607 Easter Eggs and No Hunt In Sight

I am in Missouri for Christmas vacation, and I am visiting my parents. They have retired in a small town in Missouri, with a population of about 1200 people; which they love. Also, they live in a 5,500 square feet home, and there are just three of them living in this massive home (my parents and my uncle). Last time I visited for the holidays, I disclosed to my parents that I am embracing minimalism. I explained to them how this "less is more" movement resonated with me and how much more happiness I have because of it. With this disclosure, I was hoping my parents would understand why I was requesting zero gifts for the holiday.

As with many of the individuals that inquire about minimalism (a personal lifestyle), I received some misconceptions from my parents. In red, is where I attempted to educate my parents on how I am interpreting and implementing minimalism into my life. My parents were not wanting to cause me to become defensive, they asked with the goal of being supportive in mind, they just didn't know the answers and wanted desperately to understand.

• So you spent all this money on things, and now you are just going to get rid of all them.
• This is a valid reality of minimalism. There have been times when I have been surrounded by expensive items that I used very little, or not at all (or just do not bring me joy anymore) and have been tempted to keep them because they were such a financial investment, but then this would hinder my removal of everything that distracts me from achieving my highest values on this highly personal journey. To be perfectly transparent, early on during my minimalism journey, I made myself sick with the waste of money on designer brands, duplicated items, and things I never used, that could have been utilized in a more purposeful and meaningful way/cause.
• What if you get rid of something, and then later down the line you need it, are you suppose to just go and buy it again. Seems like such a waste.
• I am not getting rid of something that I use often, but rather things that I do not use. If it comes a time when I need that item again, I could borrow it from a friend and/or rent it. The "what if" mindset can cause individuals to keep items that they may never use again.
• Are you going to be counting your possessions from now on? When we come to visit is your apartment going to barren?
• Being a minimalist you go through your home and remove anything that isn't meaningful to you; therefore, the items that are left are those that hold significance to your life. With this, guest can immediately realize what is important to me. Some minimalists do count their possessions, and some don't. I count the things I get rid of. Also, before I bring something new into my apartment, I need to be able to get rid of something.
• I cannot believe that you are going to get rid of sentimental things from your childhood.
• There are many items from my childhood (artwork, clothes, toys) that I have decluttered so someone else can enjoy them. But I have also kept the items that I remember wearing, using, making, and have them displayed in a significant place, instead of buried at the bottom of a box. This allows me to promote the things that are most valuable to me.
• I know that Seattle is environmentally friendly, but it now seems with the addition of minimalism to your life, you have become an extreme environmentalist.
• Yes, being a minimalist is good for the environment. Minimalists consume less resources, and discard less resources. But not everyone who embraces minimalism does so out of environmental motivations. For me, I was became overwhelmed with the amount of money, time, and energy that was being directed towards the stuff in my life. Contributing to the health of the planet along the way with minimalism, was an added bonus.

I am joyous to report, that since 2016, my parents have been on their own minimalism journey. They needed some support and initiation from me to propel them, but continue to make strides with downsizing their possessions, with the goal of eventually downsizing their home. My retired parents are spending a lot of money on maintaining their home (bills, and high taxes), and expending a lot of energy to keep up with the chores of a huge house, and this has also been a huge motivation to be more mindful of the possessions they own and new ones they want to bring into their home. 

Be on the lookout for an upcoming blog, with photos of the huge quantities of items that my parents have decluttered from their home. In this blog, I wanted to share with you three common things that happen when you have so much space

1. You buy things for a future event/activity that has no set date or time, and then you forget about having them or the event never happens.
2. You end up with so many of the same item.
3. When something is on sale, you tend to buy more of them, even if you don't need more.

These three things happened in regards to Easter eggs for my mom. She bought all of these eggs on sale, with the intent to use them to host a Special Olympics Easter Egg hunt with my uncle's bowling team. Unfortunately, the event didn't come to fruition, and the eggs have been sitting in two separate Tupperware containers. During a decluttering session yesterday, we discovered them, and my mom stated, "Oh, that is where they went to." There was a total of 607 eggs, which means 1 out of 2 people in my parents' town could receive an egg from their collection. To me, this is an astounding realization. My mom was also surprised, and she has decided to donate these unopened eggs and other unused Easter decorations to her church for their 2018 Easter Egg hunt. I am so proud of my mom on finding a meaningful way to repurpose these eggs and decorations.

Easy tips on minimalism: 

1. As we are entering the day-after-Christmas, if you are going to participate in shopping, try to be mindful on how many items you buy, especially if the sole reason you are buying them is because they are on sale. One of the greatest unforeseen benefits  of living a minimalist life is the opportunity to purchase possessions of higher quality. Unfortunately, for some reason, many people don't correlate owning fewer things and owning nicer things.
2. Still needing gift(s) for the holiday, how about gifting experiences instead of things. Such as buying someone a gift card for a rideshare, zoo pass for the family, or gift certificate for a cooking class. My parents were insistent on still giving me something for Christmas, so I asked for a Macy's gift card, not to buy clothes, but for coffee pods. I recently replaced my Keurig with a Nespresso machine. Macy's is the only store that carries Nespresso pods for my machine; also, Macy's has a drop-off for recycling of the Nespresso pods (Keurig's pods are still not recyclable, and I no longer wanted my pods to be added to the landfills). Therefore, my parents are giving me a meaningful gift for a usable item, which has the added benefit of being kind to the environment.

 

Where Does it Go?

Let's say you are decluttering, organizing, and simplifying your life, and now, you have so many things you no longer want, but have no idea where to take them (and be environmentally-safe); hopefully, this post will be helpful for you. Most of this information is Seattle-centered, but check your local resources too.

• Appliances
• Working appliances may be accepted at thrift stores.
• Pickup with weekly collections (fees apply) and you will need to schedule a pickup (206) 684-3000.
• Batteries and cell phones
• Rechargeable batteries and cell phones you can drop off at stores or Household Hazardous Wastes (HHW) which is free, or go to Call2Recycle.org or HazWasteHelp.org
• Alkaline batteries you can drop off to recycle at HHW and is accepted in the garbage.
• Building Materials
• Drop off for donation and reuse at building supply salvage businesses. Locations include SecondUse, Earthwise, and Ballard ReUse. Make sure you check store websites for accepted materials.
• Bulky Items
• Pickup with weekly collections (fees apply) and you will need to schedule a pickup (206) 684-3000.
• Drop off for donation and reuse (free). Clean, working items may be accepted at thrift stores.
• Furniture
• Pickup with weekly collections (fees apply) and you will need to schedule a pickup (206) 684-3000.
• Drop off reusable items for donations at thrift stores.
• Household Goods
• Drop off reusable items for donation at thrift stores.
• Put unusable items in garbage.
• Mattresses/Pillows
• Pickup with weekly collections (fees apply) and you will need to schedule a pickup (206) 684-3000.
• Pillows are difficult to donate because many places cannot guarantee to keep them hygienic for resell; however, in Seattle area, Value Village is a site you can donate them. Goodwill and even some shelters/churches will not accept pillows, sheets, and mattresses. 
• Clothes/Textiles
• Damaged items can also be dropped off at participating Threadcycle thrift stores kingcounty.gov/threadcycle
• Drop off reusable items at thrift stores.
• Electronics
• Drop off for recycling or reuse. Televisions, computers, laptops, and computer monitors are accepted (free).  Check ecyclewashington.org website for all acceptable items (fees may apply).
• Lightbulbs
• Unbroken florescent tubes, compact fluorescent and mercury bulbs accepted. Drop off for recycling (free) and to find locations go to lightrecycle.org
• Medicine
• Do not flush down the toilet or put in the garbage.
• Drop off over-the-counter and prescription medications for free and to find locations at medicinereturn.org
• Household Hazardous Waste (HHW)
• Products marked "Caution," "Warning," "Danger," or "Poison" may require hazardous material disposal. Safe disposal information and drop off locations: call 206-296-4692 or visit HazWasteHelp.org.
• Do not place these items in garbage, recycling, or food and yard waste.

For more information go to seattle.gov/util/wheredoesitgo

Making Room For New Hobbies

"The objects that add value today may not add value tomorrow, which means we must be willing to let go of everything." --The Minimalists

An activity done regularly in one's leisure time for pleasure is a hobby. If you were to look around my apartment, you might assume that my hobbies were hiking (many trail books on my bookshelf and nature photos on my wall), reading (the many books that I possess), cooking (cookbook on my kitchen counter), drinking coffee (my kitchen is decorated with a coffee theme), photography (I have pictures and polaroid photos on my walls),and painting (I have several acrylic canvases on my wall). 

Then, if you were to open up my closets, look through my drawers of my desk and dresser, and open my Tupperware containers, you would add a few more assumed hobbies. One of them being scrapbooking. During 2005-2010, I enjoyed scrapbooking and I was an avid shopper at Archivers (a store that is a scrapbooker's dream and nightmare). I was regularly purchasing items to scrapbook life events (graduations, travel trips, holidays), and my scrapbooking began consuming more and more space and money. Since 2010, I have not scrapbooked ANYTHING, but yet, I have continued to move my scrapbook "hobby" around with me from Omaha to Missouri to Seattle.

Recently, I had my scrapbooking items stored in two separate places in my Seattle apartment, one location was my entry-way closet, and the other location was my hallway closet. My scrapbook supplies were not easily accessible in these closets; it would be quite a process to access my supplies to utilize them, so I just chose not to use them because it was such a hassle....how did I think this was logical? I made something that I considered enjoyable, inaccessible, so I was technically depriving myself from being happy.

So when I paused and thought about how scrapbooking added purpose and happiness to my current life, there were two options: 1) Scrapbooking was still a hobby I wanted to pursue, and needed to rearrange my setup, so it would be more accessible and not hidden from me, or 2) Scrapbooking is no longer a hobby, and I need to get rid of it to make more room for another hobby. I decided on option 2; scrapbooking no longer held the same value and interest it once did in my life, so it was time to find the majority of my scrapbooking supplies a new home.

My former excessive consumerism is fully depicted in the photos below. Many of the stickers, cardstock, accessories haven't been open; they are brand new. Some of these supplies were purchased for items that I "hoped" to do one day. Other items, especially stickers, were purchased in over-abundance. For instance, I had 10 different sticker books for New York City. I visited NYC in 2009, and I never scrapbooked that 3-week trip.

I was able to find someone in my life that enjoys scrapbooking, but does not have the financial means to participated it at the level that they desired; therefore, my former hobby has been repurposed. Recently, they sent me a photo of something they had constructed utilizing my scrapbooking supplies, and I realized that my former hobby still brings a smile to my face and warms my heart, just now in an indirect way.

When was the last time that you reevaluated your interests and hobbies in your life? How much time, space, and money do they cost you for the amount of happiness you receive?

Scanning Party in Seattle

Minimalism has been the intent of my life for a while now. During one of my main decluttering session, I recycled over 100lbs of paper and photos. The paper were random pages, class notes from high school and college, and notes/letters from friends. The photos I recycled included pictures that had people that I no longer see/talk to, fuzzy pictures from the pre-digital camera era, and duplicate photos (I had hundreds of duplicate photos from when I use to print doubles from photo studios like Walgreens and Walmart). At the conclusion of that decluttering, I still had stacks and binders of paper, and albums full of photos. Since this decluttering, I haven’t glanced at those photos again or referenced the papers I kept. So I wanted to implemented a way to see these photos more often, and enjoy them, and also utilize the papers I kept; and that’s why I attended a “Scanning Party.”

The Minimalists coined the term, “Scanning Party”, which is an event you invite a few friends over, have some food and drinks, and together, go through photos and papers from your childhood/adulthood, and then, you scan all of those items. By scanning these items that were previously hidden away in albums, folders, and binders; I could free up space in my apartment, and also, have these meaningful photos and papers at my fingertips.

Therefore, I bought a portable scanner (I purchased a Doxie Q) that has allowed me to declutter my paper life immensely so far. I attended a Scanning Party with two other fellow minimalists, and we prepared and scanned documents during the party and had dinner. Afterwards, I still had many papers to scan, but the party allowed me to take those first steps towards digitalizing my life. Some of those documents were from work, recipes, Broadway playbills, receipts, product warranties, and contracts, etc. My next scanning assignment is to scan all the maps, trail guides, and magazine pages for hiking and traveling that I have collected for my future wanderings. Currently, all these pages are contained in an expandable file folder, and weighs about 15lbs. So I am looking forward to ridding my bookshelf of 15lbs of papers, and then I will move on to digitalizing my photos.

Can you think of something in your life that you could digitalize? Your papers, photos, music, or movies? There isn't a need to purchased a portable scanner (it can definitely be an investment item); for scanning documents because you can download a scanner app for your phone or tablet for free or under $5. My recommendation is to make sure that you have the documents saved/stored in two different places (backing up files is important, do it on an icloud, USB drive and/or harddrive).

"If we decide to create more and consume less, the world around us will transform through a tidal wave of purpose."

-The Minimalists

My portable scanner: Doxie Q

Digitalizing my teaching notes and pages I have ripped out from magazines I use to be subscribed to a while ago.

When you digitize your documents, you are left with a lot of folders, binders, and clear document holders leftover; so these items have been donated for someone else to get use out of them.

Second round of digitizing my documents. 

Podcasts For Your Commute

Do you have music playing in the background when you are getting dressed, driving to work, typing on your computer, grocery shopping, or walking to dinner plans? Have you considered substituting or adding a podcast to your life? I have been listening to a few of the below podcasts for a while, but have included other podcasts that friends have recommended to the list, enjoy!

• The Minimalists Podcast
• http://www.theminimalists.com/podcast/
• People living meaningful lives with less.
• Like A Bigfoot
• http://likeabigfoot.com/
• If you are being active and pushing yourself outside your comfort zone, you can listen to how others are starting and accomplishing goals.
• The Morning Breath
• https://soundcloud.com/user-845680325
• Hilarious podcast that take on the top five things you should know before you "wake up and smell your morning breath."
• Lady Lovin'
• http://ladylovin.com/
• Three women who tackle a variety of topics from relationships and sex, to health and wellness, to business and start-ups.
• The Skinny Confidential (Him & Her Podcast)
• https://www.theskinnyconfidential.com/podcast/
• This duo covers branding, wellness, marketing, and social media. I particularly enjoy their podcasts on wellness trends.
• Betch Slapped by the Betches
• http://www.betches.com/podcast
• This duo covers riveting pop culture topics, play games of "Would you Rather," and answer "Dear Betch" advice questions.
• The Simple Sophisticate
• http://www.thesimplyluxuriouslife.com/category/podcast/
• Shannon Ables shares with her listeners on how  to live a refined life on an everyday income. From preparing a memorable meal to traveling the world.
• Lore
• http://www.lorepodcast.com/
• This podcast covers strange, dark historical anecdotes that we've forgotten about. Creepy and eerily interesting.
• Crash On My Couch
• https://www.crashonmycouchshow.com/
• Enjoy listening to ramblings about everything you need to know in your twenties.
• The High Low
• https://soundcloud.com/the-high-low
• If you love a good British best friend duo, these two present weekly pop-culture updates.
• Goal Digger with Jenna Kutcher
• http://podcast.jennakutcher.com/
• Best live-workshop style business podcast for creative girl bosses.
• Unqualified
• http://www.unqualified.com/
• Anna Faris's podcast is full of bad relationship advice and quirky stories of her past.
• Optimal Living Daily and Finance Daily
• http://optimallivingdaily.com/000-optimal-finance-daily-podcast/
• Join the O.L.D Family by listening to the spin-off podcasts of Optimal Health Daily, Optimal Startup Daily, Relationship Optimal Living Daily, and the original Optimal Living Daily.

Do You Still Have Napster-burned CDs?

80 CDs that have been decluttered today. Can you
imagine how much space they would occupy if they
were still in their cases?

Napster does not refer to a person who is an expert-level napper, but rather a music-focused online service that was a huge part of my middle school years, and it allowed sharing of audio songs for free, and it went extinct because of copyright infringement. As I am decluttering my belongings, I came across these music relics (burned-CDs), and ended up recycling 45 CDs that I have been moving from apartment to apartment, and haven't listened to in approximately 14-16 years.

As I ruminate about why I have kept these CDs for so long; I cannot think of a valid reason besides just holding onto them "because." I no longer listen to the same kind of music I did 15 years, nor if I were to listen to it, would it bring me the same joy or entertainment (or any at all) it once did. Also, I no longer own a CD player (besides my audio player in my car), my computer does not even have a CD drive, and my portable CD player was replaced by an iPod about 12 years ago.

Applying the same criterion to CDs I bought from music stores, I was able to declutter 35 more CDs. Yes, I still own some CDs, but I just made a crucial step with this initial purge of decreasing the amount of unused items in my apartment, no matter how small or their cost in price.

I have to remind myself to live simply and not overindulge, which is a constant battle in a material world.

Thinking about decluttering, but you are wanting to ease into it, here are some recommendations:

1. Before you declutter, gather everything up together. Especially if you live with someone, you could end up having duplicates of the same CD/vinyl record.
2. Assess what types of formats your music is in. If you do not have a working cassette tape player, you could probably rid yourself of your cassette tapes and download music files of the songs you still enjoy.
3. Deal with your current music collection. You may need to ask yourself if you want to transfer your CD collection to strictly a digital music library, but remember, there is still such a thing as digital clutter. So take some time and evaluate an album, and how many songs you actually still listen to.
4. Maintenance. If you buy a new CD, you can get rid of a CD; therefore, you maintain the space your CDs take up in your home.

Year 31: When Less is More

I just rung in my 31st birthday with less stuff! For the longest time, I would view each new year of the celebration of my wonderful existence with the tangible items I would receive (and the cake I would devour, of course). If I was going out to dinner with friends, I would buy an outfit for just that occasion, and most likely never wear again. If I received a gift that was thoughtful, but didn't need it, I would still hold onto it forever, because it was a gift from someone I cared about.

Year 31, I took a different approach to celebrating my birthday. I was thankful for what I had in life and what I have accomplished, and looked at it as more than an occasion to receive gifts. In fact, this year, I was quite adamant with not receiving gifts and instead, commemorating it with experiences. It was a momentous occasion, where I spent it outdoors in Whistler, Canada. This getaway was a resort town, but I came back to Washington with no tangible items or tourist trinkets; instead, I came back with memories. The something special that happens on my birthday this year, is that I truly realized that with great friends/family, the outdoors, and plenty of non-chocolate desserts, I was beyond happy and looking forward to another year of when less is more!

It is becoming harder for me to notice items being recycled, donated, or trashed when I decluttered. Therefore, it has been helpful for me to keep a list, to remind myself, that I am continuously getting rid of items. It has helped me to remain mindful and motivated in my minimalism. Below is that list and photos of items that are no longer in my apartment.

• 29 books
• Books I have already read and do not foresee reading again. Didn't want to hold onto them for the "just in case," because if I decide to read them again, I can just check them out at the library.
• 4 cookbooks
• More and more I am just looking up recipes online; however, I still have 4 cookbooks.
• 1 game
• I have started playing board and card games more often. Unfortunately, some games once you play them a lot, you remember the answers, so the challenge is no longer there.
• 5 TV series
• Netflix and online streaming has made it easier to part with TV series. Again, the library is always a good option for checking-out movies and TV shows when you do want to watch them again.
• 3 unopened Wii games
• I haven't played a Wii game in forever! I use my Wii specifically to stream my Netflix.
• 129 DVDs
• Netflix and online streaming has made it easier to part with movies. Again, the library is always a good option for checking-out movies and TV shows when you do want to watch them again. So many of these movies, I have only watched once. I use to buy movies before seeing them, and if they were bad or just meh, I would still just hold onto to them.
• Mattress pad
• Wasn't being used, so it got donated for someone who could use it.
• Throw pillow
• Nonessential item that I don't need or use and was just stuffed in my closet.
• 2 cell phones and Garmin watch (not pictured)
• Holding onto old cell phones just in case a screen cracks is an idea I have abandoned. Unfortunately a smartphone is so critical for my job, that if it doesn't work, then I need to immediately replace it.
• Extra kitchen utensils, containers, Tupperware, and plates that I haven't used
• I now have all kitchen items in the kitchen, and cupboards that are inaccessible to me are now empty.
• Apple mouse
• No longer utilized.
• Nook
• iPad had replaced my nook years ago, but I held onto it just in case my iPad died.
• iPad cover
• Replaced this cover with a new one, but still held onto it.
• Office supplies
• I still have a my huge desk that got me through undergrad and graduate school. However, it has so much less items stuffed in the doors.
• Duplicates of magnets
• I tend to pick up magnets at places I travel too. When I evaluated what was on my refrigerator, I realized I have multiple magnets from the same place.
• 3 bags of clothes
• Continuing to get rid of clothes that I didn't wear in the season they were being held on for; I have also one bag of clothes that I still need to take to a consignment store.
• 10 pairs of earrings
• Earrings were the only jewelry I consistently wore. Now, if I put a pair of earrings in my ears and no longer like the way they look, they get donated.
• 2 necklaces, 1 bracelets
• Decluttering my jewelry box so much as made me need a smaller box that doesn't take up so much space.
• 10 scarves
• I just do not wear fashion scarves anymore. If they will not be functional while hiking or snowshoeing, they are getting donated.
• 2 headbands
• Headbands that I put on and then immediately take off because I don't like them or they give me a headache.
• 2 hats
• I thought I would eventually become a hat-wearer, but I haven't. If there is something on my head, it's either my coat hood or a beanie.
• Umbrella
• I kept this for guest to wear when they visit and it rains. But I just instruct them now to bring waterproofed jackets.
• 3 wall decorations (shelves)
• These were a pain to dust, and when I got rid off the majority of the figurines that sat on them, they were no longer useful.
• Hangers
• From the clothes I donated.
• Hair accessories, including a curling iron
• It baffles me that I have a curling iron, because I have curly hair.
• Post cards from places that I have traveled
• Recycling pile, and I sent some in the mail for others to know I was thinking of them.
• Figurines
• I hate dusting, so the two times I dust a year, figurines go through a test of "Do I really want to move this item around to dust next time?"
• Photo frames from places that I have traveled
• 9 tote bags
• Still decluttering the mountains of tote bags that I have kept and haven't used. Happy to report that I haven't gained any new tote bags since the last time I decluttered them.
• 1 CD case
• Decluttering DVDs caused this case to become empty.
• Makeup bags (the free ones you receive when you purchase makeup in department stores)

Shelving that held my figurines

This type of Tupperware seems like a good idea, but when you mix both cold food and items that need to be warmed up, the compartments/divisions are more a hassle than convenience for lunches.

Donations I got rid of in the month of June/July

Books, movies, and TV shows that I donated

Kitchen items that I decluttered.

Duplicate magnets, electronics, and office supplies

Hair and makeup donations

Hangers and umbrella

Large haul to donation

Yurting

I am a day-hiker. I have never gone backpack camping.You may be wondering to yourself why I do not feel compelled to strap 30+ pounds on my back, sleep outside among the bears and cougars, and rehydrate my dinner?  It is quite simple: I want a toilet nearby, sleep in a bed, and be surrounded by solid walls. In my opinion, my avoidance of camping has made me a stronger and better hiker, because I want to see all the wilderness, so I increased my fitness stamina to be able to hike 20 miles in a day.

I have done several road trips down the scenic 101 Highway, and have hiked trails in Cape Disappointment State Park during those trips. While reading a recent article on upgrading your tent, I became aware that Cape Disappointment and many other parks have yurts that you can stay during a visit http://redtri.com/seattle/upgrade-your-tent-with-yurt-camping-in-washington/ Therefore, I found an available yurt, and planned to explore more of Cape Disappointment State Park. Cape Disappointment State Park is where the Columbia River meets the Pacific Ocean. This cape has two lighthouses; North Head (under construction during this visit) and Cape Disappointment. There are many hiking trails near the cities of Ilwaco and Long Beach (has the longest beach in the world). Hikers won't gain a lot of incline during their trip to the park, but you can definitely rack up the miles.

It was a positive experience staying in the yurt. Both nights, winds reached over 60 miles per hour, and it was great having solid structured walls that didn't cave in to the intensity of the wind. In addition, the yurt had heat, which came in handy at nighttime. Yurts are a great way for families to camp. This yurt came with a bunk bed that had a twin and full-sized mattress, a futon, two chairs, side table, and a table. Plus, there were bathrooms that had toilets and showers on the campsite. To operate the showers, you had to put quarters into the shower. Note to self: always have an emergency $5 stash of quarters in your car. Below I have attached some photos of the yurt and trip.

If you visit http://parks.state.wa.us/403/Cabins-Rustic-Shelters-Yurts, you can locate and reserve your yurt.

Gracious: A Practical Primer on Charm, Tact, and Unsinkable Strength

Back in graduate school, I began reading a blog, Adulting, by Kelly Williams Brown. A few years later, she published the book Adulting: How to Become a Grown-Up in 468 Easy(ish) Steps. Recently, her second book Gracious was released. Throughout the book, she provides tips on how to deal with the people and circumstances that challenge even the most socially graceful among us, advice on how to practice graciousness in everyday life, and thoughtful discussions on being kind to those around you without ever losing your sense of self.

This was my airplane book that I read while flying to and from Colorado. For me, the most relatable chapters were "Gracious In, Around & Generally Regarding the Home" and "The Gracious Host & Hosted." In this blog post, I will just provide some notions that can help you think about living a more gracious life.

Gracious In, Around & Generally Regarding the Home

• Learn how to be reasonably tidy by providing definitive answers for the following for every object in your house:
• Do I love this?
• Why do I let this remain in my personal space?
• Where does this item live?
• Adjectives that Do and Do Not apply to a gracious home:
• Yes: welcoming, cared for, tidy, comfortable, lived in, full of interesting things
• No: spotless, minimalist, sterile, intimidating, hoardery, sticky, oppressively Pinterest-y
• Useful Dining Tips:
• It's immeasurably better to start eating 20 seconds later than everyone than 5 minutes before. Unless instructed otherwise, you should not start eating until everyone is seated, everyone is served, and the host picks up his or her fork.
• Napkins go in your lap as soon as possible.
• Touch both your index fingers to your thumbs. On your left , you will see a lowercase b, which stands for bread plate, and on your right is a lowercase d for drinks. Your bread plate is to your left, and your drinks to your right.
• There may be implements on the table for every course, just start with the ones outside and work your way in.
• Generally speaking, implements are arranged with forks on the left, then a plate, then knives, then spoons. FO(r)KS as an acronym: Forks, O (for a plate) Knives, Spoons.
• If you are not done with a course, your utensils should rest on either side of your plate. When you are done, the two utensils are set parallel to each other and pointing NW on the plate.
• Never go on vacation without taking all the garbage outside.

What does a yellow ribbon tied on a dog's collar mean?

Recently I went hiking at Soaring Eagle Regional Park, and on the trail post, there was a flyer titled "More Space Please," with drawings of many dogs wearing a yellow ribbon or bandana. This was the first time I had seen this caution before, and thought I would share this new movement with my fellow hikers, so you can also share and spread the word.

A yellow ribbon around a dog's collar is to help children identify that you need to proceed with caution because: the dog may not be child-friendly, may have fear or anxiety issues, or may be overly excited. The Yellow Dog Project is a nonprofit organization that is a global effort to help raise awareness and education around dogs that require a little extra distance upon approaching. This extra distance does not signify that a dog is aggressive or mean. Children have a lot of energy and often run up and pet a dog. Not all dogs understand this, and they can become fearful. With proper education, all parties are put in a less stressful environment, which in turn reduces opportunities for an unforeseen accident.

Look for these yellow ribbons on dogs in town and city parks too! I saw a different template, but same caution on a flyer at Marymoor Dog Park in Redmond, WA.

Summer Book Bingo

Summer begins next week; therefore, it is time for Summer Book Bingo at the Seattle Public Libraries. Each summer, I have participated in this challenge, but have yet completed a blackout card.

How does the Summer Book Bingo work?

• Spend your summer reading great books and you can win prizes. Fill in a bingo card with the titles and authors of the books you've read between May 17th-September 5th. Book titles may be used only once per card.

What if I need some ideas for books for my bingo squares?

• For ideas crafted just for you, head to your local library (or fill out a brief form at spl.org/yournext5), and the super smart team at The Seattle Public Library will recommend five books just for you.
• Also, your fellow readers on Twitter and Instagram are a great resource; find them at #BookBingoNW2017

How can I win?

• Complete a horizontal, vertical or diagonal line and you will be entered into a drawing for a $30 gift card to an independent book store.

Fine Print: You are on your honor to read books before adding them to your Summer Book Bingo card. Cheating will invoke bad summer karma, which may include sunburn, ants at your picnic, and marauding mosquitos.

What are topics of the bingo squares for 2017:

• Recommended by a librarian
• Choose a book by it's cover
• You've been meaning to read
• Young adult
• Biography or memoir
• Adapted into a movie (bonus: watch the movie too)
• Graphic novel
• By an author of color
• Recommended by an independent bookseller
• Set in another country
• Genre that is new to you
• Banned (need ideas, visit ala.org/bbooks)
• Collection of essays or short stories
• Published the year one of your parents were born
• Fiction
• About art or an artist
• A SAL speaker (past or upcoming)
• Reread a book you read in school
• Finish in a day
• Washington state author
• Poetry
• Science nonfiction or science fiction
• LGBTQIA author or character
• Recommended by a young person

The first book I am reading is to fill in a bingo square is Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal by Christopher Moore. Happy Reading!

Book: Minimalism Live a Meaningful Life

I just got back from a memorable week in Colorado. As I was packing for this week-long visit, I realized that I pack minimalistic. I am so used to utilizing my large checked luggage, that I realized, I could have just used a carry-on luggage. My luggage for a week-trip weighed only 17 pounds. For someone who is usually grunting as they lift their luggage onto the airline scale with both fingers-crossed that the electronic, red numbers will not go over 50lbs, that was a tangible metric for me of assurance that minimalism has become to be a lifestyle choice, and not just what I still possess inside my apartment.

The last book I read by The Minimalists, was Minimalism: Live a Meaningful Life. Below are points that I insightful and wanted to share.

Items I decluttered in the last purge: extra pillowcases, socks, hair accessories (clips, hair ties), headbands, non-comfortable shoes, folders, binders, tote bags, coasters, jewelry, scarves

• Happiness is not the point--a meaningful life is. We must stop searching for happiness and instead start looking for meaning.
• Discontentment is a slow burn; it's a pernicious problem that creeps into your life after years of subtle dissatisfaction.
• To take inventory of our lives. To find out what was making us unhappy, and what we needed to change those things in our lives, so happiness, passion, and freedom were possible.
• Anchors: write down everything that could be identify as a problem
• Next, identify priorities (minor and major anchors)
• Major anchors: mortgage payments, certain relationships, car payments, careers, large debt
• Minor anchors: internet bills, unused clothes, unused household items, household clutter, unproductive peripheral relationships, and daily drive time.
• Minimalism looks different for everyone because it's about finding what is essential to you.
• Minimalism is a tool we use to live a meaningful life. There are no rules. Rather, minimalism is simply about stripping away the unnecessary things in your life so you can focus on what's important.
• Minimalism has helped us in several ways, including:
• Reclaiming our time
• Ridding ourselves of excess stuff
• Enjoying our lives
• Discovering meaning in our lives
• Living in the moment
• Focusing on what's important
• Pursuing our passions
• Finding happiness
• Doing anything we want to do
• Finding our missions
• Experiencing freedom
• Creating more, consuming less
• Minimalism is a tool to eliminate life's excess, focus on the essentials, and find happiness, fulfillment, and freedom.
• The Five Values that allow us to live a meaningful life:
• Health
• Living a healthy lifestyle gives you the optimum conditions to do so.
• Two main ingredients of living a healthy life: eating and exercise. In other words: what we put into our bodies and what we do with our bodies.
• A change in dietary lifestyle is not only a change in what you consume, but a change in how you think about what you consume.
• Relationship
• Three ways to create better relationships
• Find great new relationships
• Transform your current relationships
• Change who you are
• Additional readings
• Goodbye Fake Friends minimalist.com/fake
• Letting Go of Relationships minimalist.com/relationships
• Prepared to Walk Away minimalist.com/walk-away
• Passions
• Growth
• Contribution

By embracing minimalism in other apsects of life (your possessions, your work, etc), you can focus on the most important things in life (the Five Values).

• Resources
• Website: Exile Lifestyle by Colin Wright
• Website: Zen Habits by Leo Babauta
• How to Start a Successful Blog: minimalists.com/blog
• Essay "How to Get Smarter, Sleep More, and Get More Sex," by Julien Smith at inoveryourhead.net/sleep-is-awesome/

The Secret Life of Your Trash

Through minimalism, each item I get rid of, I then have to decide where it should go next: in the trash, consignment store, Goodwill, or repurposed to someone else's household. Seattle already strives to be a very green city, with recycling and composting laws to reduce the amount of trash in landfills. Seattle Residents can view their Seattle Public Utilities newsletter this season to read about, "Where Does It Go? The Secret Life of Your Trash."

On average, each person in Seattle generates 2,200 pounds of recycling, food waste, and garbage each year...yikes! I know through recycling just old school papers and photos, that I had 200 pounds.
Transporting, processing and disposing of garbage is expensive. Therefore, it is important that we all understand where our trash goes, and our continued need to reduce the amount of waste that we generate. For those individuals that live in Seattle, you can use the new "Where Does It Go" tool for up-to-date information about which items go in the recycling, compost, or garbage bin at seattle.gov/util/wheredoesitgo

Ideas for reducing waste and ways to recycle and compost even more:

• Cleaning out your closets? Visit the Threadcycle web page: kingcounty.gov/threadcycle
• You can now donate ALL your unwanted clothing, shoes, purses, and linens. 
• Items that are ripped, torn, stained or worn out can be recycled into industrial wiping rags, insulation, sound-proofing and stuffing
• Borrow and share: borrow that specialty baking pan from your neighbor and lend a ladder in return.
• Organize a clothing swap to refresh your wardrobe without sending any items to the landfill.
• For Seattleites, you can borrow tools, kitchen appliances, and extra chairs from one of Seattle's five tool libraries at seattle.gov/util/reducereuse
• Neighborhood tool libraries have more than the typical repair tools. Unique tools you can find cider-presses, food dehydrators, and candle making kits.
• Most tool libraries also offer classes: bike repair, earthquake retrofits, fixing appliances, chainsaw safety, and more.
• Located in West Seattle, Southeast Seattle, Captiol Hill, Phinney Ridge, and Northeast Seattle neighborhoods.
• Declutter your mailbox: stop clutter at the source by opting out of mail you don't want
• Visit seattle.gov/stopjunkmail for links to FREE opt out services
• Instead of buying brand new items when your favorites wear out, visit your local tailor, upholsterer, or shoe repair. They can give new life to your old stuff.
• Reuse and second use: shop at second use stores:
• Reuse: Thrift and consignment stores extends the life of shoes, clothes, and furniture.
• Remodeling: find vintage door knobs, floor tiles, countertops, and more at salvaged building supply stores.
• Re-fashion: Stained t-shirt; make it a DIY rag rug. Have a tear in a bed sheet; use it as a drop cloth for painting projects.

Many of you may be embarking on spring cleaning; therefore, I ask that you pause a moment before you instantly throw something in the trash, and consider if it could possibly be reused or recycled!

The Minimalists: Everything That Remains

"Imagine a life with higher standards. Imagine a life with less clutter, less stuff, fewer distractions. What would that look like? Imagine your life with less--less stress, less debt, less discontent. What would it feel like? Now imagine your life with more--more time, more contribution, more elation. Imagine better, more interesting relationships. Imagine sharing meals and conversations and experiences and smiles with people who have similar interests and values and beliefs as you. Imagine growing with your peer group and your loved ones. Now imagine cultivating your passion until you can't imagine a day without pursuing it. Imagine creating more than you consume. Imagine giving more than you take. Imagine a consistent commitment to growth. Imagine growing toward your limits and then past your limits and waving back with a smile. Imagine still having problems, but better problems, problems that fuel your growth and excitement, problems you want to face. Imagine getting everything out of the way so you can love the people closest to you. Imagine the myriad ways you can show your love, not just say it, but really show it. Imagine holding hands and exchanging hugs. Imagine making love with the man or woman you love, unencumbered by the trappings of the noisy world around you. Imagine making your priorities your Real Priorities. Imagine real success. Imagine feeling lighter, freer, happier. What you're imagining is a meaningful life. Not a perfect life, not even an easy life, but a simple one."

The second novel I read by The Minimalist was Everything That Remains. This book continues documenting Joshua Millburn's pursuit of embracing simplicity and getting himself out of debt. The message of getting rid of excess stuff can be liberating. I definitely admire individuals that are able to become minimalists instantly. For me, it has been a slower process, but the end goal of living more deliberately is still in my sights.

So far in 2017, I have had two big "donating" trips to Goodwill. Below are photos of some of the things that I was finally able to part with, because they no longer served a purpose, and I could no longer justify keeping them in my apartment. Also, below are some advice from the book that showcases how minimalism can be a life choice.

• American Tragedy
• Important topics/issues/concerns that should be discussed when in a relationship:
• children, short-term goals, long-term goals, interests, values, beliefs, and desires.
• I don't want this life. I want something different, a deliberate life, not some nightmare that I've been sold as the American Dream.
• Open Windows
• How Colin Wright became a minimalist and said goodbye to his old life, and said hello to traveling the world.
• Being a minimalist is not just having very little with you; it's actually about owning very little. Because the act of ownership is what stressed me out, kept me from feeling free.
• Having this realization is one thing, making the change is another.
• Keywords "becoming a minimalist," "living with less," and "minimalism" yield results for three different websites: Becoming Minimalist, Be More with Less, and Zen Habits.
• Be More with Less
• Runs Project 333, a minimalist fashion challenge that invites people to dress with thrity0three or fewer items for three months. Many have found immense benefit in slashing their wardrobe, reducing their closets down to the essentials.
• Zen Habits
• Website about finding simplicity in the daily chaos of our lives; delivering easy-to-digest messages about clearing the clutter so people can focus on what's important, create something amazing, and find happiness.
• I hadn't focused on what I'm passionate about. I haven't made writing a must. Instead it's been a gigantic should in my life. I should write, I frequently remind myself. I should, I should, I should. I've said it more times than I can count--just shoulding all over myself.
• What do you do?
• What we are really asking is:
• How do you earn a paycheck?
• How much money do you make?
• What is your socioeconomic status?
• And based on that status, where do I fall on the socioeconomic ladder compared to you? Am I a rung above you? Below you?
• How should I judge you?
• Are you even worth my time?
• Passion isn't followed, it's cultivated.
• Strong Moves Slow
• I started, small, asked myself: What if you removed one material possession just one, from your life each day for a month. What would happen?
• What we're not told is that decluttering by itself doesn't solve the problem, not long term anyway.
• Discussing how to get rid of our stuff answers only the what-side of the equation, but not the why; the action, but not the purpose; the how-to, but not the significantly more important why-to.
• Each of my belongings--my kitchenware, my furniture, my clothes, my car--has a function. As a minimalist, every possession serves a purpose or brings me joy.
• The Sound of Minimalism
• Those three delicate words: just in case. I know them too well. For the longest time I had an intimate relationship with just in case. I held on to hundreds--maybe thousands--of things, just in case I needed them.
• Personal anchors--all the circumstances that keep me from realizing real freedom.
• ex: material possessions, mortgage, car payment, bills, all debt, relationships
• As a kid we use to ask " what if" with so much optimism (What if we could fly), but now the only time we seem to ask it is out of fear.
• What if has become disempowering.
• Clarity
• "Follow your passion" is crappy advice.
• What's important to consider, then, is this question, "What is my mission?
• Like passion, one's mission is not preexisiting. And it's not always easy to find or pursue. Ultimately, I believe that anyone can be passionate about virtually anything, so long as it aligns with his or her values and beliefs.
• A well-curated life
• Deciding to live with no goals for a while
• Breaking free from goals changed my life in at least three ways
• I am less stressed
• I am more productive
• I am happier
• Success=Happiness + Growth + Contribution
• Encourage you to take five-steps towards a meaningful Christmas
• Avoid holiday doorbuster sales
• Gift your time
• Gift experiences, not stuff
• Ask for better Christmas gifts (raise funds for your favorite charity)
• Soup-Kitchen Christmas (local soup kitchen, homeless shelter, foodbank, or any place that needs volunteers)

Yes, this is a container for Pringles chips. When I was in elementary school, I use to put chips in my lunchbox. And I have kept it ALL these years.

The kitchen is a room that I am constantly re-evaluating the items in it. Have I used them yet? Are there other items that have multipurpose that can get rid of items that have only purpose. In addition, I found so many items that I just used once or never used and they still had price tags on it.

The dream of having a Beauty and the Beast library has been seared in my head since I was a little kid. However, rarely do I reread books, and books take up a lot of space and are heavy to move. Therefore, I finally parted with more books that I have already read, and know I will not reread. I still have 100 books on my 4-shelf bookcase. However, I am deliberately reading more books from my shelves, instead of borrowing constantly from the library; therefore, the decluttering of my personal collection of books will continue throughout the year.

This round of decluttering, I removed canvases and pictures from my walls of my apartment that no longer brought me enjoyment. In addition, I tackled my DVD collections and got rid of so many DVDs and TV series. Also, in this photo are a lot of "just in case" items that I was holding onto for that sole reason.

When you get rid of 12 pair of shoes, you will also be able to get rid of a shoe rack. Ta-da!