What simplicity means to me with Jessica Rose-Williams

I’m so thrilled to be sharing today’s interview with Jessica Rose Williams, of www.jessicarosewilliams.com. I’ve been following Jessica on Instagram for over two years and was delighted when she started her minimalist lifestyle and travel blog in 2017. Jessica brings a refreshing female voice to the male-dominated minimalist space and I love her perspective on simplicity and minimalism in the modern world. So of course, I had to interview her for this series.

As well as her blog and Instagram, Jessica helps people streamline their wardrobes and create capsule wardrobes that they love. The latest addition to her portfolio is her wonderful podcast, The Little Chapters, which I have been devouring since it started at the beginning of the year. So without further ado…

What’s your favourite way to spend a slow day with no plans?

If I’m planning a slow day, say a Sunday I like to see how I feel that morning when I wake up and take things from there. I love the freedom this evokes. Usually I’ll end up reading, catching up on favourite podcasts or binge watching a series we’ve been saving up. We recently spent 8 hours watching True Detective on a Sunday and it was the most blissful day. The spontaneity is more important to me than the actual activities. 

What simple moments will you always remember?

It’s the tiniest every day things that add up to the most memorable to me. It’s things like the way the light casts shadows on my bedroom wall when I wake up, the spark in my dog Dolly’s eyes when she sees me walking home up the path and the smell of a Sunday roast creeping into the living room every week. These tiny moments are the ones worth noticing and then treasuring. 

Any go to tips for feeling organised?

Don’t overwhelm your to do list or set unrealistic expectations for yourself. I’m a nightmare for underestimating how long something will take me to complete so I have a rule now where I double the time I think it will take. The results have been fascinating. The more realistic I am with my time, the less I tend to plan and the more organised I feel. 

What simple meal is always a winner?

Chip butty. You cannot beat two slices of bread slathered in butter with a carefully arranged stack of chips in between.

What’s your favourite way to unwind at the end of the day?

I’m a big reader. I like to light an abundance of candles, have a long hot bath and then read something that interests me before bed. 

What does simplicity mean to you?

To me it means embracing the concept of enough. It means taking away the excess, everything that adds no value. It means learning to see the quieter but more meaningful joys of less, and then allowing ourselves to revel in it. 

I absolutely loved everything Jessica shared here. So many beautiful gems of wisdom that have me seriously inspired to slow down, and get a chip butty asap!

Images by Jessica Rose Williams