plastic-free is the way to be!

...and I continue with simplifying my life. Yet, over the past month it seems that some parts of my life have become a little more complex, but all for the better I assure you.

I started with cleaning out cupboards, dressers, and closets, feeling good about the lack of "stuff" that was now occupying (or not occupying) my living space. I've been wearing the same 32 clothing items and have yet to feel bored with my wardrobe. Getting dressed in the morning has become such a simple practice. Everything was being reduced, and I was feeling good. Then, I opened up my fridge now turned pandora's box. 

My sweetheart and I watched a documentary called "Tapped". This was a film about the bottled water industry. I had no idea about the absolute outrageousness that this industry represents. Blew my mind, to say the least. One of the main points that stood out to me was the amount of chemicals that seep into the water from the plastic bottles, and the fact that we put those chemicals straight into our bodies. This led to the next thought of "how many foods do I consume that come wrapped in some sort of plastic container?" My sweetheart and I talked it over, and decided to make a vow to reduce our consumption of all things plastic. We implemented our no-plastic rule about 3 weeks ago. It's been a really fun challenge. We used to pop into the grocery store to pick up a few items and be out within 10 minutes. Now we can easily spend an hour. We've really become conscious of every purchase that we make. I have never been one to look on the ingredients list on the back of a food item, but now it's become a nearly religious practice.

I think living minimalistically follows the practice of eco-friendly living very naturally. Listening to the needs of your body, of your planet, learning what is really good or bad for ourselves and for the earth. My focus has really been pushing me in a new direction. I've started to develop an obsession over what can I do myself that will make the least amount of impact on my body and the planet Thoughts of homemade soaps, handmade clothes, veggies straight from the garden in the backyard, recycled/reused everything. 

I am so enthusiastic about this path and where it may lead me.

Until next time.

a more minimal me,

Jordan. 

p.s. Here is a link to the Plastic-Free Living Guide. This is a woman who buys absolutely no kind of new plastic. My sweetheart and I have not reached this level of plastic-free living but we are certainly striving! 

Plasitc-Free Living Guide

consumer is NOT my middle name

My dear friend Stephanie in Arizona sent me an email the other day. She gave me some really encouraging words concerning this blog, and also some suggestions/recommendations. Stephanie insisted that I needed to watch a documentary entitled "No Impact Man" saying that I could get a lot of inspiration from it in concerns to my attempts at living more minimally. My sweetheart and I curled up on the couch yesterday and watched this documentary. Stephanie was most certainly right about the inspiration!

Colin Beavan (no impact man) and his wife and daughter living in New York City, decide to go for a year without creating any impact on the environment. This includes not producing any trash, not using any kind of gas-powered transportation, and even giving up the electricity in their New York City apartment. It was a MAJOR change for their family, but, they did it! Not only did they live without all of these things in their life, but they learned to love it. It's a wonderful movie and I would HIGHLY suggest you watching it! For more information: www.noimpactman.com

Now these past 2 days I have really been thinking deeper into what it means for me to live a more minimal life. A word that has came up time and time again: consumer. So many times in my life I have heard (mostly from the news/government) Americans referred to as consumers. Like the only purpose we serve in this country is to consume, to buy. I turn on the television and every commercial is an attempt to get me off of my couch, into the mall, and coming home with clothes, gadgets, knick-knacks and trinkets that will make my life better. Is this really the role I am destined to play in society? Am I just a wallet, dishing out money in exchange for happiness? I don't want to be a consumer anymore. I don't want to play this game. Leave all of the malls and buying and consuming to someone else, I'm done with it. I want to be recognized as a creative, playful, positive, and happy human being.

My sweetheart and I had a long talk about this. How blessed I am to have such a loving person in my life who feels the same way. We have started to ask ourselves, as a couple, some new questions. Can we live in a way that is simpler? Can we figure out the things in our life that are necessity, and can we get rid of all of the rest? Can we not only remain happy, but find a deeper happiness in having less?

I walked into the bathroom this afternoon and found him totally emptying out our medicine cabinet. He said to me, "you know, we don't need half the stuff in here!" With that remark, I knew that we are on the same page, turning over into a new chapter of our lives and our relationship.

I'm not quite sure what the opposite of consumer is, but here's to being that! Here's to wearing my underwear until they have holes!

a more minimal me,
Jordan

counting clothes

I woke up this morning and put on some water to boil for my morning cup of green tea. I tripped over the cat, and walked over to the closet to find something to wear for the day. When I opened up the closet door and peered in at all of my clothes crammed inside, it dawned on me that I have TOO many clothes. I think I need to state again that I have WAY too many clothes. Why?

I am just one man. Why do I have enough clothes for at least four? I think maybe consumerism has got the best of me over the past few years. Like most Americans, I have always felt the need to keep my look fresh and new. I can't tell you how many pairs of shoes I have absolutely "needed". My look just could not have been complete without them. I felt that as with every change of the season, my wardrobe also needed to change. This led to the purchase of more and more clothes. This might explain why my closet was crammed from wall to wall and why the drawers in my dresser could barely close shut. 

I decided to do something about it today. I piled all of my clothes onto the floor and started getting rid of as much as I could. This may sound incredibly painful, but once I got started, it actually became kind of a challenge to myself. How many of these garments could I get rid of without absolutely dying? As I tossed t-shirts, pants, sweaters, and coats into a bag (which I will be dropping off at the local Salvation Army in the morning) I started to really feel good about what I was doing. I had never known how many clothes I actually owned. There were some things that I haven't worn in years. Why were those garments still taking up space in my life? 

I can now proudly say that I only own 32 garments (not including socks and underwear, that'll be next weeks adventure). Even as I write this, I feel that I could actually give away a few more. That feels really really good. My closet is much more spacious and I can actually close my dresser drawers. Who would have thought? 

So now I challenge myself to rethink my wardrobe. I challenge myself to count my clothes. I challenge myself to not be so concerned about keeping up with the latest trends and to work with what I have. I have the perfect outfit for any occasion, and I can mix and match to come up with any look that I need. Did I mention that my dresser drawers close all the way? 

In his book "Walden", Henry David Thoreau talks about clothing as a necessity for humans. He says that clothing is solely for the purpose of keeping in the vital heat that humans create. As a fashion-driven culture, we have give so many meanings to clothing other than that of bare necessity. I won't lie and say that I am not a fashion junkie, but I think that a lot of the importance given to what people wear has gotten down-right crazy. Dare we worry less about the pieces of fabric wrapped around our naked bodies, but instead focus on the words and actions that emanate from ourselves? I know that I will certainly try. 

Happy new years. May all good and wonderful things come your way!

a more minimal me,

Jordan

New Years Resolutions.

I can't even begin to count the amount of New Years resolutions I have made in the 22 years of my time on this earth. I can't recall a single one that I have been able to actually keep. Heck, this past couple of years I haven't even bothered. As the days have been counting down to the passing of 2010, I have had a strong urge to make some changes in my life for this coming year. A New Years resolution possibly? Maybe so.

In the past couple of months, I've really been pushing myself too hard. Work, work, work, eat, sleep, work. When being caught up in the rat race of American life is something that I have so despised, here I was running on that very wheel. Pushing myself to the verge of a mental breakdown, I realized, "Hey! Slow down for a second! Where is the happiness in all of this madness that you are putting yourself through?" And with that thought, the natural follower was, "What can be done to change this pace?"

Looking back on all of the failed resolutions that I have made, there is a common thread that runs between them all: adding/doing/being something more. I've always thought that maybe my life could be improved if I am more studious, more successful, had more money, did more activites, etc. Having seen all of those ambitions fall by the wayside, maybe a different approach should be taken in order to make my own life a little more joyful and pleasant. How about instead of adding/doing/being more, I instead try to take away/simplify/minimalize my life?

Having just moved to Louisville, KY I have gone through an ungodly amount of boxes and clutter that I have been carrying around with me for years; old pictures of bygone lovers, movie stubs, clothes that I would never even consider wearing anymore, and just flat out random junk. I reached a point in which I decided to just get rid of all of it. The pile of things to be recycled/given away was like a small mountain sitting in my apartment! Why have I been holding on to these things for so long?! I can't even begin to explain the simple joy that I felt in getting rid of all of this stuff. What a weight (literally, a LOT of weight) was lifted off of me. I didn't need those silly movie tickets from 5 years ago to stay stored away deep in my closet for those memories to still be there. I didn't need to have pictures of that ex that treated me like dirt; why did I ever allow myself to keep looking at those pictures? Throw it all away! (into the recycling bin of course)

This leads me to wonder, what other areas in my life, inner and outer, could I refine to less. How many times have I heard someone say "less is more". Maybe this old addage really does have some deep truth to it. And so, I am going to dedicate this next year in pursuing a more simple, and minimal life. I know that this can be applied on so many levels of my life, and I seek to apply to as many nooks and crannies of my existence as I can find. If at the end of the year my wardrobe consists of a pair of jeans and a white t-shirt, then so be it.

I am starting this blog to really help me delve into and understand the parts of myself and my life that have just been filled with too much clutter. Maybe in writing this, I will find others who are on the same path. Encouragement is the greatest motivation to push forward, or in this case, encouragement is the greatest motivation to just lay back and relax, take a bubble bath, and read a favorite book.

May this new year be filled with wonderful things for all.

a more minimal me,
Jordan.