15 Minute Minimalist

Float

2009-10-30T19:23:00.000-07:00

Why do I fight so hard all the time?

Swimming harder is my solution to every problem...

... every struggle

... every hard time.

I've never been someone who "goes with the flow," and that can sometimes work to my advantage.

Most of the time, though, it just wears me out.

It's time to restore.

Time to let go and actually enjoy the ride for awhile!

Conscious Consumption

2009-10-28T11:44:00.000-07:00

I tend to move rather thoughtlessly through my day.

As a result, I waste so much time, money, energy; not to mention the natural resources I squander away!

Here's what seem to be the biggest theives:

1. Laundry.

We don't wear our pajamas twice. If I find a piece of clothing in the house, I throw it in the basket to be washed. I don't hang up my towels well, and they get mildewy more quickly than needed. I forget clothes in the wash for a day, and have to rewash... sometimes more than once! I run the dryer to "dewrinkle" instead of folding when it finishes. I think that I probably do at least one to two loads a week that I don't have to do. That's 52 in a year! what a waste of time, water, and energy!

2. Groceries.

We try to be pretty frugal with our groceries, but still end up throwing away at least a meal's worth of food, if not more, in any given week. Fifty to one hundred meals in a year costs hundreds of dollars. Also, I don't plan my list or organize my pantry as well as I could, resulting in repeat and unneeded purchases.

3. Driving.

When gas prices were high, I was ohsocareful about how I drove. These days, though, I don't think as much as I should about combining trips and/or cutting down on the days we go out of town for an adventure.

4. Cleaning.

I can't stand to clean. Consequently, I wait until things get unbearable to really get going. This creates a constant frustration for everyone. We can't find anything, we're embarrassed if people stop by unannounced. Worst, though, are the emergency cleaning sessions that are exhausting!

5. Television.

I'm not really sure how this happened. I never watched tv growing up. We weren't allowed to during the week (a great rule), and I never developed the habit as an adult... until I started teaching! I was so exhausted when I got home that I just wanted to do something mindless. Eight years later, I have waaaay too many shows I want to watch, not including the hours of unplanned tv watching.

I'm ready to break of of these bad habits, one at a time! This week, I'm going to focus on being more aware of my laundry habits!

Easy Eating: Lentil Tacos

2009-10-22T04:51:00.000-07:00

This is a GREAT recipe! It's really inexpensive, very nutritious, easily adapted for vegetarians, and flexible! You can replace your favorite taco or burrito mixture with it, or eat it on its own. I've never seen a picky eater who didn't love this meal... even heavy meat eaters.

Most importantly, though, it's a speedy meal (less than 15 minutes prep) that will minimize your time in the kitchen both cooking and cleaning!

3/4 cup dry lentils

3/4 cup brown rice

4 cups water

4 boullion cubes (I use chicken, but you can use veggie)

4 tsp chili powder

1 tsp cumin

2 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1. 1 MIN: Rinse the lentils.

2. 5 MIN: Measure and throw all the ingredients in a pot and give it a good stir.

3. 1 MIN: Cook on medium heat until done. It takes 30 to 45 minutes, but doesn't require "maintenance." I usually can't resist giving it a stir once and awhile, but I don't think you need to.

4. 5 MIN: Chop up any veggies and side dishes. We usually eat this with tomato, onion, lettuce, and cheese on tortillas or shells with cut up fruit as a side dish.

Because it only requires one pot, a measuring cup, a measuring spoon, and a cutting board, cleanup should take less than 5 minutes, too!

I am not a minimalist.

2009-10-21T15:02:00.000-07:00

Not yet, anyway.

And I don't think I'll ever be one of those everything-is-white-except-for-a-splash-of-orange people.

I'm just tired of all the.... clutter? redundancy? overcomplication?

Thinking about it, I'm not so sure.

All I know, is that I don't want to spend my life moving around 1000 little piles of belongings that have no real emotional or physical value.

I want to create a home and family routine with space that nourishes, rather than drains my emotional energy.

Then, I want to give that energy to my daughter, my husband, my loved ones, and those around me... including myself!

But, realism is a strong part of my personality.

I have a toddler awake 14 hours a day who is very, very intense and loves nothing more than to interact with me.

So, I'm going to attack it 15 minutes at a time... when I can!