Sunday Rituals

Sunday is commonly known as "the day of rest" where people do nothing and go nowhere; however, it seems like very few people actually follow these Sunday guidelines. Some people may experience the Sunday night blues as the weekend comes to a devastating end. Personally, I rarely just lounge around or hibernate on a Sunday, but I do try and make a habit of not stressing about the upcoming week. Therefore, I have developed some Sunday rituals that allow me to prepare and look forward to the working week ahead.

Here are my Sunday rituals:

• Clean out my bags: I go through my purse and recycle receipts that I don't need and file the ones that I do. I dump out the coins into my jar.  In addition, I clean out my work messenger bag and reorganize papers that have been thrown in there throughout the week. Then I repack my messenger bag with the things I need for the week, and I double-check that my name tag is in my bag.
• Visit grocery store: I usually visit my neighborhood Trader Joe's on Sunday and restock on necessities and Trader Joe's specialty items. I buy 90% of my food from Trader Joe's, and everyone knows the best demos at TJ are on Sundays. Once in a while on a Sunday, I will need to make a trip to Safeway for cleaning supplies our household goods (like toilet paper).
• Library: I return items (both books and movies) to the library, and pick up new ones for the week. I always walk to the downtown Central Library; therefore, I am guaranteed 4 miles of walking. As I am trying to live a more minimalist lifestyle, I hardly buy books and movies; therefore, making the library that much more as a valuable resource.
• Meal prep: I cook my meals for the work week on Sunday; therefore, I dirty very few dishes throughout the week. Also, I put together some easy to grab items to throw in my purse or work bag. In addition, I found that when I prepare food on Sunday for the week, that I do not eat-out as much because I hate to waste food or for my food at home to go bad. Food prep not only makes me eat healthier and save more money, it'll also helps me avoid those awful "I'm starving ravenous moments."
• Planning my week: I have two calendars, an actual work planner, and the calendar on my iPhone. I make sure on Sunday that all appointments (both work and personal) are on both. This has helped me to anticipate everything that is happening during the week, and if there is free time to schedule some hikes and outings with friends. In addition, I set goals for the week, and I write them on a small white board above my home desk.
• Pampering: For my Sunday showers, I take the opportunity to use a leave-in conditioner. In addition, I take the extra time to follow through with my skin care: face mask, exfoliating scrub, toner, and moisturizer.

How do you Sunday?

Life Hacks

Never make the wrong turn on the freeway again.

The alignment of the tabs on top of exit signs tells

you whether the exit will be on the left or right.

In life, most people try to find the easiest way to accomplish tasks; in addition, ways that can allow for the most procrastination to be achieved. I am constantly looking for simple solutions to everyday problems. If something can be accomplish quicker, and more efficient, then I am a huge supporter of changing my ways. I became fascinated with life hacks on Pinterest. To further my knowledge of life lacks, I recently read Life Hacks by Keith Bradford, and found several things that were insightful and could reduce my frustration level in my everyday life. Therefore, I thought I would share some of those tips with you; some of these I am interested in trying, and seeing if they actually work.

Technology

• Get the Wi-Fi password to almost anywhere by checking the comment section on Foursquare.
• Accidently close a tab in your Internet browser? Press "Ctrl+Shift+T" to reopen it.
• Storing batteries in the freezer can double their lifespan.
• You can search "(month)(year)" in Wikipedia to give you all the major world news for that month.
• On Supercook.com you can enter what ingredients you have readily available and it can tell you what meals you can make as well as how you can make them.
• Want to make sure you wake up in the morning? The Snooze app for iPhone will donate to charity each time you hit the snooze button.
• The Along the Way app will give you any cool attraction you can see along the way of any road trip.

Food and Drink

• Cottage cheese and sour cream will last twice as long if you turn the container upside down. This forms a vacuum seal and prevents bacteria from getting in.
• Tired of your takeout food getting cold by the time you get home? Put it in your passenger seat and turn on the seat warmer.
• Microwaving lemons and other fruits for fifteen seconds can double the amount of juice you get from them.
• Popcorn actually pops better when it's stored in cold places like the refrigerator.
• An empty Pringles can makes for a perfect container for your raw spaghetti.
• To keep potatoes from budding, toss an apple in the bag.
• Open your bag of chips from the bottom since most of the flavoring has sunk there.
• Microwave a Nature Valley bar for thirty seconds to prevent crumbs when you eat it.
• You can add two eggs and half a cup of oil to turn any cake mix into cookie dough.
• It's completely safe to eat the stickers that are on fruit. Even the glue used to put them on is food grade.
• Has your champagne lost its bubbly-ness? Drop a raisin in and watch the bubbles magically return.

Health and Fitness

• Eating celery is technically exercise. When you eat celery, you more calories digesting it than you consume.
• Don't wet your toothbrush after you put toothpaste on it. Water reduces some of the healthy benefits of using toothpaste.
• Laughing for fifteen minutes has the same health benefits as getting two extra hours of sleep.
• By simply owning a cat, your risk of heart attack decreases by 30%.
• Get stung by a bee? Apply a cut onion to the area. This will help break down the chemicals responsible for inflammation and discomfort.

Cures and Solutions

• Use a clothespin while hammering. You'll never bang your thumb again.
• To cure a sore throat, add a teaspoon of honey to JELL-O mix and heat it up. The gelatin will coat and soothe your throat.
• Make homemade ice packs by adding one part rubbing alcohol to three parts water in a Ziploc bag. It will get cold but not hard, so you can easily write it around sore body parts.
• Adding vodka to your shampoo can strengthen your hair, prevent dry scalp, and stop dandruff.
• Cornstarch will untangle all kinds of knots. Rub some into shoelaces, chains, and string to easily loosen them up.
• Blow some air in when filling up water balloons. This will cause it to pop when it hits someone instead of just bouncing off.

Money Savers

• Don't pay to learn a new language! You can learn Spanish, French, Italian, German, and Portuguese for free on Duolingo.com.
• To save money, when you shop, don't touch anything. Touching an item makes you more likely to buy it.

Life Tips

• If your car is about to get towed, get in it. Tow trucks are forced to stop to avoid kidnapping charges.
• If you ever need to stop and ask for directions, skip the gas station and find a pizza delivery place. They know their way around town way better.
• If you are buying headphones or speakers, test them out with "Bohemian Rhapsody." It has the complete set of highs and lows in instruments and vocals.
• Make a password into a goal of yours so you're constantly reminded of it.
• Use ketchup packets as ice packs. They're the perfect size for a kid's bumps and bruises and they stay soft enough to form around any body part.
• When buying something online, only read the reviews that gave three stars. They're usually the most honest about the pros and cons.
• When you're at a restaurant, wash your hands after ordering. The menu is generally the dirtiest thing you can touch.
• Microwave two big bowls at the same time by elevating the second bowl with a mug or another small, microwave-safe container.
• When you're thinking about buying something you don't necessarily need, imagine the item in one hand and the cash in the other. Which one would you take?
• If you have to put a beloved pet to sleep, find a vet who will make a house call. You'll feel better knowing that the animal's last hour won't be spent in a place it hates.
• If you ever find a driver's license, you can put it in any mailbox as is and the postal service will return it to its owner.

Survival

• When you call 911, the first thing you should always say is your location. They immediately send police when they have an address.
• Tip for your next camping trip: keep your toilet paper dry by putting it in an old CD spindle. It  fits perfectly.
• Tip for your next camping trip: use "joke candles" (the ones that you can't get blown out) to light fires. This way, the wind won't affect the flame.
• If you ever suspect that someone is following your car, take four right turns. It will form a circle, and if they're still behind at that point, then they're definitely following you.
• If you're ever homeless, spend whatever money you have on a 24-hour gym membership. You'll not only have a place to go at night, but will also be able to use their showers to stay clean.
• Don't put your feet up on a car's dashboard. Airbags go off like small bombs and can easily break both of your legs.

Party Hacks

• If you ever have to clean up vomit (and hopefully you don't), put ground coffee on it first. It takes away the smell and dehydrates it. Then, you can just sweep it up.
• Suspect someone is give you the wrong phone number? Read it back to them incorrectly, and if they correct you, it's legit.
• If you're ever drunk and need to sleep in your car, take the keys out of the ignition. It's actually considered a DUI if the keys are in there while you're in the car.
• Those lines on red Solo cups are actually alcohol measurements.12 oz for beer, 5 oz for wine, and 1oz for liquor.

Around the House

• The best way to clean a microwave: Put a cup of hot water and vinegar inside, turn it on for three to five minutes, and wipe clean with ease.
• Use a blow dryer to instantly defog any mirror.
• Get a small pan and fill it with water. Add some vanilla extract and cinnamon and put it on the stove. Your house will smell like a delicious bakery in no time.
• Take a picture of your fridge and pantry on your phone before you go grocery shopping. You'll never forget anything at the store again.
• If you don't own an ironing board, throw your wrinkled clothes in the dryer with a wet sock for thirty minutes.
• If you want a streak-free shine on windows, use newspaper.
• Hate that dust in the last couple bowls of cereal? Pour it into a strainer first. Problem solved.
• If your toothpaste says it repairs teeth, make sure it contains "NovaMin" as an active ingredient. It's the only ingredient that actually repairs teeth.

School

• Mathway.com solves all kinds of math homework problems with step-by-step explanations.
• Writing an essay? Copy and paste it into Google translate and have the computer read it out to you. It'll be much easier to find errors this way.
• You can remember the value of pi (3.1415926) by counting each word's letters in "May I have a large container of coffee."
• Changing the font size of periods from 12 to 14 can make a paper look significantly longer.
• The EasyBib iPhone app will give you a bibliography on any book if you simply scan the barcode.
• Stop using Google.com to search information for school essays. Use "scholar.google.com" instead. You'll find more relevant information right away.
• Never send your resume to someone as a Word document (unless asked). Send it as a .PDF file since it's much cleaner and more professional looking.
• Have a separate user account on your laptop for presentations. This way, embarrassing personal things won't show up when you open it in class.
• SelfControl is a program that blocks sites like Facebook, Twitter, and email for a specific period of time. Using it will help you minimize distractions while you study or do homework.
• It is actually better to take exams on an empty stomach. Hunger makes you focus better.
• Minor in what you love and major in what will get you a job.

The Joy of Less

Back in January, I began my journey of becoming a minimalist. I had the strong desire to reduce the amount of possessions after initially hearing about The Tiny House Movement. For those that haven't heard of this social movement, let me shed some light on it for you! In a nut-shell, it revolves around people choosing to downsize the space they live in for many reasons: environmental and/or financial concerns, and also wanting more time and freedom.

Living in Seattle, it is very easy for a resident to spend 1/2-1/3 of their monthly income for an apartment (which can be considered a tiny house). One day, I looked around my apartment, and I was amazed on how many items I moved from the Midwest, and then continued to accumulate living in Seattle for 4 years. Therefore, I felt propelled to shed some weight from my apartment and simplify my life.

The first book I read was The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying: A Simple, Effective Way to Banish Clutter Forever. The second book I read was The Joy of Less: A Minimalist Guide to Declutter, Organize, and Simplify. Both were great, but the latter resonated the most with me.

Below I have included some of the context that I found profound and kept me motivated to decrease my possessions, and to sustain a mindset where I did not feel the need to continue to bring unnecessary items into my apartment.

The Joy of Less

· Chapter 1: See your stuff for what it is

o Our stuff can be divided into 3 categories

§ Useful Stuff

§ Beautiful Stuff

§ Emotional Stuff

§ Ask these questions with each of your items:

§ What are you and what do you do?

§ How did you come into my life?

§ Did I buy you, or were you given to me?

§ How often do I use you?

§ Would I replace you if you were lost or broken, or would I be relieved to be rid of you?

§ Did I ever want you in the first place?

· Chapter 2: You are not what you own

o It's not easy to be a minimalist in a mass-media world.

o We also identify with stuff from our past, and hold onto certain things to prove who we were, or what we accomplished.

• Examples: cheerleading uniforms, sport trophies

o We are not what we own; we are what we do, what we think, and who we love.

§ By eliminating remnants of unloved pastimes, incomplete endeavors, and unrealized fantasies, we make room for new (and real) possibilities.

· Chapter 5: Detach from your stuff

o Pretend you are moving overseas for a permanent move. Survey the contents of your house and decide exactly what you would take.

· Chapter 6: Be a good gatekeeper

o All we need to do is stop and think, "Why?" before we buy.

o To be a good gatekeeper, you have to think of your house as a sacred space, not storage space.

· Chapter 7: Embrace space

o Space may be easy to lose, but it's just as easy to reclaim.

o We need space for our ideas and thoughts--a cluttered room usually leads to a cluttered mind.

· Chapter 8: Enjoy without owning

o In pursuing a minimalist lifestyle, we must resist the temptation to recreate the outside world within our abodes.

· Chapter 11: Start over

o The key to starting over is to take everything out of the designated section.

o Decluttering is infinitely easier when you think of it as deciding what to keep, rather than deciding what to throw away.

o Starting over-emptying everything out, then bringing things back one by one is so effective.

· Chapter 12: Trash, treasure, or transfer

o Trash- if it’s not good enough for Goodwill, it belongs in this pile.

o Treasure- items you'll keep and truly cherish for either their beauty or their functionality.

o Transfer- perfectly good items that are no longer good for you.

· Chapter 13: Reason for each item

o As you sort through your items, stop and question each one that is headed towards your Treasure pile.

· Chapter 14: Everything in its place

o If an item in question used daily, weekly, monthly, once a year, or less? The answer determines whether it belongs in your Inner Circle, Outer Circle, or Deep Storage.

§ Inner Circle= items frequently used: toothbrush, laptop, utensils, and socks

§ Outer Circle= backup toiletries, wrapping paper, ribbon

§ Deep Storage= spare parts, seasonal decoration.

· Chapter 15: All surfaces clear

o Horizontal surfaces are a magnet for clutter.

o Surfaces are not for storage.

o Limit yourself to 3 permanent items per surface

§ Example: alarm clock on nightstand, cookie jar on kitchen counter

o Biggest surface of all=floor

· Chapter 16: Modules

o Consolidate like items: store all similar (or related) things together.

§ Consolidating your stuff lets you see how much you have.

o Contain items: the container can be a drawer, shelf, box

· Chapter 17: Limits

o Limits can and should be applied to just about everything.

· Chapter 18: If one comes in, one goes out

o Every time a new item comes into your home, a similar item must leave, and this rule is most effective when applied to like items. New shirt comes into the closet, an old shirt goes out.

· Chapter 19: Narrow Down

o Holy Grail of minimalist living: owning just enough to meet our needs, and nothing more.

o In addition to simply decluttering our stuff, we can also narrow down by more creative means--like choosing multifunctional items over single use ones. An example, a sleeper sofa eliminates the need for a separate guest bed.

§ Goal: to accomplish the greatest number of tasks with the least number of items

o We can also narrow-down our possessions by digitalizing them.

· Chapter 20: Everyday Maintenance

o Keep decluttering: recommend purging in cycles, after your initial decluttering, take another look around after a few weeks or months.

· Chapter 21: Living or Family Room

o Purging just one piece of unnecessary (or unloved) furniture can make a dramatic impact. If you target a major item you'd like to toss-but still feel a little hesitant-move it out of the room for a few days.

o Use creative strategies to meet your entertainment needs--like borrowing items from friends or the library instead of owning them.

· Chapter 22: Bedroom

o Should be the most uncluttered room in your house.

o Main function of our bedroom is to provide space for sleeping and clothes storage.

o You don't have to own certain pieces of furniture simply because it's expected. Just because a bedroom set has 6 matching pieces, doesn't mean you have to buy/keep them.

· Chapter 23: Wardrobe

o To start over: take everything out of your closet, dressers and armoire, and lay it out on your bed.

o Declutter: try everything on.

§ The #1 reason to keep an article of clothing is that you wear it.

§ Don't save something simply because you paid good money for it.

o Minimalist wardrobe=capsule wardrobe= a small set of essential pieces that can be mixed and matched into a variety of outfits.

o Contain: keep all clothes in a closet/dresser/armoire or shelving unit (don't let shoes lounge in your living room).

o Maintain: keep your closet tidy. As soon as you take out an article of clothing, hang it, fold it or toss it in a hamper.

o Avoid temptation, and don't set foot in a store or retailers website until you absolutely need something.

· Chapter 24: Home office

o Declutter- first get rid of all junk mail that's accumulated.

o Truly minimalist office: narrow down your supplies to the bare essentials. Don't devote valuable space to storing backup.

· Chapter 25: Kitchen and Dining room

o To start over- empty every drawer, cabinet, cupboard, and shelf. The idea is not to choose the things we will get rid of, but to choose the things we will keep.

o Declutter: trash expired food, chipped plates, cracked glasses, bent or managed silverware.

§ Choose multifunctional items over single use one.

o The kitchen is such a hub of activity, it requires not only everyday maintenance, but all day maintenance.

· Chapter 26: Bathroom

o Declutter: Trash cosmetics you don't wear regularly. While makeup doesn't have an expiration date, they do have a limited shelf life.

§ Liquids and creams is 3-6 months

§ Powered foundations/blush/lipstick are 1 year

o Clear surfaces are not only more attractive, they are more hygienic.

§ Tub ledges should be clear; therefore, install a shower caddy.

· Chapter 27: Storage Spaces

o Example: attic, basement, garage, and storage locker

o To avoid clutter buildup, keep your storage spaces streamlined as your living space

§ Can you list the contents of your storage unit from memory? If not, do you really need things you don't even know you have?

o Declutter: stick to the following rule: if you haven't used an item in over a year, out it goes.

§ Be a borrower: rent from stores or borrow from neighbors.

§ When something comes in, something goes out--and not out to the garage.

· Chapter 28: Gifts, heirlooms, and sentimental items

o Gifts

§ Challenge is two-fold- to purge unwanted gifts we already have and to avoid receiving new ones.

§ Avoid gift exchange situations.

§ For individuals who insists on bestowing you with gifts, express your preference:

§ for consumables: coffee beans, plants, flowers

§ for experiences: theater tickets, membership to museum

§ for services: car washes, computer assistance, baby-sitting

§ Propose spending time together in lieu of gifts

o Heirlooms

§ We keep them out of sense of guilt, sentiment, and responsibility to preserve or family "heritage"

§ Our obligation is not necessarily to keep the items we inherit, but to find the best use for them.

§ If valuable or historically significant lend/donate to museum or historical society.

§ Don't hold on to item because it MIGHT be worth something.

§ Make decluttering part of your estate planning-pare down your possessions while you are still here, and don't pass down clutter to the next generation.

o Sentimental Items

§ Choose a handful of pieces for preservation, or reduce your collection to one container.

If you want to learn more from the author of this book, visit her blog:  www.missminimalist.com