January 2011 Minimalist Lifestyle Update
Time to Put the Kettle On
It’s a good time to make a cuppa tea, cut another slice of leftover Plum Pudding, and take a look at what I’m going to be doing in the coming days and weeks.
First, there’s Phase II of Project 333, which runs from this month to the end of March. I’ve kept most of my wardrobe from Phase I, except for certain pieces which were structured as opposed to “swoopy.” I found myself longing for softer fabrics and softer lines, so I moved out the jeans jacket, the menswear vest, two boyish v-neck sweaters, etc., and moved in squooshy soft sweaters in their place. A couple of them are white, which looks way better against my face than black or tan. Kept the scarves and the jeans, and I’d already swapped my ruana for a heavy coat. The one rule I’m breaking regards counting the sunglasses, which are a medical necessity for me and not a fashion item. I added an extra tee in its place, because I really need extra layers to keep warm enough in the winter.
Next there’s The Great Fitness Challenge at Goodlife Zen. Mary Jaksch did an 8-Week fitness challenge last fall to great success, and the timing of this new one was a better fit for me. I am greatly encouraged to see so many mid-life participants and people who claim to be even more out of shape than myself! Does that make me a terrible person? Anyway, if group support is something you’d like to have during your own efforts to get fit, head on over to Goodlife Zen and sign on.
Tai Chi: there’s a class for seniors not far from my house, and the price is right–free for a $30/year membership. I’ve taken it before, but it got too expensive. Now I’m old enough to benefit from the seniors’ price. On one hand this is very depressing. On the other, what the hell–it makes the difference between doing it and not doing it!
Diet: there’s something called The Anti-Inflammatory Diet, which basically avoids refined flours and sugars, and goes heavier on foods with a lighter inflammatory rating. There are several books which cover the topic, and there’s a handy Food Pyramid as well. I have a couple forms of arthritis and I’m naturally interested in anything to calm it down without hitting the drugs. Now anyone that knows me knows I love my bread and baked goods and I have a formidable sweet tooth, so doing without my favs is going to require saintly willpower. I plan to be strict during the working week and more relaxed on weekends. If this plan helps me lose 5-10 pounds it’ll be a bonus.
Unplugged Weekends: working at home tends to make the days all seem alike, and a married couple both working at home makes it even worse. Our mutual sanity demands a regular shift in routine, so we are making weekends relatively unplugged. It starts late Friday afternoon with housework and the weekly grocery run, moves into Saturday mornings at the local diner for coffee (inexpensive change of scenery), and then on to whatever needs doing. Sundays we’ll try to reserve for just ourselves.
Writing Life: this month I’ll see how my schedule works when I unplug on weekends. I’ve got a couple of paid writing projects on the go, as well, and it will be interesting to see how it all works out. More on this as it develops. I have also promised myself to create and About page. About time, hmm?
Mindfulness: Of note is One Powerful Word at Sandra Lee’s Always Well Within. I’ve chosen Money as my word, but not just for obvious reasons. I really want to change my relationship to money and finances, as part of Right Livelihood. Money has always had negative connotations for me, when it should be neutral, something that just flows in and out as part of a balanced life. Thanks to Sandra for this new twist on making resolutions.
Minimalist Miscellany: after a few months the no-poo thing is so-so, and I may have to return to some kind of shampoo. Tried Dr. Bronner’s, and it isn’t bad, but it isn’t great, and reminds me too much of the soap in the dispensers in elementary school, which is not a particularly soothing recollection. I will shop around for something which pleases my scalp, my nose, and my wallet.
That’s my teatime update. What’s yours?
40 Responses to “January 2011 Minimalist Lifestyle Update”
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Meg,
I enjoyed your update immensely! I love the cozy settle in with a cup of tea atmosphere. I relate to so many of your upcoming activities. I’m thinking about joining Mary’s fitness forum too. I can also really relate to the idea of unplugged weekends – there’s two obsessed plugged-in folks here too – but I don’t know how far I will go with that.
I’ve been washing my hair with bar soap so I am returning to poo too. The Dr. Bronner’s doesn’t sound too appealing from your description, but that’s the one I have for now – unscented baby mild liquid soap. I’m sensitive to the fragrant ones. Still soap not poo, but moving in that direction.
Thanks for the cozy update and the link luv. I think you’ve got a great approach to your 2011 word – money. I wishing you a beautiful and perfectly balanced inflow.
Sandra Lee recently posted..Is a Lack of Forgiveness Holding You Back
Thank you very much for the idea and the wishes, Sandra! We’re going to do Unplugging Lite–reading and commenting are okay, but not actual researching and writing articles or posts. Emails aren’t a problem, and neither of us is big on Twitter or Facebook, so I think we’ll be okay. Hope you guys can work something out, too
Meg, reading this cheery post made me feel like I was sipping a cup of herbal tea with you and sharing a wonderful conversation.
It looks like you’ve got some terrific things planned for the next few months. While I have not tried the no poo, I have given up facial soap. I use oatmeal followed by an apple cider vinegar toner in the morning, and grapeseed oil in the evening. It’s been several months, and, so far, so good
Christianna Pierce recently posted..New Year Mind Map and Freebie
Hi Christianna! I’ve used baking soda to wash my hair, and in doing so discovered that it makes a good face scrub, too, and one that doesn’t burn the eyes. There’s something about the pH that works well on my skin, although it can be a bit drying. Oatmeal and apple cider sound like a winner, and I will give it a try.
I forgot to mention the importance of diluting the apple cider vinegar with filtered water. A ratio of 1 part vinegar to two parts water seems to work well, but this will depend on an individual’s particular skin type. Also, I pulverize the oatmeal in a coffee grinder to get it to a nice, powdery consistency prior to use, but this is not absolutely necessary…
I’ll try the baking soda facial scrub. Is there anything baking soda and vinegar cannot accomplish?!?
Christianna Pierce recently posted..New Year Mind Map and Freebie
Oh thank you very much for the details, that will make all the difference in the world!
Hey Meg,
Everything sounds great. I’m looking forward to seeing where all this takes you. The new year is starting off pretty great so far, had an awesome birthday and getting ready to do some new experiments soon.
I’ve also stopped washing my hair with shampoo or soap for almost a year now. I’ve enjoyed it. It feels a little oily to me while it’s wet but as soon as it dries it feels fine. I love it.
Thanks for the update, and I love the picture at the top!
~Scott
Scott Kostolni recently posted..How To Celebrate Your 25th Birthday With The Whole World
Happy Birthday, Scott! I’m looking forward to reading about your upcoming experiments. 25 is a great age–no limits!!!
hi meg,
i had no idea project 333 went on longer than 3 months. i will go over there this instant and check out what is going on. i’m v excited about it b/c the last 3 months went by so smoothly for me. while i was on vacation in utah the only shampoo available (i forgot to pack mine) was Pert. i have not used Pert since i was v young, it reminded me of Prell. Remember Prell? anyway, my hair was so soft and shiny i could not believe it. from what i understand it is incredibly cheap too.
so now i’m off to check out 333. thanks as always for your awesome inspiration.
xo
janet
Hi Janet–oh yes, I remember Prell, hahaha! The last time I bought it was for my son when he had to fly to Europe about ten years ago and Prell was the only shampoo I could find that still came in a tube. Found a bottle of store-brand Pert-type shampoo for something like 99 cents and darn if it isn’t the best thing yet. Of course, it defeats the point of trying to avoid detergents and weird chemicals :p
Ahhhh, tea time with you is such a pleasure!
Re: No shampoo, I hear you. Bronner’s together with baking soda works very well for me. I appreciate the lather. But sometimes I long for the sweeter smell of a scented shampoo. Old habits die hard.
Two egg yolks w/a drop of cider vinegar make a good protein shampoo.
Happy New Year, Meg!
Daphne DeLaurier recently posted..Happy New Year One and All!
Hi Daphne
Now I know what to do with the extra egg yolks that one shouldn’t eat on that diet! I’m with you on the smell of shampoo, though….
Happy New Year!
I had mixed results with no-poo until I discovered, quite by accident, that adding sweet orange essential oil (which is, by the way, very inexpensive for an essential oil) to my vinegar rinse provided better conditioning and a nice, pleasant, fresh smell. I still use a very diluted mixture of baking soda and water only (rather than a thick paste) around my hairline and part to do the cleansing.
Hi Sarah–that’s interesting about the sweet orange oil. It’s a scent I love so I just might give it a go. Thanks for the suggestion
Always wonderful posts. I also have a special routine for the weekends, like your Unplugged Weekends. I have a No Chore On The Weekend rule. I time my laundry and house cleaning to occur in spurts during the week. So that the weekends are all about relaxing. I did a post about it recently.
What kind of paid writing projects do you do?
Marc Morgan recently posted..My 2011 New Year’s Resolutions
Hi Marc–I used to do the no chores thing on weekends, but to be honest there’s not enough to do on weekends around here unless we just want to work some more. House cleaning is rarely heavy now that we’ve uncluttered so much, so it goes fast. If you have loads of fun on weekends I envy you!
The writing projects are ebooks, blog posts for others, and articles. I’m still a newbie on the for-pay side of things, though!
Hi Meg–I enjoyed your update! I may also check out the project 333 and the Fitness Challenge at GoodlifeZen. My clothes have been pared down to very few. I really want to start yoga again in a few weeks. I love your red kettle–I have a red one too. Congratulations on your paid writing projects. This is an area I would like to get into in the coming year. Thanks for the great update! I wish you all the best with your projects!
Beth recently posted..Minimalist Move- Before
Hi Beth–glad to know there’s another red kettle gal out there ;D Best of luck on your move to the new apartment and new neighborhood. That’s so cool to have a new place at the start of a new year!
Nice post. I’m off to check out a few of your links. I like the unplugged weekend idea. I work out of my home as well, in a spare bedroom upstairs. I have a laptop downstairs that I tend to turn on as soon as I’m “done working” and I tend to have it on a lot during the weekend as well. The last few weeks I’ve tried leaving it off on the weekends except to check email twice a day. I do have separate emails set up for newsletters and subscriptions and do NOT have that email account checked on the laptop, which means I’m at least only getting things actually addressed to me. I might try an unplugged weekend… I like the idea.
Ellen @ cheapcooking.com recently posted..Menu Planning- Make Your Life Simpler
Hi Ellen–I used to do the upstairs, downstairs computer thing at our last house, and it got old. Now I do everything exclusively on one laptop. Which is getting old, too. Time to do something non-electronic!
I enjoyed a morning cup of coffee while I read this. Does that count? I hadn’t seen the Fitness Challenge and since I’m working out what I plan to do for exercise this year, I’ll go check that out. Thanks!
Because my hubby has so many allergies, we have to be very careful about shampoos, etc. We’ve found the shampoos at Trader Joe’s to be inexpensive, low on allergens and effective in keeping our hair clean and shiny.
Willow recently posted..Hopes and Goals
Hi Willow!! Oooooh I have Trader Joe’s envy! The nearest one is a stressful hour’s drive away in downtown Chicago. Sometimes my friend who works in Chicago picks up a little something for us from there when she goes.
We should egg each other on with the exercise, hmmm? ;D
Meg, So glad you are continuing with Project 333. It has become more than a project and turned into a lifestyle shift for me. Let me know how things go with your Anti-inflammatory diet. I think it makes a lot of sense, especially for auto-immune conditions.
Happy New Year my friend!
Hi Courtney and happy new year! Project 333 really did something to my brain and my lifestyle, too. One of these days when I do decide to replace some wardrobe items, I’ll know exactly what I want and why. I will also be posting on the diet effects, if there’s anything to report
Hi Meg!
I love the red teakettle! I wanted one like it for Christmas and couldn’t find one, and ended up with one that is so-so.
I enjoyed your updates on what is going on in your life. I am working hard to make exercise a habit (since November) I think I will go over to Goodlife Zen and check them out Mary’s challenge!
I am also doing a “challenge” on my blog, it is an 8 week Journey to Balance, I’d love to have you pop over and check it out!
Happy new Year!
Bernice
Living the Balanced Life recently posted..8 week Journey to Balance begins January 2!
Hi Bernice–thanks for the heads-up for the 8 Week Journey. I’ve gone and signed up and am looking forward to experiencing it!
Readers–click on Bernice’s link in her comment above and it will take you to her site. Her 8 Week Journey is free when you are subscribed to her blog.
No poo! I hadn’t caught your original post where you must have mentioned going shampoo free so this one threw me for a loop! But only for a moment. My honey tried the no shampoo thing for a few months. It didn’t quite work out for his long, luxurious locks (How does a guy get a great head of hair and I get saddled with mine anyways. Is there no justice in the world?)
Anyways he’s back on shampoo and conditioner now. I think the no shampoo thing works out best for folks who have very dry hair. That’s what two of my friends who do the no shampoo thing have. For me it would be a nightmare! I tend to go oily and I can only imagine.
Loved the post Meg! Enjoy your swooshy sweaters and those weekends off.
Cheers,
Tanja
Hi Tanja–yep, no-poo! My hair is oily at the scalp but thinning rapidly and tends to be dry at the ends, a real mixed old bag, just like the rest of me ;D There are so many suggestions in the comments, though, that I am going to give them all a go and maybe come up with a good compromise!
(The first weekend off was GREAT and am wearing a swoopy sweater as I type this!)
Meg, I love to see what folks have going on in life, and sounds like you have some good stuff planned. I’ve been thinking about cutting back on the refined flours and sugars as well, but haven’t had the will power to make it happen yet. I’m looking forward to another great year and I look forward to hearing how all these plans work out.
Freedom | Rethinking the Dream recently posted..The Big Purge – Garage Tools
Hi Freedom–so far so good on the flour and sugar cutback! I’ve been eating an apple in the evenings, about halfway between dinner and bedtime. That’s been a big help in tamping down my sweet tooth
Happy New Year!
flip-flop guy here bringing ultra-cool to minimalism. It is all about happiness. Stuff doesn’t make me happy except my flippie-floppies. Enjoying your time that matters. I enjoyed reading your blog .
I’ve been a minimalist and enjoy my life and don’t let society dictate my happiness cause flip-flop guy is ultra-cool.
This is so Weekend at Bernie’s that I’m looking around for the zombie ;D You’re funny!
Hi Meg
It seems a lot of people are trying the no shampoo thing lately. I’m not willing to give it up myself but I am willing to try something more natural. I just ordered some handmade bar shampoo which is not super expensive – cheaper if you buy more at a time. I’ll let you know how it goes!
Amy recently posted..2011
Thanks, Amy! I’m really interested in how it works out. There’s gotta be a good way to keep things simple and yet not smell like a pickle jar or something ;D
Thank you for sharing your update over a cup of tea – my inbox had been so full that I just now got to this email. Although I am just now nearing 40, I feel such an affinity with your words and I love reading your thoughts and insights (and we have virtually the same tea kettle!)
I started doing the no-poo thing in July, about a month before my son was born and it worked great – until I cut my hair super short this month – since then it has been rough – but I think it is because when you have longer hair, the oils have somewhere to go and they work down through the hair – I am currently fighting a battle with it and am using Brommer’s myself when I get too frustrated (I prefer the water-only method)
Much love to your beautiful self, and thank you so much for sharing
Katie
Hi Katie, thanks for coming over and commenting
I am currently looking into organic shampoos–as someone with an oily scalp and thinning hair, I need a little extra help. The Dr. Bronner’s is starting to burn when I use it, and woe is me if I get any in my eyes!
I was having trouble with no-poo as well, and it would either leave my hair too dry (from using no conditioner) or too oily (from using apple cider vinegar, olive oil, or some other conditioning substitute). My hair is naturally really oily. Eventually I gave up and switched back to a natural, organic shampoo and conditoner. Let us know if you find a good no-poo alternative. I’m still searching but there’s only so much I can put on my plate!
Hi Laura–boy I know what you mean about only so much you can put on your plate! As I said to Katie in the comment above this one, I’m going to explore organic shampoos and see what I come up with. I am not sure there is really a no-poo alternative for those of us with, ahem, crappy hair! What kind do you use and is it Certified Organic?
teatree rocks
flip flop guy recently posted..95 years in 1 hour
Meg,
this is really great stuff. I love to see that people are that interested in minimalism. It makes me happy. What I can add is a tool(app) for the iPhone called “iMinimalist”. It’s always in my pocket and in times of weakness I check out some pages and feel a lot better…
Continue with your blog! It’s awesome!
MinimalismIsArt