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August 16, 2012
Dear <<First Name>>:
Welcome to another edition of the life [simplified] letter.
News
Blogs and letters
One of my indulgences is to read blogs written by interesting people. I use an iPad app call Pulse to aggregate blogs that I read frequently.
One of my favourite bloggers is Tammy Strobel who writes at Rowdy Kittens (unique name, I know). She writes about her tiny house, minimalism and the craft of writing. Lately, her blogs has been mostly photos but her archive is rich with interesting posts. I enjoy her conversational style and her humility. While I'm not sure I could live as sparingly as she does, I'm facinated by her life journey.
I've tried to blog over the last few years. I still do an occasional post. I like the medium but I find that I am not motivated to write for an anonymous audience. Knowing I have subscribers for this letter has been much more inspiring. I buckle down and write every week to produce a thoughtful edition knowing I have readers waiting to hear from me.
By the way, my subscription list numbers are increasing by the week. Hurrah! Thank you to those of you who have subscribed. Please share this letter with others you think would enjoy reading it.
Unloading the Purse
From tote bag to no bag
As the purse is emptied, the heart is filled. ~ Victor Hugo
Simplicity is making the journey of this life with just baggage enough. ~Charles Dudley Warner
There was a time when I packed a very large purse. I hauled a ton of stuff around in my bag: a wallet, makeup kit, cell phone, note book, address book, glasses and sun glasses, lip balm among other things. I can't even remember now everything that I did carry in my purse.
If I was heading to work, I also carried a large tote bag. I had to pack my shoes and my lunch. I would also pack my laptop and file folders. That bag was very heavy.
A few years ago, I decided to combine the contents of my purse with my work tote. I found a place for everything in the tote. As a result I had one less bag to carry. I could just grab my wallet and cell phone if I had to run errands at lunch.
If I had to go out in the evening, I started to only take my large wallet and phone. It worked, but I always had this fear that I would set my wallet down somewhere and leave it there. I wasn't comfortable just packing my wallet in my hand.
At some point, I found a small ID wallet. It was a simple folding case that could carry my credit card, debit card, driver's license and some cash if the cash was folded in half. I eliminated the stack of loyalty cards I carried but never seemed to use. The ID wallet fit neatly into the pocket of my jacket or pants. I could also put my cell phone in the other pocket. If I went out for an hour or two that was all I took along.
I no longer carried around my makeup bag or a notepad. I might slip a lip balm in my pocket. I could fold a kleenex into my ID wallet if it's cold outside and my nose might run. I found I would just wear my glasses or, if needed, my sunglasses. Usually though, it was just my ID wallet and cell phone. Eventually, for most outings I gave up carrying my purse entirely. It was so simple.
Having slimmed down what I carried, there were times when I had to plan ahead. If I was going to a meeting, I would need to take a notepad to write on. Later on, I replaced the notepad with an iPad. If I was going to the grocery store, I would have to remember to take my reusable bags. The grocery store is the one place I would use a loyalty card. It turned that I didn't actually need the card, just the membership number, which I could store my cell phone. If I was going to use gift cards, I would have to remember to take them with me.
My cell phone had almost everything I could possibly need information-wise. Obviously it was a phone. I could text on it. I would have access to my calendar, contacts and email. Also, through the miracle of a service called Dropbox, I had access to all my electronic documents.
If I was working in an office again, I'd stock my desk with a few essential items to eliminate the need to pack a tote bag. I'm sure with a little forethought, a stocked desk could substitute nicely.
One advantage to not having a purse is I don't have to haul a heavy bag around any more. When I used to carry a large purse, I noticed that my neck would get sore and my back would ache. It's no wonder given the weight of what I carried in that bag.
I suspect some women would protest eliminating their purse or could not imagine how they would live without it. Perhaps, they would miss the security. They might also worry that they would need something they usually carry in their purse.
So far, that has not been my experience. In the couple of years that I have foregone a purse, I have yet to miss anything that I might have carried with me.
Besides, I can always rely on my girlfriends who do pack a purse.
Your life [simplified]
Do you carry a purse or, if you're a guy, a murse? When was the last time you really reviewed the contents of what you carry around with you? Do you need everything you pack?
Why not take 15 minutes this week and edit what's in your purse. Can you find a less weighty alternative?
Let me know if you lighten up.
Have a great week!
Cheers,
Catherine
P.S. Check out my letter archives if you are interested in reading back issues.
P.S.S. Check out Dropbox. It's a fantastic cloud storage service. If you decide to join, please use my referral link so you and I can both get extra free storage space.
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