I’m excited to tell you about the Simplify Your Family Life Sale, not only because my book is featured in the package (wee!) but because I’m looking forward to reading quite a few of the books in the sale myself.

I don’t promote a lot of books or products on this site. This is a space devoted to living well with less stuff and my message will always be you can live with less and live simply without a California Closet system or a life coach or a buying stuff to get rid of stuff (that just doesn’t make sense).

But if you’re interested in more help, in more ways to simplify your home, family, relationships , this is a great way to get it.

It’s also a HUGE deal: $375 worth of e-books for just $29.

All of these books are digital downloads meaning you will be emailed a ZIP file that contains all the books listed below.

You can find out more about the Simplify Your Family Life Sale here. It runs April 16-20, today until Friday, and after that all the books will be back to full price and available for individual sale directly from the authors.

Below is the list of authors and books included in the sale, as well as the e-book’s individual price. I’ve include a few notes on books that I have read and a few that I am looking forward to reading.

Got a Kindle or e-reader? You can easily upload all the files to your e-reader from your computer.

 

Blogger Behave by Laura @ 10 Million Miles ($4.99)

How to Have Your Cake and Eat It, Too by Mandi @ Life Your Way ($12.00) Mandi has been working from home for seven years and shares her tips on pursuing your passion while still managing the home and connecting with your family. Looking forward to reading this one as I continue to pursue a writing career as a mostly stay-at-home mom.

Make Money Blogging by Tara @ Feels Like Home ($4.99)

Tap Into Your Unique Creativity and Self Expression Webinar by Lisa @ WellGrounded Life ($39.00)

Tell Your Time by Amy @ Blogging with Amy ($4.99) I follow this writer and her column on blogging on Life Your Way. This is a short but powerful book on time management that I am looking forward to reading.

Your Blogging Business: Tax Talk & Tips from a Bookkeeper Turned Blogger by Nikki @ Christian Mommy Blogger ($4.99)

Food & Cooking

Get Lean Recipe for Success by Nisha @ Healthy Mom’s Kitchen ($37.00) – n/a

Got Dinner? by Susan @ The Confident Mom ($4.00) – http://www.theconfidentmom.com/affilate-program/

How To Cook For Yourself: A Complete Beginner’s Guide by Rachael @ Kitchen Courses ($35.00)

Plan It, Don’t Panic by Stephanie @ Keeper of the Home ($4.99) – http://www.keeperofthehome.org/idevaffiliate/

Real Food Basics by Kate @ Modern Alternative Mama ($6.95) Kate has a wonderful resource for natural living families at Modern Alternative Mama. I’ve wanted to read one of her recipe books for a while now but have yet to hit the buy button. Excited to see this book included in the package.

Real Food, Real Easy by Erin @ The Humbled Homemaker ($9.95)

Smart Sweets by Katie @ Kitchen Stewardship ($9.95)

The Everything Beans Book by Katie @ Kitchen Stewardship ($9.95)

Homemaking

2012 Confident Mom Weekly Household Planner by Susan @ The Confident Mom ($9.00)

Clean Start: Your Guide to Natural Home Cleaning by Michelle @ Open Eye Health ($4.95) I wrote a while back that I am moving over to natural cleaners in our home. Hoping this book shows me how to get rid of every last cleaner with an ingredient list I can’t pronounce.

Complete Printables Download Pack by Mandi @ Life Your Way ($7.00)

Food on Your Face for Acne & Oily Skin by Leslie @ Crunchy Betty ($7.99) My skin is on the dry side and yet, this book title has grabbed me. I like the idea of using food out of the fridge and fruit bowl for my skin.

From Debtor to Better by Barry @ Debtor to Better ($15.00)

My Buttered Life {Summer + Gift Giving Editions} by Renee @ MadeOn Hard Lotion ($10.00)

Not a DIY Diva by Melissa @ The Inspired Room ($3.99)

One Bite at a Time by Tsh @ Simple Mom ($5.00) This book is a great resource for simplifying your home and family life. 52 projects to make life easier and it comes in a nice workbook style. Also, if you’re like me you’ll enjoy checking off all the projects you’ve already done as you decluttered your home.

That Works for Me by Kristin @ We Are THAT Family ($8.00)

Marriage & Relationships

A Simple Marriage by Corey @ Simple Marriage ($4.99) This is a great website full of helpful and real tools and thoughts on making a better marriage. Excited to read Corey’s books on the subject.

Buck Naked Marriage by Corey @ Simple Marriage ($2.99)

Entangled by Amy @ Permission to Peruse ($4.99)

The A to Z Guide: 26 Ways in 26 Days to a Happier, Healthier Marriage by The Dating Divas ($9.97)

Minimalism for Families

101 Ways to Simplify Your Life by Laura @ Journey to a Simple Life ($9.95)

321-Stop by Lori @ Loving Simple Living ($9.97) I read a preview copy of this book and thought it was a great guide for families that are new to minimalism. Lori shares her family of four’s journey from stress and a 2000 sq ft home to a 900 sq ft apartment and more family time.

Inside Out Simplicity by Joshua @ Becoming Minimalist ($11.99) This is a great book from one of my favourite writers. On my must read list for books on moderate minimalism.

Simple Ways to Be More with Less by Courtney @ Be More with Less ($9.97) This book is formatted into easily digestible sections and lists on simplifying. Another great read on moderate minimalism.

The Minimalist Mom’s Guide to Baby’s First Year by Rachel @ The Minimalist Mom ($9.95) A book for new and expecting parents that want less stress and clutter in their home so they can get more rest and enjoy those early years.

Parenting & Kids

4 Moms of 35+ Kids Answer Your Parenting Questions by the Moms @ 4 Moms, 35+ Kids ($7.99)

Flourishing Spring by Michele @ Frugal Granola ($5.95) – http://frugalgranola.com/books/

Mindset for Moms by Jamie @ Steady Mom ($4.99)

Nurturing Creativity by Renee @ FIMBY ($3.00)

Parenting with Positive Guidance by Amanda @ Not Just Cute ($9.00)

Truth in the Tinsel by Amanda @ Impress Your Kids ($6.99)

 

A week of Simplifying Your Family Life. I’ll have posts up this week about ways to simplify your family life on everything from laundry to finances.

Disclosure: links contained in this post are affiliate links. If you purchase this book set via one of these links I will receive a percentage of the sale price as an affiliate commission. If you do not wish to use an affiliate link you can purchase the book set directly here.

 

It’s November of 2010. I have already started this blog, donated car loads of goods and cut my wardrobe by 80%.

I’ve had a particularly trying week with my one year old. What I really need is an afternoon nap, someone else to make dinner and a small window of time to get out for a short run on my own. I need to reset physically and mentally. I need a bit of space.

Instead of making those stress busters happen, I buy an iPhone.

Sure, my low function cheap cell phone had broken. Sure, I needed to get it replaced.

But I didn’t need an iPhone.

It wasn’t integral to a business or life plan. But I really wanted one. Here’s how I talked myself into it and justified the purchase.

My phone is broken. I need a new one so why not get an iPhone now.

Chris (husband) has an iPhone. He always has the latest phones. I deserve a cool phone too instead of this lame no cheap function one. Why am I always the one getting the short end of the cool technology stick?

I deserve an iPhone. I’ve had a hard week. It will lift my spirits.

So I bought the iPhone.

It didn’t lift my spirits. It didn’t magically make my child a better napper. It didn’t make me a happier person.

It was fun to use for a while. It was good for killing time in line ups. Eventually the all-access all the time-ness of it became a burden.

Before leaving Canada we actually paid people to take our cell phones, and the expensive contracts, off our hands.

Lifestyle expansion is a slippery slope.

We’re still tempted by more and bigger. We’re not immune to the pretty or the high end or the luxury. We’re just much more aware of what it will cost us and what it will truly give us. When we weigh all the pros and cons the answer is usually quite clear.

The other week it was getting a car. I know this is a necessity to some but we’ve really proven to ourselves that we can enjoy our life here, do what we want to do,  without a car. We’re spending a bit more on taxis and the bus in these winter months but it’s still a lot less than owning and operating a vehicle.

More important than the cost to us is the lifestyle. We like having to walk. It’s great exercise and we enjoy the fresh air. It helps us fight sitting disease.

Ask the hard questions before you upgrade, buy more or move into bigger. It’s just too easy to tell yourself that you deserve it, need it and that it will make your life better.

 

 

 

 

Are you going to lynch me for actually writing a gift list? As I said before, my kind of minimalism isn’t about no shopping or no gifts. It’s about value, thought and not just buying crap to fill a stocking or an obligation.

As I rarely talk about things here I thought it would be fun to share some of the items I like and use often, and others that I think would make a great gifts. So hear it is, gifts for minimalists:

 

Minimalist running shoes. I bought these (trail style) on my trip to Vancouver (they were on my 30 day list). I was able to get in five Crossfit workouts during my trip and four of them were in these shoes. I immediately noticed a difference in my ability to lift weights correctly. I felt more balanced on my feet. Not only was I lifting with better technique but I felt if I shifted my weight incorrectly to the front of my feet. I’m slowly working up to running in them. The other nice thing about these shoes: they last. Unlike traditional running shoes that, depending on mileage, can last from six months to a year, these should last a long, long time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Flip & Tumble Reusable Bag. I know, there are a lot of reusable bags out there. Every retailer seems to have one now. But these are different. Katy gave me this one as a gift a few years back and I wish I had a second. The biggest difference with this bag is that the long handle is actually comfortable over your shoulder. This is ideal if you are a mostly on foot or a transit user. Nothing sucks more than toting home groceries with handle in hand. This handle is also long enough that I can tie it nicely to the handle on our stroller. I’ve also used this as a last minute beach bag. When not toting groceries or acting as a casual snack and diaper bag, this thing folds up into a ball and waits patiently in my handbag for its next use.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For the Minimalist Green Thumb: The Plantominium. Andrew emailed to alert me to this minimalist-ish small living solution for plants. It’s dubbed the high-rise condominium for plants. Green things die at my house so I won’t be buying one myself. Would love to hear from any gardeners/plant enthusiasts that live in small spaces – what do you think?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Upcycled Messenger bag from Metamorphic Gear. This bag was designed by a good friend of mine. It has been amazing to hear of the idea years ago and get progress updates as it was sourced, developed and launched. Not only are these bags stylish and durable – they’re also made of 75% upcycled material including sails and truck tarps. It is designed and manufactured in the US and the company gives 5% of proceeds to charity. As their website says, everything old can be new again. I couldn’t agree more.

 

 

Chocolates. The really fancy ones. Last year Rayna sent me a box of Martine’s chocolates as a prize for a contest she ran. They were rich and luxurious and I savoured every bite. Gift someone you love, or yourself, with a small sampling of very fine chocolates. Yes, they will cost a bit more than that box you buy at the drugstore for a tenth of the amount. But you don’t race through chocolates like this. You don’t eat them while reading a book or watching a movie. You eat them slowly and with your full attention. You remember these chocolates.

 

 

One Less Gift – Holiday Exemption Gift Certificate. Posted this on Facebook a while back. Genius idea from Miss Minimalist. When you want to put an end to the exchanging of gifts: the One Less Gift – Holiday Exemption Gift Certificate. Lovely list of non-wrapped up ways to show you care included in the post here.

I’m heading out soon for our little getaway and I’m not bringing my laptop (but I am bringing my Kindle!). I’ll be back before the New Year with a post. For those celebrating, have a wonderful Christmas!

Wishing you health and happiness,

Rachel

 

 

These homes are fun to visit but I would not want to live in them.

In January of 2009 I bought boxes and boxes of Christmas decor. This was before minimalism, before having a baby and before moving into a bigger home. I was on a mission that month and my mission was to buy as much on sale holiday decor as I could get my hands on.

We lived in a small 586 sq ft condo at the time. There wasn’t even room for a tree.

Why was I obsessed with buying things I couldn’t use?

I had grand plans for the future. We were trying to conceive at the time and I was hitting the “is this ever going to happen point” (it did of course). I was shopping for a life I was day dreaming of: a bigger home and a baby.

A year later the day dream was a reality. I had the bigger home and the baby. In my new mom exhausted state I put the tree up, decorated it (sometimes with a wee Henry wrapped to me in his carrier) and filled vases with sparkly fake gooseberry branches and hung lights all over our living room.

My life was certainly richer but it wasn’t because of holiday decor.

In preparation to move overseas I donated most of my holiday decorations. The only thing kept was a box of ornaments that is in storage in Canada.

Truthfully: I like a home that is done up for the holidays. It is a visual reminder to relax, kick back and enjoy all the fun of the season. But can you decorate a home without having six boxes of stuff to sit in storage for most of the year? I think so.

 

 

Welcome to the first Minimalist Mom Group Project!

I’ve started a Simple Christmas Decor Pinterest board. I would like your help with it.

If you’re on Pinterest and would like to pin decor inspiration that is simple, fun, elegant and a bit minimalist just ping me. Send me a tweet (@racheljonat) or an email (the minimalist mom at gmail dot com) and I will ad you to the board. I think you have to be following me for me to add you and to use Pinterest you need a Twitter or Facebook account.

Things I consider simple holiday decor: greenery, anything that can be composted or consumed, using items you already have around the home, items that can be used for decor at other times of the year and nothing that requires sewing (but I am happy be be convinced otherwise).

More about simple holiday decor:

• Minimalist Christmas Decorating by Faith at Minimalist at Home
• No room for a tree? Try an ornament garland from Small Notebook