Adelie aka Pippy hanging out on her post

We live in a culture that loves to give gifts. Although I don’t doubt that this practice comes from a place of love, I would argue that most of our giving is influenced by advertising and societal pressure to give gifts for almost every occasion under the sun. The list is ridiculously long: Valentine’s Day, birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, bridal showers, baby showers, graduations, retirement parties, housewarmings, baptisms, confirmations, bar mitzvahs, bas mitzvahs, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Grandparent’s Day, Secretary’s Day, and of course the Granddaddy of them all- Christmas!

Christmas gift giving has always struck me as strange since you would think there would be a better way to celebrate the life of Jesus than buying your girlfriends another rose scented candle. Yes, very little is sacred anymore. We have managed to turn our spiritual and religious traditions into nothing more than a profit fest for the local shopping mall. And Christianity is not the only religion guilty of this.

Consumer spending accounts for two-thirds of the US economy. That’s a big number. No wonder we are made to feel like we have to keep spending. We have to keep the insanity going because God forbid we have a system that is sustainable and doesn’t waste the planet’s resources. No, we must all have excessive amounts of useless crapola in our houses so the stock market can continue to soar its way to oblivion.

Now I realize we do live in a world where a certain amount of conformity is to be expected and opting out of gift giving entirely can be hard. Can you imagine showing up at a wedding without a gift? And I confess that I would be greatly peeved if my husband did not remember my birthday with some sort of gesture like a bouquet of flowers or a mouth watering delicacy made with plenty of sugar.

I’m not against gift giving. I’m against the useless stuff we give each other that eventually gets stored away in someone’s closet or ends up in a bag for the local goodwill to pick up. Who says we can’t reinvent the gift giving game and play it a different way? And what better way to do so than give vanishing gifts.

What are vanishing gifts? Anything that vanishes. Yes, I know I’m being a bit of smart aleck but gifts that eventually vanish but leave us with wonderful memories  are the best of all. I still remember enjoying an incredibly fabulous bottle of French wine that a friend gave me a few years back.

Below are some other ideas for vanishing gifts that won’t clutter people’s minds or homes and more importantly are easy on Mother Nature!

• Charitable donations to a friend of family member’s favorite cause
• Local Wines
• Foreign or Domestic Wines
• Sparkling Waters
• Fruit Baskets
• Gourmet or organic foods
• Baked goods that you made yourself
• Organic Coffee
• Assortment of teas
• Fresh Flowers
• Plants
• E-books
• A subscription to Net Flix
• Body soaps, oils, and lotions
• Gift Certificates (maid services, pedicures, pet sitters, etc.)
• Experiences-plan a special outing with your loved one like a hike, picnic, visit to the beach, dinner, play, or movie
• Theatre or sporting event tickets
• Membership to a museum or other cultural institution
• A class such as a cooking class or art class
• Dancing lessons
• Membership to a yoga studio
• Massages, acupuncture
• iTunes Gift card
• Food treats for people’s pets

(If you’d like to read more about changing the way you think about wealth please consider reading my book REDEFINING THE MEANING OF WEALTH: DISCOVERING PROSPERITY AND FORTUNE IN THE UNEMPLOYMENT LINE.)

Those of us in countries with more developed economies (the U.S. in particular) have just about “consumed” ourselves silly! Our homes are overflowing with junk we don’t need and many people are up to their eyeballs in debt. We’re craving simpler lives but sometimes the mere prospect of changing our lives in even the smallest ways seems like a huge overwhelming project.

After all most of us are busy trying to make a living and at the same time carve out time for our family and friends. Many people don’t have the capacity for a major de-cluttering project. Finding time to sit down and reflect on ways we can simplify or save money is challenging enough because our days our scheduled to the hilt.

Everyone has to start somewhere and I can assure you that no one turns their life around in one weekend. It’s all a process and an experiment of hit and miss. Cheer up though! There are some simple things you can do right away that can make you feel empowered and give you a sense of accomplishment. Then you can build on these accomplishments and before you know it your life is less complicated, you are saving money, and you’ve streamlined your possessions.

Let’s re-cap what simple living, minimalism, and frugality mean and discuss some quick ways we can put these practices into place today.

The simple living movement (when I say movement, it’s a philosophical movement not an organized movement) has its roots in frugality, environmentalism, social justice, and spirituality. Simple living is a lifestyle choice that allows a richer inner life through a simpler outer life. Like wealth, simple living can have many definitions as well. There are no rules when it comes to living simply. One person’s idea of simple living might be to pare down to as few possessions as possible while another person’s definition might be selling one of their three homes.
Five things you can do right now to live more simply:

• Ask yourself what is most important to you in this life? What do you value and what is your passion? Cut out anything in your life that you can and start focusing more on what you value. Maybe you enjoy painting but don’t have time to pursue this interest because you are a member of too many committees and too many volunteer groups. Decide what you need to give up so you can give more of your time to what’s important to you.

• Mind your own business. People love to gossip not only about the people they know but the people they don’t know! You have enough to take care of for yourself without barging into someone else’s affairs. Author Katie Byron says it well: “I can find three kinds of business in the universe: yours, Gods, and mine. When I think, I want you to get a job, I want you to be happy, you should be on time, you need to take better care of yourself, I am in your business. When I am worried about earthquakes, floods, war, or when I will die, I am in God’s business. If I am mentally in your business or God’s business, the effect is separation.”

• Be yourself. Trying to be something that we are not is exhausting and doesn’t feel right. Don’t try to pretend with others that you are something you are not. Be proud of who you are and celebrate your own uniqueness. Trying to be something other than who we are so we can fit in disturbs our peace of mind and there’s nothing simple about that!

• •As soon as you get the mail, immediately discard all junk mail into the recycling bin. You’re not going to need whatever it is they are advertising and getting rid of this type of mail is one less thing you have to waste valuable time going over. You also lessen the clutter in your house. Go a step further and Google “getting off junk mail lists” and make a plan to end junk mail once and for all.

• Spend some time in nature each day. Nature connects us back with the divine and calms us down. What could be more simple and joyful? You don’t have to live in the mountains or on the beach to enjoy nature. A simple walk around your neighborhood can provide fresh air and a chance to take in the sky and the sun and all the plants around you.

Frugality is not just about spending as little money as possible or being cheap. Frugality is about being as resourceful and creative as possible with our money and what we already own. Frugality is not about stiffing the waiter, or trying to rip someone off so you get a better price.
Five things you can do right now to live more frugally:

• Cancel any services you aren’t using or that don’t enhance your life. Either eliminate them or shop around for better deals. Some examples are cable tv, magazine and newspaper subscriptions, portions of your car insurance that may not be necessary especially if your car is older, and checking accounts that charge too high a fee.

• If you eat out a lot, cut back one day a week and prepare your food at home. Not only will you save money but you will eat more healthfully .You don’t have to be a gourmet cook. Baked potatoes, simple salads, and quesadillas are some of the simple things you can make at home.

• Be mindful of the food you already have in the house. Use it up and don’t let any of it go to waste. It’s amazing how much food Americans waste. Each time we throw out something we didn’t get around to using before its expiration date or something we let ruin, it’s tantamount to throwing money down the drain.

• Pay your bills on time. Late fees to the credit card company, power company, etc. can easily be avoided with a little planning. Make sure you pay these bills on time or try to negotiate an alternative payment due date if need be but put an end to those late fees. You work hard for your money and should be able to keep as much of it as possible.

• Quit using shopping as a way to entertain yourself. If going to the mall is your idea of entertainment but you want to cut back on what you spend then by all means find something else to do and quick. Go to the library or check around to see who’s offering a free concert or lecture. Go do some volunteer work for those less fortunate. Take a hike or go to the museum on their free day.

Minimalism is about scaling down your possessions to only those items that give you pleasure and enhance your life. It’s about getting rid of the excess and making room for a life of what you enjoy and love. The whole idea is not to have a whole lot of “stuff” weighing you down.
Five things you can do right now to live more minimally:

• If you have too much stuff in your house and need to downsize but don’t have time right now consider putting a moratorium on buying anything at all unless it’s a consumable. At least you won’t be bringing in anything new and adding to your already existing problem. When you do schedule time for throwing out what you no longer need you can take comfort in the fact that you don’t have a bunch of new stuff to go through as well.

• Practice living without it: If you can’t bear to throw things away right now, fill a shopping bag with things you aren’t using and in a few months, open it back up and re-evaluate your need for what’s in the bag. Better yet, be brave and throw it out if you can’t remember what’s in the bag or you haven’t missed anything.

• Keep your surfaces as clear as possible. Do you really need multiple knickknacks on the tables and counters around you? Do you need magazines and paper work cluttering up your living room? Even if you can’t part with it right now, hide it out of sight and notice how much more serene your living environment becomes.

• Expired food, pharmaceuticals, household and beauty products are no brainers. You certainly don’t need to be keeping any of this stuff around. Get a trash bag and go through your home and throw all this stuff away. There’s nothing to think about since it’s old and expired, so just toss into your bag and dispose of properly. You’ll see a big difference in how much clutter you got rid of without any of the emotional issues that come with throwing sentimental items out.

• We all have books on our bookshelves that we will never read again or don’t even want anymore. They just sit there because bookshelves are such convenient places to store them and we forget about them. Go through your books and find the ones you can either pass along to a friend or donate to the library. You might even make a little extra money by selling them online.

(If you’d like to read more about changing the way you think about wealth please consider reading my book REDEFINING THE MEANING OF WEALTH: DISCOVERING PROSPERITY AND FORTUNE IN THE UNEMPLOYMENT LINE.)

Mimmy: My very elegant grandmother

Although I didn’t know it at the time, my grandmother Mimmy taught me much of what I know today about de-cluttering and minimalism. Mimmy was one classy lady. Her view on material possessions mirrored her style and elegance. Less was definitely more to my grandmother and it showed in the way she dressed and ran her life.

There are lots of bloggers today (mostly young) who champion the benefits of scaling back on our possessions. Sometimes I think many of us (yes, myself included) write about our newly found epiphanies as if we are the first on the planet to discover that material possessions do not buy us happiness. I bet if all of us go back a few generations in our family tree, we will all discover another Mimmy or two.

Yes, it was many eons ago, but there was a time in this country when hoarding a bunch of useless paraphernalia was seen as rather crass and wasteful. And yes, there was also a time when people weren’t obsessed with de-cluttering and organizing because their personal inventory of possessions did not require a computer with 2 terabytes of storage.

Mimmy’s homecoming was this past summer. She lived a full life of 91 years. I still miss her and sometimes it’s hard to believe she’s not physically around anymore. Her life was a great example of what I call elegant minimalism. I hope what I share with you will inspire you as much as it has me.

• Mimmy worked in retail in her younger years and she loved to go shopping. However, I think the excitement and hustle and bustle of the crowds excited her more than the quest to max out her credit card. Mimmy would never buy an item on impulse. She would often laugh and say “what the hell would I do with this silly thing?” Now when Mimmy did go shopping for a specific item, beware! She would spend hours (and often multiple shopping trips) searching for the item of best quality and price. Sometimes months would go by and she still hadn’t purchased anything because she couldn’t find exactly what she was looking for and didn’t want to clutter up her home with something she didn’t want or need.

• Mimmy had beautiful clothes but the contents of her closet didn’t fall on you when you opened the door. I remember how neat and meticulous the few quality items she had were displayed. She loved classic pieces and would spend hours shopping for just the right fit and style when she wanted to replace something in her closet. She wore what she loved and more importantly what she felt good wearing. She preferred to own one good outfit as opposed to several trendy pieces of cheap clothing she would never wear anyway. When she passed away, I inherited her beautiful Jones of New York all weather coat. I feel like a million bucks every time I wear it and more importantly I think of her!

• Mimmy never ran a balance on her credit card because she paid it off every month. If she couldn’t’ afford it she didn’t buy it. It was as simple as that! Several years ago she told me that too many people want instant gratification and end up going into debt because of their materialist appetites. She warned me that debt only creates agony in the long run. Enough said, huh?

• Mimmy had a very clean and orderly house but she didn’t spend every waking hour with a mop in her hand. She always kept the clutter at bay and everything had a place. Old newspapers, junk mail, and any other useless pieces of paper quickly made their way to the garbage can. She didn’t have a lot of knick knacks sitting around either. What she had displayed were usually beautiful vases or picture frames with special pictures. Because her house was so free of clutter, it was easy and quick to clean and her time was freed up for other activities she found fulfilling like studying the Bible or lunching with friends.

• Mimmy was good at throwing out things. Whenever anything got too old or “out of style” as she would say, she had no problem tossing it. I witnessed my grandmother ridding herself of things others might consider antiques or too precious to get rid of but she didn’t care. She didn’t want it around her if she no longer had any use for it. It’s not that she wasn’t sentimental because she was. When it came to material possessions; however, she never equated an object or thing with a person. Mimmy carried her memories in her heart not in some knickknack or tsotchke.

• Mimmy drastically started to downsize her items the last 10 years of her life. I think she wanted as little distraction as possible and didn’t want to be weighed down physically or spiritually. In retrospect doing this was actually a great gift to our family. When she passed away, it took my mother and uncle less than half a day to clean out her retirement home apartment. So many people spend days and sometimes months going through their loved ones belongings when they leave this world for the next. It’s hard enough to adjust to a loved one being gone much less having to deal with the emotions that come up when going through all their possessions. Rest in peace Mimmy! If there’s any clutter in heaven, I’m sure you’ll set everybody straight!

(If you’d like to read more about changing the way you think about wealth please consider reading my book REDEFINING THE MEANING OF WEALTH: DISCOVERING PROSPERITY AND FORTUNE IN THE UNEMPLOYMENT LINE.)

Earlier this week I wrote about the beauty and simplicity of Japanese decor. I thought it might be nice to post some pictures from my recent trip to Japan. The elegance of this decorating style is peaceful, serene, and soothing to the eyes which in turn soothes the soul. Enjoy!

Traditional Japanese Hotel Room

Japanese bathroom

Japanese Dining Room

Japanese Floral Arrangement

Japanese Yoga Room which is part of a Buddhist Monastery in Nikko, Japan

Another view of the Yoga Room

Japanese Tea Room

Traditioanl Japanese Vegan Meal

Japanese Buddhist Altar

Charming Japanese Apt Complex

Natural Decor! A beautiful Japanese Waterfall

More natural decor!

More natural decor and me!

Japanese Dining Area

I had the good fortune to visit Japan this past fall. Not only are the Japanese a gracious and modest people but these admirable qualities are evident in their décor a well. Especially impressive is the functionality of their architecture and furnishings. Everything serves a purpose while at the same time being pleasing to the eye.

The wide open spaces and natural light streaming in through the windows creates a light and airy feeling that immediately makes you feel peaceful and serene. Whether I was visiting hotels, restaurants, Buddhist temples or retail stores, a feeling of calmness was always present because nothing was too ostentatious or overwhelming.

Creating a simple yet elegant home can be achieved by all of us no matter what our financial situations. Less is definitely more and Japanese décor is proof that we don’t have to overdraw our checking accounts to have a beautiful living environment.  No matter what our decorating styles, there is much that can be learned from the Japanese so that our homes are as lovely and functional as possible.

Wide open empty spaces are beautiful. There’s no reason to fill every square foot of space with furniture or other decorative items. Think of empty space as part of your décor – it’s calming and soothing to have room to move around in physically and mentally. Ever since I have started looking at empty space in the same way as I would a beautiful piece of furniture or painting, I feel less cramped and I enjoy the lovely things I already own even more.

Let the sun shine in. Open up those curtains and let in the natural light. Natural light lifts our mood and contributes to a positive environment. Sitting around in dim rooms with artificial lighting can make us depressed and even stifle our creativity. The first thing I do every morning is open up those blinds and welcome the daylight into my home. Even if it’s raining or the sun is nowhere to be found, it still beats feeling like I live in a cave.

Keep your surfaces as clear as possible. Keeping our counters, tables, and dressers as clear as possible cuts down on clutter and our favorite decorative pieces stand out even more.  It’s easier to showcase a nice vase or other art object when there’s less to compete with.  Several years ago I drastically downsized the items I displayed throughout my home. Not only does it make cleaning easier but I’m more organized and I rarely lose items like my keys or important papers.

How much furniture do we really need? Advertising has led us to believe we need all kinds of furniture such as end tables, night stands, display racks, and various chairs and stools. Although each of our needs is different and there are no steadfast rules as to what we should and should not have, it’s probably safe to say most of us have furniture we don’t use. In many cases we don’t even like what we have or know why we purchased it in the first place. Five years ago my husband and I purchased end tables to go on each side of our couch. I had a feeling we would never use these and now we are finally planning to get rid of them as they are taking up extra space not to mention how tired we are of dusting them.

Lack of creativity not lack of space is often the problem. I often hear people complain that they don’t have enough room and that they need more space. The sad truth is that when most of us do acquire more space we just fill it up with more stuff and the vicious cycle continues. One of the things I love about traditional Japanese bedrooms is that their beds (called futons) are stored in closets during the day so that the room is available for other activities during the day hours. Folding up our beds may not be a possibility for most of us but we can adapt this concept to fit our own particular needs. My place is fairly small and I would love my very own yoga room. Instead of moving to a larger space, I have rid our living room of as many unnecessary items as possible and there’s now plenty of room for me to lay out my yoga mat and do the “down dog”.  Rooms like furniture can have multi-functional purposes as well.

Keep it simple yet elegant. Japanese décor is beautiful while at the same time modest and unpretentious.  Resist the need to show off or buy something because you’ve been conditioned to think your home should look a certain way. It’s one thing if you wholeheartedly love something but much of what we buy and display in our homes is because we want to appear successful to friends and family. Simple and modest décor keeps us out of debt and we have money for other interests and experiences. We also don’t have to spend our precious time cleaning or paying someone else to clean for us. A simple environment is satisfying to our souls because it teaches us the concept of enough and we don’t waste precious energy by constantly yearning for more.

My two bags and me for a 10 day trip

Traveling is a great opportunity to practice simplicity and minimalism. If you do it right and don’t pack half of everything you own, your next adventure away from home can teach you a great deal about living with less.

This week my husband I hit the road (or more appropriately hit the air) to visit his family in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Flying during this time of year can be hectic and make you want to pull your hair out strand by strand.  The lines are long, flights are delayed, and you’re cramped into tiny little airplane seats that allow hardly any stretching whatsoever of your arms and legs. All around you people are hauling multiple over stuffed bags filled with God knows what.

Traveling with too much stuff can slow you down and put you in a cantankerous mood. Maneuvering your way through crowded airports is hard enough so why make your life more difficult by weighing yourself down physically and mentally by packing more than you really need? By skillfully and strategically assessing exactly what you need to pack journeying to your destination can actually be quite pleasant.

The first question to ask yourself is what are the items that I absolutely must pack? Those answers will be different for each of us so there are no steadfast rules. I live in a moderate climate but since the temperature will be much cooler where I’m going then I know that a coat and several sweaters are definitely necessities for me. My net book, camera, and cell phone always travel with me as well. Then of course we all have those personal grooming items that we must take and those will vary from person to person. Again, I can’t really give you a list of what you must take but I’m sure you get the picture.

Most of us travel to see family or friends during the holidays and we stay with them as well. My experience has been that they are usually happy to share soap, shampoos, conditioners, blow dryers and various other types of grooming products. Our families also let us use their washing machines so we don’t have to bring so many clothes. Hotels also offer a variety of grooming products and laundry services as well. And then of course you can always rinse out your clothing in the sink.

When I first begin packing I bring out everything that I think I might need. Then I begin my process of elimination rounds and downsize my packing even further. I love packing only a few clothing items. Having only a few choices each day is so liberating and I have more time to enjoy my trip and the people I’m visiting.

If you must bring gifts with you make sure they are something small and compact like gift cards or gift certificates. Better yet, make donations to your favorite charities. Most organizations provide a card for you to give stating their name and the gift and these types of acknowledgments are easy to pack and take up very little space. For those people for whom larger gifts are more appropriate, why not send them along ahead of time? Another idea is to buy your gifts at your destination therefore bypassing postage expenses and valuable luggage space.

For those who are not used to packing light the first time can be rather scary. You’re afraid that you might not have enough and you might feel rather empty and at a loss as to what to do with such a light load. My advice is to embrace your feelings and go with the flow. The worst that can happen is that you end up buying or borrowing something that you forgot or need. Like everything in life learning to travel lightly is a process and a skill. Don’t beat yourself up the first time if you misjudge what you need to take or if you still think you over-packed. Practice is the name of the game and eventually you will get it down.

The best part about traveling light is it teaches us how little we really need. It teaches us that most of our belongings are just extras. Extras that often get in the way of living a full life because we are so busy tending to and lugging all of our possessions around.

Whether traveling or staying put in our homes having fewer things actually makes us feel lighter and freer. For further inspiration on living abundantly with less let the life of Jesus serve as an example.  This week is Christmas and millions of people around the world will celebrate the birth of this man who traveled through life minimally and simply. Jesus owned very little but his life certainly had a huge impact and continues to till this day.

Nina Yau is one of my favorite bloggers. Her site Castles in the Air is practical, inspiring, and radical all rolled into one. There is nothing status quo about this girl and I love that! She is daring to lead her own life on her own terms. She recently quit her “good corporate job” to follow her passions of writing, traveling, and art. How many of us would have the nerve to do that in today’s economy? Nina would, that’s who! She faces fear head on and is creating the life she was meant to live.

When Nina recently published her e-book The Radical Minimalist I was immediately intrigued. I love Nina’s ideas and thoughts so I couldn’t wait to read her book. I’m also making a very concerted effort to seek out and support as many independent authors as I can because I find their ideas are fresh and completely uncensored. Nina’s book fit all these criteria and it did not disappoint.

The Radical Minimalist is about more than just paring down your possessions. It’s about paring down anything and everything in your life that is not benefiting you. Nina definitely touches on ways to get rid of the physical clutter in your life; however; her book asks us to go further and explore our mindsets and to dream big.  What’s the point of owning very little and clearing out the excess in our lives if we don’t go out there and live with purpose and meaning?

The Radical Minimalist talks about learning how to say no and handling difficult people who try to talk us out of following our dreams. Too often we let those in society with money, power, and authority dictate what is best for us but only we know what is best for ourselves. We figure this out by getting rid of the physical and emotional clutter and living more simply. This book reminds us that minimalism is not about deprivation or discomfort but about abundance and pleasure.

The part of her book that really hit home for me was the chapter on focusing on four or less subject matter areas in your life at one time. We live in a crazed society and are constantly stretched in all different directions. Nina reminds us that as radical minimalists it’s important to know that we can’t do everything that we want to do all at once. We must focus on a few things at a time realizing that there is a time and place for everything. This improves the quality of our lives and gives us peace. Art, writing, reading, and karate are the areas she is focusing on. In a future post, I will touch more on this concept and share the areas I’m focusing on as I think it’s important for all of us to not stretch ourselves too thin in these crazy yet exciting times.

Another fun aspect of Nina’s book is the contributions from the following bloggers on simple living and minimalism:

• Leo Babauta of Top 25 Blog Zen Habits, mnmlist, and Write to Done
• Francine Jay of Miss Minimalist
• Colin Wright of Exile Lifestyle, colinismy.name, and flashpack.co
• Tammy Strobel of Rowdy Kittens
• Everett Bogue of Far Beyond the Stars
• Joel Runyon of Blog of Impossible Things

I’m familiar with all the above sites as well and wholeheartedly recommend them also.

To learn more about The Radical Minimalist click here. Thanks Nina for your blog, your fabulous book, and doing your part to get the message out that a radical shift in our priorities can bring about higher awareness living.

Big Sur in the Fall

Fall is here! The leaves are turning and the freshness in the air invigorates me to take on new projects. It’s the perfect time to de-clutter and get rid of all that no longer serves me. The holidays are just around the corner and what better way to prepare for them than to make room for the new. Not room for more useless material possessions but room for loved ones, fun, and celebration.

I know it may sound weird but the less I own the wealthier I feel. The upkeep of unnecessary things keeps me from enjoying life. What about you? Do you feel the same way? Are you up for the de-cluttering challenge? If you are, below are some tips to help with the process.

Start slowly. Don’t set yourself up for failure by deciding you’re going to de-clutter your entire home in one afternoon. Instead tackle one particular area such as your bathroom or that junk drawer in your kitchen. Hone in on one area and do it well. The sense of accomplishment you feel will inspire you to move on to another area and before you know it your load will be much lighter.

Keep your eye on the prize. De-cluttering has so many rewards so figure out what you want yours to be. My reward is a peaceful environment that is aesthetically pleasing to my eye. I also feel much lighter both spiritually and emotionally when I start getting rid of things I no longer need. Staying focused on what you want the final outcome to be makes the de-cluttering process so much easier. It will keep you super motivated as well.

Get rid of anything that no longer serves you. If there’s anything in your house that you no longer use, get rid of it. That’s right. Toss it out! Get rid of that piece of exercise equipment that you bought ten years ago that you’ve never set foot on. Don’t kid yourself into thinking you are going to use it one day. You’re not or you would have already! Toss that dress that is two sizes too small for you. Enjoy wearing the clothes in your closet that fit and that look great on you now.

Think de-clutter not organization. Get out of the organization mindset if you want to do some serious de-cluttering. Organizing is just moving clutter around. De-cluttering is purging all that is no longer useful or necessary to us. It’s true that you will have to organize at some point but don’t let that be your sole focus. You’ll just end up with lots of things you no longer need neatly stored away and we all know how long it will be before those things become one big mess again.

Manage your emotions about sentimental items. This is one of the hardest aspects of de-cluttering. We all have things given to us by our loved ones that we no longer need. In some cases we don’t even like them. Acknowledge the love and thought that went into these special gifts then set them free. I’ll be honest. In the beginning this is hard to do but as you make de-cluttering a part of your lifestyle it will get easier. It just takes practice.

Find homes for your items that are still useful. Don’t just toss them into the garbage can. Take anything useful to a thrift shop or ask around to see if friends or family can use the item. Be careful though, because you don’t want to throw your old junk someone else’s way unless they really need and want what you’re tossing out. There’s also the option of selling your items on E-bay or Craig’s List and making a little extra cash.

Implement the one in one out rule. Every time you bring something new into your home, get rid of something else right away. Don’t wait too long or you’ll never get around to it. For example, when I buy a new top, I immediately go through my closet and find something I no longer wear and out it goes!

Share your de-cluttering successes with others. This is a great way to get support and possibly team up with others who also want to downsize their belongings as well. Discussing our efforts and challenges with likeminded people helps us stay on track and inspires us to keep on keeping on!

My very tech savvy kitty on a stack of computer books

Earth provides enough to satisfy every man’s need but not every man’s greed. ~Mahatma Gandhi

Clothes, shoes, and electronic gadgets of all kinds are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the things we are constantly accumulating. My intention is not to knock any of these things as right or wrong because I have become one of the world’s worst when it comes to electronic gadgets. I have two laptops, a state of the art android cellular phone, an iPod, an iPod docking station, a Nikon Coolpix camera, a printer, a scanner, and I won’t embarrass myself further by naming all the other tech gadgets in my household.

I can try and excuse my gluttony by letting you know that I’m a great bargain shopper and have gotten very good deals on all I own. Some of it has even been free or found its way to me as gifts. Oh, and did I mention that my husband is a major techie and it’s rubbed off on me?  Not buying it huh? Neither am I. The truth is I have gleefully and willingly went along with each and every purchase and enthusiastically accepted each and every gift.

Assessing all of my geeky toys has however made me ponder the following question. How much is enough? Unless some invention like the Transporter on Star Trek suddenly comes to market and it can beam me to Bali and other exotic locales around the world in a matter of seconds, I think I just may have enough electronics for the time being. Side Note: I’m one of those people who are seriously waiting for the Transporter device and I would throw all my frugal skills out the door and go into massive debt to buy one. I currently carry no consumer debt but a Star Trek Transporter! Now that might be worth maxing out the credit card! You think I’m being funny but I’m not! I really really want a Transporter.

Over the last few years I’ve cut back drastically on clothes, make-up, and household décor items. It’s a good thing too because I’ve been busy buying tech gadgets! I have no idea what the runways of Milan and Paris are showcasing this fall. I have no idea about the latest eye shadow and lip glosses (and I’m sure it shows if you look at me) but I do know that e-book readers are going down in price. An electronic reader would be just the gadget to complement my minimalist identity. No more excess books lying around cluttering up my home because they would be neatly stored in my new e-book reader.

So what is the point of this post? The point is we live in a culture obsessed with having things and there is always some new thing vying for our attention. If not careful, we can spend all our time wanting and not appreciating what we already have. I went from giving up one category of things to collecting a brand new category of things. I love technology and I love my electronic gadgets. Technology has created some pretty cool products and they have made my life much easier and fun. I have connected with people around the globe thanks to technological advancements and the nifty little items that have come with them.

I’m realizing though that I’m on the brink right now. If I don’t’ stop and appreciate what I already have I run the risk of having so much that I can’t fully enjoy any of it. Years ago I realized that my life was so much easier when I had only a few clothing pieces that I adored. As a result I can now open my closet and anything I grab is a piece of clothing I’m crazy about and feel great in. I then began to downsize my kitchenware, my linen closet, and got rid of all those little tsotchkes I had setting around. I went from owning over a hundred books to about thirty. I began to feel lighter and not so overwhelmed.

As I travel down my minimalist path and seek to further downsize my possessions, it’s easy to substitute one consumerist habit for another. It’s easy to be judgmental of those at the mall buying what I may feel is useless paraphernalia. Are humans hardwired to always crave things or are our wants the result of advertising and societal pressure? I’m not an expert but it’s probably a combination of all of these things. I do know that I’m cultivating more awareness.  I’m learning how to better evaluate my material aspirations. I’m learning how to put the brakes on before I end up with too much and no time to enjoy any of it. I’m always searching for balance and just when I think I’m holding steady I tip over and have to get back up again.

For the time being I have more than my fair share of electronic gadgets. The time is ripe to start enjoying what I have and quit yearning for more. Unless of course that Star Trek Transporter becomes available. I’ll be the first in line!

“Less is more.” - Ludwig Mies van der Rohe

If there is a legal limit as to how many books on simplifying and de-cluttering that one can read, I have probably exceeded it. I’ve been “simplifying” for over a decade now and I’m always on the prowl for some new information that will finally turn me into that streamlined, simplified, minimalist person that I’ve always dreamed of becoming. It’s no wonder Francine Jay’s new book The Joy of Less, A Minimalist Living Guide: How to Declutter, Organize, and Simplify Your Life is right up my alley!

I want to be that girl who can pack her bag for a trip overseas in 15 minutes because I have so few items in my boudoir. When people visit my home nothing would stroke my ego more than to have someone say “gee you own so little!” After reading this book and putting her practical yet inspiring advice into play, I may just become the person I have always fantasized about being. Yes, I know most normal people fantasize about lean bodies, lots of money, and satisfying careers. I admit it! I’m weird! But that’s a different topic and probably a different blog.

There are lots of books out there on living the minimalist life, but this book is different. It makes you want to run to your kitchen and start throwing out all those silver party trays you’ve had since you got married but never use. You suddenly feel inspired to get rid of your skinny clothes because the chances of fitting into a size 4 again are pretty slim (yes, pun intended!) I for one could not wait to hit my make-up drawer. I thought I was down-sized with my eleven compacts of eye make-up, five mascaras, 6 tubes of lipstick and various odds n ends that I haven’t touched in years much less put on my face. It was so liberating to throw out all those beauty supplies that I will never get around to using. And of course as the author reminds us, most make-up is not very sanitary after a year as it’s a cesspool for bacteria. Yuk!

The whole premise of this book is that having less stuff is the key to happiness. I couldn’t agree more. The thing I like most about this book is it doesn’t just tell you to start purging your possessions willy-nilly but it poses questions to ask yourself about everything that you own. The reader decides what gives their life value not the author. She guides you through the process and you come up with the answers.

Contrary to what the status quo would have us believe, having a lot of material possessions does not make us rich. Most of us have way too much stuff but not enough time to enjoy it all. This book is about the power of minimalist living. It’s about getting rid of the excess so we can make room for new experiences and the things we truly love. I told you it was right up my alley! Her musings on how to handle gifts and sentimental items is especially valuable. She reminds us that gifts are symbols of the giver’s love. It’s the intention of the giver that matters not the gift. Relish the intention and if you don’t need it or want it, pass that gift along to someone else who can use it.

I can’t pinpoint exactly what it was about this book that inspired me to go even deeper in my simplifying journey, but it did. Maybe it’s the fact that the author takes the subject seriously but not in a judgmental way. We’ve all read those books that make you feel like a loser because you can’t just tear through your house like a Kansas tornado and rid yourself of all the excess in one quick swoop. This book is supportive and kind. Francine Jay is likeable and you wish she could personally visit your home and help you go through all your junk. But since she probably can’t visit each of us personally, her book is the next best thing.

Her book is on Amazon and you can even download it on Kindle. For those of you who don’t know, Amazon has a free Kindle you can download onto your computer. It’s pretty nifty. Also, check out Francine’s blog Miss Minimalist by clicking here.