Inspiring Simplicity. Weekend Reads.

Never underestimate the importance of removing stuff you don’t need.

Encouragement provides us with motivation to persevere. It invites us to dream dreams of significance for our lives. And it begs us to work diligently with optimism and promise.

Overcoming the pull of consumerism is a difficult challenge regardless of our stage in life. Simplicity requires encouragement. To that end, I hope you will find motivation in these articles below.

Each post was intentionally chosen to inspire simplicity in your life. For maximum effect, find a quiet moment this weekend and enjoy them with a fresh cup of coffee or tea.

The Death of Clothing | Bloomberg by Lindsey Rupp, Chloe Whiteaker, Matt Townsend and Kim Bhasin. Apparel is being displaced by travel, eating out, and activities—what’s routinely lumped together as experiences.

Seven Things I’d Do Differently If I Got A Minimalist Do-Over | Tiny Ambitions by Brittany Bruce. Now that I’m five years in, I’ve had the chance to reflect. And if I became a minimalist today, there are a few things I would do differently.

Want to Save More Money? Try These Three Financial Fasts | The Washington Post* by Michelle Singletary. I would like to propose three types of financial fasts to help you on your journey to financial freedom: a food fast, a clothing fast, and the 21-day financial fast.

Meet The Woman Who Got Married Without Buying Anything New | CBC Radio with Alexa Carson. Carson’s “Buy Nothing Year” also became the year that she got married and had her first baby.

I’m Starting a “No-Shopping-for-Clothes” Year and It’s Healing My Soul | Apartment Therapy by Shifrah Combiths. “I felt like I was following a chain-linked sisterhood of women who had extricated themselves from the hamster wheel of shopping and I wanted in on it.”

*Editor’s note: The Washington Post limits the number of free Post articles nonsubscribers can read to 10 per month.