PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine consumers’ motivations to participate in voluntary simplicity in the current market environment.Design/methodology/approachUsing established qualitative research methods, 834 individual autobiographies and blog entries from The Great American Apparel Diet (GAAD) are examined.FindingsSix general categories of internal and external motivations to engage in voluntary simplicity are identified. Findings expand marketers’ understanding of voluntary simplicity and the role of virtual communities inspiring behavior in the contemporary marketplace.Originality/valueThis research is unique because it explores personal information shared in the blog entries of participants in the GAAD.