The Minimalist Babe: Tidying-up Your Whole Life

by Lola R. Marie

Echoing the thoughts behind Leonardo da Vinci's quote that "simplicity is the ultimate sophistication," The Minimalist Babe teaches you how to value the simple things. From learning to declutter and live with less to living life with passion, good health, and great relationships.


Lola is every bit the minimalist babe - she lives simply, is intelligent and sassy, emotional and strong, calm and composed. Realizing that less is more, she traded in material possessions to focus on what was truly important to her. Lola’s inspiring guide delivers real-world advice on how to consume less, clear out clutter, find authenticity, and live a life based on freedom. It is a sincere attempt to help those who want to end their obsession with stuff.

Echoing the thoughts behind Leonardo da Vinci’s quote that “simplicity is the ultimate sophistication,” this book teaches you how to value the simple things. From learning to declutter and live with less to living life with passion, good health, and great relationships. The Minimalist Babe is for anyone who desires a more intentional life. Drawing from real-life experiences, it is filled with stories that will teach you step-by-step how to be:

Authentic, self-assured, calm and composed, mindful, minimal and self-sufficient, financially stable, purposeful, free, healthy and happy.

So what are you waiting for?

168 pages, Paperback

Published September 7, 2019

Reviews

[Anya · Rating 3 out of 5]

First I wasn't to eager to request the title as I am put off by the word "Babe", but I am glad I did in the end.

I felt chaotic and unbalanced for quite some time and have read up on the whole process of downsizing, minimizing and self-development.

It was a good read, but there are better out there.

[Paula · Rating 1 out of 5]

I requested this book as I myself am a fan of minimalism and wanted to read a bit more about it and how to implement it into my life better. I liked some ideas in it, but to be completely honest, that already was quite it with aspects I liked whilst reading this book.

Throughout reading this book I constantly had the feeling like the author is some "perfect exemplary human" that knows everything better and that I should look up to. At some points it made me even feel bad about myself, which was also why it took me a while to read this book - I was really discouraged to read it. As already mentioned, some aspects I agreed with but they didn't really stick with me. I cannot really recall what was written in the book two weeks after reading it.. The rules and ideas presented in the book felt one-sided, the author was not really showing some aspects from all sides, and only talking about her ideas and vision. This was the case when she wrote about sports and her routine. She also used terminology that I or a normal person is not really acquainted with on a daily basis. When using these technical terms no real explanation was given, meaning that you were left in the dark with what that is supposed to be.

The book is not really backed up, it is mostly just the author writing about how minimalistically she is living and amazing that turned out for her. It has a very preachy tone that I disliked throughout the book and gave me a feeling of unprofessionalism.

The book didn't help me as the contents were so short and no new or special ideas were presented in there. The challenges at the end of every chapter are a nice idea, but I had already forgotten them before ending the next chapter, I'd need to write them down to think about them again. The hair-care tips were nice, but other than that, the book wasn't anything special to me.

I would pick up a different book if you want to read more about minimalism, as I would not recommend this one.


I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Alicia Bayer · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wasn't really impressed with this book, to be honest. The author sets herself up as some sort of expert to look up to, but there's very little information about who she is. I couldn't even find a photo of her, bio or real information about her online, which is kind of weird for an author who sets herself up as a "babe" and role model. The book is full of very short chapters on her thoughts of how to minimize areas like your budget, your social life, your workout routine, your traveling, etc. None of it is new, and it's so short that it's not likely to be of much help. Some of it seemed like strange advice to me, like to get rid of most friends because "smart people experience lower life satisfaction when they socialize more." I liked the one page of natural hair treatments to try (standard stuff like oils for treatment and to braid your hair wet to get natural curls), but I didn't find anything else of use in the rest of the book. I disliked the excessively preachy tone and how much the author acted like a self proclaimed guru with nothing to really back it up.

In the end, it wasn't my cup of tea but people who are new to the topic may find it useful.

I read a digital ARC of this book for the purpose of review.

2 stars for "it was okay"

[Jade · Rating 5 out of 5]

The minimalist trend has been a hot topic for quite some time now. I love the theory: but only practice some of it.
What I loved about this book was it was broken up into 7 sections to cover several aspects of our lives, and each chapter had Points to Remember and Challenge items - activities to implement into your life.
There is also a master list at the back.

Marie speaks from her own experience, at the very start I had a small issue with this because I did not relate to how naturally she described having minimalist tendencies.
I was skeptical as well- as I highly dislike these books using experience without qualifications.
However, Marie applies a lot of research studies into her chapters and then relates to her experiences which I really appreciated. I also found the that I had some similar experiences as we delved into new sections, and the challenge items are really healthy habits and doable.

I feel like this came along just when I was feeling a little lost with some aspects of life, and I felt encouraged to dive internally for my authentic goals. I will be ordering a hard copy, this is a book I will probably use as a regular self evaluation so I don’t waste my time on all the “clutter”.

A massive thank you to Lola’s Blog Tours for providing a copy my way #partner

Full review on my blog!⠀⠀⠀| www.readwithwine.com |

[nuhafaiz · Rating 5 out of 5]

'Echoing the thoughts behind Leonardo Da Vinci's quote that "simplicity is the ultimate sophistication," The Minimalist Babe teaches you how to value the simple things. From learning to declutter and live with less to living life with passion, good health, and great relationships.'

As a book juggler, I juggle between many books at a time to make sure I make touch every book that stands in my shelf but, The Minimalist Babe got me hooked to read her in one-sit and I did not regret at all!

This book is a guide for anyone irrespective of gender, race, mentality or level of reading ability. Lola R. Marie's simple diction, catchy phrases and sentences, beautiful metaphors and diversity of literary techniques along with the challenges included, makes this book reliable like a friend in need.

I would highly recommend this book for anyone who is expecting progress in life, whoever is ready to take their first step to self-care and self-love. Minimalist Babe is a 'must-have' in all your 'daily reads for motivation' shelves.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book should be on a list of things that everyone must do/read early on in order to get through life. I was expecting this to be mostly about cutting back on your material things, but it is so much more. The author also discusses how we interact with society and how we feel we have to be a certain way to fit in with the way we talk, act, dress, eat, etc. She also addresses social media and healthy eating. Someone who has no idea where to start or feels as though they have to live to fit in will find this book extremely beneficial. For someone already working towards a minimalist way of living (as I have been), it is more of a refresher. I can’t say I learned anything new, but it was a nice reminder of things I could pay more attention to. The author is extremely thorough and goes over every single aspect of one’s life and how to simplify it.

[GONZA · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is not the first book I read about minimalism, and they all say mostly the same stuff, but these things are worth repeating because right now we are so deep in consumerism that we do not even realize that we do not need all the stuff we already have! Off course my tentative at minimalism stops in front of my book hoarding problem, but that is just my problem.

Questo non é certo il primo libro che leggo sul minimalismo, e dicono quasi tutti la stessa cosa, ma e anche giusto ripeterla perché attualmente stiamo affogando in un oceano di roba che non ci serve. Naturalmente ogni mio tentativo di minimalismo si arresta improvvisamente quando si parla di libri, ma questo é un mio problema.

THANKS NETGALLEY FOR THE PREVIEW!

[Ann Venkat · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is great because it puts a spotlight on the many reasons we keep hoarding and buying things - peer pressure, fitting in, succumbing to "retail therapy" and many more.

But the best part about the book is the practical list of strategies to minimize in various spheres - food, clothes, technology, etc. Things that an average Jane/Joe can do immediately.

I loved the line "we hold on to things because we fear not valuing it otherwise" Also the term "conspicuous consumption" is so valid in today's world and this book is an excellent guide to help is get away from meaningless possessions.

If you want to maximize your life, start by minimizing. Read this book and get yourself out of a vicious and unfulfilling rat race!

[Tracy Morrow · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed hearing Lola's tips and tricks about accomplishing a simpler, cleaner and more effective life! Putting everything into action will take some time, but I'm fully invested in applying everything I've learned.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Lois Lane · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book has some useful tips, but nothing that you can’t find elsewhere. The author spends entirely too much time on how cool her own life is and how much she’s influenced her friends. If you like GOOP, you’ll probably love this. It’s at about that level of intellectual stimulation.

[🌈⭐️RoseOfRainbows⭐️🌈💕 · Rating 5 out of 5]

The essential, chic guide to the minimalist lifestyle and a fantastic recollection of a personal journey from one babe to another. The of the best in its genre. 5/5 stars

[Annabelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have a deep interest in minimalism and the minimalist lifestyle. It's something I stumbled onto by myself without input from any outside sources - finding I preferred to have less stuff, and that clearing things out gave me a sense of fulfilment and pleasure, as did living with less. Since those days when I was gleefully cleaning out my cupboards, we've had The Minimalists, Marie Kondo and numerous others adding their voices to the trend, making it something of a movement.

Minimalism can be a touchy subject. Culturally, we've been told repeatedly that more is better. Success is measured by the size of our houses, the value of the car on our drive, whether or not our clothes are designer. We feel a sense of security, of comfort, surrounding ourselves with stuff, as if having it is a protective layer of permanence against what is increasingly an ever changing world. Trying to tell someone that they could benefit from giving that up is often met with resistance.

Which is where gentle voices like Lola R. Marie are fantastic. She's not a hardline 'you should only have what you can fit into a rucksack' sort, but approaches minimalism from the angle of wellness. Feeling overwhelmed? Stressed? Here are some ideas about minimalising not just your belongings, but your digital life, your diet, your health and beauty routine that will leave you refreshed and better equipped to face the challenges daily life presents.

It's a short book - a lot of bullet points and lists - but explores several different areas of your life, with actionable tips to help you make a start at simplifying your life for the better in each of them. I noted down several of the pointers and am already looking to implement them in my life. Particularly the stuff around health and beauty, which I've not seen covered by a minimalist writer before.

Overall, this is a handy book of information that could easily be found on the internet, but is packaged for your convenience with lots of actionable advice. Perfect for a beginner to minimalism looking for a good place to start, or for the minimalist looking to extend their lifestyle beyond their amount of possessions.

I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Solaire_writing · Rating 3 out of 5]

Working as a blogger and influencer myself the chapter about social media hit home very hard for me. I understand where the author wanted to go, but it was super one sided and a quite negative chapter. Yes the problems she is talking about are real, but instead of telling everyone to delete social media she could have written to only focus on the good of social media and on the advantages it gives us today. She was talking like life was much better before the internet, and that’s not something I can support. Many creative people would have been hungry and homeless if it weren’t for the online world and their social media accounts. I would have wished for a more differential sight on this topic. Also calling people who are professionals and (erfolgreich) on social media „narcissts“ was a bit much to me.

Another thing that I didn’t think for myself was her talking about relationships. That if you are living more minimal and introperspective, you will be more likely to find a loved one. Maybe you aren’t a minimalist at all, but your future partner will be? Maybe you can find someone who loves clutter, but still is your soulmate? The book wasn’t differential enough for me in many topics.

All in all I have read a lot of minimalist books and the cover of this one pulled me in, but it was too elitist and one minded for me. It felt like someone wanted to put me into a drawer, where I have to stay forever, because it was easier for the author this way. I liked some of the tips, but wasn’t happy with the overall content.
The most productive thing for me, was the list in the end and some of the questions in the end of the chapters.

[Jamie Bee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Minimalism is certainly a trendy topic right now, and in this book, the author shares her own personal journey and insights into returning to her minimalist roots. She states at the beginning that she believes that we are all born minimalist but become more maximalist as we become part of our culture.

The first section addresses why this topic could be important in your life, and then further chapters look at specific aspects of life, like mind, body, soul, environment, and money. Several topics are explored within these aspects (like the Soul part looking at spiritual practices as well as your social circle), and everywhere she encourages you to declutter and simplify all parts of your life. Not everything will relate to everyone. Not everyone is addicted to, say, taking selfies. But she does bring up much food for thought about where you might be over-complicating your life and perhaps causing yourself some distress. Parts of this book felt a little too personal for me. The author does not hesitate to share her own stories and her own minimalist journey. It does make sense in a book like this to share those kinds of details; it is still just mildly uncomfortable. That said, if you're looking to live your life more minimally, this book could guide you to a more on that approach in several parts of your life.

I received a free copy of this book, but that did not affect my review.

Read my other reviews at https://www.readingfanaticreviews.com.

[Fee (Ebook Addicts) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have read many books on the minimalist subject, and whilst this books doesn't offer anything new or insightful  what is different is that this book is that I think it will cater more to  the 20 something millennials rather than an broader all ages spectrum.

The author shares her experience in going minimalist and offers her tips and trick for what worked for her, broken down into 7 parts that covers - mind,  body, soul, money, environment as well as freedom and the why?. Each chapter within each section  are short and end with bullet points and a challenge.

At the end of the book is a master list if you will of tick boxes for each (mind, body etc) with the heading keep, minimise or throw. Good idea but some things on the list are not applicable to me and therefore blank lists would be better, but they are a good starting point.

Overall this didn't offer anything new and insightful for me but I feel this would be the perfect book for someone young who is starting out on their minimalist journey. 

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

In a world where everyone is buying this and buying that, being flooded with emails, texts, tweets, and the likes, it is no wonder people want to minimalize things in their lives. This is where Lola comes in. In her book, she lays out the foundations for minimalizing all the “stuff” in your life and finding ways to cut back. However, there is so much more than her book tries to teach you. She includes a section on finding ways to fit into society (walk, talk, dress) and even addresses healthy eating and the world of social media.

While I am already minimalizing my life and many of the principles were a refresher, this is a great starting point for anyone who wants to change their lifestyle. The author includes lots of tips, tricks, and things to get you motivated.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Ian G Ford]

‘The Minimalist Babe’ is due for launch in September 2019 and I have had the privilege of seeing an advanced copy. There are some books that just ‘enrich’ your life, this is one of them. Minimalism, as a way of life, is often considered to be a bit, well let’s say ‘dull’. Read this book and you will not only see the incredible practical value of minimalism but how much you can learn about yourself along the way. Lola R Marie writes for both men and women, despite the title and, if you’re anything like me, will find yourself being almost ‘magnetically’ drawn to a simpler, richer, fulfilling lifestyle.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.