Zero Waste and Minimalism Books and Resources | My Favorites

When visitors came to our sparsely decorated, 2,400 square foot home, we would sometimes get asked if we were moving. We weren’t moving (yet), we were becoming minimalists! We began downsizing to spend more time with our children and each other. In 2013, we had 2,400 square feet of stuff and by Dec 2015, we fit everything we wanted to keep in a 110 square feet locker before we set of to travel indefinitely. Here are some of the most influential minimalism books that we’ve read on our journey to rightsizing our footprint.

Better Basics for the Home
Simple Solutions for Less Toxic Living

Better Basics for the Home is a wonderfully researched and thorough book. Recipes include Household products, skincare, health and wellness, and more, so much more. I referred to this book often for recipes and inspiration. When you start to understand what items address certain household or personal needs, you can start creating your own recipes.

Better Basics is a guide for becoming a minimalist of toxins and products. A minimalism book that will help readers live more sustainably, spend less money, and reduce household chemicals and toxins. You will be surprised to find out how many products you no longer need because you can make it better and for MUCH less.

Zero Waste Home
The Ultimate Guide to Simplifying Your Life by Reducing Your Waste

I discovered this book when I was drowning in to-do’s and schedules. I was just barely keeping up with a 5 yo, a 7yo and my spouse, all high functioning, active people. A storm was coming, and no amount of careful planning was going to stop it. When I stumbled upon Bea’s story, I realized my problem was not my inability to project plan, it was stuff. Stuff was burning me out and keeping me from exercise, my kids and glorious unscheduled time.

Zero Waste Home helped me think about and change the way we shopped, created, and lived. We spend thousands less a year because we’ve taken the same steps that Bea took to reduce our footprint. This is one of most important books about minimalism and living zero waste that you will read. Zero Waste Home is a must if you want more time in your life and if you want to reduce your spending.

The Natural Kitchen
Your Guide to the Sustainable Food Revolution (Process Self-Reliance Series)

I love the Natural Kitchen. The recipes chapter is so simple and pure. If you want to have a closer relationship to your food and wish to simplify your life and your thinking, the Natural Kitchen will provide support and inspiration.

I remember thinking how beautiful and perfect this book was when I read it. The Natural Kitchen is one of my favorite minimalism books for the kitchen.

See Goodreads for other reviews.

The Cheapskate Next Door
The Surprising Secrets of Americans Living Happily Below Their Means

This was the very first minimalist spending, recycle, save-the-world and save your money book I read. Though it’s not aimed at the minimalist market, I think this book should be read as it does address the over spending and consumerism that drives us to excess.

As a plus, Jeff Yeager does a great job of showing how to get your kids on board with responsible spending and ownership.

I read the Cheapskate Next Door a dozen years ago, and year-after-year, I continue to be influenced by this fantastic book.

Further Minimalism Books and Resources

Cooking | Minimalism Books

• The 4-Hour Chef: The Simple Path to Cooking Like a Pro, Learning Anything, and Living the Good Life
• Eating in the Raw: A Beginner’s Guide to Getting Slimmer, Feeling Healthier, and Looking Younger the Raw-Food Way
• Eating on the Wild Side: The Missing Link to Optimum Health
• Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook That Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats
• Real Food Fermentation: Preserving Whole Fresh Food with Live Cultures in Your Home Kitchen

Finance | Minimalism Books

• Secrets of the Millionaire Mind
• Minimalist Books
• Making It: Radical Home Ec for a Post-Consumer World
• No Impact Man
• Plastic-Free: How I Kicked the Plastic Habit and How You Can Too
• Stuff

Zero Waste / Plastic Free / Minimalism Books

• Getting to Zero Waste – Paul Palmer
• Eating on the Wild Side – Jo Robinson
• Stalking The Wild Asparagus – Euell Gibbons
• The Bay Area Forager: Your Guide to Edible Wild Plants of the San Francisco Bay Area – Kevin Feinstein, Mia Andler
• Plastic-Free: How I Kicked the Plastic Habit and How You Can Too – Beth Terry
• The Joy of Less, A Minimalist Living Guide: How to Declutter, Organize, and Simplify Your Life – Francine Jay

Minimalist Websites

Here are a several sites that helped my family on our journey toward right-sizing, minimalism, and zero waste.

The Minimalists created the popular Minimalism Game Their 20/20 Rule changed me ( Getting Rid of Just-in-Case Items: 20 Dollars, 20 Minutes )

Zero Waste Home This website (and book) started it all for my family. This site covers every area of the home and life from clothes, meals, kitchen tools, memorabilia. Highly recommend.

Be More with Less – simplicity is love

Miss Minimalist

Becoming Minimalist

Home – My Plastic-free Life Getting rid of most all of our plastic jump-started our transition to minimalism.

Minimalist Baker – Simple Food, Simply Delicious Learning to make great food with less ingredients – Simplifying the kitchen.

Exile Lifestyle, By Colin Wright – Minimalist Traveler with You Tube videos as well.

Trash is for Tossers Living simply and creating very little trash.