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