On my approach to a "minimalist" lifestyle, my husband and I made a list of all the things that we are going to sell or donate throughout our house, garage and storage space. We also decided to give some of the proceeds from these sales to Winnipeg Harvest. Knowing that we are helping to feed families, while creating a more organized and serene living space for ourselves makes the process even better! It has also enabled us to part with things easier - the more we give away, the more food we can provide!
All of the re-usable bags that I have purchased at various stores over the past year (that have been sitting in my kitchen) have all been moved to our vehicles, so there is never an excuse to use a plastic bag again! (I just have to remember to reach for them as I am getting out of the vehicle to go shopping now...)
I found a "carbon footprint" website and entered in all the information of our household energy usage, vehicles usage, as well as flights, eating habits, shopping habits , etc. into a "carbon footprint" calculator and discovered that we output 18.38 metric tonnes of CO2 a year (currently)... The Canadian average is 20 metric tonnes, so we are not too bad, but the website that provides this calculator (you can find the link to it on my Twitter and Facebook) suggests that we should aim for 4-6 metric tonnes a year! The biggest one for our household and RSDR is vehicle usage... My husband commutes and I drive to client's properties, suppliers, distributors, marketing meetings, network events, JCI events and board meetings...the list goes on! So I know now that I need to purchase items that will help to offset the CO2 that is created from our driving, as that is not likely to change anytime soon, due to the nature of our work.
Learning more everyday!
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Friday, November 4, 2011
Minimalist Lifestyle???
A minimalist lifestyle sounds great to me - only the bare essentials, a space that is conducive to peace, order, thought and creativity.
The only problem I have is that I love stuff...I love pretty things, comfortable things, entertaining things, "wearing on your feet" things... And I have started a business where I have made it possible to accumulate more things - furniture, art, lamps, cushions, blankets, rugs, vases, bedding sets, beds...the list goes on... Don't get me wrong - it is not all out, cluttering up the place. Everything is neatly organized and incorporated in to actually "stage" the rooms we tend not to use as much.
You see, my husband and I believe in planning for the outcome we want - on this notion, we bought a 4 bedroom home when we moved to Manitoba, as we wanted to start filling these rooms with a couple of children, possibly a dog. Instead, these rooms are now filled with "things". A positive of our "familial delay" is that we haven't had to incur additional storage expenses when RSDR was started!
Along with all the positive aspects of our life - RSDR doing well and growing; my husband and I still laughing, supporting and having fun as we near our 5th anniversary; meeting new friends; being able to visit with "old" ones; getting involved in our new community...we have endured significant stress due to health issues, injuries, finances, fertility issues, and so on. We are at times, overwhelmed - a feeling I am sure that most people can relate to!
I have decided to strive for a more minimalist lifestyle in the upcoming months in order to bring a little more peace to our chaotic lives. Stay tuned as I share with you my plan as it unfolds. By sharing, my hope is that anything that works for me, may work for you as well!
PS - anyone out there that has achieved more peace through "minimalist" changes, please share your tips and experiences as I embark on this journey!
The only problem I have is that I love stuff...I love pretty things, comfortable things, entertaining things, "wearing on your feet" things... And I have started a business where I have made it possible to accumulate more things - furniture, art, lamps, cushions, blankets, rugs, vases, bedding sets, beds...the list goes on... Don't get me wrong - it is not all out, cluttering up the place. Everything is neatly organized and incorporated in to actually "stage" the rooms we tend not to use as much.
You see, my husband and I believe in planning for the outcome we want - on this notion, we bought a 4 bedroom home when we moved to Manitoba, as we wanted to start filling these rooms with a couple of children, possibly a dog. Instead, these rooms are now filled with "things". A positive of our "familial delay" is that we haven't had to incur additional storage expenses when RSDR was started!
Along with all the positive aspects of our life - RSDR doing well and growing; my husband and I still laughing, supporting and having fun as we near our 5th anniversary; meeting new friends; being able to visit with "old" ones; getting involved in our new community...we have endured significant stress due to health issues, injuries, finances, fertility issues, and so on. We are at times, overwhelmed - a feeling I am sure that most people can relate to!
I have decided to strive for a more minimalist lifestyle in the upcoming months in order to bring a little more peace to our chaotic lives. Stay tuned as I share with you my plan as it unfolds. By sharing, my hope is that anything that works for me, may work for you as well!
PS - anyone out there that has achieved more peace through "minimalist" changes, please share your tips and experiences as I embark on this journey!
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