The School Supply Sheet on a Shoestring

Many children have started school in the past week, and everyone else will start shortly, including myself. This week, it seemed to be fitting to confront a particular list that is very not minimalist: the school supply sheet. 

It happens the same every year. The end of summer rolls around, and these giant pamphlets are released "for your convenience,"so your child can have all the same stuff as everybody else. Except they never do, do they? Especially in grade school, whoever has the nicest back-to-school clothes and the fancy school supplies with whatever is in style on it that year always seems to have the easiest time of it. It's times like these where we are trained as children to compete with the Joneses and enter the rat race.

So, what are we to do as parents? This huge list of required items is ridiculous. They always come back home at some point with their things, and half of it is untouched. Not only that, school shopping is expensive. The average amount spent per child on back-to-school shopping is around $400, and the amount goes up as the child gets older. Does that strike anyone else as ludicrous? At the same time, you want your child to be well-prepared for school, and you do want them to be accepted by their peers. Does this mean you cave, spending hundreds of dollars on Hannah Montana themed everything that won't be "in" next year? I don't think so. 

Why not take the list and adapt it a bit? Do they really need the specific brand listed?  Who comes up with these lists anyway? If you really think you child is going to be missing something vitally important on their first day of school, which is highly unlikely, talk to their teacher before the fact. Building a relationship with your child's teacher is important, and they will know exactly what their lesson plans call for during the year. 

When it comes to back-to-school, the best thing you can do is involve your child and get creative. Here are some tips to save you a whole lot of cash and make your child feel like an individual. 

1. Take the school supply list, and see what you have around the house.

Does your child currently have a backpack? I'm sure you have pens and pencils around the house. Old notebooks? Tear out used pages, and it's like new. Binders? The best ones without a doubt are the ones where you can slide pages into the front and back. Crayons, colored pencils, art supplies, scissors, fabric, paper; anything you can think of that you can either send off on the first day, or use to help prepare for it, should be ransacked and brought to the table.

2. What can you remake and reuse?

It's all about letting your little one's personality shine through here. Remember that old backpack? Will it still work for this year? How can you modify it to make it seem like a new thing for your child? I recommend putting patches of their favorite things on there. If your daughter loves dance, find patches with ballet slippers on them! If you want a full-blown change, you can do that, too. The sky is the limit, so let your creativity run wild. Check out this diy job for inspiration!

Why not dress old pencils up a little in a fancy diy pencil case? Here is an easy one older kids could even do themselves.  This one is a little sewing heavy for those non-sewing folks out there, but check out this girl's other ideas! These are fantastic, totally customizable, and have the potential to be totally gorgeous. 

My own idea, which I must say I find pretty damn clever, cost me about four dollars. So, I needed a bulletin board, and I hadn't been able to find a big enough one a Goodwill. Also, I don't sew. This led to a trip into Dollar Tree, where I found foamcore. I got two of them and walked back over to Goodwill, with the intention of fitting them into a frame. I was going to put fabric over the top piece, and voila! Bulletin board! It didn't quite happen that way, though. I looked through the frames, but none of them where the right size. I walked over to find fabric, thinking I'd come back later for the frame, when I was hit on the head by the Inspiration Fairy. I picked up a pretty pillow case and slid both boards in. It was a perfect fit. Try it. You'll like it.

3. What do you still need?

If you've been here before, you know I don't buy things new unless it is entirely unavoidable, and I advocate you adopt the same policy for back-to-school shopping. Thrift it up, ask family members, but avoid at all costs buying brand new stuff. It's bad for the environment, and it will send your kids mixed messages about needing to buy things new for it to be "better." 

Going back to school doesn't have to go against your minimalist principles, and it doesn't have to expensive. Stop listening to those marketing ploys, and start getting creative! You're kids will think it's a blast, and they get a lot more out of the bargain. Instill in them now they don't need everything brand new because they make the old new again!

Stay tuned for tomorrow where we will discuss the back-to-school wardrobe! 


      

4 Ways to Reduce Your Fashion Footprint

Marisa from newdressaday.wordpress.com
in a converted muumuu!!!

There seems to be a rather poignant discrepancy in the fashion community. For instance, when I Google sustainable fashion, I came up with some fashion school websites sponsored by Wal-mart. (Can you say ultra turn-off?) However, after some serious digging, there are only a very few well written articles out there on what sustainable fashion is and ought to be. I have been researching sustainable fashion for some time now, and there seem to be two schools of thought on what constitutes sustainable fashion. 

The first school believes sustainable fashion is possible through organic textiles, cruelty-free clothing, and products that are Fair Trade. These are all very valid ideas, and the brands that utilize these to the fullest extent are to be commended for taking steps forward for the future of the industry. However, these ideas aren't necessarily sustainable. Cotton is still a very high impact crop, with a single t-shirt requiring 400 gallons of water to produce. Is there a better way?

The second school of thought focuses on sustainability as the way, and fashion as the means. They focus on reusing the old to create the new, like Marisa with her blog at www.newdressaday.wordpress.com. They shop thrift stores, because there are zero carbon emissions with buying used. They create beauty out chaos, by eliminating one more person's consumption habits in a world obsessed with the latest craze.

So what's a fashion loving girl to do? More than that even, what is a minimalist to do?! I claim to be a minimalist, but I love clothing. Are these things entirely contradictory? I don't believe so. To prove it, I'm going to tell you about what I'm doing to further eliminate my own fashion footprint and why it matters. If you haven't been here previously, you may not know I'm participating in the 100 thing challenge, and I don't think I should have to look like a bum in order to be a minimalist. Listed below are the clothing items of my 100 possessions. 

Bike pants

Bike top

Black cardigan

Black hoodie

Black lacy top

Black leggings

Black Long sleeve top

Black Pants

Black shorts

Black skirt

Black skirt

Black t shirt

Black tank

Black yoga pants

Blue half shirt

Blue tank

Bras (4)

Brown shirt

Cut shirt - as in one I cut up and personalized!

Cut shirt

Gloves

Green tank

Grey cardigan

Hat

Headband

Jean Jacket

Jean shorts

Jeans

Jeans

Jeans

LBD

Leather Jacket

Lingerie

Long black dress

Pajama bottoms

Plaid button up top

Puffy skirt

Red dress

Scarf

Socks (10)

Stockings (4)

Strapless Dress

Strapless red top

Sweater

Swimsuit

T shirt

T shirt

T shirt

Tank top

Tank top

Tank top

Tank top

Thermal bottom

Thermal top

Thermal top

Underwear (20)

Vest

White button up top

White button up top

White hoodie

White long sleeve top

White sweater

Windbreaker

Yes, clothing constitutes most of my 100 items, and I am okay with that. I've never really been all about the stuff, but I've always loved playing dress up. And I do play! I play dress up almost every time I leave the house. It makes me feel good, and it is fun! Not everyone feels the same way about fashion, but it has always been a returning passion for me. So, here is my solution to limiting the fashion footprint.

Reduce - Stop buying stuff. Especially stop buying clothing new. It's bad for the environment and your bank account. So many resources are wasted so we can have the latest trends; make a real statement by not following what every fashion marketer on the planet wants you to believe. 

Reuse - Don't totally forsake your wardrobe, unless you want to. Thrift store shop! You get the thrill of the hunt, especially if you go in with a general list of what you need. You'll be amazed at the incredible finds that exist out there, style-wise and price-wise. Or maybe join a clothing swap. They are fantastic. So, reuse! Embrace your hunter-gatherer instincts.

Remake - Turn something awful into something fabulous ala Marisa. Or, turn something that doesn't fit into something that is tailor made. Learn to sew, pick up a DIY t-shirt manual, or start hunting the internet. My only advice here: measure thrice, cut once. 

Recycle - When you're done with clothing you used to think was awesome, pass it on. Unless the piece is totally FUBAR, give it to your little sister or Goodwill or something. Sell it at a garage sale. Pass your love of fashion on!

I promise it really is that easy. Sustainable fashion doesn't have to be hard, it just means you have to learn some of those long forgotten hunting skills. Buy at Crazy's Sam's flea market and remake his grandma's old ballerina costume into your completely original prom dress. The sky is the limit, and creativity is your means to create beauty out of chaos.

           

Minimalist Transportation Options: Part II

Everett Bogue advocates using free transportation, and I think he has a great idea. What is free that you only need yourself for? You got it.

Running - I have been walking to get where I needed to go for the last 8 years or so. While it takes more time, I now have significant memories attached to those places I was walking through, and I wouldn't trade those for the time I would have saved in a car. When it comes to running, however, I feel like it just a way to get into shape instead of transportation.

Many environmentalists are advocates of walking wherever you can, and I think that is great. However, what if we ran instead? Imagine the implications of that for a moment. I walk a mile in 20 minutes, on average. How fast do I run a mile? About 8 minutes. Granted this information, how then shall we live? There are a few great places on the web to read about making running a part of your daily commute, such as this Google group, and why not give it shot? And, don't forget about the new craze with barefoot running. You'll even be trendy! Running will certainly take some preparation to make it work, but it is possible. Do you have items you have to take to work with you? Drop them at the office Monday morning, bring running clothes with you, and run home! I highly recommend reading about the experiences of others to get started, as well as keep you motivated.

Other choices you make also contribute to how likely you are to be successful in your newly mode of transportation. 

Live in a place that's walkable.

Live in a place with good mass transit.

Live in place that encourages bicycle riding.

Do you see a pattern here? Where you live has a very strong affect on how you commute. There is a very poignant article regarding where you live and your weight, hilariously titled, Cul-de-sacs and 11 other unexpected things that make you fat.

This hopefully has been useful to those of you debating whether or not to try an alternative form of transportation. If you need more convincing, check out this article by Tammy Strobel.

       

Minimalist Transportation Options

Transportation is one of the most difficult issues for many minimalists to reconcile themselves with. Every type transportation has its pros and cons, but I have found it hard to find a site, or even an article, that had a comprehensive list of transportation options and how they apply to different styles of minimalism. Overall, minimalism requires much in the way of preplanning, and transportation is no different. If you plan to change your methods of transportation, you have to plan for these changes. For instance, plan on having time on the train to get a blog finished - bring your laptop and enjoy your extra time! Anyway, here is part one of a list I hope you will all find helpful when making your decisions about minimalist transportation.

Mass Transit - It's cheap, helps lower your carbon emissions, and you don't have to drive. I am fortunate enough to live in the Portland-Metro area, which has an amazing public transportation model that is being implemented elsewhere around the world. Seriously, you can get almost anywhere because that's how the trains and bus routes were laid out. 
                  However, not everyone has access to such great mass transit. But, before you discount this option, could you? What if you moved within biking distance of the train? Think creatively, and you'll be amazed at what you can do with limited funds and some passion.

Biking - I hear all sorts of arguments against the bike commuter lifestyle, but I have to put most of them to rest. First of all, biking is not as dangerous as you think it is, and I don't care where you live. This is especially true if you actually know all the bike laws, maintain visibility, and are considerate of the other modes of transportation. Share the road doesn't just mean cars need to yield to bikes and pedestrians; it means we all need to share the road and be considerate of the people around us so everyone has a safe trip to wherever they are headed. 

Another argument I hear regularly is, "I have kids. How could I possibly be a bike commuter?" Honestly, it's not even an argument. It's an excuse. Having children is no excuse not be a bike commuter. I have a trailer for my daughter, and she goes everywhere with me. I bought it earlier this year, and it has been fantastic. She thinks "going bye-bye" in the trailer is tons of fun, because she gets to have the wind in her face, see all the sights, and play and eat snacks. How is a kid not going to enjoy that? 

I don't want to hear about bad weather, either. Once again, I live in Portland. The amount of rain we receive is somewhat obscene, so you learn to live with it. I recommend either full bike gear, which dries quickly, or Nike Dri-fit clothing. The stuff seriously takes 5 minutes to dry out. The only weather you shouldn't be able to handle on a bike is heavy snow, and should you really be out and about in loads of snow anyway? For those of you who live in perennial winter weather, I'll be honest, I haven't been there so I don't even know what its like. Use your judgement, be safe, and do whatever is safest and most efficient. 

 If you are at all interested in bike commuting, you have to read Tammy Strobel's Simply Car-free: How to Pedal Toward Financial Freedom and a Healthier Life. Author of the RowdyKittens blog and my fellow Portlander, Tammy totally gets it when it comes to living car-free.

Until next time, happy commuting!


       

Why I Write This Blog

How on earth did I ever end up with a blog about minimalist living? That thought had occurred to me a few days ago, and I felt it deserved to be fully answered, if I was to claim to be any sort of authority on the minimalist lifestyle. 

It started a year ago, wandering a Barnes and Noble for inspiration, when I discovered Maya Frost's The New Global Student. It is both a story of her family's escape from suburbia and a how-to guide for becoming a globally educated student in our rather rigid education system that doesn't like things out of the norm. Though I was already in college and most of the book didn't apply to me, I found her story incredibly inspiring. She is even from a little tiny town right next to the one I grew in, and it was a sign for me. There is nothing I'd love more than to travel as my passions shift, and hopefully, I'll begin my own journey this year. At any rate, this book was the starting point. I knew there was a way to embrace my dream of traveling the world without having to wait until I retired, but I hadn't found the answer yet.

Life has been busy happening the past year while I blast through college at a rapid rate, but the thoughts of living simply and self-improvement have only multiplied. In January, I began my 101 in 1001 list, which has led me to complete 15 goals already, and I have 35 more in progress. I finally bought a car in January, only to turn around and sell it 3 weeks later and commit my traveling life to being a bike commuter. I have explored time management systems, wondering if answers laid therein, and then I discovered Zen to Done, which has rocked my world. 

Everything I read and everything happening in my life has snowballed into this sense of self-discovery I've never known before. Having a kid at 20 doesn't give you much time to learn who you really are, but I think I'm starting to find out. This soul searching has led me to realize the reason I could never determine what my values were was because I simply didn't have traditional values. I figured out my commitments and tore them down to just the ones that make me happy. 

Writing makes me happy. It relaxes me, and I get to make a contribution to the world in my own little way. I've only had this up a week, and I already am gaining a following of readers - which, by the way, you guys are awesome for being so supportive. Allowing myself to reflect on the decisions I make daily and the way I choose to live makes me constantly aware of the struggles and triumphs of living the minimalist lifestyle. I'm always looking for my next blog idea all over the place, and many of those places make me step back and think. More than anything, since I started this blog, I find myself asking why people look so unhappy, and I think I know parts of the answer. Simplifying lifestyles and ending consumerism are passions of mine, and this is how I spread awareness that are alternatives.

So, I suppose that is why I write here. I spread awareness, make myself happy, and I try to help others discover their own happiness. If I'm an authority, it's through personal experience, being well-read, and offering alternatives. 

What is an alternative decision you have made before? How did people view it? Do have any regrets about it?

        

Minimalism and Kids: 5 Rules to Make it Happen

This is Evie! My daughter. :)

        When I told my mom I was pregnant, she started planning immediately for all of the things we had to get for the coming bundle of joy. The baby needed so many things, after all! Oh, and I had to get my license so I could get a car; no one could have a baby without a car! Then, I told her I wasn't planning on getting a car. I would do the same thing I always had and take mass transit and ride my bike, because it was the responsible decision. She still thinks I'm insane.

       The most difficult part of staying true to minimalist ideas for me with my daughter isn't even my daughter, who is 21 months. It is everyone who cares about her and thinks showing love means giving gifts. Coming from a family where giving something usually constitutes some sort of personal sacrifice, it can be awful trying to tell these well-meaning family members my daughter has enough things already. 

       Cruising around other minimalist blogs, I have noticed a common misconception. Many people claim it is impossible to have children and be a minimalist. I have to disagree. Keeping a minimalist home with children is entirely possible, albeit there is more thought involved. Preplanning is a required skill for a minimalist lifestyle, and I've noticed it comes in pretty handy once you have children, too.

       How do you combat these potential problems? Plan for worst case scenarios and be ready to say no. If you aren't firm with those around you, they aren't going to respect your decision to step outside the norm, and later in life, neither will your kids.

1. Tell people you are a minimalist. This can be a somewhat abrupt information session, where you let them know after you begin the 100 Thing Challenge and give up your car, but it is going to easier on people afraid of change - most of us - if it seems more gradual. Making the decision to become a minimalist is a huge personal experience, so allow them to see what you are doing. Tell them about the changes you are making in your life, about how you are making plans to follow your dreams, and how happy this makes you.

2. Set down ground rules for friends and family. When you explain to others that you don't want to receive gifts, for you or your children, they probably won't understand. If it is really a problem, ask those troublesome family members if they'd like to plan an outing for the kids instead. (Coming next week, a list of ideas for outings! Until then, check out Frugal fun for kids!)

3. Prioritize experiences. If the choice is a toy at $X, or fall soccer for $400, show them where you stand by paying for a great experience for them, even if it costs a little more. Over time, the experience will be worth more, if you account for the joy of discovering a new passion and gaining an appreciation for physical activity. Speaking of passion and outings, how about the ultimate in experiences?

4. Travel with your kids. No, I don't mean take them with you on your vacation to Cancun; take them to a developing country. Let them see first hand what other people go through on a daily basis to survive. Get them involved in volunteer activities while you are there, and watch your child's world grow. There is no child anywhere who wouldn't be absolutely changed by this sort of experience, so get to it! Trips to places like Buenos Aires and Bangkok can yield huge cultural experiences for a great price, and there are lots of opportunities for volunteer work.

5. Say no. This is the hardest one of all, because you're going to make some people unhappy. When telling people no, remember how much happier you are going to be afterwards, when you don't feel torn about what to do with an expensive gift. 

This is a huge topic worth lots of discussion and exploration, so plan on seeing more on minimalism with kids in the future!