The Edited Life

We have too much; at least here in America. Too. Much. This isn't some rant about the indulgence, materialism, and hyper-consumptive culture of twenty-first century America. If one doesn't find that truth to be self-evident, I doubt this post will be of interest anyway. This post is more of a question about how to find the mental space to exist contentedly amongst all of that... clutter. To be a twenty-first century American is to be a mental hoarder. Or an unwitting "psychic" hoarder. We have too much. Our minds have too much. Most of us are in need of an intervention; our mental space is so cluttered with other people's ideas that we hardly have room to store or recognize our own thoughts, even our most basic instincts. I believe that one of the most important skills one can have today is that of an editor.

toward tiny: 7 Reasons I Want a Tiny House

Photos above courtesy of Joe Everson at Tennessee Tiny Homes.

I started this blog to document my simplifying, downsizing, and being more resourceful. I've dreamed of owning a tiny house since I was first turned on to them a few years ago. I'm now taking steps to make that a reality within the next eighteen months. However, I realize that the best laid plans aren't always fulfilled. I also realize that much of my anxiety in life stems from imposing a narrative for my future rather than taking life as it comes with an open mind about opportunities and new directions. So, while I'm VERY excited about the idea of moving towards tiny, I also realize that it's possible it might not happen. What is more important, however, is that this process is forcing me to reevaluate and reconsider almost all of my choices. Whether my tiny house dream comes true or not, I'm already reaping the benefits of working towards that direction.  With that preface, here are seven reasons I want to live in a tiny house (seven is my favorite number and the day of the month I was born):