Three little beings I definitely can't live without!

A friend of mine recently forwarded a blog post to me from a site called Inside Higher Ed. It’s a great post called  5 Things I No Longer Wish to Own. I love it that simplifying and paring down is a topic that seems to be on more and more peoples’ radars these days.

Blogger Joshua Kim says, Is this desire to shed ownership of things a life cycle story, a digital story, or something else? Do you share my desire for life as a service? Has owning stuff also lost its appeal to you? The five things he no longer wishes to own are: software, hardware, books, a car, and a house.

What about you? Has owning stuff lost its appeal to you? I know it has for me. What are some things you could live without? Below are some things I either have no desire to own or wish I could rent or share with others.

Land-line: I have no desire for a land line. I’ve been “cell phone only” for many years now and it’s been a great decision. It’s been one less gadget or service I have to upkeep. Occasionally someone says to me, “But what if an earthquake hits and all the cell towers go down? How would you call anyone?” Sorry to disappoint but I was in the “94 Northridge quake in California. The first thing to go was my land-line. I refuse to live my life in fear of what “might” happen. I’ll take my chances.

House: Even though house prices are going down I have very little desire to own. The idea that I can pick up at any time and move anywhere I want is very appealing to me. Another thought that occurs to me often is real estate appreciation might seriously slow down for quite some time. If I ever do buy it will be because I love the place and it’s affordable, not because I think I will one day get a great return on my investment.

Car: We are a one car household but I really long for the day when we have adequate public transportation and I don’t have to own anything with wheels. Well maybe a bicycle because I love to bike. For those times I would need a car, I would rather just rent and let maintenance and vehicle wear and tear be the car rental company’s headache.

Appliances like vacuum cleaners, lawn mowers, etc.. Wouldn’t it be cool to have a center in every community where you could borrow these items? Or maybe people could go in together on purchasing them for everyone to share. This way no one person would bear the financial and maintenance burden. The community would take care of everything together which would save money and precious living spaces in our homes.

Jewelry: I have a few nice pieces and quite frankly I have no desire for anymore. I’m a fairly small person and I look ridiculous with too much jewelry on. Most jewelry is incredibly over-priced in my opinion and I’d rather spend the money on experiences that I can treasure in my heart.

Cable TV, magazines and newspapers: I can get all of the shows, news, and articles I want on-line. Isn’t the internet great?

I’d like to take this topic of things I can do without one step further so below are some  non-material things that I can live without:

Debt:  Being debt free is true liberation. I’m not tied down to a job I don’t want to have nor do I wake up in the middle of the night worrying about who and what I owe. Letting go of the idea of having to own so much stuff makes it easier to be debt free and life is so much more enjoyable.

Cable News or any kind of mainstream news that goes for shock value: My mother thinks it odd my husband and I don’t have cable or watch local or cable news channels. But where do you get your news she asks me. Plenty of places and I think I’m probably more informed than the average American. Corporate owned news conglomerates are not the only game in town although they would want you to believe so.

People who suck the life force out of me. We all know those people who take, take, and take and then some. Fortunatley, I don’t have to many of these people in my life but when they do show up, I try to set up my boundaries with them as quick as possible.

Worry: There’s lots going on in the world today and change is on the horizon. What that change will be is still unknown. I’m done with worrying about money, retirement, and whether or not I will have enough money to pay next month’s rent. I still do worry from time to time but the less I do the easier life gets.

(If you’d like to read more about living simply and changing the way you think about wealth please consider reading my book which is available in paperback or Kindle: REDEFINING THE MEANING OF WEALTH: DISCOVERING PROSPERITY AND FORTUNE IN THE UNEMPLOYMENT LINE.

Plane waiting to leave from a hassle-free Costa Rica Airport

Airline travel is anything but simple these days. Between having to arrive at the airport hours ahead of time and waiting in line to be photographed nude by the TSA, flying is enough to make one yearn for the days of the horse and buggy. Disclaimer: I’m not against taking precautions to make air travel safe, but intrusive X- ray machines and TSA agents patting down three year olds and little old ladies in wheelchairs personally does not make me feel any safer. But that’s a different rant so I’ll spare you my politics on the subject.

While making an airline reservation this past week I realized I was about to embark on Flight Number 4 for the year with another three more trips on the horizon before 2012. Although I don’t consider myself a frequent traveler I do travel on average 5-6 times a year. Always on the quest to make my journeys as simple as possible, I get better at it the more I do it.

A few weeks ago my boss and I traveled to Washington D. C. for a conference. We set out to travel as simply as possible and I’m happy to report that our mission was accomplished. Our experience was hassle free as we floated through the airport smoothly and comfortably. Our trip was so easy that she suggested I write a blog post about travelling minimally. I decided to follow her suggestion. Below is a recap of what we did to simplify the flying experience and actually enjoy it in the process.

• We printed out our boarding passes ahead of time. This is nothing new to most people but it’s a great time saver especially if you aren’t checking luggage. We walked into the airport and went straight to security and then to our gate. We also found out that most airlines now allow you to download your boarding pass to your smart phone. Talk about clutter free. We said we’ll both be doing that on future trips so we don’t have to keep up with yet another piece of paper.
• Get to the airport as early as possible. It’s better to have extra time hanging out in the waiting room than to be stuck in the security line hyperventilating because your flight might leave without you.
• We each brought one small bag on wheels. In my opinion bringing as little luggage as possible is the most liberating thing you can do for yourself when you travel. Feeling bogged down with a bunch of luggage is complicated and makes you edgy.
• Pack less than you think you will need. I know it’s scary to set out on your journey with so few items but try it. See if you don’t prefer traveling light as opposed to bringing all those “just in case” items.
• Don’t bring duplicate items if you can avoid it especially if you have a traveling companion. For example, we knew we wouldn’t be spending that much time on the computer but did want to bring one so we packed one laptop between the two of us and shared it. Both of our phones have internet access so we were able to check email and look up anything we might need to on the web.
• Unless you are flying an airline that you know provides good food, buy something in the airport before you board the plane. We both knew that although we were about to embark on a five hour flight, American Airlines would not provide as much as a small bag of pretzels and would charge for all food items. Since we could potentially be at the mercy of a menu we didn’t like, we purchased something simple that we could share before we boarded the plane. In our case, we chose a vegetarian bowl with rice, beans, salsa, lettuce, guacamole and corn chips. Much better than the snack pack full of processed food for $12.00! We also saved money by sharing. Most restaurant portions are so huge that it makes sense from a health and cost perspective to share.
• Wear comfortable shoes that are easy to slip on and slip off. I’m all about comfortable shoes and you will not find any stiletto heels in my closet. Traveling in flat comfortable shoes makes it easy to remove your shoes while going through security and you can slip them off on the plane and give your feet a rest.
• We didn’t bring stacks of reading material in hopes that we would get around to reading it. I know many times in the past I have brought several books with me while traveling thinking that I would get to them all. I now bring one book and focus on that. Reading books on an electronic reader is another way to save space especially if you do want to bring multiple reading materials.
• Enjoy being unplugged. My boss and I mentioned several times to each other how great it was to have several hours where we didn’t feel like we had to be checking our cell phones or email.
• Don’t be afraid of boredom on long flights. You don’t have to watch the movie, you don’t have to read your novel, and you don’t have to converse with any of the other passengers. Maybe you will want to nap or listen to soothing music on your headset. Or maybe you’ll decide to do nothing at all because sitting there and simply being with yourself can be quite profound.

(If you’d like to read more about living simply and 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.)

Beautiful Lake in Orlando, FL

The world seems to keep spinning faster and faster and sometimes I just can’t keep up. Often, I don’t even want to keep up. Do any of us ever keep up anyway and if so is the prize worth it? My head  starts to oscillate when the world is coming at me from all directions. Is the world moving faster or is it just my imagination?

Here’s a fun scientific tidbit to contemplate. According to Mark Reid of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, “It turns out that our solar system is moving nearly 100,000 m.p.h. faster than previously thought — revolving around the center of the Milky Way at 568,000 m.p.h.” I’m no scientific expert but this does make sense. If you’re like me and you’re fascinated by science, you can read more about this at: Time.com.

As one who has worked for years to simply my life, I have to admit 2011 and my new part time job (which I do love by the way) has given me a run for my money. When life gets to be too much I have to consciously step back and ask myself what can I do to simplify further? I obviously can’t control others but I can control my reactions to what’s going on around me and I can make changes. Below is a list of some things I’m working on to bring my life back into balance and simplify even further.

Prioritizing my day: I’m learning that not everything on my “to do” list needs to be done every day. I get done what absolutely has to be done and everything else can wait if need be. The reality is I can’t do it all contrary to what the expectations of those around me may be. I am not “Super Woman” and that’s ok.

Turning off my cell phone when I need a break: I love cell phones and how they can make communication easier.  What I don’t love is being expected to call or text someone back 10 seconds later just because someone decided to contact me. Maybe I’m in the shower or as unfathomable as it may seem, I decided to go for a walk on the beach sans my little Star Trek gadget.

Tossing out the excess: Getting rid of paper and electronic clutter as soon as it makes its way to me makes my work and home environment more peaceful and manageable. The info on business cards can be quickly entered into my computer address book and then thrown out. Junk mail and spam is obviously thrown out right away. Ditto for any other physical or electronic documents that I don’t need to keep.

Wearing comfortable shoes: I like a cute sandal or dress shoe as much as the next gal but what I like more is comfort. Wearing shoes that I barely notice are on my feet make life so much easier. Better yet, going barefoot feels even better. So many things in life are out of our control but we can make sure our feet feel good which in turn makes us feel good.

Spending more time with my animals: My cats always make me feel better. Whether it’s petting them or watching them play with their favorite toys, being with my felines never fails to put me in a good mood. My turtle Speed is also fascinating to watch.

Eating light: Eating too much or too heavily makes me feel weighted down and tired. Eating light gives me more energy. I also make sure I eat what I love. If you hate a particular food don’t feel you have to eat it just because it’s healthy. Eat only those healthy foods you love because what we eat should be a pleasurable experience.

Opting out of text messaging conversations:  I don’t mind if someone texts me to communicate a simple message but long drawn out text conversations are anything but simple for me. I now give the person texting me a call and tell them I would prefer we resolve the issue via email or phone, because I can type or talk faster than I can text.

Declining social invitations when they don’t work for me: I have some friends who invite me to get together socially only when it works for their job schedule or that of their children. Although I don’t blame people for asking to get together when it works for them (we all do this), I am learning that I don’t need to feel guilty if the time doesn’t work for me. Just because someone has a demanding job or chose to have children does not mean I have to always be the one to accommodate and compromise. My schedule is equally important.

Doing something fun: Sometimes I get so busy with working and taking care of life’s daily chores that I forget to have fun and do something for me. This might mean working a crossword puzzle or reading a mystery novel. It may be an impromptu coffee date with a friend or better yet – it may be doing absolutely nothing at all!

(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.)

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.