophy is evolving even now" is a good phrase. I'm going to remember that.
Anyway. Having read multiple books and blog posts on minimalism during my "minimalist journey" in the past seven years, this is by far the most preachy of all. This is the first one that actually made me go, "screw this, I'm going to buy a turquoise table with floral paintings just because Babauta specifically told me to go with solid, subdued colors!" I'm a naïve rebel.
"My philosophy is evolving even now" is a good phrase. I'm going to remember that.
Anyway. Having read multiple books and blog posts on minimalism during my "minimalist journey" in the past seven years, this is by far the most preachy of all. This is the first one that actually made me go, "screw this, I'm going to buy a turquoise table with floral paintings just because Babauta specifically told me to go with solid, subdued colors!" I'm a naïve rebel.
August 12, 2018
I believe it's essential to find balance in order to live a healthy life. Some of the author's ideas may seem extreme, it's up to each of us to figure out what works for us individually. What impressed me most is the author's integrity - giving free use of his e-book for people to use in anyway that can help others live a simple life.
October 28, 2018
Fortunately it was a minimalist book. Not exactly a book but a collection of upgraded blog entries, I was grateful that the author mentioned it earlier in the intro.. that's bold..
The 'let's say' articles, varied from a general broad framework of minimalism to some to-do list for home, work, food, travel, family minimalist lifestyle. Although it felt as if it was more about making economies on every possible category in your life. Cutting down waste, space, clothes, belongings, some of the FAQ went as far as to ask the author about whether having 6 kids was against the minimalist trend... His answer didn't meet my expectation, simply because of the context, culture and so on...
Minimalism as far as I'm concerned, from an ecological point of view, is very welcome, you're winning on every front... but pushing it to the extremes is everything except healthy or even minimal, it's just void... [ awkward silence and cricket sound]
I can't decide if I can call myself a minimalist or not, but in any case I never chose it, it's just rational to have lesser things when you're on the go frequently, and can't afford maintenance time... and linking it to spirituality, at its best, is another way of depicting asceticism (and it has a name of its own you see)...
I deeply believe that chaos breeds stress, owning a lot of stuff requires more time to put in order and since we all - it seems - are busy and can't afford that time, we live in clutters and that is one huge catalyst for stress and a scattered lifestyle. Accordingly, I think that you still can own more stuff if you have enough time & ressources to organize it, if that makes you happy... and still live in a bliss as a minimalist can be.
You may want to read my 'minimalist' review of : "Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less"... the same applies for this one too (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...)
The 'let's say' articles, varied from a general broad framework of minimalism to some to-do list for home, work, food, travel, family minimalist lifestyle. Although it felt as if it was more about making economies on every possible category in your life. Cutting down waste, space, clothes, belongings, some of the FAQ went as far as to ask the author about whether having 6 kids was against the minimalist trend... His answer didn't meet my expectation, simply because of the context, culture and so on...
Minimalism as far as I'm concerned, from an ecological point of view, is very welcome, you're winning on every front... but pushing it to the extremes is everything except healthy or even minimal, it's just void... [ awkward silence and cricket sound]
I can't decide if I can call myself a minimalist or not, but in any case I never chose it, it's just rational to have lesser things when you're on the go frequently, and can't afford maintenance time... and linking it to spirituality, at its best, is another way of depicting asceticism (and it has a name of its own you see)...
I deeply believe that chaos breeds stress, owning a lot of stuff requires more time to put in order and since we all - it seems - are busy and can't afford that time, we live in clutters and that is one huge catalyst for stress and a scattered lifestyle. Accordingly, I think that you still can own more stuff if you have enough time & ressources to organize it, if that makes you happy... and still live in a bliss as a minimalist can be.
You may want to read my 'minimalist' review of : "Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less"... the same applies for this one too (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...)
September 1, 2020
I must admit that Minimalism is a good concept. The author succeeded in explaining the benefits of minimalism. But I think it's not everybody's cup of tea. Minimalism always demands limiting things and stuff from life. Usually, it is not possible with modern lifestyle. I think this concept can be applied to a certain level. For example, we can practice financial minimalism by buying the most needed, and we can decide to buy something whenever we have enough money to avoid credits. Jumping into a vegan diet is not good for everyone, but we can be a flexitarian. Arranging and keeping things organised is indeed a better way to keep your mind tidy. The author insists to make a plan which works efficiently to our routine. That's more sensible in fact.
June 17, 2022
O ile rozdział o finansach jest super, to 2 były jak dla mnie wyjątkowo bez sensu:
1. Dbanie o wygląd napisane z perspektywy mężczyzny, znaczy bez presji na to, żeby dobrze wyglądać.
2. Co do domu, to tutaj jest bardziej o pewnej estetyce minimalistycznej niż o minimalistycznym urządzeniu mieszkania. Myślę, że posiadanie w pościeli w kwiatki i dywanu w szachownice nikogo nie skreśla z bycia minimalistą 🤣
1. Dbanie o wygląd napisane z perspektywy mężczyzny, znaczy bez presji na to, żeby dobrze wyglądać.
2. Co do domu, to tutaj jest bardziej o pewnej estetyce minimalistycznej niż o minimalistycznym urządzeniu mieszkania. Myślę, że posiadanie w pościeli w kwiatki i dywanu w szachownice nikogo nie skreśla z bycia minimalistą 🤣
January 30, 2018
Very simple book, very to the point. Not a lot of useful information that is not already available everywhere.
March 20, 2019
In essence , minimalism is about living a simpler life - not going to extremes but appreciate and use everything you own
January 7, 2022
4.5 stars
April 10, 2019
Gotta love a book that's short sweet Alma to the point. Very practical ideas towards living a minimalist lifestyle. The health section didn't sit as well with me as the rest of the book but otherwise very helpful.
April 16, 2011
It's clear that Leo really loves the whole idea of minimalism and all that it might mean. I honestly think that while many of the tips and suggestions in this book are great ideas, some of them are a bit over the top. For instance, I completely agree that having as few icons as possible on my computer is a good idea. But seriously, in order to be a minimalist I have to change my background image to one in his color scheme? And speaking of color schemes, I don't agree with the idea that minimalists must have white and "neutral" tones for their home and furniture etc. I'm not really convinced that having white furniture and carpets is going to help me keep a minimalist mindset. Unless that mindset is hyper stressed. I don't live in San Francisco, I live in Washington state. We have MUD here. Mud that gets tracked in by my son, my dog, my friends, even myself. And mud on white carpets is very difficult to get out (I know because our last house had off-white carpets). Being afraid to walk into my own home is not going to keep me calm.
But other than that, I think that this book is a good way to get started with minimalism, and it's a good motivating tool.
But other than that, I think that this book is a good way to get started with minimalism, and it's a good motivating tool.
December 28, 2012
This book is a compilation of articles from the blog Zen Habits. No need to buy the book unless you like the feel of paper as I do. Sometimes the books says "as the picture above shows" when there is no picture. Apparently in the original web page there was a picture. The text is pulled verbatim from the web site. Other times it says I'll talk about minimalist finances later but he's already discussed them in an earlier chapter.
The book is a good start to living minimally. I've read his blog and have cleaned up much of my living space. A clean living space is mentally freeing. It's a short book easily read in a day. Well worth your time.
The book is a good start to living minimally. I've read his blog and have cleaned up much of my living space. A clean living space is mentally freeing. It's a short book easily read in a day. Well worth your time.
June 30, 2015
I listened to the audio recording and felt a mixture of admiration and annoyance for the minimalist lifestyle. I can see how minimalism simplifies your life, making it more efficient, where you don't waste a lot of time. I also love the idea of focusing on one room at a time and accepting the limitations of others in choosing minimalism. But when it comes to books, more is better, disorder is in some respects, creative chaos and decoration rolled into one.
June 30, 2021
Nie porwał mnie ten poradnik, część z porad jest moim zdaniem niemożliwa do zrealizowania, są same ogólniki i nic konkretnego ani wnoszącego do życia. Wiem, że autor książki prowadzi bloga o tej samej tematyce i może niech zostanie przy blogu bo chyba porwał się z motyką na słońce. Słabiutko.
October 20, 2015
Claro, excelente libro para comenzar en esta filosofía de vida.
February 19, 2019
Great for anyone starting with minimalism!
December 27, 2022
An eye-opener, yet, I won't get rid of most of my office supplies.
December 11, 2018
I liked the concept written about in this book, but I feel like nothing was talked about deep enough to have a lasting impact.
I love learning about other people’s recipes for minimalism; it’s refreshing and nice, but I didn’t really relate to this book that much, honestly. I think there were some amazing points, but again, not enough depth.
Formatting, I think this book was effective. I listened to it on audiobook, but each new section started with a quote from someone talking about living more simply. I think this was a nice touch, and gave some more context to the book as a whole. I didn’t enjoy how short the chapter were, though. I wish that it had been longer and had gone into more detail.
I think some of the stuff Leo talked about was a little too hardcore for this being a “simple guide” to minimalism. He was saying that in some aspects of your life, what you’re currently doing is wrong and you should do it his way. At least that’s how I interpreted it.
I think the best part of this book were the sections on finances. I am 19 and am just starting my “adult life.” My parents are amazing and are providing my education for me, but I’m at the PERFECT point in life to start thinking about how I’m spending the money I’m earning.
"Too many people spend money they haven’t earned, to buy things they don’t want, to impress people they don’t like."
This was my favorite quote from the whole book, because it’s so true. My parents have always instilled in me to not leave beyond my means, and thats what this whole finance section was about. It’s so refreshing to read something in the EXACT way I’ve always thought about money. I don’t have a credit card, and don’t plan on getting one because my debit card will suffice. I don’t see it ending well for me to be given the opportunity to spend money I don’t have. I love this quote because it’s unbelievably true.
So many people have things that they don’t own. Be it financed cars, a super huge mortgage, thousands in student loan debt. A lot of people don’t own their things, and that’s something that honestly blows my mind. My parents have always been the ones to buy their cars by writing a check; they haven’t financed anything. They paid off their mortgage in a short amount of time. I’m so lucky to have grown up in an environment where actually owning your things has been a priority.
Overall, I enjoyed this book because I think there was plenty of information that was helpful and valid, but I wish it would have gone deeper into the ideas behind minimalism more.
https://pointextaken.com/2018/12/11/r...
Aubrey Joy
I love learning about other people’s recipes for minimalism; it’s refreshing and nice, but I didn’t really relate to this book that much, honestly. I think there were some amazing points, but again, not enough depth.
Formatting, I think this book was effective. I listened to it on audiobook, but each new section started with a quote from someone talking about living more simply. I think this was a nice touch, and gave some more context to the book as a whole. I didn’t enjoy how short the chapter were, though. I wish that it had been longer and had gone into more detail.
I think some of the stuff Leo talked about was a little too hardcore for this being a “simple guide” to minimalism. He was saying that in some aspects of your life, what you’re currently doing is wrong and you should do it his way. At least that’s how I interpreted it.
I think the best part of this book were the sections on finances. I am 19 and am just starting my “adult life.” My parents are amazing and are providing my education for me, but I’m at the PERFECT point in life to start thinking about how I’m spending the money I’m earning.
"Too many people spend money they haven’t earned, to buy things they don’t want, to impress people they don’t like."
This was my favorite quote from the whole book, because it’s so true. My parents have always instilled in me to not leave beyond my means, and thats what this whole finance section was about. It’s so refreshing to read something in the EXACT way I’ve always thought about money. I don’t have a credit card, and don’t plan on getting one because my debit card will suffice. I don’t see it ending well for me to be given the opportunity to spend money I don’t have. I love this quote because it’s unbelievably true.
So many people have things that they don’t own. Be it financed cars, a super huge mortgage, thousands in student loan debt. A lot of people don’t own their things, and that’s something that honestly blows my mind. My parents have always been the ones to buy their cars by writing a check; they haven’t financed anything. They paid off their mortgage in a short amount of time. I’m so lucky to have grown up in an environment where actually owning your things has been a priority.
Overall, I enjoyed this book because I think there was plenty of information that was helpful and valid, but I wish it would have gone deeper into the ideas behind minimalism more.
https://pointextaken.com/2018/12/11/r...
Aubrey Joy
October 11, 2018
I love reading things about minimalism, and striving for minimalism myself. This book was not my favorite. It was a strange mix of “how to not be materialistic” “how to be like me” but then treated those very surface level approaches to minimalism as if it were a spiritual practice. I believe minimalism can be a little spiritual but not when you’re talking simply about whether or not you need a cup of pens on your desk. I also think the author should skip decor, diet, makeup, and exercise advice.
If your idea about minimalism is that you need to own the fewest number of things possible, even if it means washing your underwear in the sink every night when you’re on vacation: I guess this book may be for you. If your idea of minimalism is to simplify your life to make space and time for things that are more important to you, then skip this book. Go for Marie Kondo or The Minimalists.
If your idea about minimalism is that you need to own the fewest number of things possible, even if it means washing your underwear in the sink every night when you’re on vacation: I guess this book may be for you. If your idea of minimalism is to simplify your life to make space and time for things that are more important to you, then skip this book. Go for Marie Kondo or The Minimalists.
January 16, 2020
This is a tough one to rate fairly, as there has been so much more written in this space since it was published, and things have changed a decent amount even in the digital space.
I think it works as a quick primer, but it doesn't always rise above its source material as a collection of blog posts. While the overall principles are well articulated and entirely valid, some of the specific suggestions veer into 'minimalism for minimalism's sake' territory (...I contend that deodorant is not 'optional' for most...). As with a lot of minimalist books, it's also skewed slightly towards the author's lifestyle and ability to work from home as a writer.
I think it works as a quick primer, but it doesn't always rise above its source material as a collection of blog posts. While the overall principles are well articulated and entirely valid, some of the specific suggestions veer into 'minimalism for minimalism's sake' territory (...I contend that deodorant is not 'optional' for most...). As with a lot of minimalist books, it's also skewed slightly towards the author's lifestyle and ability to work from home as a writer.
September 2, 2018
Īss ceļvedis minimālismā, kas noderēs tiem, kuri tikai uzsāk savu dzīves vienkāršošanas ceļu. Vairāk par to, kā atbrīvoties no liekā, mazāk par “problēmas sakni”, proti, kā nepieļaut nevajadzīgu mantu nokļūšanu mājoklī.
Dziļākai tēmas izpratnei iesaku tomēr lasīt Bea Džonsones grāmatu “Māja bez atkritumiem” (http://www.agnesepoikane.com/lasamvie...) un Marijas Kondo grāmatu “Kārtības maģija” (http://www.agnesepoikane.com/lasamvie...).
Dziļākai tēmas izpratnei iesaku tomēr lasīt Bea Džonsones grāmatu “Māja bez atkritumiem” (http://www.agnesepoikane.com/lasamvie...) un Marijas Kondo grāmatu “Kārtības maģija” (http://www.agnesepoikane.com/lasamvie...).
June 25, 2023
Bagus untuk buku pengantar sebelum mulai mendalami gaya hidup minimalis lebih jauh. Di dalamnya dibahas tentang minimalis secara umum dan juga dalam aspek aktivitas sehari-hari, bagaimana menciptakan rumah dan ruang kerja minimalis, juga bagaimana mengadaptasi gaya hidup minimalis dalam pola makan, pola olahraga, keuangan, serta menghadapi anak-anak ketika menerapkan gaya hidup ini dan cara mengambil sikap ketika menghadapi orang-orang di sekitar kita yang tidak mengadopsi gaya hidup ini dalam kehidupan mereka.
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