So, we're 10 days into the new year! How's the discipline in simplicity going for you?
I'm generally such an "all or nothing" kind of person that I'm attempting this year to take some smaller steps that are sustainable in the long-run. What does this look like?
-Downloading my pictures from my camera in more clearly named folders on one computer so that I don't have a mix of family and ministry photos sitting on my home computer, laptop, AND work computer. After four years of doing that, my photo storage is a RANDOM MESS. I'm organizing differently for future snapshots.
-I've decided to grocery shop one day weekly. I've never been consistent...in the past, I've done a big shop once every 3-4 weeks, and then I'd go to the store multiple other times in a month to "pick-up-two-things-that-turn-into-twenty". I haven't planned well, and because I've not had a weekly plan, I've not been very wise in our shopping trips or meal preparation. So, I'm trying to consistently make a plan and have a shopping day weekly in the plan.
My husband recently came back from a trip to Colorado in which he stayed at a friend's house overnight. Mike's friend, Scott, lives more simply than 99% of the American population, and by choice. The extent of his furniture: a chair and a mattress. He even uses his dress shirts on hangers as his curtains. Our home is far from such a scene...and it's not a model I'm aspiring to...but it does inspire me to keep working toward living a little more on the lighter side.
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Sunday, December 18, 2011
why an experiment in simplicity?
(It's been almost five years since we did a month of practicing simplicity together in community. Anyone want to try a simpler January 2012? I am reprinting what I wrote on this blog in December 2006. I could write the same post today, though I look back over these past five years, and I'm happy to say there has been some small sustained growth for me in a simpler life. Anywho, anyone want to join me in January??)
I think for me, it's a focus issue. The more I want to focus on Jesus, the more I'm realizing that it helps to get rid of some of the clutter that keeps me distracted. The more I declutter and uncomplicate, the more time and space I experience in my life for things that matter most. And I want more of that. Especially in the financial realm. I want to be able to free up some more financial resources to be used for God's work in the world. But all of this takes some intention and a lot of practice to help break out of some lifestyle habits that I've formed.
So, let's practice together. You're invited to join in this 30 day experiment in simplicity. For the month of January, we're simply going to practice making some choices that help to free up some time, space, and money for God. I anticipate some great learning in the process, and everyone involved is welcome to comment and share their experiences on this blog. We're not going to set the parameters for you and your family. You will need to pray about that and do that yourselves. If you're like me, God has given you an idea of what encumbers you.
For the Hoy's, we're going to cut our grocery/household items budget by 1/3 in January. And we're going to refrain that month from eating out and spending money on outside entertainment. We're also going to refrain from buying clothes, books, or any other unnecessary stuff. As for gift buying, we have some to do in January for birthdays, but we're going to be intentional and smart about not adding more clutter to someone else's life. We're also going to place some intentional practices throughout the month that help us become more globally aware and help us to practice gratitude.
If you're planning to take part, please feel free to comment on this post and come on board! Let's be open to what God has to teach us as we fast some from excess, noise, busyness, and consumption in January. And know that the ultimate goal in this simplicity experience is that God would grow our hearts in love for Him and for our neighbor! Looking forward to journeying with you-
Laura Hoy
I think for me, it's a focus issue. The more I want to focus on Jesus, the more I'm realizing that it helps to get rid of some of the clutter that keeps me distracted. The more I declutter and uncomplicate, the more time and space I experience in my life for things that matter most. And I want more of that. Especially in the financial realm. I want to be able to free up some more financial resources to be used for God's work in the world. But all of this takes some intention and a lot of practice to help break out of some lifestyle habits that I've formed.
So, let's practice together. You're invited to join in this 30 day experiment in simplicity. For the month of January, we're simply going to practice making some choices that help to free up some time, space, and money for God. I anticipate some great learning in the process, and everyone involved is welcome to comment and share their experiences on this blog. We're not going to set the parameters for you and your family. You will need to pray about that and do that yourselves. If you're like me, God has given you an idea of what encumbers you.
For the Hoy's, we're going to cut our grocery/household items budget by 1/3 in January. And we're going to refrain that month from eating out and spending money on outside entertainment. We're also going to refrain from buying clothes, books, or any other unnecessary stuff. As for gift buying, we have some to do in January for birthdays, but we're going to be intentional and smart about not adding more clutter to someone else's life. We're also going to place some intentional practices throughout the month that help us become more globally aware and help us to practice gratitude.
If you're planning to take part, please feel free to comment on this post and come on board! Let's be open to what God has to teach us as we fast some from excess, noise, busyness, and consumption in January. And know that the ultimate goal in this simplicity experience is that God would grow our hearts in love for Him and for our neighbor! Looking forward to journeying with you-
Laura Hoy
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Simplicity in Rest
"Sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do is, rest." Skip Gray --Navigators
"By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done." Genesis 2:2-3
"Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. " Exodus 20:8
"Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed." Luke 5:15-16
Rest. There is a commandment to follow about rest. Remember to leave space for holiness --that means stop what you are doing and rest. Rest in the Lord by meditating on His Word, worshipping coporately, with another believer, or just by yourself in a quiet place. Jesus had to take a break from the healing and the crowds. He had to "fill up his love tank" by spending time with the Father. Jesus' humanity, remember, required that he do human things like eating and sleeping. He needed rest. His rest was more perfect, I believe. He rested completely in the Father. He received his mission and purpose directly from the Father. After time with the Father, Jesus had the energy to teach and heal. His power came directly from the Father.
There is a simplicity in rest. Swenson says: "A biblically authentic and balanced life will include time to be still, to remember, to meditate, to delight in who He is and what He has made. But a large obstacle stands in our way: There is no glory in rest. No social acclaim. We are never a hero because we rest. We can only be still and better wait upon the Lord. We can only meditate upon the Word more. We can only have more margin with which to serve our neighbor. These things, however, are not socially reimbursable."
The only requirement to rest is that you do it. It will help to find a quiet place away from the phone, the computer, the family, the pets, the beeper, the cell phone, the tv, the radio and whatever else is occupying your attention.
Over the years, I have learned to limit my time in front of the tv, the computer and I really dislike talking on the phone for very long. I really like it when the house is quiet and I can just sit and relax with a book or my baby on my lap. I think my daughter is teaching me the value of just sitting and reading a book to her, playing on the floor with her and making that time really about her. There is a simplicity to just being in the moment with her.
Next week my husband and daughter and I are resting. We are borrowing a friend's cabin and sitting by a lake for a week. We try to take a break every quarter of the year to rest and recharge. We do this for our health, our marriage and our sanity.
In what areas of your schedule do you need to simplify to have time to rest? Do you need to cancel a non-essential activity and just rest? Are you leading a balanced life? Do you have margin in your life to rest, pray, meditate on the Word?
I'll be back to blog with you in about 12 days! Until then, keep on keeping on....
"By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done." Genesis 2:2-3
"Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. " Exodus 20:8
"Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed." Luke 5:15-16
Rest. There is a commandment to follow about rest. Remember to leave space for holiness --that means stop what you are doing and rest. Rest in the Lord by meditating on His Word, worshipping coporately, with another believer, or just by yourself in a quiet place. Jesus had to take a break from the healing and the crowds. He had to "fill up his love tank" by spending time with the Father. Jesus' humanity, remember, required that he do human things like eating and sleeping. He needed rest. His rest was more perfect, I believe. He rested completely in the Father. He received his mission and purpose directly from the Father. After time with the Father, Jesus had the energy to teach and heal. His power came directly from the Father.
There is a simplicity in rest. Swenson says: "A biblically authentic and balanced life will include time to be still, to remember, to meditate, to delight in who He is and what He has made. But a large obstacle stands in our way: There is no glory in rest. No social acclaim. We are never a hero because we rest. We can only be still and better wait upon the Lord. We can only meditate upon the Word more. We can only have more margin with which to serve our neighbor. These things, however, are not socially reimbursable."
The only requirement to rest is that you do it. It will help to find a quiet place away from the phone, the computer, the family, the pets, the beeper, the cell phone, the tv, the radio and whatever else is occupying your attention.
Over the years, I have learned to limit my time in front of the tv, the computer and I really dislike talking on the phone for very long. I really like it when the house is quiet and I can just sit and relax with a book or my baby on my lap. I think my daughter is teaching me the value of just sitting and reading a book to her, playing on the floor with her and making that time really about her. There is a simplicity to just being in the moment with her.
Next week my husband and daughter and I are resting. We are borrowing a friend's cabin and sitting by a lake for a week. We try to take a break every quarter of the year to rest and recharge. We do this for our health, our marriage and our sanity.
In what areas of your schedule do you need to simplify to have time to rest? Do you need to cancel a non-essential activity and just rest? Are you leading a balanced life? Do you have margin in your life to rest, pray, meditate on the Word?
I'll be back to blog with you in about 12 days! Until then, keep on keeping on....
Thursday, March 8, 2007
A quick comment about making a comment on this blog. If you are reading the blog and want to make a comment on a post, click on "comments" at the end of each post. You can then create a Google account by clicking on the link in the comment box. Looks like this:
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You can also use your Blogger account.
You do not need to have a Blogger account or a google email address. Just use your current email address (you would be called a New Blogger Account on the sign in page) and choose a screen name. The link above will direct you.
If you would like to post on the blog (and we welcome this!!) just let me know by phone call or stop me after service.
No Google Account? Sign up here.
You can also use your Blogger account.
You do not need to have a Blogger account or a google email address. Just use your current email address (you would be called a New Blogger Account on the sign in page) and choose a screen name. The link above will direct you.
If you would like to post on the blog (and we welcome this!!) just let me know by phone call or stop me after service.
Friday, March 2, 2007
Focused on Simplicity
What simplicity is: Focused.
"Understanding the significance of spiritual authenticity, we focus on it. We lock in on what is good and true. We bind ourselves to that which has eternal value. This does not mean that we do not wash our car or take out the garbage. But it does mean that we understand who God is and what His priorities for our lives are --and then follow them. It does mean that we focus intensely on seeking the Kingdom first, and on loving God and man. Without such focus, we drift."
What simplicity is not: Ascetic. (big word and not many of us could live this way)
"Asceticism rejects all possessions and argues that "things" are spiritually handicapping. While it is true that things can become spiritually inauthentic, they are not [inherently] evil. God is a good Creator, and He has created a whole world full of good things. It is not wrong to use them --they were made to be used. But our material appetites must be controlled."
(Margin, Richard Swenson)
Matthew chapter 6 facinates me as Jesus instructs me on simplicity in the Christian life. Prayer, clothing, relationships, money, and focus: He says, (22-23) "Your eyes are windows into your body. If you open your eyes wide in wonder and belief, your body fills up with light. If you live squinty-eyed in greed and distrust, your body is a dank cellar. If you pull the blinds on your windows, what a dark life you will have!"
What you choose to look at can determine your focus in life.
One of the steps I have taken in simplicity starts at the mailbox. When I collect the mail I sort it into three categories: important (bills, letters), magazine subscriptions and junk (advertisements, catalogs, credit card offers, etc.). The junk never makes it into the house as it goes into the recycle bin. The important stuff gets sorted again into a box for me and one for my husband.
About the magazine subscriptions. I realized a couple of years ago that the magazines I was subscribing to were actually creating an unrealistic need for "things" in my life. Does my house need to look like a photo shoot for Better Homes and Gardens? Do I need to cook with exotic ingredients like Cooking Light suggests? And then there was Martha Stewart: Living. Talk about unrealistic expectations.
Popular Mechanics, PC World, Field and Stream, NASCAR Today (I made that up), Sports Illustrated, etc. I am quite sure men are guilty of eye-candy as well ----eye candy is anything that looks really good and temps us to want.
My solution was to subscribe to one magazine and rotate them each year. If you subscribe long enough, you see articles repeated --just how many ways can you really arrange pillows on your bed? And what child needs to sleep in a $500 crib? Will that radar really help you find the best fishing spot(or is that cheating?)?
We do subscribe to magazines and publications that have a Christian world-view and keep us in tune with what is going on in the real world. What is really cool are the conversations that come up around the articles we read. Much more stimulating than the latest trends in baby gear or home electronics.
Think about what you look at. What television shows do you watch? What kind of movies do watch? What kind of music do you listen to? What magazines and books are you reading?
Are you seeing with Kingdom eyes? Are your eyes discerning the difference between Kingdom Come and the material world?
What are you focused on?
Matthew 6:21 "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (NIV)
"The place where your treasure is, is the place you will most want to be, and end up being." (MSG)
Keep on keeping on....
"Understanding the significance of spiritual authenticity, we focus on it. We lock in on what is good and true. We bind ourselves to that which has eternal value. This does not mean that we do not wash our car or take out the garbage. But it does mean that we understand who God is and what His priorities for our lives are --and then follow them. It does mean that we focus intensely on seeking the Kingdom first, and on loving God and man. Without such focus, we drift."
What simplicity is not: Ascetic. (big word and not many of us could live this way)
"Asceticism rejects all possessions and argues that "things" are spiritually handicapping. While it is true that things can become spiritually inauthentic, they are not [inherently] evil. God is a good Creator, and He has created a whole world full of good things. It is not wrong to use them --they were made to be used. But our material appetites must be controlled."
(Margin, Richard Swenson)
Matthew chapter 6 facinates me as Jesus instructs me on simplicity in the Christian life. Prayer, clothing, relationships, money, and focus: He says, (22-23) "Your eyes are windows into your body. If you open your eyes wide in wonder and belief, your body fills up with light. If you live squinty-eyed in greed and distrust, your body is a dank cellar. If you pull the blinds on your windows, what a dark life you will have!"
What you choose to look at can determine your focus in life.
One of the steps I have taken in simplicity starts at the mailbox. When I collect the mail I sort it into three categories: important (bills, letters), magazine subscriptions and junk (advertisements, catalogs, credit card offers, etc.). The junk never makes it into the house as it goes into the recycle bin. The important stuff gets sorted again into a box for me and one for my husband.
About the magazine subscriptions. I realized a couple of years ago that the magazines I was subscribing to were actually creating an unrealistic need for "things" in my life. Does my house need to look like a photo shoot for Better Homes and Gardens? Do I need to cook with exotic ingredients like Cooking Light suggests? And then there was Martha Stewart: Living. Talk about unrealistic expectations.
Popular Mechanics, PC World, Field and Stream, NASCAR Today (I made that up), Sports Illustrated, etc. I am quite sure men are guilty of eye-candy as well ----eye candy is anything that looks really good and temps us to want.
My solution was to subscribe to one magazine and rotate them each year. If you subscribe long enough, you see articles repeated --just how many ways can you really arrange pillows on your bed? And what child needs to sleep in a $500 crib? Will that radar really help you find the best fishing spot(or is that cheating?)?
We do subscribe to magazines and publications that have a Christian world-view and keep us in tune with what is going on in the real world. What is really cool are the conversations that come up around the articles we read. Much more stimulating than the latest trends in baby gear or home electronics.
Think about what you look at. What television shows do you watch? What kind of movies do watch? What kind of music do you listen to? What magazines and books are you reading?
Are you seeing with Kingdom eyes? Are your eyes discerning the difference between Kingdom Come and the material world?
What are you focused on?
Matthew 6:21 "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (NIV)
"The place where your treasure is, is the place you will most want to be, and end up being." (MSG)
Keep on keeping on....
Thursday, February 22, 2007
I have been thinking about what Simplicity is and is not. Over the next few posts I am going to draw from Richard Swenson's book "Margin: Restoring Emotional, Physical, Financial and Time Reserves to Overloaded Lives."
Since this is the season of Lent, I am going to begin with Freedom and Legalism. I think Lent is a time to remember the freedom Christ purchased for us on the cross with his very life. We are free and no longer tied to an impossible to achieve list of things we must be or do to be pleasing to God.
Here is what Swenson has to say:
It is Free- One of the key features of simplicity and, at the same time, one of its principle advantages is that it is a life of freedom. It is free from anxiety--about our reputations, our posessions, our tomorrows. It is being controlled by that which is life-giving and refusing to be controlled by what is destructive.
It is not Legalistic-Those who choose to live a simple lifestyle often set a standard of judgment for the lives of others. Such legalism does not liberate; it kills. It destroys the joy of both the accuser and the accused. The message of simple living is better spread by invitation than judgement.
Being controlled by what is life-giving.....better spread by invitation than judgement. Hmm.
Sometimes I get a little skewed on my motives for simplicity. I don't necessarily judge others. I judge myself instead. I feel guilt over my lifestyle or my access to resources. Then I remember that the One who is Life-Giving, my Jesus, is the One who has given these things to me. A lifestyle and resources that I do not deserve. And yet, I am blesssed. So will I choose to thank Him and praise Him for what he has done in my life or will I continue to run laps around the cross to prove I am worthy? Will I be more responsible with the blessings? Will I choose to be life-giving as Christ has given life to me?
"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows."
2 Cornithians 1:3-5
At the end of the day, I am reminded that I am "paid for" in Christ's work on the cross. And I keep on keeping on....
Since this is the season of Lent, I am going to begin with Freedom and Legalism. I think Lent is a time to remember the freedom Christ purchased for us on the cross with his very life. We are free and no longer tied to an impossible to achieve list of things we must be or do to be pleasing to God.
Here is what Swenson has to say:
It is Free- One of the key features of simplicity and, at the same time, one of its principle advantages is that it is a life of freedom. It is free from anxiety--about our reputations, our posessions, our tomorrows. It is being controlled by that which is life-giving and refusing to be controlled by what is destructive.
It is not Legalistic-Those who choose to live a simple lifestyle often set a standard of judgment for the lives of others. Such legalism does not liberate; it kills. It destroys the joy of both the accuser and the accused. The message of simple living is better spread by invitation than judgement.
Being controlled by what is life-giving.....better spread by invitation than judgement. Hmm.
Sometimes I get a little skewed on my motives for simplicity. I don't necessarily judge others. I judge myself instead. I feel guilt over my lifestyle or my access to resources. Then I remember that the One who is Life-Giving, my Jesus, is the One who has given these things to me. A lifestyle and resources that I do not deserve. And yet, I am blesssed. So will I choose to thank Him and praise Him for what he has done in my life or will I continue to run laps around the cross to prove I am worthy? Will I be more responsible with the blessings? Will I choose to be life-giving as Christ has given life to me?
"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows."
2 Cornithians 1:3-5
At the end of the day, I am reminded that I am "paid for" in Christ's work on the cross. And I keep on keeping on....
Saturday, February 17, 2007
"If you decide for God, living a life of God-worship, it follows that you don't fuss about what's on the table at mealtimes or whether the clothes on your closet are in fashion. There is far more to your life than the food you put in your stomach, more to your outer appearance than the clothes that hang on your body."
Matthew 6: 25 (The Message)
I know that blog discussions have focused on food and clothing previously but I this just came to my mind this week. Getting your mind wrapped around the idea of simplicity has to start somewhere and this was where I started.
If you are new to this blog you can start with food and clothing. If you are a regular reader, what progress have you made in these areas? Here is where I am right now. And at the end there is a point, so bear with me.
A year ago I began tracking my weekly grocery shopping. Every week, on a slip of scratch paper I made a list of things I needed. I realized that there were items I consistently shopped for: milk, bread, eggs, orange juice, cereal, meat, vegetables, etc. I also realized that we pretty much ate the same meals on a regular basis. I simplified my shopping and my meal planning by making a list of the items I buy consistently and put it into a Word file.
With the list already made, I print it out each week, place it on the frig and circle what we need. We can add items as needed. It helps me plan meals as well. I make sure we have chicken, beef and pork in the freezer so I can plan a meal around one of these. My basic meal plan is: Meat, starch (potato, rice or pasta), vegetable, salad and sometimes a fruit or dessert a couple of times a week. I have meals we like best and rotate them through the month.
Why is this part of simplicity? I know we will have something to eat on the table every night. I don't have to fuss or worry over what it will be. I just choose from what I have on hand. I do try new recipes now and then. I usually look for recipes that use what I have in the cupboard.
I have found that I actually spend less time in the grocery store because I know what I need. I spend less money because I get only what we need. I can attach coupons to the list and spend less there as well. At the bottom of each week's list I have a place to date and record the total of what I spent. I attach the receipts and record other purchases as well. When I have a plan, I shop less often and spend less money. I get to spend my time doing other things more worthwhile.
I applied the same principle to my wardrobe. When I worked full time I needed to dress in office attire. I spent a lot of time fussing over my clothes which made me rather nuts. At one point I was traveling weekly making calls to high schools as a college recruiter. I learned very quickly how to pack minimally for a week. Four blouses and two suits.This was a huge lesson in simplicity as I wanted to travel light. I also learned to pack a suitcase in 15 minutes!
The principle I have worked off of the last 20 years has been to find an item of clothing I like and buy more than one sometimes in a different color. Now that I am home full time I can scale way back on clothing. I live in jeans and khaki pants. I buy clothing that goes with more than one thing in my wardrobe and then mix and match. Sometimes it gets kind of humorous in the mornings "Gee, which solid color t-shirt will I wear with my jeans today?" I have a friend who wears mostly black. She never has to spend much time deciding what to wear in the morning as everything matches. With a simple wardrobe I spend less time deciding what to wear, what to buy and I shop less often.
With all that said, there is another issue to tackle here. It is the issue of choice and decision. Richard Swenson says in his book The Overload Syndrome: Learning to Live Within Your Limits, "So much of daily living is now involved with the making of trivial decisions based on [an] incredible profusion of choice." He gives several examples of the enormity of our choices: 184 choices of breakfast cereal, 250 kinds of toothpaste, 551 kinds of coffee, 1,000,000 titles from Barnes & Noble on-line (and growing).
Choice and decision. In the US we live in a culture of progress and as Swenson says, "Progress relentlessly results in choice. And choice requires decision." Then comes analysis. We have to know what we are chosing from and which one is the best choice for us. Not so simple anymore.
The remedy is to limit your choices. That's how my shopping list and my three pairs of khaki pants help me simplify my life. I have limited my choices on purpose. And you know what? I don't get bored by the routine. Why? because I have time to do the things I really want to do because I am not in the kitchen or the store for more than an hour at a time. The routine in one area of life gives me freedom in another.
What areas of your life could you put limits on choice right now? What routines do you have in your life that you really enjoy?
Keep on keeping on...
Matthew 6: 25 (The Message)
I know that blog discussions have focused on food and clothing previously but I this just came to my mind this week. Getting your mind wrapped around the idea of simplicity has to start somewhere and this was where I started.
If you are new to this blog you can start with food and clothing. If you are a regular reader, what progress have you made in these areas? Here is where I am right now. And at the end there is a point, so bear with me.
A year ago I began tracking my weekly grocery shopping. Every week, on a slip of scratch paper I made a list of things I needed. I realized that there were items I consistently shopped for: milk, bread, eggs, orange juice, cereal, meat, vegetables, etc. I also realized that we pretty much ate the same meals on a regular basis. I simplified my shopping and my meal planning by making a list of the items I buy consistently and put it into a Word file.
With the list already made, I print it out each week, place it on the frig and circle what we need. We can add items as needed. It helps me plan meals as well. I make sure we have chicken, beef and pork in the freezer so I can plan a meal around one of these. My basic meal plan is: Meat, starch (potato, rice or pasta), vegetable, salad and sometimes a fruit or dessert a couple of times a week. I have meals we like best and rotate them through the month.
Why is this part of simplicity? I know we will have something to eat on the table every night. I don't have to fuss or worry over what it will be. I just choose from what I have on hand. I do try new recipes now and then. I usually look for recipes that use what I have in the cupboard.
I have found that I actually spend less time in the grocery store because I know what I need. I spend less money because I get only what we need. I can attach coupons to the list and spend less there as well. At the bottom of each week's list I have a place to date and record the total of what I spent. I attach the receipts and record other purchases as well. When I have a plan, I shop less often and spend less money. I get to spend my time doing other things more worthwhile.
I applied the same principle to my wardrobe. When I worked full time I needed to dress in office attire. I spent a lot of time fussing over my clothes which made me rather nuts. At one point I was traveling weekly making calls to high schools as a college recruiter. I learned very quickly how to pack minimally for a week. Four blouses and two suits.This was a huge lesson in simplicity as I wanted to travel light. I also learned to pack a suitcase in 15 minutes!
The principle I have worked off of the last 20 years has been to find an item of clothing I like and buy more than one sometimes in a different color. Now that I am home full time I can scale way back on clothing. I live in jeans and khaki pants. I buy clothing that goes with more than one thing in my wardrobe and then mix and match. Sometimes it gets kind of humorous in the mornings "Gee, which solid color t-shirt will I wear with my jeans today?" I have a friend who wears mostly black. She never has to spend much time deciding what to wear in the morning as everything matches. With a simple wardrobe I spend less time deciding what to wear, what to buy and I shop less often.
With all that said, there is another issue to tackle here. It is the issue of choice and decision. Richard Swenson says in his book The Overload Syndrome: Learning to Live Within Your Limits, "So much of daily living is now involved with the making of trivial decisions based on [an] incredible profusion of choice." He gives several examples of the enormity of our choices: 184 choices of breakfast cereal, 250 kinds of toothpaste, 551 kinds of coffee, 1,000,000 titles from Barnes & Noble on-line (and growing).
Choice and decision. In the US we live in a culture of progress and as Swenson says, "Progress relentlessly results in choice. And choice requires decision." Then comes analysis. We have to know what we are chosing from and which one is the best choice for us. Not so simple anymore.
The remedy is to limit your choices. That's how my shopping list and my three pairs of khaki pants help me simplify my life. I have limited my choices on purpose. And you know what? I don't get bored by the routine. Why? because I have time to do the things I really want to do because I am not in the kitchen or the store for more than an hour at a time. The routine in one area of life gives me freedom in another.
What areas of your life could you put limits on choice right now? What routines do you have in your life that you really enjoy?
Keep on keeping on...
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