about that minimalism thing: part 8

Most of my minimalism is maintenance, maintenance, maintenance now. Starting well is not good if you just stop and go back to the mess we had before. I have things that I need to push forward in, but most of the things are just maintenance now. The mindsets and behaviors I have developed, I call "Zen Habits" which takes its name from this blog.

As I've read on other websites about minimalism, the hardest part of being a minimalist when you're starting out is continuing to be one later on. As I've made my own personal progress with trying to maintain what I've gained, I've done the following:

• trade off. i always see new things i'm all "ooh shiny" over, so when i see them, i think about them a lot longer. if it is still worth buying, i grab it and usually there is something in my closet i don't want by then, so i put it in the stack of things to take to goodwill.
• a place for everything, and everything in its place. i fold up my blankets before i go out of the house. i fold my laundry as soon as it comes out of the dryer. i wash my dishes after i use them as soon as i finish using them or within 20 minutes of finishing at most. i hang things up after i wear them. it really isn't as inconvenient as you would think.
• repurpose, reuse, remove. if i can find another way to use something, then i do. if something is already useful, then i hold on to it and reuse it. if i can't find a way to reuse it, i pass it to someone that will find it useful. last night, i went through my pencil cup on my desk. i am an office supply addict, ok? there, i said it. i took out all of the contents. i had like eight pencils, toenail clippers, a lighter, graphite refills, ad nauseam. i gave away all of the pencils that looked the same. now i will slowly start using one pencil after another until they are all gone. then i will leave myself one 0.7 pencil and one 0.5 pencil. the person i gave the other pencils, box cutter and lighter to will find them useful and it feels good to know that they have those things.

Other than that, I'm keeping paper on hand to a minimum and will continue to. I now have paperless bank statements. I don't know how to go paperless on the other bills, but when I figure it out, I will.

Bills are lower, laundry is easier since it's pretty much one load right now, cleaning is going to be fun tomorrow because all I'll have to do is vacuum. I'm trying to cut down on total trash output, but that's hard since we eat out so much. I need more money to devote to groceries. That money is going to either family that needs to borrow or balancing the loads for my roommies. It's all good for now, but blah.

Now if only I could get through these books and CDs... :/