I’ve fallen into a hole. A minimal-living YouTube hole.
I’ve always been a big fan of [food videos on YouTube]https://food52.com/blog/24124-how-to-make-kimchi-recipe), often spending my evenings catching up on my beloved channels around the world; but lately, I’ve taken to watching shows more focused on the lifestyle aspect of food. What started as simple research into what utensils people keep in their kitchens, and how people meal prep (are you guys interested in that topic? If so, be sure to let me know!) turned into a deeper revelation of how these popular YouTubers live beyond the kitchens.
Clean home, clean mind was the recurring theme here, and as much as it’s about the things (or lack thereof), it’s not about deprivation, but rather setting yourself on a path for leading a lifestyle you’re most comfortable with. I’d love to share some of my favorite findings with you.
I first caught sight of Sadia Badiei’s Pick Up Limes while looking up bento boxes for lunch (her breakfast ideas are both simple and a feast for the eye). The Canadian nutritionist is based out of the Netherlands, and leads a minimal, plant-based lifestyle. Her soothing voice, coupled with her professional, frank knowledge and relatable humor, will send you down a spiral into her archives. Her 30-day guide to minimalism and videos on getting rid of things and maintaining a tidy, minimalist home make these otherwise challenging undertakings seem manageable and—dare I say—enjoyable!
I’ve been following Ryoya Takashima’s YouTube channel Peaceful Cuisine for a while now, mostly for his supremely satisfying ASMR food videos. (I may or may not have fallen asleep to a number of his meditative tutorials.) The Japanese vlogger is true to his moniker, focusing his content on food that is friendly to “all people, all creatures and the environment.” That means a lot of nutritious, often vegan-friendly fare from scratch, a lot of coffee (he grinds his own beans, of course), even home design (he constructed his own very functional kitchen) and crafts (he makes his own pottery!). Ryoya Takashima is a true Renaissance man, but his allure lies in his great humility, commitment to quality, appreciation for nature, and living simply. Just try not to binge-watch (and have fun reading along with the multiple followers professing their love for him!).
This Berlin-based minimalist lifestyle vlogger and fashion stylist originally hails from Sweden, and it was her striking countenance that first grabbed my attention (she’s even self-deprecating about her nonexistent eyebrows, in case you’re wondering). I was drawn to her clean, almost stark aesthetic, and the crisp (but always cheerful) way she delivered the news. She answers the oft-repeated question of what she eats daily on a vegan diet in one video, covers her straight-to-the-point method for getting rid of stuff in another, and also elaborates on the Swedish way to do spring cleaning to improve your life (not to be confused with Swedish death cleaning). She is nothing if not frank and generous about her lifestyle, including annoying myths about minimalism and how she makes and saves her money.
We’ve all been there. You get situated to plow through some work when, inevitably, you get stuck: Your mind wanders to what you’ll be having for lunch, you pick up your phone to see what’s new on your feed, you aimlessly travel to your favorite online retailer to see what sale might greet you. That’s what Anthony Ongaro calls “the twitch,” and his channel Break the Twitch aims to minimize these distractions by aligning your actions with your values, to live more intentionally every day. Some very helpful videos include how a minimalist reconciles his love of books, popular decluttering methods, and how to avoid this one minimalism mistake.
If you’re looking to be swept away by an easy, breezy, light violet aesthetic, Aileen Xu’s Lavendaire is your channel. The Los Angeles–based artist is refreshingly open about her life as a creative, and the honest struggles that accompany her journey. She tackles existential challenges like how to organize your life to achieve goals, shares common habits of highly successful people, and even practical, day-to-day tips like how to reduce waste.
What simple(r) living YouTubers are you into? Please share them with us below!
Written by: Hana Asbrink
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