The Top 10 Articles From the First 10 Years of No Sidebar

10 years. 10 life-changing articles.

No Sidebar celebrates a milestone this year: Our 10-year Anniversary.

That is a decade of helping readers like you find simplicity, intention, and mindful living in their lives.

No Sidebar was founded based on a simple idea:

Every day, more stuff comes into our lives: stuff in our home, stuff on our calendar, and stuff cluttering our minds. All that stuff gets in the way of where we really want to go and who we really want to be … it’s time to make a change.

It’s time to get rid of the excess and focus on the essentials.

It’s time for the clarity and peace of mind that come from paring down. It’s time for the freedom and confidence that come from making your own best choices. It’s time to design a simple life.

Over the past ten years, millions of readers have joined us here, searching for less noise, less pressure, and less distraction. And in its place, they have discovered something better: clarity, purpose, and a life designed around what truly matters.

No Sidebar is a community effort—offering insights, advice, and inspiration from writers all over the world bringing a variety of viewpoints, passions, and lived experience.

Since our founding in 2015, we have hosted articles from over 200 writers and been visited by over 15M readers. Thank you for being one of them.

To celebrate this milestone, we want to celebrate (and offer to you) our most impactful and beloved articles from the past ten years. Whether you’re a longtime reader or new to the site, these pieces are an invitation to slow down, reflect, and realign your life with what matters most.

Here’s a look back at the ten most popular articles in the history of No Sidebar:

1. What if All I Want is a Mediocre Life?
Published March 21, 2017 | 1.24 Million Views

In a culture obsessed with hustle, achievement, and constant improvement, it’s easy to forget that a slower, quieter life is a valid choice too. Not everyone wants to build an empire or chase the next big milestone—and that’s perfectly okay.

In our most popular article of all-time, Krista O’Reilly Davi-Digui reminds us of the beauty of an ordinary, unhurried life. A life where love and rest replace burnout and comparison.

2. End Your Year Intentionally with These 10 Questions
Published December 22, 2023 | 630,000 Views

In a world that pulls us in a hundred directions, intentional living invites us to choose purpose over autopilot. This thoughtful year-end list, from Daisy U., offers us an opportunity to review our previous year before choosing plans for the next one.

What makes the popularity of this article so amazing is that it is written to be read in preparation for the turn of the calendar to a new year. It’s a New Year’s resolution post that is our second most popular ever—namely because people return to it over and over again to rediscover the helpful questions.

3. The 20 Greatest Decluttering Tips of All Time
Published November 3, 2023 | 300,000 Views

Feeling weighed down by stuff? Our most popular decluttering article shares 20 simple, but powerful strategies to help you declutter your home and physical possessions. Each tip, credited to the original author, is extremely helpful.

Whether you’re just beginning your decluttering journey or looking to level up your minimalist game, they offer an approachable guide to reclaim more space, time, and energy.

4. 10 Things Minimalists Don’t Do
Published February 3, 2016 | 255,000 Views

Minimalists are often misunderstood—but this thoughtful piece from Melissa Camara Wilkins debunks some of those myths with passion and compassion. Some highlight truths about the minimalist life, others counter false narratives about what it means to be a minimalist (They don’t lose the habit of curiosity).

Each item showcases how minimalism empowers you to reduce mental clutter and preserve energy for what truly matters. It is highly motivational and inspirational and both explains minimalism well and invites readers to find new joy in it.

Following the culture of No Sidebar, it is an invitation to design a life that truly reflects your priorities—with less distraction and more meaning. It is also the oldest article on this list (February 2016), published less than one year after the founding.

5. Seven Decluttering Tips | Discovered in The Minimalist Home
Published December 18, 2018 | 240,000 Views

If clutter can cloud your mind, this piece offers a beacon of clarity. Drawing originally from lessons learned in Joshua Becker’s book, The Minimalist Home, Caitie Wiersma ends up sharing a stand-alone, powerfully helpful list of decluttering strategies. Understood and applied, the list has helped over 200,000 people simplify their spaces and their lives. (This list has actually been read more times than copies of the book have been sold.)

Take a look through the list. From setting clear intentions for each room and choosing between “remove, relocate, or leave” to embracing the idea of “never organize what you can discard,” these insights highlight just some of the decluttering truths communicated in the book and help transform cluttered chaos into mindful purpose.

6. It’s Ok to Be Happy with a Quiet Life
Published April 9, 2017 | 210,000 Views

In our sixth most popular article ever, Brian Gardner (the Founder of No Sidebar) offers us a reminder that it’s okay to step away from the noise—even in a world that glorifies busy, hustle, and overscheduling.

One reason for this article’s popularity is that it serves as an invitation to slow down, breathe, and choose a quieter pace. Something we can all benefit from.

Drawing from both his own life and well-known quotes from others, the piece gives language to what many of us have felt but couldn’t quite name: the quiet life isn’t something we settle for—it’s something we can be proud of.

7. 7 Unexpected Benefits of Leading a Minimalist Lifestyle
Published July 2, 2023 | 185,000 Views

I’m happy to have one of the top ten articles on the site. Over the years, I, Joshua Becker, have written more than a dozen pieces for No Sidebar—but this one is my most popular and most shared.

Minimalism is often thought of as just owning less stuff. But in this article, I explore seven surprising ways the minimalist lifestyle can shape your life beyond the home. From better relationships to more confidence, from health benefits to creative growth—these unexpected rewards are exactly what keep people coming back to minimalism again and again.

If you’ve ever wondered what minimalism might make possible in your life, this article is a great place to start.

8. How a “Do Nothing” Day Changed My Life
Published December 30, 2015 | 180,000 Views

In this story-driven and super relatable piece, Hilary Barnett shares how one simple shift—clearing her calendar for a “do nothing” day—changed her entire perspective on life, priorities, and presence.

Written from her experience as a working mom, this article resonates with anyone desiring space to breathe in a world that demands constant productivity. Hilary makes a heartfelt case for reclaiming space—not as laziness, but as one of the most life-giving choices we can make.

One reason this article gained such popularity (in my opinion) is that it doesn’t just tell a story—it also offers practical steps for creating your own “do nothing” day. If you’ve been feeling stretched thin or simply want more margin in your life, this article is a great place to begin.

9. 50 Simple Things You Need to Hear
Published February 5, 2017 | 180,000 Views

Brian’s second article on this list is one of those posts you’ll find yourself returning to again and again. It’s a list of 50 short, powerful truths—drawn from his many years of reading, learning, and living a simpler life.

Some are funny. Some are convicting. All are inspirational. Some are the kind of quotes that land in your heart and stay there for a while. They come from well-known voices like Anne Lamott—alongside original reflections from Brian and other friends of No Sidebar.

Part of what makes this article so loved is how easy it is to read and share the quotes on social media.

10. Why Simplifying May Protect Our Children’s Mental Health
Published April 18, 2017 | 158,000 Views

In this eye-opening article, Tracy Gillett explains how too much—too much stuff, too many activities, too much speed—is quietly overwhelming our kids. Based on research and personal reflection, she writes a compelling case for why simplifying isn’t just helpful—it’s essential for our children’s mental and emotional health.

In a loving way, she reminds us that protecting childhood starts with intention: slowing down, saying no, and creating space for kids to simply be kids. If you’re a parent, grandparent, or anyone who loves a child, this is absolutely an article worth reading.

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As we celebrate ten years of No Sidebar, we’re filled with gratitude—for the writers who’ve shared their stories, for the millions of readers who’ve found encouragement here, and for the growing movement toward simpler, more intentional living.

We can’t wait to see what the next ten years will bring. Our commitment remains the same: to continue sharing honest, thoughtful, and life-giving articles that help you live with more purpose and less distraction.

You can help. If an article here has ever inspired you, help spread the inspiration by sharing your favorite with someone else. That’s how this community has grown—from one reader to another, passing along ideas that make a difference.

Here’s to the next chapter. And thank you, again, for being part of our story.

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About the Author: Joshua Becker is the Founder and Editor of Becoming Minimalist, a website read by over 1M readers every month. He is also a #1 Wall Street Journal Bestselling author and Founder of Simplify Magazine.