Today must be my best memory day. While reading a minimalist post about eating simply out of one bowl for each meal, I remembered something else about my past, that leads me to belive that I am a born minimalist. While living in ahouse with roomates, the dishes can really pile up, and I found myself drowing in them horribly every day. I actually made a rule: one bowl, one plate for each of us, and we were to wash our own dish upon finishing. It works if you pack the rest of the dishes away :)
Even a year ago I told my husband I wanted to do this again. It also limits how much you eat. Just a quick thought there.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Dreams can come true, if you let them.
When a was little bit younger I used to dream about getting rid of everything except what could fit in a hiking backpack. I wanted to explore, and see things I never thought I could. I stumbled across a list I had wrote for myself about what would be kept in the travel backpack, I even kept revising it to reduce even more. I have been backpacking several times in my life and learned to not carry too much quickly!
Thinking back on this I can now see how real of a possibility it really is. Sure I have kids and I wouldn't be as able to go for long or without a home to come too. But it's still a possibility. I can still have the dreams I always wanted, I just have to let them come to me!
I belive you can be or have anything in the world that you want. My dad always told me I could be anything I want, I just have to try hard enough. I belive this to be true for your dreams as well.
Thinking back on this I can now see how real of a possibility it really is. Sure I have kids and I wouldn't be as able to go for long or without a home to come too. But it's still a possibility. I can still have the dreams I always wanted, I just have to let them come to me!
I belive you can be or have anything in the world that you want. My dad always told me I could be anything I want, I just have to try hard enough. I belive this to be true for your dreams as well.
Thinking back....
Looking back on my life, there are a few times in my life that circumstances forced me to become more minimal, even if for a short time.
I was 12 years old, and my parents wanted to build a home. In order to save money to put towards having a nicer home, we (My mom, dad and sister, with lil brother soon to come) moved into a 5th wheel on the property. This made it so we had more money without paying rent, and so that when my dad got off work he could work on the house, and be close to us too. I had 2 overhead cubbords to store my things, this meant clothes and maybe some music. We lived this way for about a year, at this particular time in my life it didn't really matter to me, I was going to get my own bedroom, bathroom and walk in closet. That was worth the wait in my opinion.
Of course upon moving into the house, the gear started to accumulate.
Then shortly after turning 16, we were going to endure the task once more. We packed up everything we owned except clothes and moved into an even smaller 5th wheel. My sister and I had bunk beds, and I had a little closet, plus a cubby at the foot of my bunk. This is the point that leads to my very first post on this this blog.
After some time I began staying with my boyfriend. He lived much closer to my school and work, and he took me in graciously. I kept a few clothes that were my favorites in the bottom drawer of his dresser and he bought me a few books that I still love today :) I had my car with a few things like big jackets and maybe an extra pair of shoes. But besides that, the rest was still in storage, a place I wish it would of stayed!
We eventually moved into our own home, and thats where it hit me. My parents went to storage and brought me boxes upon boxes of things I hadn't seen in a few years. To this day some is still packed in another storage. (still haven't touched it) We got even more stuff, we had friends bringing boxes of kitchen stuff, and plants galore.
After a year, we were financially having problems, so once again, I packed up everything we had, and we moved into 1 room of my in-laws house. We lived there for almost a year, and then while expecting our first child we took and even smaller amount of things and moved to an apartment that was still occupied by my brother in laws things. So we didn't really need any of our house wares yet.
9 months later, we packed all that away, (moving around the state lol) and moved into 1 room at my parents house (the three of us now) for a couple of months, and ended up at the in-laws for another 6 months.
So now two years ago we moved into this cozy duplex and we have been here since then. We are still working on all the stuff we put in storage. We had about 3 small storage units full, and have reduced it down to half of one, the plan is to finish that this summer and be done with it. We have both vowed that if circumstances lead us to live small again we would not put a single thing in storage, it would go bye bye for good!
Well now that you have my life story lol, you can better understand why possesions really don't mean anything to me.
I do cherish some things, but I crave the simple lifestyle. I had a few things that I loved and spent time with people that made me happy, I had money to do yoga, and I didn't eat nearly as much food! I was healthy and I went for hikes often.
So for my conclusion today, I want to say that having a lot stuff has always been a burden for me. We had to move a lot in the past, and I seriously dreaded the day we moved here, beacuse I knew I would have to deal with all that stuff. When we move again, I don't want the re-accuring nightmare. Plus it feels good to know that if you had to go quick you would have to time to grab what you needed instead of wondering what you should leave behind. I guess you could say that I am a traveler at heart.
I was 12 years old, and my parents wanted to build a home. In order to save money to put towards having a nicer home, we (My mom, dad and sister, with lil brother soon to come) moved into a 5th wheel on the property. This made it so we had more money without paying rent, and so that when my dad got off work he could work on the house, and be close to us too. I had 2 overhead cubbords to store my things, this meant clothes and maybe some music. We lived this way for about a year, at this particular time in my life it didn't really matter to me, I was going to get my own bedroom, bathroom and walk in closet. That was worth the wait in my opinion.
Of course upon moving into the house, the gear started to accumulate.
Then shortly after turning 16, we were going to endure the task once more. We packed up everything we owned except clothes and moved into an even smaller 5th wheel. My sister and I had bunk beds, and I had a little closet, plus a cubby at the foot of my bunk. This is the point that leads to my very first post on this this blog.
After some time I began staying with my boyfriend. He lived much closer to my school and work, and he took me in graciously. I kept a few clothes that were my favorites in the bottom drawer of his dresser and he bought me a few books that I still love today :) I had my car with a few things like big jackets and maybe an extra pair of shoes. But besides that, the rest was still in storage, a place I wish it would of stayed!
We eventually moved into our own home, and thats where it hit me. My parents went to storage and brought me boxes upon boxes of things I hadn't seen in a few years. To this day some is still packed in another storage. (still haven't touched it) We got even more stuff, we had friends bringing boxes of kitchen stuff, and plants galore.
After a year, we were financially having problems, so once again, I packed up everything we had, and we moved into 1 room of my in-laws house. We lived there for almost a year, and then while expecting our first child we took and even smaller amount of things and moved to an apartment that was still occupied by my brother in laws things. So we didn't really need any of our house wares yet.
9 months later, we packed all that away, (moving around the state lol) and moved into 1 room at my parents house (the three of us now) for a couple of months, and ended up at the in-laws for another 6 months.
So now two years ago we moved into this cozy duplex and we have been here since then. We are still working on all the stuff we put in storage. We had about 3 small storage units full, and have reduced it down to half of one, the plan is to finish that this summer and be done with it. We have both vowed that if circumstances lead us to live small again we would not put a single thing in storage, it would go bye bye for good!
Well now that you have my life story lol, you can better understand why possesions really don't mean anything to me.
I do cherish some things, but I crave the simple lifestyle. I had a few things that I loved and spent time with people that made me happy, I had money to do yoga, and I didn't eat nearly as much food! I was healthy and I went for hikes often.
So for my conclusion today, I want to say that having a lot stuff has always been a burden for me. We had to move a lot in the past, and I seriously dreaded the day we moved here, beacuse I knew I would have to deal with all that stuff. When we move again, I don't want the re-accuring nightmare. Plus it feels good to know that if you had to go quick you would have to time to grab what you needed instead of wondering what you should leave behind. I guess you could say that I am a traveler at heart.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Letting go.
So far the hardest "thing" to let go for me, is the fact that people will try to rub it in your face. Example, people are always trying to one up you and make you feel like you need to be in the "status quo". Other people will make you feel like you need to have that big exspensive house, or brand new car. The important thing to remember is that money does not buy happiness. You can think that all you want, but even the richest people aren't happy. Right now in this moment I am struggling to achive the state of mind that I don't care as much about money. It's no fun to be in a big house your husband busts his butt for, but you never see him.
I am happy for my little place, that we have just enough money to live in, you know why? Because I get a 3 day weekend with my husband every week, he gets to spend quality time with my daughter and me. And he has made it possible for me to be at home so my daughter isn't with strangers everyday.
So this is my weakness, and I am sharing it with you, so that you can see that everything is not perfect. Yes I am achieving a lot and I am very happy with my results as my journey to minimalism continues. But I want to share my struggles with you so that I may be stronger for first admitting it.
I am happy for my little place, that we have just enough money to live in, you know why? Because I get a 3 day weekend with my husband every week, he gets to spend quality time with my daughter and me. And he has made it possible for me to be at home so my daughter isn't with strangers everyday.
So this is my weakness, and I am sharing it with you, so that you can see that everything is not perfect. Yes I am achieving a lot and I am very happy with my results as my journey to minimalism continues. But I want to share my struggles with you so that I may be stronger for first admitting it.
Monday, January 17, 2011
So far..
Becoming minimalist has opened a new world for me. I have always wanted to be more eco friendly, and kind to the earth. While I am not a complete minimalist I see already how much of the earth I am saving, by cutting back on buying, especially buying things that will break with in a few days, buying less means less that was taken from the earth, by me anyways.(It also means I saved money on something I didn't need anyways) I also don't need a ton of cleaners anymore, I have a few simple cleaners that do the job well, and save plastic. I now have more time to cook healthy meals without feeling burdened by the "extra" work. In fact I have simplified my cooking too, and started making homemade snacks instead, because I have more time to think about I am doing. I also see that it feels good. It feels good to walk into a clean home, it feels good to only have to clean a little here and there, it feels good not having so much clutter on my counter top, it feels good to have time to just be me, and not rush around trying to keep this and that up to "par".
More time..
I can already see the difference in my life. I have more time and feel like I have more time. My husband and I had a 3 day weekend together and this time it felt like 3 days :)
I may sometimes feel bored but that gives me time to think, and I usually end up in the kitchen baking, but I love to do it. Having less to do around the house has got my creative juices going and I don't feel rushed doing the things I love to do.
I may sometimes feel bored but that gives me time to think, and I usually end up in the kitchen baking, but I love to do it. Having less to do around the house has got my creative juices going and I don't feel rushed doing the things I love to do.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
It's clean!
I can successfully say that when I have guests, or when someone stops in, that I don't have to worry about my mess or be embarrassed by it. In fact most people ask if I have been cleaning all day. I really haven't had to do much cleaning, and the extra things that need cleaning every now and then I can see them easier and they only take a few min. to take care of, instead of 40 min or longer because I had to move this, or clean something thats in the way. It feels good to have a clean house in just a few min. And to top it off, I don't have to bust my butt to clean the house, which is a real plus when your pregnant.
So here's a 'cheers' to sitting back and relaxing on a sunday afternoon!
( Right now my posts are based on the the things I am learning from minimalism. There is of course a emotional side to it all. I feel like a new person!)
So here's a 'cheers' to sitting back and relaxing on a sunday afternoon!
( Right now my posts are based on the the things I am learning from minimalism. There is of course a emotional side to it all. I feel like a new person!)
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