Minimalism can still feel like an unusual lifestyle for many, so this week we invited Joshua Becker to explain how easing into minimalism can produce meaningful benefits at home and across life. He offers practical tips to prevent the gradual build-up of clutter, explains what minimizing can teach children, and describes how simplifying your environment can actually support major life goals that have nothing to do with organizing. We also give you a rare peek into a part of our house most readers haven’t seen and share a few things we’re trying to improve our sleep.

You can also find this episode on your favorite podcast app, such as Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, TuneIn, Stitcher, and Spotify.

What’s new

• Below is a photo of our attic that many readers noticed in Episode #123’s shownotes. It’s a “secret” part of the house that previously held a small fraction of Sherry’s attic basket collection.

• As promised, Sherry recorded a video tour so you can see the space now. If you’re reading this in a feed reader, click through to view the video on our site or watch on YouTube for the full tour.

• We rarely photographed this area because it was full of leftovers, decor awaiting placement, and random storage. To give you a sense of scale, here’s how it looked the day we bought the house:

• It’s not as tidy now as it was on moving day, but it’s far less chaotic than it was before we decided what would go to the duplex and what we would donate. We cleared out a lot of items that had been lingering far too long.
• The attic functions as an unfinished third story under the roof. Below is an exterior view that helps orient the layout of the space within the house.

Joshua Becker, The Minimalist Home

• Joshua Becker writes and teaches about simple living at Becoming Minimalist. His practical approach focuses on how reducing possessions can create space for what truly matters.
• His book The Minimalist Home gives room-by-room strategies for paring down and arranging your home so it supports daily life more effectively. If you’re interested, it has frequently sold out, so it’s worth checking availability.
• Sherry also recommends his earlier book, The More of Less, which many readers have found inspiring for starting a minimalist practice.
• If you want more episodes where we discuss minimizing or decluttering, we’ve covered the topic repeatedly. A few episodes to start with:
  • Episode #30: How Minimalism Almost “Grinched” Our Christmas
  • Episode #33: In Pursuit Of Buying Less & Doing More
  • Episode #45: Why We Got Rid Of Half The Toys In Our House
  • Episode #111: Can Minimalism Be Cozy?
  • We’ve linked several other episodes in our show archive for anyone who wants a deeper dive into decluttering and simple living.

We’re Digging

• One helpful tool I’ve been using is the Autosleep app, which tracks sleep patterns and shows a simple visual similar to Apple Watch’s activity rings. It monitors your “sleep bank,” indicating whether you’re running a surplus or a deficit, so you can adjust your schedule or celebrate improved rest.

• Sherry has also found a few bedside additions that improve her nightly routine: a weighted blanket, a calming Sleepy lotion from LUSH, and a favorite organic, caffeine-free chamomile tea. These small changes have helped make evenings more relaxing and consistent.

If you’re trying to remember something we mentioned in a past episode, we maintain a master list of everything “We’re Digging” from past shows. You can also browse all book recommendations on our Book Club page to discover books we’ve discussed on the podcast.

A note of thanks to Agility Bed for sponsoring this episode. This week one listener can win a free Agility mattress and a pair of Therapedic pillows by entering at AgilityBed.com/YHL. The giveaway ends February 8th.

Thanks for listening and reading — we appreciate you!

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