curiously simple

hello gorgeous mountains

2013-06-24T20:15:00.000-05:00

Last week we drove 11 hours to Virginia for a friend's wedding. It was a beautiful ceremony, and later that week we went on an 8 mile hike to McAfee Knob. It was really hard, especially for those of us who are out of shape (yes, that's me). The view at the top was absolutely gorgeous, and well worth the tiring trip up. The elevation at the top was 3197 feet, compared to 300-something near Memphis, Tennessee.

10 essentials

2013-06-04T22:08:00.003-05:00

Imagine you could only have 10 things. What would they be? Could you be happy with just 10? I got the idea to list them from this post on mnmlist. Here are mine.

1. Books. All books, but especially nonfiction.
2. Faith. My relationship with the Creator.
3. T-shirts. Solid colors, without logos. Soft and comfy!
4. Jeans. Dark or light denim.
5. Walks. When it's cool or breezy out.
6. Family. Hardworking parents that make time to spend me, and 4 wonderful siblings.
7. Buddies. All far away, love the limited but special time I get to spend with my friends.
8. Water. I like to drink it out of mason jars, that way it stays cool without having to add ice.
9. Music. All instruments and genres are beautiful. My favorite right now is piano instrumental, like Yiruma or Denise Young. So calming and refreshing.
10. Food. Fresh fruit and veggies! Watermelon, blueberries, kiwi, mango, cucumber, tomatoes; you name it. Yum.

These aren't in order. I also realize that some of these aren't "things" in the sense that they are material possessions. Like walks or music. But I wanted to include them anyway because they make me happy.

the first step towards healthy living

2013-05-28T13:00:00.000-05:00

"I believe that water is the only drink for a wise man." -Henry David Thoreau

I think we can all agree that caffeine and sugar are bad for us. They give you energy and make you feel good for a couple hours, then BAM! You crash and feel worse than you did before. So you drink more, feel good for a couple more hours, then crash again. The cycle repeats itself until you go to bed (if you can even fall asleep at that point), and then it begins again the next morning. Caffeine causes your blood pressure to rise, dehydrates you, makes you anxious and nervous, gives you headaches, causes irritability, and messes with your sleep. Sugar increases cholesterol, weakens eyesight, causes drowsiness, contributes to diabetes, causes cardiovascular disease, makes it difficult for you to concentrate, gives you anxiety, causes acne, increases your risk of a yeast infection, contributes to osteoporosis, increases your risk of cancer, can cause/increase depression, reduces your deference against bacterial infection, and more. If you're one of the people who have tried to quit caffeine or sugar, know how addictive it is! You get withdrawal symptoms just like with drugs, smoking, or alcohol. It's hard to stop. Which is a reason in and of itself to quit. I don't want anything to control me like that. Do you?

I can't really change my diet right now (more on that in a future post, my family and I are looking forward to doing a 30 day raw food experiment), but I can change what I drink.

will drink
water
freshly juiced fruit or veggies
homemade smoothies
herbal tea

won't drink
milk (unless raw)
juice with added ingredients
lemonade
soda
coffee, caffeinated or decaf
sweet tea
chocolate milk
energy drinks
sports drinks
alcohol

I already drink mostly water, anyone that knows me can tell you that. On a typical day I drink anywhere from 2 liters to a gallon of water. But I do have other things like chocolate milk and juice a couple times a week. And every few months I'll get something from Starbucks or drink lemonade from Chick-Fil-A. While I don't want to be super religious about it, I am going to be following my list pretty strictly. I might have something forbidden once or twice a year, on a special occasion. So don't judge me if you see me drinking sweet tea at my Grandma's house on Thanksgiving! Goals are just that: goals. I'm not perfect, and I'm gonna break my own rules like anybody else. But I am going to do my best to follow them, because beginning a healthy lifestyle is important to me.

how I limit my screen time

2013-05-21T05:30:00.000-05:00

Ever since I learned how to use a computer, I've had a difficult time limiting my time online. I'll log on to check my email and end up perusing Pinterest or some other addicting website. Four hours later, my stomach growls and I realize it's already lunch time. Half the day is gone and what do I have to show for it? Eye strain and an aching back! Last week, I decided that I really needed to do something about it. I could have just stopped using the internet altogether, but I do get value from it. I enjoy meaningful conversations with friends, I learn interesting and helpful things from blog articles, I get inspired from photos and videos people share, etc. So here is my new plan for limiting my internet consumption.

monday-friday: 10 minutes each morning to reply to emails.
saturday-sunday: 30 minutes each, for catching up on social media, blog articles, and all that.

That's the general idea. I'm using the extension StayFocusd for Chrome to block all websites during the week except Wikipedia, my thesaurus, and gmail for in the mornings. Maybe you're wondering how that helps, since it's easy to just disable it when you really want to visit those sites. But for me, it helps immensely to put an extra step between me and time sucking websites. I may stop using the extension after a few weeks, if everything goes well. But I thought it would be a good idea to use it initially when I'm most tempted to cheat. If you're interested in using a tool like this, google something like block distracting websites and you will find several options for different computers and web browsers. Or you could simply disable your internet when you want to get stuff done. I like to hide my laptop under the bed during school hours, so I'm not constantly thinking about it sitting in front of me.

Tuesday mornings are when I will be publishing new blog articles. I'll type new posts out on the weekend after working on a paper outline during the week. And as far as chat and instant messaging go, I'll schedule time for that every couple days in the evening after all my responsibilities have been taken care of. I may try to have more phone conversations also, since I need to get better at that anyway. Do you find yourself wasting time on the internet too? What are your favorite ways to keep yourself productive?

I'm deleting this blog. Find me at...

2013-05-16T20:55:00.000-05:00

I am combining my two blogs and starting over. I am now blogging at Curiously Simple.

curiouslysimple.blogspot.com

Hello

2013-05-07T10:56:00.003-05:00

After much deliberation, I decided to delete my other two blogs and start over. Teenage Minimalist was too restrictive - I wanted to talk about more than just minimalism. Girls of Grace was pretty neglected, I never used it much to begin with, only posting family pictures occasionally. This new blog will be about simplicity, health, my personal life, minimalism, and anything else I get the urge to write about. You can check out my about page or subscribe if you'd like to keep up with what I post. Also, feel free to contact me on my Google+ page or follow me on Pinterest.

moving: from a minimalist's perspective

2013-03-20T15:33:00.000-05:00

(This post is somewhat different from my usual writing. It’s more of a personal what’s-going-on-in-my-life type of thing, so if you’re not interested in that feel free to skip it)

Two months ago, my Dad told us we were moving. Not very far away, just across town. But it still came as a bit of a shock. We've been living in the same house for the last 17 years; since I was six months old. I had mixed feelings. We were all excited about moving in general, but were a little unsure of the change. Things were about to become very different. All the roads we drove on, our grocery store, neighbors we were used to seeing every day. Our green mailbox and the 8 foot basketball goal in our front yard (the only goal I’ve ever been able to dunk on, short as I am). The small patch of dirt in our backyard where I grew up planting things. The tree my brother and I climbed in as little kids. I won’t even get started on the house and all the rooms. It was all just so familiar. I had no idea I would feel this way before we decided to move! I know it sounds cliché, but I really did take everything we had for granted. I've never been a sentimental person, but I think I'm definitely on my way to becoming one at this point. Haha.

Nonetheless, moving has been a great experience overall! Somewhat hard, yes. But a growing experience like most things. Being in a totally new place where everything is different really helps you look at yourself and what you have in a new light. The first positive thing I realized about our new place, is that I now have somewhere I can walk and bike. Our old neighborhood wasn’t safe enough for me to go alone, and it wasn’t always convenient to go with somebody. There are also lots of trees and flowers everywhere, which makes walking much more enjoyable. The second good thing is that I am now sharing a room with just one sister, instead of 3. I loved being with all of my sisters, but it was pretty hard to keep things neat and it was nearly impossible to go to bed or wake up on my own schedule (not to mention it was hard to find peace and quiet). So I ended up going to bed late and sleeping in late. Then the last, and most obvious thing, is that I hadn’t realized how much stuff I had. Where did it all come from? My 25 things list from last year has at least doubled. Time to pull my stuff out and sort through it all again. I may update my list once I finish. Only this time I think I’ll put clothes and stuff together, so it’s all one list. Goodwill here I come!

There are several other things, but those were the main ones. Have you ever moved? How did you like it? I’m very much looking forward to everything that will happen this year. I have a lot going on, and can’t wait to share it with all of you.

distraction-free writing

2013-01-12T13:15:00.000-06:00

There are quite a few minimalist writing tools out there. But which is the simplest? A lot of people prefer the default notepad program. Which works great for quick notes, but I don’t prefer to use it as my main writing program. It can’t be put into full-screen, I can’t sync between computers, and it only lets me save files in txt format. For those reasons, I chose Google Drive as my writing platform instead. Here are five of my favorite reasons for picking it.

1. Sync. Everything I type is instantly synced and saved online. I can view a file from any computer, anywhere. And since I enabled offline editing, if I lose internet, nothing changes. I can continue typing and it will save my edits as soon as the internet comes back.

2. Nice interface. It looks really clean and intuitive. There are enough formatting options (I like serif or arial at 18px) to give me the look I want, but it’s not intruding. I can hide it all with one click.

3. Double full-screen. Clicking view > full screen hides all formatting options. Then clicking F11 on my keyboard hides everything else (browser window, address bar, tabs, etc). Check out the photo at the bottom of this post to see how it looks.

4. File formats. I can download my files in several different formats. I typically just copy and paste into my blog editor, but there are plenty of times when I have needed to email an article or upload it somewhere else.

5. Collaboration. I can click share and simultaneously edit a file with a friend. It’s super handy if I need a friend to take a quick look at an article to proof-read. They can talk about the file on the sidebar, or edit it directly.

Of course, there are many other programs besides Notepad and Google Drive. I've tried a lot of them, and decided to go with this one, but if you have any suggestions please share them! I’m definitely open to trying something new. I’m always curious as to what different writers use. What’s your favorite writing platform?

minimalist bedroom ideas

2012-12-05T18:02:00.000-06:00

Several of you have asked about ideas for a minimalist bedroom, so here are a few thoughts. I’m not saying you should implement all of these; they are only suggestions. Find what works for you!

Colors are a good thing.
Contrary to popular opinion, minimalists aren't restricted to gray and white color schemes. Color is amazing. Don’t be afraid to take advantage of it.

You don’t always need a full dresser.
I've always shared a large dresser with my younger sister. And even though I only had three drawers, it was still more space than I needed. The extra space only gave me an excuse to buy more clothes! A few months ago, we changed rooms and had to do away with the dresser. I’m so happy we did, because I love how I store my clothes now. I hang my nice stuff in the closet, and my everyday clothes (t-shirts, jeans, pajamas, socks, underwear) go in a plastic container.

Consider ditching your junk drawer.
This is a big one. And it’s super scary. I mean really? Junk drawers are sacred. They're treasure boxes and garbage cans at the same time! Nevertheless, I had this nagging impulse to get rid of it. I eventually gave in and said goodbye. And I couldn't be happier about it. But where did I put everything that was in it? I threw it all away. Was it tough? Yes, but it was completely worth it.

Clear your surfaces.
Not entirely, just the things you don't use every day. For instance, you might want to leave a book you're reading on your nightstand. But most things can be put out of sight. Like empty glasses, papers, bobby pins, etc. The same goes for your floor. Keep it picked up. Put away your laundry immediately, don't let junk pile up. It pays to stay on top of things!

Those are just a few things that have helped me. How do you keep your room simple?

uncomplicate your music

2012-10-07T16:37:00.000-05:00

Music is an incredible thing. It has the power to make you smile, frown, laugh, or cry. It can relax you or stress you out. Nearly everyone listens to music on a daily basis. Something that's such a big part of our life needs to be simplified just like anything else. Here are a few simple principles that have helped me.

love every song
I asked a few friends what percentage of their music they actually listen to regularly, and their answers were surprising. They all said 20% or less. What's the point of filling up your library with songs that are just "okay"? People change. We grow out of genres, artists, and individual songs. There's no reason to keep stuff you used to like. An easy way to tell what you're into is by how often you play a song. If it's been a while, you probably aren't digging it anymore.

organize into playlists
Most of you probably do this, but I know several people who don't organize their music at all. It's all in one folder together. And while that might work if you only listen to one type of music, it's not usually ideal. You wouldn't want your workout song to start blaring while you were trying to fall asleep, would you? I personally sort my music by genre, but there are a lot of ways to do it. Get creative!

go digital
Convert all your cassettes and CDs to music files on your computer, so you'll have everything in one place. You can skip this tip if you don't have a portable music player... but I would encourage getting one instead of storing hundreds of discs or tapes.

don't shut out the world
So many people (the younger generation especially) constantly have their earbuds in... whether they're on the couch or riding the subway. Music is a great thing, and there is definitely a time and place for it. But sometimes it's good to unplug and actually listen to the people around us. Try it for a few days! Turn your music off and save it for when you're by yourself.

why I downgraded
I've always listened to music on a multi-media type device. Until a couple months ago, when I sold my mp3 player, and bought an iPod shuffle (because it was the simplest mp3 player I could find). Why would I give up a device that could surf the internet, play videos, take photos, compose emails, read books, store music, and lots more, for something that could only do one thing?

-I found myself checking it constantly. First thing when I woke up, last thing when I went to bed, and all throughout the day. I didn't need any more temptation to waste time on the internet.
-I don't need an mp3 player to do all that! I already have a laptop. I just need it to play music.
-The battery life was horrible! I had to charge it every other day.
-I had trouble keeping it in my pocket. I listen to music most when I do housework, and it always found a way to hop out of my pocket when I bent over. The shuffle has a super tight clip that keeps it secure no matter what I'm doing.
-The screen glare was annoying (plus it hurt my eyes!) after the lights were out.
-I needed some extra cash, and was able to sell the old one for exactly what I paid for it. Made 50 bucks after I bought the shuffle, and I like it so much better! Hey, when you don't have a job...

Now why did I tell you all that? Am I trying to sell you an iPod shuffle? Absolutely not, but I am trying to give you a few things to think about. Do you really need a mini-computer to listen to music, or can you simplify and use something more basic?

I hope these tips have given you a few ideas! I'd also love to hear how you've simplified your music collection. Do you have any helpful tips you could share with the rest of us?

25 random acts of kindness

2012-09-08T14:10:00.000-05:00

"No matter how little you have, you can always give some of it away." -Catherine Marshall

It doesn't take a lot to make someone's day. Even little things that seem insignificant, like a smile from a stranger can do the trick. The best kinds are the ones you can do anonymously. Have you ever practiced a random act of kindness? Here are a few ideas. Now go make someone's day!

1. smile at everyone you walk past
2. write a letter
3. leave money on a vending machine
4. send someone a pack of gum
5. hold the door for the person behind you
6. bake cookies for someone
7. write a note

8. pay for someone's order in a drive through
9. give a homeless person a cup of hot coffee
10. do the dishes for somebody
11. let someone get ahead of you in line
12. give something awesome away
13. cook for somebody
14. tape some change to a payphone
15. spend time with somebody shut in or elderly
16. bake a dessert and give it away
17. offer to babysit for someone for free
18. surprise somebody with flowers
19. donate a bag of groceries to a local food drive
20. give away a book
21. leave quarters at a laundromat
22. order pizza for a group
23. take a bag of clothes to goodwill or salvation army
24. return a couple shopping carts
25. put something nice in the mailbox for the mailman

a simple thought about angry words

2012-08-20T15:41:00.000-05:00

We all regret things we say when we're mad. So today's thought is this:

Don't say anything when you're angry.

No matter what doesn't go your way. Not a word. Instead, breathe deeply until the feeling passes. It's not easy to do, but trust me, it's well worth the effort. I've been experimenting with this for a little while, and it's been really helpful. Try it for a week and see how it goes.

the tale of a picky eater

2012-08-08T10:59:00.000-05:00

I've always been leery of new food. I was incredibly picky as a kid, and still am to some degree. Vegetables were gross, and seafood was disgusting. Don't even get me started on "touchy food" like casseroles. I basically hated everything but bread, cheese, and fruit. Thank goodness for the don't-leave-the-table-til-your-plate's-clean rule! I wouldn't have been healthy otherwise.

I'm not that bad now, but I'm still not an adventurous eater. I was talking about this with a friend one day (we tend to talk about food a lot), and we made a list of all the food we didn't like. After jotting everything down, we realized something. Half our lists were made up of things we hadn't tried in years! There were even things on there we'd never tasted (stuff we just assumed didn't taste good because of looks). Thus was born the "gag list". We decided that we were going to try everything on our lists, as soon as we got the chance. It's been awesome so far. Three things I discovered:

1. I loved most of the stuff I thought I hated! Taste buds change. Who knew!

2. Trying new food is fun. It only takes 10 seconds of courage to jam something into your mouth, and it's almost always worth it. Even if you don't like it, at least you'll know for sure.

3. I was too quick to use the word hate. Yes, some of the things on my list didn't turn into favorites, but that's okay. Everyone has likes and dislikes. But hate is a strong word. Half the stuff I "hated" wasn't bad at all. Bad is eating dirt. Mayo does not taste like dirt. Do I love mayo? Nope. But it's not dirt.

Are you adventurous or selective when it comes to food? Try making your own gag list sometime, you might surprise yourself!

30 bags in 30 days

2012-07-26T16:02:00.000-05:00

Challenge: Make a list of 30 places in your home that need to be decluttered and organized. Over the next month, tackle one spot per day. Throw out, give away, or repurpose. Your living space will thank you! Feel free to add or subtract days to fit your family's size or amount of clutter. I could easily do this two months in a row and not have a clutter-free home. But every little bit helps!

My list:

1. purse
2. clothes
3. shoes
4. under the bed
5. dresser drawers
6. bedroom junk drawer
7. refrigerator
8. pantry
9. freezer
10. computer desk/office
11. kitchen cabinets
12. kitchen utensils
13. dishes
14. cookbook cupboard
15. spice cupboard
16. pots and pans
17. makeup bag
18. jewelry
19. laundry room
20. bathroom closet
21. bathroom cabinets
22. bookshelf(bonus: return borrowed books)
23. garage shelves
24. garage floor
25. inside the car
26. magazines
27. entryway closet
28. movies
29. CDs/Music
30. linen closet

This is gonna be fun! You in?

opt-out of ads on your kindle

2012-07-18T15:29:00.000-05:00

Ads can be extremely annoying, and they're usually unavoidable. Lucky for you, it's pretty easy to take them off your Kindle. Most methods only remove the ads temporarily, but this one should take them off for good (if it stops working, I'll update the post accordingly). I used it on my Kindle, then revised it slightly to make it as simple as possible.

This guide is for Windows, but you can adapt it for a Mac or Linux system if you're fairly tech savvy. The steps are much simpler than they look. It takes about 5 minutes, but it could take a little longer if you have a very slow computer or if your kindle is loaded with hundreds of books.

1. Connect Kindle to PC and allow USB mode.
2. Copy the "documents" folder onto your computer.
3. Unplug the USB cord.
4. From Home screen, press Menu, go to Settings.
5. Press Menu button again, go to Reset to Factory Defaults.
6. Select "OK".
7. After a few seconds, Kindle will restart. Be patient.
8. You will soon see the "Set Up Your Kindle" screen. Don't do anything yet.

9. Connect to your PC again.
10. Open the Kindle drive and copy the documents folder back where it was.
11. Enable hidden files in Windows.
12. Find the "system" folder in your Kindle drive.
13. Open up the Notepad program, type 123, click save as. Name it .assets and save as filetype all files. Put it on your desktop.
14. Drag it into the "system" folder of your Kindle.
15. Open the system folder, right-click the .assets file, choose Properties.
16. Check the "Read-only" box and click OK.
17. Unplug your Kindle.

Now we will “Set Up Your Kindle”. Connect to Wi-Fi, then register with Amazon (in settings).

POOF! No ads! Go to Web browser then back to Home. STILL NO ADS! Not even the "Please connect wirelessly to download sponsored offers" banner. You won’t find the "View Special Offers" option in the menu either. Enjoy your ad-free kindle! Feel free to comment with any questions, I'll try my best to answer them.

laundry in a plastic bag

2012-07-12T13:14:00.000-05:00

Ultralight packing requires regular laundry, and being able to quickly wash my clothes anywhere is crucial. So naturally, I was super excited when I heard about this new (to me anyway) method. It seemed like it would save time and money when I traveled. And it has. It was everything I thought it would be and more. I've even found myself doing it at home, even though we have both a washer and a dryer! How I do it:

1. Throw your dirty laundry into an aLOKSAK (or sink, bathtub, bucket) and fill with water until the clothes are covered.
2. Pour a few drops of laundry detergent (whatever type you normally use), depending on how many clothes are in the bag.
3. Knead the clothes (punch, grab, squeeze) for 5 minutes.
4. Let the clothes soak for 10 minutes.
5. Rinse clothes under running water (or rinse inside bag with fresh water), wringing clothes until all the soap comes out. Get them as dry as possible.
6. Hang clothes to dry wherever you can (clothesline, rack, hangers, this handy thingamajig).

q. are my clothes going to smell fresh?
a. Absolutely. My clothes come out every bit as clean as when I use a washing machine. If you followed the steps, but your clothes still came out smelling dirty, adjust the steps until you're happy with the result. Add more detergent, knead harder, or soak longer.

q. how long will my clothes take to dry?
a. It depends on the material. If I do my laundry in the morning, my lighter fabrics are dry before supper, but the heavier stuff like jeans won't be totally dry until the next morning.

q. what size aloksak should I get?
a. How many clothes do you plan on washing at once? 12x12 is perfect for one outfit, but if you plan on washing more, 16x24 might be a better size.

q. how durable is it? is it worth $15 bucks?
a. It's much more sturdy than a zip-loc bag. While it doesn't claim to be gunshot/knife proof, it's very well-made and definitely worth the price. If you aren't willing to pay for one, use a plastic bag or a bucket.

q. do I fill the bag with cold water or warm?
a. I use cold, because it's more efficient, causes less color bleeding, and is easier to get

q. how tightly does it seal? will it leak?
a. Mine has never leaked, and the seal seems quite tight. Feel free to comment with any questions or tips! How do you handle laundry on the go?

start or break any habit in 30 days

2012-07-06T21:58:00.000-05:00

I've always struggled with habits. My problem: Someone inspires me, and I start several new habits, along with a resolve to stop all the bad ones immediately. Things go great for a week, then I lose all motivation and quit.

That's been my story for years. I hadn't ever seen it work for anyone else, so what made me think I could do it? I don't know why, but I think we all tend to overestimate ourselves in this area. We somehow assume we are capable of changing everything at once (or it's the opposite and we don't even try). Fortunately, through several people wiser than me, I was able to learn a new way of going about it. Give it a try if what you're doing hasn't been working.

1. make a list. Write down all the habits you want to start or stop, in order of difficulty. Having a list has helped me keep track of my progress, as well as motivate me. I have my list on accompl.sh, but paper works well too. I just prefer online because it gives me accountability(anyone can read my list), and is easier to keep track of.

2. create a trigger. If you're trying to start a new habit, a trigger is your reminder. When I started flossing, my trigger was touching my toothbrush. Every time I reached for my toothbrush, I would remember to grab the floss first. If you're trying to stop a bad habit, the trigger is its replacement. When I'm tackling one of those, my trigger is deep breaths or clenching my fist. You can try one of those, or pick something else that's relaxing or enjoyable. It's also important to be very mindful when an urge hits you. Take note of it, and let it pass.

3. start small. Most people fail, simply because they try to tackle multiple things at once or begin with the hardest habit. Doing that will only frustrate and overwhelm you. Look at your list and start with the easiest thing, or the one you are most excited about. Assign a month to each habit on the list, and be careful about getting ahead of yourself. :)

my 25 things

2012-06-22T12:47:00.000-05:00

One reader asked how many things I own, so here's my answer. Since I'm 16, I don’t have to own things like spoons or towels. That will all change one day, and my list will inevitably get longer. It's not a competition though, so who's counting?

laptop + charger
guitar
guitar case
tuner
guitar picks
capo
camera + charger
mp3 player + charger
earbuds
glasses + case
contacts + case
sunglasses
kindle + charger
camera bag
bible
bracelet
earrings #1
earrings #2
earrings #3
shoulder bag
necklace
harmonica + holder
notepad
timbuk2 messenger
pillow

You can also see a list of my clothes here. I like to go through and make a new list every couple months. It's interesting to see how things come and go, as your needs change. Lists are so much fun! Have you ever counted your stuff?

memories

2012-06-16T17:11:00.000-05:00

Sentimental things are hard to part with. We know it’s the memories we value and not the items themselves, but it’s still tough to separate the two. Here are a few things that have helped me.

1. take photos. Once you take pictures, you don't have to worry about forgetting the memories. If you have a lot of letters or journals, try typing them out. It may seem overwhelming, but it doesn't take long when you do it in spurts. Now you can safely toss.

2. chunk it all. More of an extreme option, but probably the simplest. It’s good to just let go sometimes, especially if you have an overwhelming amount of stuff.

3. re-use or give away. It’s easier for me to part with something if I know somebody else will benefit from it. If you don't want to give it away, you can always try to find a use for it.

I used a combination of all three tips, but we're all different. Some people can throw everything out, while others can’t bring themselves to part with anything. How do you deal with stuff that holds sentimental value?

minimalist email

2012-06-07T15:13:00.000-05:00

Most people spend a lot of time in their inboxes, so having a simple workspace is important. I’ll be using Gmail for this guide, but these tips will work for other services too.

1. theme. I prefer “light” or “soft gray” for a non-distracting look.

2. system. If you aren’t satisfied with your email system, you are welcome to try this one. It’s really simple and has worked well for me.

inbox: needs attention
trash: don’t need it
archive: want to save it
starred: needs action later

compose: limited emotes, no texting lingo, straightforward
reply: respond quickly, keep it short

3. opt-out. Gmail has an excellent spam filter, but it doesn't block subscriptions or store newsletters. You'd be surprised at how many of these you get each week. I use unroll.me to unsubscribe and google reader to read site updates.

4. contacts. I skip formalities and list everyone by their first names. Quicker to type and makes a prettier list. It's also good to remove people you don't talk to anymore.

5. hide stuff. With userscripts, you can hide anything you don’t need. You can search userscripts.org yourself, but here are a few starters: stars, no new mail (empty inbox), footer & invite a friend, ads, top bar.

If you prefer a browser extension, this one is amazing.

6. keyboard shortcuts. Navigating with key strokes is effortless. You don’t have to memorize all of them to benefit. I only use 10, but it has made a big difference. Be sure to turn on 'keyboard shortcuts' in settings first.

7. things you can turn off.

-desktop notifications
-people widget
-signature
-snippets
-chat
-web clips
-gadgets/labs
-priority inbox markers

Find the option to disable them in Gmail settings.

8. decrease max page size. Under general settings. I have mine set to 10 conversations and 50 contacts. This makes gmail load faster and simplifies your inbox by showing fewer emails.

9. hide labels. Settings > Labels, and hide all the ones you don’t regularly use. The rest can be seen by hovering anyway, so you aren’t losing access to anything. I only have “all mail” and “starred” shown, the rest are hidden.

10. chat. Simplify your chat list by setting the size to “small” and blocking people you aren’t close to (you can still email them or re-invite later).

11. filter junk. Unless you enjoy chain emails, jokes, or forwarded pictures of other people’s cats, you should filter them out. Simply create a new filter, then put "fw, fwd" for the subject. Continue, then check "skip inbox" and "apply label".

That's about it! How do you keep your inbox minimalist?

ultralight packing

2012-05-29T07:00:00.000-05:00

I learned about ultralight packing two months ago, and it has completely changed the way I travel. I used to be a huge “just in case" packer. Half of what I brought never even came out of my backpack! Carrying everything was frustrating and trying to find stuff during the trip was time consuming.

Since then, I've started taking only what I need. Although needs vary from person to person, the basics are similar. Here's what ultralight packing looks like for me.

1 t-shirt
1 skirt
2 pairs of underwear
1 pair of socks
toothbrush
deodorant
toothpaste
contact solution
glasses
mp3 player
money
1 pair of pajama pants
razor
wearing: clothes + silver earrings

Note: you can take less clothing if you choose pieces that go with everything. Instead of having seven separate outfits, put together three that can be swapped around and worn multiple times. It's okay to wear the same thing twice. You'd be surprised at how many people even notice. Same thing goes for shoes and jewelry.

Some people can get by with a lot less, while others have to take much more. Just focus on your needs. Make a list of everything you couldn’t do without, then try narrowing it down even further. More tips here.

maintaining your sanity in a household of packrats

2012-05-23T13:10:00.000-05:00

While some of you may be fortunate enough to live in a minimalist environment, most of us aren't. I come from a big family, and share a room with 3 siblings. I have to navigate through an obstacle course just to get to my bed. Some days I want to grab a trash bag and throw it all away, and other days I feel like locking myself in an empty closet. But lately, I just smile and walk around the mess.

I’m not saying it doesn't frustrate me anymore. But I’m working on accepting things for how they are, and learning how to influence my family for the better. I’ve also realized that it’s okay to be different. They don’t have to be just like me and I don’t have to be just like them. Yes, it may make it harder to live together, but that’s alright. It’s part of life.

Three rules I’ve been trying to follow:

1. be an example. I can’t stress this enough. If you keep your space uncluttered and live simply, others will notice and want what you have.

2. be helpful. Offer to help someone clean out their closet or organize a drawer. Pick things up off the floor occasionally, even if they don’t belong to you. Do the dishes if they are sitting in the sink. Fold the laundry if it’s piled up. Help out by keeping things neat.

3. be positive. Don’t worry about what you can’t change. Be thankful for what you can. Rejoice at improvement, whether it seems significant to you or not. Encouragement helps tremendously, trust me.

You know what? It's working. Granted, I'm still living with a bunch of sweet little packrats - but I see a teeny bit of potential trying to squeeze its way through their piles of endless junk. Things aren’t going to change overnight, but small steps go a long way.

how to create a minimalist wardrobe

2012-05-11T16:17:00.000-05:00

Minimalizing your wardrobe basically means wearing what you love and tossing what you don’t. Having a simple wardrobe means less laundry, more space, and fewer decisions. How to start:

1. pull all your clothes out, make a big pile.
2. sort everything into three heaps - keep, maybe, toss.
3. keepers go back in your drawer, decide on the maybes or put them into a box for later, donate or give away the toss pile.

It can be a bit overwhelming if you have a lot of clothes, but the important thing is getting started. It will go faster than you think. Don’t spend minutes agonizing over which pile to put a t-shirt in. If you have to think about it, put it in the maybe pile. If it doesn’t fit or look great on you, toss it.

My spring/summer wardrobe(winter clothes are packed away)
2 long sleeves
8 short sleeves
1 dress
2 jackets
7 skirts
2 pajamas

Can’t leave out the accessories! Now I’m not a huge accessory type-of-gal, but I do like having a few simple pieces that go with everything.

earrings - 2 hoops, 1 dangle, all silver
necklaces - 1 silver necklace with my initials on it
bracelet/rings - 1 of each. You guessed it, both silver!
shoes - 5 pairs. White heels, Black flats, Cowboy boots (no southern girl’s closet is complete without a pair of boots!), Brown Flip-flops, and Tennis shoes
purses - 1 shoulder bag. Got rid of my big purse last year, got tired of carrying it around. Half the time I don't carry a purse at all..

Having a minimalist wardrobe doesn’t mean I don’t ever buy new things. I go shopping occasionally. If I do see something I really like, I just keep in mind that it means getting rid of something I already have.

what is google reader and why should I use it?

2012-05-01T19:33:00.000-05:00

Most of my readers know about Google Reader, but I know there are probably a few of you who don't. It’s one of my absolute favorite sites, so I thought I would tell you about it in case you aren’t familiar with it.

What is it?
Google Reader is basically an inbox for new blog posts. It lets you subscribe to any site (not just blogs) and puts all your subscriptions in an orderly list. You can also have multiple folders for different types of blogs.

Why should I use it?
First of all, because you can read new posts without even leaving the page. No more opening 20+ blog tabs to read new content! It’s also much more compact than Blogger. You can view dozens of new posts at once instead of just a couple. Google Reader is simpler, cleaner, and faster.

You can try it out at google.com/reader if you’re interested! It will start you out with the blogs you already follow, but you can easily edit your list or add something new.

minimalist file system

2012-04-29T17:02:00.000-05:00

Everyone has a completely different way of storing and organizing files. If you are happy with the way your system works, excellent! If not, you are welcome to give mine a try. Here's what my method looks like.

Looks pretty simple, right? Just three folders with lowercase labels and colorful icons. Here's what they have in them.

1. Archives. Everything I don't need at the moment, but want to keep goes in here. Pictures, videos, site templates, and sheet music.

2. Inbox. Where I toss recent camera uploads, new songs, and anything else that I download.

3. Projects. Things I'm currently working on. Half-edited videos, graphics-in-progress, and school-related posters or graphs.

I store my music collection in Google Play, and my Documents in Google Drive. Both of which I love. Once you get used to accessing your files from any computer, it's hard to go back. Oh, and I also back everything up with the ever-popular (and awesome) Dropbox.