The Opposite of Minimalism 

December 27, 2016 5 Comments

Nothing that you need, everything you wantI typically drive by this sign at least once every day. This is a problem. You wouldn’t think a non political sign could slowly drive someone insane, but this sign is becoming my undoing. 

[sign reads: STUFF nothing you need everything you want]

I do see the humor. It just struck home with me so much how this is truly the attitude of many people. We’re all looking for something, just throwing money at the problem and collecting “stuff”.

This sign makes me want to donate half of what I own. 

What do y’all think? I’m overreacting, right?

Jillian

Filed Under: Minimalism Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Simplify Sunday-Preparing for Moving Day

March 13, 2016 16 Comments

  As someone who hates having stuff around, it’s super hard for me (mentally) to pack up all of my belongings and move. I want to just get rid of all of it! Where did all of this crap come from and why do I still have it?

I actually love the related activity of going through all of my belongings and picking out things to give to charity. February’s purge is above (just the four bags in the front and the mirror. The tote, tire chains, yoga mat, and blanket live in my trunk). It makes me feel good to get things out of my space. A cluttered space, for me, equals a cluttered mind. 

Those bags went to Teen Challenge today. In their place, I hauled in a bunch of cardboard boxes. Soon those boxes will be filled with everything I own, and I will see how much I really have. There’s no way to deny it when nothing is put away or hidden out of sight. It will be interesting to see how much more I find that I just don’t feel I need any more. I truly feel that I just got rid of everything I wanted to… But I’m sure that will change. 

Does anyone else feel anxious about having too many belongings? Is this some sort of mental illness? I don’t feel it’s a bad thing to be neat, minimalistic, or organized. However, I do sometimes feel a little crazy because no one else except my sister understands this need that I have to constantly minimize. How do I know if I’m taking it too far? Maybe when I don’t have “enough” stuff left? I don’t know that such a thing is even possible. 

Jillian 

Filed Under: Minimalism, Simplify Sunday Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Simplify Sunday- Annual Goals Update 

March 6, 2016 12 Comments

  birthday drinks 
I cannot believe it’s been seven weeks since I started my new annual goals. I have no idea how that happened. Counting the weeks has made me feel pretty guilty about how little I’ve done. Still, I have done a couple of things that are important to me. 

As pictured here, I went out for dinner and drinks in a joint birthday celebration with my beautiful friend, M. Our birthdays are five days apart, and we usually buy each other gifts. We do often go out for happy hour as well, but not always. I know that she is big into experiences instead of stuff, so I thought she would be the perfect person to start working on that goal with. 

It helped that it was my birthday, too. It’s a lot easier to say to someone, “Hey, let’s go out and try something fun together to celebrate our birthdays instead of buying tangible gifts” than it is to say “You know how I usually take you out for happy hour and give you a present for your birthday? Well, I know you probably don’t even remember what I gave you last year (and hey, neither do I), so let’s just skip that part and spend a little more money on the experience”. The second way you just sound like a cheapass. I haven’t quite figured out to spin that yet. 

M and I had so much fun hanging out. That’s what sucks about growing up- the more responsibilities you have, the more rare that time with your friends is. We used to hang out a few times a week, and now we’re lucky if it’s a few times a month. I loved going the experience instead of stuff route, and I definitely want to keep that going. 

I automated my emergency fund deposits for each month. I’ve had two go in so far, which is awesome. I have really not saved anything over the last year in my emergency fund, because everything I’ve put in has come out at some point. Last year was super expensive! I also checked my credit, and didn’t see any red flags. My score is the highest it’s ever been, which was exciting!

Maybe I find strange things exciting, but I think those are my biggest accomplishments so far on my list. Simplifying gift giving and saving, but in totally different ways. Anyone else trying anything new this year that they’ve managed to stick to?

Jillian 

Filed Under: Annual Goals, Minimalism, Personal Finance Tagged With: , , , ,

Simplify Sunday- Use it or Lose it

January 17, 2016 Leave a Comment

  Someone awesome gave me this roll of duct tape for Christmas. I do realize that sounds ridiculous, but I love the Packers and I actually needed some duct tape. One of my dogs (offender pictured here) had chewed up this gate- to the point where I worried the bar would snap. The gate is meant to be more of a reminder to people not to let the dogs out than an actual foolproof deterrent, but still. Holes are not good! 

So, I went ahead and classed up the apartment by “repairing” the gate with Packers themed duct tape. For related reasons (Lambeau likes to crawl into the fireplace), I used the duct tape to cover the opening to the fireplace with cardboard. 

The gifter came over this week, and remarked that he was so glad I was using the tape. I told him that I loved it! Then he expanded on his point, and I realized that wasn’t what he had been getting at. 

He said that he would probably have just saved it because he liked it so much, and then brought up that he tends to save things like samples for a trip or something special. Then those occasions never come and they expire. 

I definitely used to be like that! When he said that, I remembered how I used to save everything for the future. You know what happens? Products and food expire, clothes that are saved for special occasions go out of style or no longer fit, your tastes change and (gasp) maybe you don’t even like the Packers anymore so you throw the duct tape away. The special dishes for guests get broken in a move or just sit around collecting dust.

One day I just realized that the special day is TODAY. I should use and enjoy it now. It sounds trite, but life really is too short. I used to force myself to use lotions I had been given with scents I didn’t like. I didn’t want to waste them! I would save the scents that made me happy for after those I didn’t like were gone. It takes months to use a container of lotion! What am I doing? Am I running a freaking lotion conservatory here?! I’m robbing myself of a moment of joy every time I smell the lotion, and replacing it with a grimace. 

It’s just stupid. Use what you like now. Live your life to the fullest. Use your best dishes for your family. Who is more special than them? While you’re at it, get rid of the dishes you use every day that you don’t even like but they are cheap. Or, if these dishes really are too expensive to enjoy using without stress, display them. 

If you have duct tape that you want to display, I have plenty of ideas for that, too. 😀

Jillian 

Filed Under: DIY, Minimalism, Packers, Random Chaos, Simplify Sunday Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Simplify Sunday- A More Streamlined Life

December 27, 2015 14 Comments

“Besides the noble art of getting things done, there is the noble art of leaving things undone. The wisdom of life consists in the elimination of non-essentials.” Lin Yutang 

I was going through an old book where I have written down quotes over the years that have touched me. A friend wanted some quotes, so naturally I flipped through my book. I selfishly kept this one for myself, and for you.

As much as I am a doer, someone who must accomplish and be on top of everything, someone who will never forget your birthday… I am also a firm believer in keeping life simple and trying to let things go.

Don’t misunderstand- I often SUCK at letting things go. However, I have made a large effort over the last year or so to do just that. Love and let live. Say no more to things that I just don’t want to do. Stop creating ridiculous tasks for myself that just don’t need to be done. I do still have a running to do list, but I don’t force myself to not relax until everything is done. Sometimes (okay, often) I just sit at home and enjoy the company of my Shibas.

A critical part of my success is minimalism. I have never been able to relax in a messy environment. I’m sure anyone who is into minimalism already knows about Marie Kondo’s book, the Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up. In the spirit of minimalism, I put it on hold at the library (I almost never buy books. I read very quickly, and just don’t like having things sitting around that I no longer need. I always end up donating them, so I try to not waste my money.) and waited for a few months. This week, it was my turn and I was excited to pick it up. I haven’t finished it yet. I got too excited about going through stuff, and went and did that instead!

Really, her philosophy is very similar to what mine has been for a while- get rid of as much as possible. You don’t need it, you won’t miss it. If it doesn’t give you pleasure, get rid of it. In the YEARS I have been doing this, I know there have been one or two things I have missed, but I literally cannot think of what they have been.

I consider my “things” to be pretty parred down. Still, I regularly go through them and almost always have a bag in my closet where I place things to be donated. This time, I filled six bags. Four will go to Teen Challenge and two will go to a women’s shelter. I noticed I was getting rid of several pieces of warm clothing and a blanket. Honestly, I’m lazy, but my conscience won’t let me out of making that extra stop in the dead of winter. It makes me sad to think of others being cold and wet. So, there were a few items that I was on the fence about getting rid of; but once I realized I would be making the trip to to shelter it was easy. I may get pleasure from looking at this scarf, but I have worn it once. It can make someone else warm, so let’s get rid of it! This post on reallifeofanmsw.com inspired me to try to make better use of the things that I’m donating.

I want to live in a cozy, peaceful environment, and for me I can do that best with no clutter. Then I can cuddle my dogs and be happy with all of the warmth and love in my life.

❤ Jillian

Filed Under: Minimalism, Simplify Sunday Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Simplify Sunday- Minimizing the Apartment 

September 27, 2015 25 Comments

gorgeous kuma For some reason, I’ve been feeling a little more anxiety lately. When I saw this picture of Kuma the Shiba, I instantly felt more calm. He’s just so fluffy, happy, and relaxed. He’s literally laying in a field! What’s more relaxing than that?

A weird thing that calms me down is purging my stuff. I read a post this week by Anne this week that really resonated with me. She touched on how getting rid of physical things can help clear emotional space. That is so true for me. I think some of it probably is based on my anxiety, because I get over the top and sit around thinking about things like “there are too many unorganized pictures in my photo albums. They need to be in order. I’m sure there are even duplicates.”

I know these thoughts are a bit irrational (maybe “a bit” is generous?). However, there is definitely truth to the idea that physical things can hold me back. I love to know exactly what I have and where it is. If I need something, I have it instantly because I know how to find it. If I need to move, I can do so pretty easily because I don’t have a lot of stuff holding me back. I love that concept, I don’t know why. I just know that it gives me peace.

All of this to say- I went through most of my stuff last night. I did everything except my pictures (and, of course, that’s why they’re mentioned above. I’m still thinking about it.) and my one under the bed storage box that I allow myself for sentimental things. Cards, journals, the corsage my great grandmother made me for my prom- that’s all in there.

I found four bags of things to donate. Some highlights include extra throw pillows that are always on the floor instead of my bed and seriously who needs that?!, clothes that will never ever fit again, a tennis racquet I’ve literally used once (and I was so bad that my partner almost strangled me), and a record that I have never heard of and don’t even remember owning. I have a bag of papers to shred from my safe, and threw away a few things.

What’s amazing to me is that I always find clutter that I don’t need. How does it find its way in, and why is it so hard to let go? I’ve talked myself out of getting rid of that d*mn tennis racquet so many times, thinking I might play again. Really?! It’s not.going.to.happen. I love sitting on the couch, and I have the hand eye coordination and attention span of a drunk, blind, one armed squirrel.

I tend to make goals for far longer amounts of time then are manageable. For me, for this week, my goal is to feel peaceful- whatever that may require.

❤ Jillian 

Filed Under: Kuma Fluffbear, Minimalism, Shibas, Simplify Sunday Tagged With: , , , , , , ,
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