19th century minimalism
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“Simplicity, simplicity, simplicity!” – Henry David Thoreau
Let’s take a step back in time, 178 years ago, in 1845 with Henry David Thoreau, the first declutterer…
Awakening to life
What Thoreau discovered at Walden Pond
In the mid-19th century, transcendentalist philosopher Henry David Thoreau resigned from civilization and set forth to find the meaning of life. He would spend a day laboring for survival and six working on his philosophy. All the while living in a hut he constructed for under $30, located two miles from the nearest human.
In one of the most touching passages ever written, he declares:
"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived."
Thoreau dwelled within a society guided by the Industrial Revolution and its promise of fulfillment through wealth—an environment that aggravated his tendency for depression. At the age of 27, he reached a breaking point. With a suggestion from his mentor Ralph Waldo Emerson, he withdrew from society to get closely acquainted with one important person: himself.
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01 – Book
To learn more about minimalism, we invite you to read our two volumes of Inside Minimalism, which discuss minimalism as a tool and covers many topics such as slow and quiet living, curation, consumerism, and family. Give it a read.
02 – Podcast
On the latest episode of the Minimalism Life Podcast, New York Times–bestselling author Joshua Fields Millburn reads and discusses his essay "Not Busy, Focused."
03 – Netflix's Minimalism is now on YouTube
After 80 million views on Netflix, The Minimalists' first documentary, Minimalism: A Documentary About the Important Things, is now on YouTube for free.
04 – Community experiences
Read the latest entries of the Minimalism Life journal:
05 – Share your stories
Do you have an interesting story you would like to share on minimalism.com? We want to read about it. Here, you have the opportunity to get involved and contribute to our journal.
06 – Brands anchored by simplicity and sustainability
Minimalism can be about frugality and owning less, but it can also be about supporting ethical brands with sustainability at their core (less but better). Here’s several that you might be interested learning more about.
Vinovest: simple, modern wine investing
LYMA: the ultimate supplement formula
Peggy: the social marketplace to discover, buy, and sell minimal art
Senreve: leather and vegan handbags handcrafted in Europe
Stiksen: premium minimal baseball caps from Sweden
Oda: the modular everyday bag and essentials
Axel Arigato: minimal sneakers, ready-to-wear and accessories
ASKET: ending fast fashion by making covetable everyday essentials
Nordic Knots: rugs inspired by the beauty of the Nordic light, colors and landscape
Oliver Cabell: minimalist Italian footwear and accessories
Plainandsimple: circular t-shirts that are certified organic and ethically made
I loved that you wrote about Henry David Thoreau. What he did was and still is so brave to me. When the world is screaming at you to "make more, do more, monetize everything!", it is so nice to be reminded of someone whom not only said no to this mentality but proved there was a better and more intentional way to live. Thank you for writing this, beautifully written. :)