I have always been intrigued by the Tiny House movement, fantasizing about what it would be like to live with less, embracing simplicity. Well, now I get to live my fantasy, at least for a couple of months. My husband and I are renting a very small cottage—less than three hundred square feet—while we wait for the condo we lost to the Tubbs wildfire to be finished, and I am excited! The home we are moving into, though tiny, has a simple elegance and its surrounded by gardens and oaks. I place a high value on living with less and creating more simplicity, but actually doing it is a challenge in our materialistic society. Here’s my chance!
This past week we have been packing up what we’ve accumulated in the past two years, and despite our intention toward mindful purchasing, damn, we have a lot of stuff! Recently I read about Project 333, where you whittle down your wardrobe to 33 items of clothing, including shoes, (excluding underwear), to wear for three months, after which you can swap out. Since there is only a very tiny closet for both my husband and I to share, I’ve signed on to Project 333. Going through my closet, I filled two large plastic garbage bags with clothes to store away and still was twenty items over! I had to fill one more smaller bag to get under the limit of 33.
I am also scared! The refrigerator is dorm size, there is no washer or dryer, and there are no doors to shut other than to the one bathroom. I love my own privacy and personal space but I’m determined to be open to the frustrations, loss, and disruption I expect to encounter, just as open as I am to the simplicity, beauty and unexpected joys I expect to encounter. This is the stance I want to cultivate in my life. By intentionally choosing this challenge I hope to develop a sense of peace and presence that doesn’t depend on the size roof I have over my head.
Do you care to join me? Not living in the tiny house of course! I mean to join me in choosing to live with less this month. Here are a few tiny adventure ideas you could try for 30 days:
You could join me in Project 333
Clear out your fridge and only use ½ of the space.
Put away half of the gadgets on your kitchen counter, or work desk.
Put away a dozen decorations that you have around your house.
Put away the kitchen utensils you rarely use.
If you have children, you might include them in this experiment and have them pick out 30% of their toys to store away for one month.
If you choose a tiny adventure of living with less, please post your comments!
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