We’ve all had months where everything seems to go wrong. For me, a bad month left me not wanting to write on this blog for nearly a year. I’d long been sharing my story here about how embracing a simpler life had allowed me to tackle problem debts. And I’d been so proud to celebrate […] The post Sorry I disappeared for a year. Here’s why. appeared first on Want Less ..read more

The world's gone a bit topsy-turvy. We're all unsettled, concerned for loved ones and dealing with some pretty major changes to our daily lives. Here are some of my favourite stress-relieving games, for anyone spending more time than usual cooped up indoors right now. The post Calming games you can play on your phone or tablet appeared first on Want Less ..read more

The evening is hot but the sky is already dark. We’re having some beers in the outside terrace of a bar, where a reggae trio set up a few minutes ago and have now started their upbeat set. The bar owner sets down a huge steamed fish flavoured with lemon and chilli in front of […] The post The benefits of living with less, five years in appeared first on Want Less ..read more

In 2014, Liz Thames and her husband, Nate, were a conventional young couple working nine-to-five jobs in the city. But they dreamed of another life, setting up home in the woods of rural Vermont while no longer having to rely on a monthly paycheque. Meet the Frugalwoods: Achieving Financial Independence Through Simple Living is the […] The post Building a life of freedom in the woods appeared first on Want Less ..read more

I’ve never understood those who pooh-pooh practical advice on decluttering your home. It’s sometimes dismissed as unnecessary guidance through a monotonous and straightforward process. I disagree. Sure, some of us may find reducing our possessions easy and may just be able to get on with it. But others – like me – find we’ve formed […] The post Putting the ‘Becker method’ to the test: A review of The Minimalist Home appeared first on Want Less ..read more

Sentimental items are often the hardest things to get rid of when you’re trying to pare down your possessions. Once you have created your capsule wardrobe, sold your DVD boxsets and ditched those trinkets you never really liked anyway, often you are left with a pile of paper mementos to somehow sort through. Photos, concert […] The post Developing ‘The Museum of Me’: a sentimental person’s 5-step guide to decluttering paper mementos appeared first on Want Less ..read more

  Ten weeks ago, we got the flooring in our living and dining room replaced. To prepare, we had to move all our furniture out of the room, and at the time I joked that this was the look I’d been going for all along.   We managed to squeeze the sofa into the conservatory, […] The post Rethinking television appeared first on Want Less ..read more

How has another month passed? Today is May Day, which means it’s time for me to start another month-long challenge. But first a recap on how last month went. Thanks to everyone who followed along on Instagram this April as I shared a few things from my life which weren’t exactly Instagrammable. My ‘veg patch’, […] The post The tourist at home: seeking adventure on your own doorstep appeared first on Want Less ..read more

Picture the scene: you’re in the world’s most hipster coffee house. Everyone except you has a beautiful, floral neck tattoo. An array of pristine, colourful and quirky pastry goods are set out in front of you as you queue up to make your order. You know you like the plain cinnamon doughnut: you tried it […] The post Instagram and the Creme Egg doughnut appeared first on Want Less ..read more

[Yawns] Hmm, what was that? No, I wasn’t. I was totally awake. Do you ever get those months where you just feel exhausted all the time? So, yes, I was meant to post two days ago about my latest 30-day challenge coming to an end. The challenge involved really listening to a piece of music […] The post Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz appeared first on Want Less ..read more