Simplicity through frugality

I have not always been frugal. Sometimes I get flashbacks to unnecessary spending and recognize that I would rather be $30 closer to my tiny house than have that pair of unworn pair of pants sitting in my closet. Over time I've come to realize that I can't always predict buyer's remorse. Sometimes I will wait a month to purchase an item only to regret it anyways. On other occasions I have made impulse buys that I continue to love, use, and appreciate today.

For me, simplicity and frugality go hand in hand. To live simply is to want less, to want less is to buy less, and to buy less is to live frugally. Frugality then becomes simplicity as well. A circle.

Here are some ways to bring both simplicity and frugality into your life:

1. Consider what role something will play in your life. Do you own an item already that could serve the same purpose?

2. Think about money in terms of future goals and experiences. "Is this kitchen gizmo better than lunch in a European cafe during my travels?"

3. Question your intentions. Do you want something because it would truly better your life or is it just something you feel you shouldn't pass up?

4. If in doubt, live without. A purchase can always be made in the future. For now, put the cash towards your future goals! For me that means it goes straight into the travel/tiny house fund.

Living frugally is an art form that I have not yet mastered. Last month on my travels to Taos, New Mexico I set a budget and stuck to it. hough that money was still spent on meaningful things, in the end it was still unnecessary purchasing. I tried to buy from places I wanted to support- free museums, local businesses, and people who were passionate about their craft. Though it's not always possible, I try to make my purchases speak to my way of life.

Contemplate this: what does the way you spend your money say about you and your values?

Enjoy today,

Addie 

Simple foods

Veggies. Spices. Smoked salmon. Oatmeal. Whole wheat. Banana. Grapefruit. Whole foods to remind me of the simple joys in the everyday- and the simple joy of making and sharing food with loved ones!

Enjoy today,

Addie

Enough: practicing my word in 2014

Last year my word was brave. How fitting, for a year of change and growing up. For 2014 I chose enough. As in, I am enough (inspiration from Brene Brown). In the past month and a half, I've been practicing the art of enough.

I say I am enough when...

• I've been busy all day... and then I go to bed at 8
• Eating healthy has been a priority... and then I have some chocolate
• I managed to get myself to the gym after a long day... and then I take it easy in my workout 
• All I've done is listen... so I sit in silence 
• I forget to floss my teeth 
• I'd like a nice, introvert-friendly evening of books and pens and tea
• Choosing to take care of myself is more appealing than another commitment 

I am enough

I am enough.

I am enough.

We are all enough.

Enjoy today,

Addie

The minimalist goes to college

I could not believe my eyes when I walked into Bed Bath & Beyond a few days before I moved into the dorms. "Dorm Essentials" filled every aisle. I learned that apparently a college freshman can't live without a personal blender or a multitude of beanbag chairs.

There I was, overwhelmed among the piles of stuff, wondering, what do I really need? For me, the answer was: things I can see myself using in the long-term. That ruled out the personal blender (I'll buy a real blender eventually) and the beanbag chairs (I hope my future home has real furniture not made of styrofoam "beans"). 

So, we started with the thrift stores. What could I get without the plastic smell of new stuff? As it turns out, a beautiful vintage bowl, quirky dishware, and a director's chair to name a few of my favorite purchases. 

Every time I picked something up I asked myself if I could see that item in my future home. If I couldn't make room for something in my future it had no place in my present. I think of my dorm room as a boxy and ill equipped tiny house which I want to fill only with intentional things. The money that I saved by shopping thrift can go towards my weekend trips to the farmer's market (on my spiffy new bike) and nights spent swing and blues dancing with my new friends. 

Of course, there were things I needed that we bought new. A high quality tea kettle, a mini-fridge (that will maybe have a place in my tiny house), a desk lamp, and a comforter were all purchased new. But, each of these items I see lasting a long time. I didn't buy an extra-long twin sheets (we luckily had those) because I only expect to live in the dorms for one year. I don't think that justifies buying a whole new set (or two) of sheets. I picked out a new bike that suits my commuter style better than the one I left in Washington. I plan on carting this one with me until it falls apart- and even then I might just have it welded back together. 

A few weeks ago I peddaled myself back out to Bed Bath & Beyond to return a few things. The first was a powerstrip. Certainly a "dorm essential" but I don't see it as too much of a challenge to reach down and switch chargers when necessary. The second was a clamp bed light. What future bed will I need to clip a lamp to? And I even brought my trusty headlamp all the way to Colorado and I might as well use it. 

College is when we gain the credentials to say things and have people really listen. I want to say that living simply is possible no matter the circumstances. Clip lamps and beanbags aside, let's focus on what we truly want to spend our time doing instead of what we want to spend our time buying. Live small to live large.

Enjoy today,

Addie

The minimalist goes to prom

Nobody loves getting dressed up more than I do but with prom season always comes the itch to buy new shoes, a dress, jewelry, fancy dinner, and spend hours obsessing over every stray hair. My goal for my senior prom was to stay as simple as I could so I wouldn't have to worry about anything but having fun.

The Dress:

I was super lucky to find this dress at a bridal outlet store in town. I loved the bones of the dress and had a few ideas how to make it perfect. With some tailoring it turned out just as I had imagined (see the photo on the right). I was going for classy yet original and I think I nailed it. This is one of those dresses that I would wear every day if I wouldn't get strange looks but the likelihood of my going to another formal occasion is slim to none. Since I love this dress more than any of my other semi-formal attire I already have, I'm planning on having it all shortened to semi-formal length and then purging my other shorter dresses. Win win!

The Accessories:

It's customary to have a corsage or boutonniere for a formal dance but that seemed like an added expense and throw-away token that my significant mister and I weren't really interested in. Since he wants to be a librarian I had made him a book boutonniere for homecoming in the fall and we decided to keep up the trend and have him wear it for prom as well. I wanted some sort of flower to match, so I made another one and hot glued it to a hair comb. These flowers held a lot of significance to us (more than store-bought ones would) and saved us a pretty penny to put towards our road trip this summer.

As for jewelry, I wore my usual rings (a gift from my grandma) and then decided to wear costume jewelry (earrings and a necklace) from my grammy to represent both sides of my family. I wore what I had and didn't need to buy a singe thing! My purse was also something of my grandma's that my mom lent to me since I don't have any formal bags. 

I've been really lucky to find three pairs of comfortable formal shoes in black, silver, and bronze. These three pairs have gotten me through almost all of my high school formal dances. They match everything and I never have to worry about finding a pair of shoes at the last minute. I'm keeping them until they fall apart (and since they're higher quality brands that is likely to be a while). 

The Hair & Makeup:

I spent a total of about 20 minutes on my hair and 4 minutes on my makeup. That's it. Simple as could be. On any given day, I usually wear no makeup. For prom I went all out with mascara, eyeliner, sheer eye shadow, and blush (all used in very small amounts). I even curled my hair before putting it up. I'm so glad I chose to stay simple because at the end of the night I looked about the same as at the beginning: mascara in place, dress not smudged with foundation, hair not a hairspray helmet. I felt comfortable staying natural and was more confident because I wasn't trying to be a made-up version of myself. 

The Totals:

What I bought:

• A dress
• A hair comb for my flower

What I re-used:

• Boutonniere from homecoming
• Shoes
• Earring & necklace
• Rings
• Purse

What I'm getting rid of:

• Multiple semi-formal dresses once I shorten this prom dress

How I felt

• Grateful
• Beautiful
• Loved
• Confident

I'm so glad I kept it simple. What a wonderful night :)

Enjoy today,

Addie

Tiny house inspiration of the week

Click the pictures for links

I'm loving this murphy desk- I'm hoping to DIY this one soon!

Adorable shelving.

A fold-up porch so I can take back the square footage normally used for a porch.

I'd love built in bench seating... maybe even a tiny booth

Enjoy today,

Addie

A box of clothes: gone

In my previous post My closet overfloweth, I told you all about my love-love relationship with clothes and my love-hate relationship with having lots of them. Though I enjoy having a full wardrobe with many choices, I recognize how much easier it is to get dressed in the morning when all I have are favorites. Every outfit makes me feel good and I never have blah days where I'm wearing something uncomfortable or something I just don't feel good in.

I do feel guilty about the clothes that sit in my closet hardly or never worn. So to them I say: it's not you, it's me. And then I send them on their way. I try to always buy quality clothes that will last, so what I get rid of often has quite a bit of life left in it. It's nice to know that though I didn't benefit from the long-lasting quality, someone else will.

Last time, I gave you a list of everything in my closet. This time, I give you a list of everything in the first box on its way out.

Box #1:

• 3 pairs of gloves
• 1 hat
• 1 pair of fuzzy socks
• 2 tank tops
• 1 pair of running shorts
• 1 sleeveless top
• 2 long sleeve tops
• 1 belt
• 1 old sports bra
• 1 pair of spanks (shorts to wear under skirts)
• 1 tankini top
• 1 bikini top
• 3 athletic t-shirts 
• 2 headscarves
• 1 bra

Grand total: 22 items

Updated closet total: 178 items

As of now, I'm not sure what my goal is. Ideally I'd like to reduce my clothes and shoes to 100 items, but college is getting in the way. While 100 items (or less) is completely doable in the mild Pacific Northwest climate, I have to account for cold and snowy winters in Colorado as well as really hot summers. For the next four years (minimum) I may have to keep a few extra items hanging around like the winter coat that I do not yet own since it really doesn't get cold enough here. I'll do my best to scale down as much as I can. Besides, I can only take to college what clothes will fit in a few suitcases. 

Enjoy today,

Addie

My closet overfloweth

After reading the book The 100 Thing Challenge and reading about Lina's 200 thing challenge I decided it was high time I tackled more of my stuff. I have already donated and given away much of my things during my last purge but I feel the need to clear out even more.

I vary from the norm of most young adults as my life dreams don't involve a large house or even an average house (about 2,300 square feet in the U.S.) and I don't have much desire to buy things. My generation seems to follow in the footsteps of the one before us by focusing on stuff. I have peers who go shopping every weekend but I can hardly remember the last time I bought something while shopping. I think it was at our farmer's market where I bought a baseball shirt with a tractor on it from the info booth. I'd been coveting that shirt since last spring when they ran out of my size.

Needless to say, I'm very picky about what I buy now. I didn't used to be, especially in middle school. But, I've grown to know my style and better be able to predict whether I'll actually wear something before I buy it. As a result, my wardrobe has reduced way down in size. Last weekend I did an official count and (counting socks and underwear as one each) found that I have 201 things just in my wardrobe. That sure sounds like a lot to me, especially when people are living with just 100 things by choice and often much less by necessity.

Here is my clothing breakdown:

• Undergarments- 11 items
• Accessories (not including jewelry)- 42
• Dresses (including formal)- 13
• Tops- 45
• Pants- 7
• Shorts- 6
• Skirts- 5
• Exercise clothes- 14
• Sweaters- 12
• Outer wear- 7
• Pajama- 11
• Swim wear- 8
• Shoes- 22

A few notes on the list above: I counted my exercise and regular black socks as one total item, but my knee socks as individual items because they are more like accessories. I did not count the amazing jacket that I "borrow" from my mom to bike in because it does belong to her and I'm "not allowed" to take it to college. I also did not count the sweater and sweatshirt that I have been long-term "borrowing" from my significant mister since they also do not truly belong to me and will be begrudgingly returned before I leave for college. 

So basically, I have too much. Who needs 45 tops or 12 sweaters or 21 pairs of shoes? I'm pretty sure I don't. Stay with me as I attempt to significantly pare down this list. It should be exciting. Anyone in the market for some clothes? I definitely  have enough to share. 

Enjoy today,

Addie

*Update: read about my first box of clothes out the door here

Feeling the love

As you know, a few weekends ago I visited Portland for a weekend of tiny house dreaming, scheming, and learning. There, I met lots of wonderful people who shared my passion for living tiny. One of those people is Lina, a graduate student in Portland who lived in the same tiny house that I visited and now lives in a yurt as she prepares to start her build.

I think Lina is super cool and she'll for sure be invited to the grand reveal of my tiny home in the future. She even has a blog (like me!) where she writes about living tiny. Visit it at This Is The Little Life for some great writing and inspiration!

While in Portland, Lina admired my etched mason jar that I use as a to-go drink container. I sent her one as a thank-you for the wonderful weekend and she wrote this glowing review of her new jar (and me too)! I'm definitely feeling the tiny house community love. She also wrote this post about the Portland workshop (I'm hiding in the back of the group picture!).

Lina's new jar!

I strongly recommend that you check out Lina's blog here, as it has become an instant favorite of mine. Also, if you would like to check out my jars (and maybe help fund my tiny house dreams!) visit my Etsy site here.

My jar at fancy hotel for my good friend's birthday. Making tea with the in-room coffee pot and using my jar cozy is one of my favorite things to do when away from home!

Lina also inspired me with her 200 things challenge to continue to tackle my stuff. I decided to start with my closet and discovered that I have 200 things just in my wardrobe (socks and underwear count as one each). Uh oh. Read more about my journey to pare down my wardrobe... coming soon! *Update: read about my great closet overhaul here

Enjoy today,
Addie

Why tiny?

There are people who love tiny houses, people who actually live in tiny houses, and people who just don't get it. Why live in such a tiny space? Something only 120 square feet plus a loft is about the size of my old bedroom, but that size seems just right to me. In this post I'll give my story; why I want to live tiny.

I'm not sure what got me obsessed, but I do know that I first found out about tiny homes from my parents. My dad had found Jay Shafer's tiny house online, and we couldn't stop talking about how cute it was.

From then on, tiny houses stayed in the back of my mind. It wasn't until a few years ago that my driven interest really began. After staying in Brittany Yunker's Bayside Bungalow for the weekend with my dad, tiny living seemed like it could become a reality.

From then on, I began to look at my things in a different way. Instead of shopping I began to get rid of things and be more mindful of what I brought into our home. Away went the junky souvenirs that gathered dust, the "stylish" clothes that really weren't my style and never would be, and the shelves of books from my childhood (don't worry, I kept my most favorites). I began to realize that the less things I had, the more I appreciated and valued my possessions. My room takes much less time to tidy and I'm rarely hunting for things to wear as my wardrobe is made up of just my favorites.

But tiny living isn't just about living with less things. To me, it promises a life of more freedom. Instead of becoming tied to a mortgage and having to commit to a full time job, I'll be able to work a job that I love even if it pays less. And, without debt hanging over my head, if I hate my job I might just be able to quit. This free time and monetary flexibility will hopefully allow me to create a life where I can volunteer, spend time with others, and devote time to my hobbies instead of setting them aside for retirement as many Americans do.

I must mention sustainability because it really is a great reason to build a tiny house. It uses less materials, energy, heating, water, and natural habitat than a normal home meaning it is certainly quite green. It will be a weight lifted off of my conscience. For me this is truly just an added bonus.

Tiny living is a lifestyle that I want to have and somewhat already do. You don't have to have a tiny house to live tiny. Take a minute to think about your water usage, your stuff, and your life to see where you can pare down. How can you simplify?

Find one way to live tiny and be sure to let me know how it goes. I hope that it brings you the same joy that it brings me. (I really do want to know. Comment on this post or send me an email because tiny living is all about community!)

Enjoy today,
Addie

Tiny house workshop weekend

I just had the best weekend. My parents (they're the best) signed me up for a tiny house workshop in Portland this weekend. We drove down Friday after work and I spent the weekend learning while my parents explored Portland. I can't cover everything in one post, but for now I'll focus on how I tried to make this weekend as eco-friendly as possible!

We really wanted to take the train to Portland. It's a five hour drive from Bellingham and it gets less exciting every time. Plus, that's a lot of gas. Unfortunately, the train schedule was horrible (one train a day) and we would have had to leave Friday morning. None of us could miss school or work, so we ended up driving.

Parking the bike in the room since our car was parked outside where it wouldn't be secure

When I picked the hotel, I wanted somewhere that was close to the workshop. I used google maps to find a close hotel and used the bike directions tool to make sure I could easily get there. It ended up being perfect! The hotel was on the edge of town (not within walking distance of much) but it was a few blocks away from a MAX line (tram). My lovely parents took the challenge and learned Portland's public transport to find their way downtown! Our car parked at the hotel when we got there and stayed until we were ready to leave (with a stop for a tiny house tour on the way).

A tight squeeze in the hotel elevator (and quite a few funny looks from strangers!)

The tiny house! More details on tiny homes to come :)

I'm really happy that I decided to take my bike. It got me moving twice a day which was nice since I was sitting in the workshop the rest of the time. I also had a good adventure trying to navigate around using the GPS on my phone and saw bits of Portland that I would never have noticed otherwise. I'm glad my parents tried out public transport and we were able to offset a tiny bit of the 10 hours of driving we did to get there and back.

If you are interested in tiny houses (even just curious!), here is the link to the company that I took the workshop with: http://padtinyhouses.com/

I'm excited to tell you more about my exciting weekend and all the inspiration I received!

Enjoy today,
Addie

Reorganization! (one of my favorite things)

I wanted a way to simplify this blog. All of the posts were jumbled together and each one had numerous different labels. After thinking about it for a while, I had a brain blast. Now, I am excited to introduce to you the new style of this blog.

Everything that I want this blog to be about can be summed up in four genres: healthy living, joyful living, creative living and simple living. Sometimes, posts may overlap multiple themes, but everything I write can be organized into at least one of these categories. 

At the top of this blog, you'll find tabs that take you to a page for each section. Each page contains all of the posts for this theme. 

These four categories represent the four focuses in my life. I can't wait to continue to share with you.

Enjoy today,

Addie

DIY: Stained tank to hand-stamped tank

I really don't like to throw things out, or buy new things when what I have is in good condition. So when I noticed a stain one of my basic camisole tank tops, and the white one at that, I figured I could do something to cover up the stain. This characteristic in me most definitely comes from my grandmother on my mom's side- she sews buttons on her shirts and pants to cover bleach stains.

This is my tutorial for the modern take on button-covered bleach stains.

Step 1: Acquire target stain.

 Step 2: Pick a design. I thought balloons might be nice, and they would make an interesting pattern peeking out from under a shirt or sweater. Cut the design out of craft foam sheets using scissors and/or an exacto knife. I bought the thickest foam for maximum stampability. Make sure you're aware of how your design will look when reversed, or put the "up" side against the wood of the stamp later if you want it to look just like it does now.

Step 3: Using thin hobby wood from your local home improvement store (sold in lovely pre-cut pieces like this one) measure how big you would like your stamp to be. Make sure your foam piece fits on the wood you are going to cut.

Step 4: Cut the wood! I used our hand crank clamp and a Japanese saw. After cutting, check and make sure you still have all ten fingers. Yes? Good, let's move on.

Step 5: Get out your handy-dandy glue (I used Gorilla Super Glue) and glue your stamp to the cut wood piece. Make sure you know which side of your stamp gets glued so you don't reverse your design.

 Step 6: Brush on fabric paint. I use a brush because it gives a uniform coat, unlike dipping it in paint which can leave blobs oozing where you don't want it.

Step 7: Test stamp on paper. This one is self explanatory, I think.

 Step 8: Begin stamping, reloading your stamp with paint each time. I put thick paper between the front and back of the top just in case the paint bled through. It didn't, but better safe than sorry.

 Step 9: Finish your design, making sure that you covered any stains (if that was your goal to begin with).

 Step 10: Add additional details with a paintbrush. I wanted my balloons to have strings, but then they needed something to attach to. So I painted a fence all the way around the top (including the back).

Step 11: Allow to dry as recommended on your paint bottle, wash as recommended, and wear!

I love how this tank top turned out. It looks cute on its own with yoga pants for a Pilates class (as shown above) or layered under a shirt for school. The only thing I had to buy for this project was the foam, everything else I had as leftovers from various projects. I've already used the leftover foam for a Valentine's Day project, stamping hearts onto the envelopes of Valentines for my friends.

I'm so happy to have saved a tank top from being tossed away and to have saved the stress of finding a new one (they don't carry them anymore where I bought it). I certainly love a project as well.

Enjoy today,
Addie

An un-stuffed holiday season

Save the stuffing for the dinner table. This year, I decided to go sans-stuff for the holidays.

I only have a small list of people on my holiday shopping list, but somehow I still stress out over the gifting season. I'm a bit of a gift perfectionist, so it usually takes me some time to come up with and find the (close to) perfect thing. The holiday season is a stressful time. Everyone and their best friends are out shopping and with finals and all I just don't have the time (or desire, really) to join them.

Solution? Make stuff! Last year it was candies (peanut butter cups, almond joys, caramels) and this year it was cookies. Giving batch-made gifts for the holidays allows me the time and money to give special gifts for birthdays. In my opinion, one great gift (and some cookies) a year is much better than two blah gifts. I'll give you a quick list of why making things is the way to go.

Top 5 reasons to make gifts:

1. It saves you money

2. It saves you time (everything done in one day)

3. It saves you stress (no crazy holiday shopping)

4. It fosters simplicity (who knows, your friend might have a few of whatever you're giving sitting around somewhere already)

5. Handmade gifts are made with love! Share your love!

And now some links to great gift diy projects (click photos for links):

How adorable?! And not too difficult to make (I know from experience)

Easy to follow tutorial. I've made myself two and my friend one! We love them!

The recipe I used for peanut butter cups- delicious!

Enjoy today,

Addie

To-do time

I always have that nagging list of to-dos. Put this away, call so-and-so, finish the laundry. Half the time, I think of something that I need to do and promptly forget it. So I came up with a genius (and never before thought of) idea of... a to-do list! (cue the oohs and ahhs)

But not only did I write my list, I titled my list "To-do Time". This is where it gets fancy. I figured if once or twice a week I set aside thirty minutes dedicated just to those pesky tasks on my list, I could get them done with the least amount of pain. 

So, this morning I set aside 7:30-8am as my to-do time. And instead, I ate breakfast and talked with my mom. I decided that though I need to get things done, those things shouldn't stand in the way of spending time with my favorite people (yes mom, you made the list!). 

I'll try again with scheduling some to-do time and let you know how it goes!

Enjoy today,

Addie

Simplicity is contagious

I have been continually paring down my belongings, and it seems to have caught on!

Over the years my mom had accumulated five mugs which she only uses during the holiday season. For the rest of the year they sit unused on a shelf. I had been encouraging her to get rid of some of them, but she insisted that they were important to her, and I didn't mention it again.

So, I was surprised to see her the other morning, putting most of her mugs in a box. I asked her what had changed, and she said that she realized that every morning she reaches for the same Christmas cup and that the others rarely get used. She made her own decision about simplicity.

What she decided to keep were her two favorite mugs, an old-fashioned Christmas mug and a simple Hanukkah mug. They are both important to her, not only because they are pretty but because they hold sentimental value.

What I learned from this is that simplicity cannot be forced. My mom's final decision to get rid of the cups is only strengthened by the fact that she made it without pressure from me. I am so enthusiastic about the joys of simple living that all I want to do is share my passion. Sometimes I am simple to the extreme (read about my future tiny home here) but I know that even the smallest act of simplifying can bring happiness. I hope that by striving to continually simplify my life I can inspire more people to find simplicity.

Enjoy today,

Addie

My 5 most important things

In my efforts to simplify my life, I have found that an absence of things leaves room for happiness. I have also found that with less physical objects to value, the value I place on "things" has grown. It's often said that the "best things in life aren't things" and I wholeheartedly agree.

My Top 5 "Things"

1. Family and Friends- they make me happy, I make them happy. It's (mostly) a circle of happiness!

2. Time- whether it's five minutes of tea drinking or half an hour of blog writing I love finding time to do the things that I enjoy and that make me happy.

3. Kindness- no matter who is being kind to who, it makes happiness on both sides.

4. Giving thanks- thinking of what I am thankful for helps me to realize what amazing things I might be missing out on every day. It helps me notice and appreciate the good things in my life.

5. Hugs- no explanation needed.

Try making your own top 5 list. I guarantee it will brighten your day as it has for mine.

Enjoy today,

Addie

A little something special

I've talked before about treating ourselves to small delights. (Read here about my pumpkin) Well, I've done it again! At the local farmer's market I was buying produce when I came across a vendor who was selling bags of walnuts in the shell.

They were so beautiful, I just had to buy them. I put them in a bowl on the kitchen counter, and they bring me a little bit of joy every time I see them. They are lovely, fun to crack, and they remind me of the bowl of nuts in the shell that sometimes sat in my grandmother's living room.

There is something about cracking open a nut. It's a bit of nostalgia for the days when nutcrackers were commonplace and "Walnut Pieces" didn't come in bags at the grocery store. The shell adds an element of simplicity, something I'm always looking for.

Finding simplicity and joy in unexpected things is one way I bring happiness into every day.

Enjoy today,

Addie

My future home!

The other day while I was on my run, I happened upon this trailer sitting in a lot in my neighborhood. This instantly made me think- tiny house! But how do a house and a trailer go together?

I can hardly even scrape the surface of the topic of tiny houses in one post, but today I'll at least get started. The Tiny House Movement is a group of people who decided that the constraints of the modern way of life were too much. By building a house on wheels, they can move wherever they want and can easily live debt free once the house is paid off. This lifestyle appeals to me, as unlike my peers I don't have the urge to constantly buy things. As you read before in this blog post, I have gotten rid of a lot of my stuff. The appeal of downsizing even more is compelling! I can't wait to build my own tiny house!

To read more about tiny homes visit this website!

Enjoy today,
Addie

The small things

During every fall for the last couple of years, I get a pumpkin. Not a big pumpkin, but one of the cute little baby sized ones. Last Saturday at our local farmer's market I picked out this year's pumpkin. It's little, and oddly shaped, with almost vertical sides and a reasonably flat top. I think it has personality. I bought it (or really, my lovely mom bought it for me) for a grand total of fifty cents- quite the bargain if you ask me! Lots of vendors at the market had beautiful bouquets of flowers, and the autumn arrangements are starting to appear. As much as I would love one of those, I appreciate even more my little pumpkin buddy that sits on my night stand. He'll last all season, requires no maintenance, and costs a fraction of a penny a day. I usually don't do seasonal "decor" in my room, but something little, like this pumpkin, is the perfect exception to the rule.  They say that waking up to flowers brightens your mood, but to me, a little pumpkin can do just the same.

I hope I have inspired you to find something simple to bring a little extra joy into your life every day!

Enjoy today,

Addie