Becoming Minimalist’s Top Posts of 2019

A special thanks to each of you for making 2019 such an enjoyable year at Becoming Minimalist. It was my eleventh.

This website continues to reach people beyond my wildest dreams as we grow every year in new ways. As before, this growth has occurred because of the support from readers like you—thank you for helping to spread the inspiration.

Thank you for sharing this website on social media. But even more, thank you for sharing the life-giving message of owning less with your friends and family.

Here are some numeric representations of our growth:

• This website is now read by over 2 million people each month.
• Our Facebook page grew from 1,300,000 to 1,700,000 followers.
• Over 65,000 people follow us on Twitter.
• 225,000 people currently receive Becoming Minimalist posts via email. Sign-up here to do the same.
• Simplify Magazine, our digital, quarterly magazine grew from 113,000 to over 150,000 subscribers.
• 14,500 new people went through our Uncluttered Course last year.
• Our YouTube channel grew from 10,000 to 77,000 subscribers.

But some of our most significant successes this past year are not found in the numbers above:

• The Minimalist Home was released last December. It is the most practical and comprehensive room-by-room guide to a decluttered, refocused life. Since its release one year ago, it has been translated into 9 different languages and has sold over 70,000 copies.
• The Hope Effect, our non-profit continues to change how the world cares for orphans by focusing on new initiatives in Honduras and Mexico. To date, we have raised more than $925,000 for family-based orphan care around the world and will raise our millionth dollar early next year!
• My most exciting project in a long time will be announced in February. So, stay tuned for that.

In case you missed any, here are the top posts on Becoming Minimalist from 2019.

Most Popular Posts from 2019 (as determined by readers):

We Don’t Buy Things with Money, We Buy Them with Hours from our Life. This is a life-changing principle. When we begin to see our purchases through the lens of exchanging life, rather than dollar bills, we begin to fully appreciate the weight of our purchases.

Love the Home You Live In. By doing a minimalist makeover of your home, you can set out on a new course toward better fulfilling your purpose and potential in life.

7 Reasons I Wear The Same Thing Every Day. I have come to love wearing the same thing every day. And I’m not alone. A lot of people are doing the same thing. Here are some of the reasons why.

How to Be Happy: 8 Ways to Be Happier Today. Looking for ways to learn how to be happier? Try out these 8 ways to be happier today.

99 Clutter-Free Gift Ideas. What then can we give that won’t add to the clutter problem? Here are 99 ideas.

My Personal Favorite Posts from the past year:

Everything Could Change Tomorrow. They say the only constant in life is change. They are right.

I Am Thankful for My Past. I’m Just Not Moving That Direction. The possessions we keep should represent the person we are trying to become, not the person we were.

What Makes a Home Beautiful. When our money, time, and energy is not spent accumulating and caring for things that don’t matter, we have more resources available for the things that do.

Most Popular Guest Posts in 2019:

Please Stop Buying Plastic Crap for Kids by Denaye Barahona. If we want children to value relationships over stuff, we have to be intentional about the way we bring it into their lives.

This Is What Swedish Death Cleaning Taught Me About Life by John P. Weiss. We can declutter and embrace minimalism at any age. Doing so will unburden you, allow more time for loved ones, and create an abundance of memories to cherish for a lifetime.

7 Things I Learned When I Stopped Drinking Alcohol by Courtney Carver. Alcohol removed me from my life and I removed alcohol so I can show up for my life.

The Single Most Important Factor in Leading a Happy, Fulfilling Life–According to Science by Jay Harrington. The root of happiness is not money, fame, or good looks—it’s the people we choose to surround ourselves with and how well we nurture our relationships with them.

Most Popular Outgoing Links from the past year:

Seven Decluttering Tips I Discovered in The Minimalist Home by Caitie Wiersma. Picture your dream home. I bet it’s not filled with clutter.

The Unbearable Heaviness of Clutter by Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi. A cluttered home can be a stressful home, researchers are learning.

‘Throwing Things Out Gives You Time to Look After Yourself’ – How to Get Better at Decluttering by Sally Walford as told to Sirin Kale. You might feel that shedding possessions is difficult, but once you start, you will realize how great it makes you feel.

We Asked Two of our Female Editors to Wear the Same Thing Every Day. Here’s What Happened by Elizabeth Segran. We assume that other people are paying attention to what we are wearing when they are all really more focused on their own lives.

Whether you have been reading Becoming Minimalist for one week, one month, one year or longer, thank you. This blog owes its success to the support of its readers. Thank you for reading. And thank you for sharing these posts with others.

We look forward to an exciting 2020. 

I am excited to launch the New Year’s Edition of Uncluttered—registration will open on January 2nd. Uncluttered continues to help people around the world own less and live more. And I look forward to hosting it again.

No doubt, in the coming year, Becoming Minimalist will continue to evolve and be redefined. I will be announcing a huge new project early next year. And I intend to begin writing another book next year.

But this website will always stay true to its core message that there is more joy to be found in owning less than can ever be found in pursuing more. We will continue to invite as many as possible to discover this truth in their lives. And I hope you will join us.

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