Maximum Gratitude, Minimal Stuff

Do you ever wonder if you're doing minimalism the "right" way?  Maybe you cleaned out your closets and your junk drawers, got rid of the china cabinet and the extra TVs, but then a few days later you bought some new clothes or books. Or maybe you've streamlined your budget and paid off almost all of your debt, but now you're thinking the money you've put into your emergency savings account could pay for your dream trip to New Zealand. And maybe you stay home with your family most week nights, and you've cut your involvement in extra meetings and activities that no longer excite you, but each weekend seems to have a church responsibility, another job you want to finish in your fixer-upper home, and/or a get-together of some kind. Are you really a minimalist? What minimalism is Minimalism isn't about getting rid of everything you own or living like a monk in a cave.  It's about getting back to basics, keeping only what you need, use, and love, and en...

At some point, most of us will relocate.  After all, the average American can expect to move 11.7 times during their lifetime.  That sounds about right to me – I've lived in 15 places over the past 60 years, ten of them since graduating college, in two different states and six communities, ranging from leafy suburbia to densely populated urban areas to a small old town surrounded by rice fields, with a population less than 5,000. And each time I've moved, my family has packed up more possessions than I imagined we owned.  Beds, tables, chairs, rugs, dishes, bicycles, books, and more books.  It would be easier to sell, give away, or even set fire to all of that stuff, and start over from scratch. But I've never done that, so the carefully packed and stacked items have been carried out of each old home and into each new one in order to be arranged, organized, and stored away.  Each item that finds a spot in the new place helps re-create a sense of familiarity and ...

When I was growing up, the question asked about many purchases was "Can we afford this?"  That's really the only criterion I remember being considered.  And if there was enough money in the piggy bank or checking account, or enough room on the credit card, the answer was "yes." And so the purchase was made. How we justify our whims Now, I'm not suggesting that this question should never be asked.  Of course it's important to use funds wisely and stay within a budget.  But this question only came up when the purchase being contemplated was something extra.  We didn't ask it about groceries, gas, or laundry detergent. No, those aren't the kinds of purchases we need to justify, and so they aren't the purchases we question.  "Can we afford it?" is a question for that thing we just saw and decided we want.  It's the question we ask about a piece of clothing we don't absolutely need, or a tchotchke for the house, or a leisure acti...

Lifestyle inflation is when your income goes up and your lifestyle follows right along.  So when you get a raise, you don't use it to pay down debt, save more for education or retirement or your dream vacation, or give more to those who struggle to get just the basics.  No .  When you get a raise, you enlarge your cost of living.  You buy a bigger house or a fancier car, you upgrade your electronics, you splurge on designer clothes, or you increase your personal maintenance costs (read: salon, spa, and personal trainer services). After all, you worked hard for that promotion and you deserve all those treats. Most of us do this.  My husband and I did it back in the day.  Within months after he signed his first public school teaching contract (effectively doubling his salary from the small church school in which he'd started his career), we had bought a house (borrowing the down payment), leased a new and larger car, bought new furniture, and started eating i...

January.  For many of us it's the grayest month.  Holiday lights and dazzle have been put away and we're left with rain, snow, sleet, fog, leafless trees, and early darkness. Make time for something a bit cozier!  Cozy, as an adjective, is defined as "affording warmth and ease" and "marked by or providing contentment and comfort."  Of course, that can mean candles, a fire, and cuddly slippers.  It can mean your favorite chair and a mug of hot tea or cocoa.  And it can mean a good story that lets you forget about your to-do list and immerse yourself in another world. Here they are – my favorite cozy reads, from mysteries to fantasy to historical fiction and more.  I hope you'll find something you enjoy. * This blog is powered by reader support, with NO ADS.  If you buy through my links, I may earn a small commission. 1.  The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society Yes, it's a strange title, but a charming novel.  Set in the aftermat...

Because we so often talk about coziness at home when we talk about hygge (the Danish concept of comfort, contentment, and belonging), it might seem like the office is the last place you could experience it.  Fortunately, that's not true.  It's possible to create more hygge at work, just as you do in other parts of your life, and the benefits are far-reaching. Let's not forget that hygge isn't just about firesides, warm blankets, and hot cocoa.  These fundamentals are also important to a hygge lifestyle: Presence – being mindful and aware of our surroundings and the people we're with; participating with focus Well-being – a feeling of relaxation and self-care through a slower pace and a bit of pampering Connection – strengthening relationships with family, friends, and even strangers through a sense of community and belonging Ambience – a feeling of warmth, welcome, and pleasure Simplicity – finding joy and fulfillment in basic daily occurrences such as a hot cu...

Did your mom or grandma teach you how to patch the knees of your jeans or how to make a yummy quick cake with just two eggs?  (My mother's recipe for what she called Lazy Daisy Cake came from her grandmother.)  Did your dad or grandpa teach you how to change the oil in your car, or let you help build a fence?  (My dad let me mix the cement to anchor the posts.) A heritage of skill My parents and grandparents had all sorts of knowledge I don't have, though none of them graduated from university.  None of my four grandparents had the opportunity to go to high school, and my dad had a total of three years of schooling before he began tutoring math at a private school in his town .  He and my mom each completed about two years of college before they had to quit and go to work.  My grandfather drove heavy equipment and taught himself surveying so he could level farmland and lay irrigation systems.  He also hunted and fished, could repair cars, guns, roofs ...