These Berliners have Extraordinarily Progressive Lifestyles

photo: Marlen Müller

Lina Jachmann’s new book Einfach Leben, the title meaning live simply, is a lifestyle guide that escapes the usual traps of this kind of literature: it’s neither about fast trends nor is it pretentious or preachy. On the other hand, it provides you with a lot of practical insights into the minimalist lifestyle based on portraits of (extra)ordinary people who have found ways to incorporate this philosophy into their everyday lives to make them more sustainable. Since quite a few of them are somehow linked to Berlin, we’re introducing them and their alternative habits we could all learn from below!

Jenny Mustard

Jenny is a Swedish blogger and YouTuber based in Prenzlauer Berg who’s going to make you question your every next purchase.  She’s carefully reviewing all of her shopping lists, including cooking recipes as well. According to her, minimalism is just a way to be happy and helps to get life organized and stay in the rhythm, very practical especially when, like her, you’re a freelancer working from home. Her blog, Jenny Mustard – Maximal Life for the Minimalist, will inspire you with lots of fashion and interior design pictures.

photo: Jenny Mustard

Joachim Klöckner

For this 67 year old pensioner, who has reduced his belongings to 50 most necessary items, minimalism is no trend. In the book, you’ll find an interesting interview in which Joachim tells more about his way to this philosophy, the people that inspire him, and how Berlin’s restaurant scene is very practical when the only kitchen appliances you have is a bowl and a spoon.

photo: Marlen Müller

Simon Stark

Simon Stark from Berlin-Rummelsburg has gone to some drastic measures: having sold all of his property, he is now a man without a fixed living space, traveling around the world and living in various interesting locations: recently, his temporary house was a modern boat in Berlin. You can find out more about this unusual form of apartment in the book. The author also spoke to Simon about a shaman ceremony he experienced while in Peru and his other astounding travel stories, like the time he spent the winter in a zen monastery in Japan.

photo: Marlen Müller

Milena Glimbovski

Milena Glimbovski is the owner of Neukölln’s coolest shop – Original Unverpackt – a title well deserved, although it is no Späti. The eco-friendly shop promoting sustainable, zero-waste lifestyle enables you to shop dry products like Müsli, rice, or beans from hygienic dispensers. Liquid products like oil are sold in deposit bottles. The offer is not limited to food – you can also get eco-friendly cosmetics there, like shampoos and soaps. The book gives you some behind the scenes peek into this awesome business.

photo: Marlen Müller

Mia Marjanovic

Mia Marjanovic, founder of the blog heylilahey is an advocate for sustainable fashion. Living in Kreuzberg with her boyfriend, she surrounds herself with products that are vegan and fair trade. She’s also keen on coming up with various DIY pieces for her flat.

photo: Marlen Müller

Minimal Mimi

Mimi promotes a similar approach – she only has 18 items in her wardrobe and she’s carefully choosing her outfit every day from those favorite pieces. And when a pair of trousers gets a bit too much of the usual wear and tear, Mimi just cuts them and makes them into a pair of cool shorts. You can find more of her sustainable fashion techniques on her YouTube channel  Minimal Mimi.

photo: Marlen Müller

Anna Schunck & Marcus Werner

These two used to be real Berliners, Anna a journalist, Marcus a video guy. But a year ago the couple decided to completely change their life. They left the big city to live in the countryside of Brandenburg on a farm with a couple of sheep. They dedicate their time now to maintaining an eco-friendly, healthy and sustainable life and document this on their blog Viertel/Vor which became one of the shooting stars in the blogosphere in the last year.

photo: Marlen Müller

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<a href="https://www.iheartberlin.de/author/michalina/" target="_self">Michalina</a>

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