I work a lot. I not only work on this website, I am writing a book. I also work full-time at a factory job.
The factory job alone takes up 40-60 hours a week.
So after working a 10-hour shift in the heat and the dirt, I am bone tired. The last thing I want to do is fix a big meal or wash a bunch of dishes.
I usually have a meal waiting in my crock pot or leftovers in the fridge for when I get home. I toss it into a bowl, heat it up if it’s cold, and chow down because I’m starving.
Since I do dishes right before I go to bed, I leave them out to air-dry.
The next day, those are the dishes I use for my after-work meal.
I’ve had this routine for over a year now. I don’t even think about it. I grab my coffee cup in the morning and my bowl in the evening.
One cup, one bowl, and two spoons.
Those are all of the dishes I have used during the week for over a year.
While I cook a big meal on weekends, all I add to that list is a single plate and perhaps a fork and a knife, depending upon the meal.
Today I realized that, if I wanted to, I could eliminate most of the dishware in my house because of that routine.
If I had company (which I rarely do), I could always use disposable plates, bowls, and even silverware.
And yet what have I done? I’ve actually increased the amount of dishware that I own.
Minimalism is the art of eliminating the excess to make room for the important. And yet I’ve been increasing the excess while focusing on stuff that doesn’t matter.
Because it doesn’t matter if I have a matching set of dishes for when company comes. Even if they come, I still have options. It doesn’t matter if I have a glass or a cup for every occasion, especially since I grab the same cup and same bowl every day regardless.
What matters is that I have as little physical complications in my life as possible, so that I can focus on what is important to me.
And what is important to me at the moment is enjoying my life while building up my savings so that I will be ready for the Next Step.
What Do You Actually Use?
Have you ever looked at the things you actually use in your life? Do you use the same plate, the same bowl, the same cup?
Why do you have others if those are the ones you always grab?
What about gadgets? Do you have appliances that you never use that you’re still holding onto?
If so, maybe it’s time to let them go.
My bowl has taught me a valuable lesson today. My bowl has taught me that I don’t need the things I thought I needed. All I need are the things I use; the rest is just clutter.
I intend to spend the weekend clearing out some of this stuff I’ve accumulated. If I don’t use it, I don’t need it.
What about you? Is there anything in your life that you never use? Please share your stories in the comments below.
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I’ve written a lot of books sharing my odd view of life in hopes of helping others. My most notorious book is titled The Shoestring Girl: How I Live on Practically Nothing and You Can Too, but The Minimalist Cleaning Method is pretty popular as well. You can find them at the following places:
Barnes and Noble
Apple iBooks
Smashwords (non-DRM)