Turn on your senses and imagine these scenes:

Snow covered mountains that envelop a small valley, icicles as big as ski’s, the gurgle of a steam, an ice covered lake, woodpeckers pecking, people strumming ukuleles, and the buzz of many voices.

Those were some of the sights and sounds I experienced, as a participant and presenter, last weekend, at a writing retreat called Fishtrap. Fishtrap is an organization that promotes “clear thinking and good writing in and about the West.”

The Setting . . .

The folks at Fishtrap chartered a bus that took us from Portland to Wallowa Lake, where the retreat was held. The lake is near the Northeastern Oregon/Idaho border, outside the small town of Joseph, Oregon. The bus ride was so much fun! I connected with fellow writers before the retreat started, learned how to play a ukulele, and stared at the jaw-dropping scenery. We passed ice covered trees and rocks as the bus slowly wound it’s way through the Columbia River Gorge. As the bus made it’s way out of the Gorge and toward Fossil and Pendleton I noticed an immense contrast. The landscape looked harsh, dry, and resembled a high desert, whereas the Columbia River Gorge is lush, wet, and green.

When we finally got off the bus, we were confronted with cool, crisp air, and a beautiful sunset that cast a golden light on the mountains. The snow on the ground was light and made crunching sounds as we walked toward the Wallowa Lake Lodge. The lodge was incredible. It was built in 1923 and it’s surrounded by mountains, huge Ponderosa pines, and cute cabins near the water. Calling the area beautiful doesn’t do it justice. The setting is majestic and quiet.

The Theme – Getting Small

Getting Small was the theme of Winter Fishtrap event. The basic idea centered around writing and talking about  “what it means to live smaller and more sustainably in a world mostly hell bent on bigger, faster, better.”

The Speakers . . .

There were about 80 attendees at the writing retreat. It was an honor to meet so many awe-inspiring writers and to speak along side these folks:

• Winona LaDuke is an internationally renowned activist. She lives and works on the White Earth Reservation in northern Minnesota. In 1996 and 2000, she ran for vice president as the nominee of the Green Party, with Ralph Nader.

• Charles Goodrich is Director of the Spring Creek Project for Ideas, Nature and the Written Word at OSU in Corvallis, Oregon. His most recent publication is Going to Seed; a beautiful collection of poems. Be sure to check out his website.

• Amy Minato is a teacher, poet and the author of two books, The Wider Lens and Siesta Lane: One Cabin, No Running Water, and a Year Living Green.

• Kate Power and Steve Einhorn, the Ukalaliens, shared their downsizing story, along with their ukuleles and songs!

The presentations, conversations, and readings were rich with detail and focused on many things related to “getting small,” including connecting to community, nature, privilege, and using writing as a tool to change the world. I took away four key lessons from the retreat.

1. Be open to new experiences.

When the Executive Director of Fishtrap contacted me and asked if I’d be willing to speak at the retreat, I was surprised because I’ve never considered myself to be a “good writer.” And wasn’t sure if I should say yes because speaking in public isn’t my strong suit.

I decided to say yes because I knew the experience would be enriching. Being open to new experiences fosters growth and creativity. And you never know who you will meet or what you’ll see. One of the many highlights of the weekend included touring a tiny gypsy wagon. The woman who owned and built the wagon lived in it for three month stretches, while she worked for the United States Forest Service.

Touring the wagon and chatting with the owner was serendipitous because my friend, Dee Williams, was at Fishtrap. Dee is designing our little house. So touring the wagon and chatting with the owner gave us a few design ideas.

2. Listen to people’s stories and ask a lot of questions.

I had the opportunity to listen to a lot of remarkable stories and ask my new friends questions about their lives. Active listening is one key to happiness because we learn by listening and asking questions. By asking a new friend questions about their life story, you are showing that you can listen and that you care about what they are saying.

3. Breathe.

Before I got up to the podium to give my talk, I thought my heart was going to jump out of my chest. Thankfully, yoga has taught me to breathe deeply. As I walked up to the podium, my legs and hands were shaking and I took a deep breath. All I had to do was breathe and be myself.

Remember to breath deeply if you’re in a situation where you feel nervous or scared. It’s one way to decrease your stress level and heart rate.

4. Don’t be scared of community, embrace it.

Our hyper-individualized culture has taught many of us that we don’t need community, that we can do everything ourselves. That’s a myth. If we’re going to make positive changes in this crazy world, we have to work together. Attacking big problems from different angles is possible.

For example, the folks who attended Fishtrap made up a relatively diverse group of people, who have unique interests and skills sets. Writing and reading were the things that brought us together. These commonalities facilitated community and many discussions about simplicity, sustainability, and how we can all make a difference in our own local communities.

Parting Words . . .

On Sunday morning I took a walk through the dry snow and took in the scenery. As I looked up at the mountains and out toward the lake, I felt small, like a tiny seed.

Even though I felt small, my heart swelled with gratitude. The theme of the weekend was “Getting Small,” but I walked away with fresh ideas, a new tribe of friends, and the motivation to keep growing my writing. And that is far from small, it is very big.

“I believe that examining the hidden impacts of all the Stuff in our lives is a way to unplug, which is the first step toward changing things.” ~Annie Leonard, The Story of Stuff

I tend to be a little obsessive about projects, so when I read Collin’s post about taking photos of his stuff I decided to copy him. I love photography, so this little project was actually a good exercise for me.

Going through my stuff again helped me reevaluate what I need in my life. As a result, I was able to donate a number of items that were cluttering up my closet and bookshelf. I also reconsidered why I’m participating in the 100 Thing Challenge and its importance.

The more I mull it over, the more I think the 100 Thing Challenge is less about counting up stuff (and taking photos) than it is about asking ourselves larger questions like:

• Where was my stuff made?
• How was my stuff processed and where does it all go when I’m done with it?
• Why do I shop so much?
• Do material things really make me happy?
• If I have less stuff to worry about, will I have more time to give back to my community?

Being aware of how stuff affects our physical and emotional health is empowering. More importantly, making small changes in our own lives leads to a greater awareness of the connection between environmental, economic and social justice issues. With that in mind, here are a few tips to help you unplug from your stuff.

1. Start sorting through your stuff. Slowly.

Go through your home room by room and create piles of stuff you want to keep and stuff you want to donate. This process takes time. Undertaking a gradual transition will help alleviate emotional guilt associated with trashing possessions and promotes a routine of minimizing that is more likely to outlast quick lifestyle fixes.

I get a lot of emails that ask for a magic solution to the problem of clutter. There is no magic solution. If you have a house full of stuff, there is no weekend solution for responsible decluttering.

And I’m serious, be responsible. Don’t throw your stuff away! Give it away or repurpose items so you don’t need to buy something new. We don’t need more stuff in the landfills, toxins seeping into our water supply or more garbage shipped to developing countries.

2. Avoid lifestyle creep.

Lifestyle creep is when we try to keep up with the mythical Joneses and end up unhappy and in debt. Participating in the 100 Thing Challenge is a great way to avoid this phenomenon. For instance, I take care of what I have instead of constantly buying the latest clothes or shoes. It’s helped me become more mindful of my consumption choices.

3. Start saving instead of shopping.

If you take on the 100 Thing Challenge, I guarantee you’ll save a lot of cash. One of the main reasons I’m participating in this challenge is not only to unclutter my life, but also to save money. I’m now much more thoughtful about my purchases. I know what I already have and what I may or may not “need.” The end result has been an increase in savings and that makes me happy.

4. Get your counting groove on.

Consider participating in this challenge. If you think the task is too difficult and you are not sure where to start, then begin by reading The Story of Stuff, The Art of Being Minimalist and The Simple Guide to a Minimalist Life. These books will help you unplug from your stuff and consider its hidden costs.

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The ideas presented in The Simple Guide to a Minimalist Life have been on the tip of my tongue all week. As a result, Logan and I had a conversation about minimalist work spaces, productivity and his desk. I had a love/hate relationship with Logan’s desk. It’s a great workspace but the desk was a clutter bomb; covered in paper and other random items.

So imagine my surprise when I walked into our apartment and found a beautiful, minimalist desk! On the spur of the moment Logan decided to purge excess stuff and accessories from his desk. Below are a few strategies Logan used:

1. Create a clutter free desk.

Removing excess trinkets, paper and notebooks from your work space will give you more space to focus on writing or other creative endeavors.

2. Remove unnecessary desk accessories.

For instance, Logan removed the key board platform, a drawer, an elevated laptop tray and the key board. As a result, he has a clean work surface. All the extra material was donated to the local SPCA. Plus, Logan’s brother took the laptop tray off our hands.

3. Say goodbye to paper.

Paper can create clutter. For example, Logan scanned a number of his documents into PDFs. Now that his documents are on his computer (and tagged appropriately), he can easily find the content he needs for his dissertation.

4. Use Leo’s ideas to refine your workspace.

Logan was inspired by Leo’s chapter on the minimalist workspace and also loves his blog Zen Habits. Logan said this was “the perfect opportunity to remove clutter and stop procrastinating.”

Would you add anything to the list?

If you’re interested in downsizing your closet, consider incorporating some of my wardrobe rules into your life…

1. Is it comfortable?

Clothes must be comfortable. Life is too short to spend time in tight clothes or things you think are “fashionable” but hate wearing.

Clothes that I didn’t like ended up hanging in my closet for months. Why not give them to someone who will actually wear them?

2. One in, one out.

Every time I purchase something new, one item is donated to the thrift store.

3. Be wary of jobs that require new clothes.

Any job that requires a whole new wardrobe is not my style. I don’t mind dressing up, but I refuse to spend a lot of money on new clothes.

4. Less is more.

Owning a limited amount of clothes means I don’t fret over what to wear. Prior to downsizing, I spent an incredible amount of time trying to decide what to wear and changing in and out of uncomfortable outfits. Having a few, comfortable, high quality items in my closet makes life a lot easier.

5. Purchase high quality items.

I do my best to buy high quality items from the local thrift store. I want items that are timeless and actually last for more than a few months. In the past, I shopped at WalMart and Target but found out quickly that my money was being wasted. The clothes wore down quickly and both companies have a bad track record when it comes to sweatshop labor.

6. Create your own style.

I’m not worried about the latest styles. I don’t pour over fashion magazines. Generally, I buy what I like and feel good about it. I just try to listen to my instinct, not shop on impulse, and save up for expensive items.

Before

Over the Thanksgiving holiday Logan and I cleaned out his closet at the ranch. It was filled with lots of excess stuff and we donated 99% of the items to the thrift store.

A majority of the items had been sitting in the closet for years collecting dust. I have to take responsibility for some of the clutter. I was storing my old ski’s and bo0ts at the ranch; in addition to our wedding china. I was so happy to donate these items and all of Logan’s extra stuff.

I hope someone else will be able to use the skis, china and clothing.

If you want to clean out your closet, below are a few tips that might help.

1. Take everything out of the closet.

2. Sort your stuff into a few piles. Items you’re considering keeping, a donation pile and a pile for non-salvageable, non-recyclable trash.

3. Items that should be salvaged for recycling include old papers, cardboard, lumber, and plastic, just to name a few examples Only trash items as a last resort. Our landfills are growing at an exponential pace.

4. Make time for a thrift store run.

5. Call the thrift store in advance. Make sure the store will accept your donations.

Clearing the clutter out of your life is a beautiful feeling.

Too much stuff...

Do you have any closet cleaning tips to add? Leave a comment and share your thoughts…

Reading is one of my favorite hobbies. Every book I read changes my life for the better by shifting my perspective and challenging my belief system.

For example, I’m reading No Impact Man and have started thinking about eliminating plastic from my life and changing my consumption patterns. The book talks about conserving and sharing resources. I want to share these ideas with others and will pass the book onto the local library.

A few years ago I probably would have kept No Impact Man on my library shelf. Before downsizing, we had a huge book library. After a lot of thought and consideration we decided to donate the majority of our books to the local library.

Below are some of the questions I considered when downsizing my personal library…

1. Does the pride of having my own library outweigh the burden of moving my books to a new apartment?
2. Have I re-read or referred to any of these books within the last year?
3. If I’m not going to re-read any books, why keep them? Wouldn’t it be better to share?
4. Why buy more books when I can easily check them out of the local library?

If you’re thinking about downsizing your personal library, consider asking yourself similar questions.

I still buy books (usually when the library doesn’t have them on the shelf or the waiting list is super long). After I’m done reading my new or used book, I donate them to the library.

Please leave a comment and tell me about your personal library.

Friends and family always inquire about our tiny house obsession. Usually they ask: “Why a tiny house?” Living a tiny lifestyle appeals to us on a number of levels. Below are the top 10 reasons for choosing a tiny solution:

1. Exiting the Consumer Lifestyle

Living in a tiny house is one way for us to exit the consumer lifestyle and decrease our consumption of stuff. (Watching the The Story of Stuff drastically changed how I view my own consumption patterns).

For instance, there is no reason to go shopping for more stuff when you don’t have a place to put it. I don’t need 20 pairs of shoes or 50 different outfits to wear to the office. Earlier this year, I downsized my wardrobe and personal items. For me that meant donating an incredible amount of books and clothing to the thrift store.

My policy is 1 in, 1 out. Every time I buy something new, one of my personal things must go.

2. Saving Money

The cost estimate for our tiny house is about $25,000 (about 2 years worth of rent). The low cost of the tiny house will enable us to save money for future expenses and help friends and family members in need. Our tiny house will be about 200 square feet. Our heating and cooling bills will be so tiny! Right now we live in a 400 square foot apartment and our PG & E bill ranges from $4.00 to $25.00 a month. I can’t wait to see what our power bill will look like in a tiny house.

3. Freedom

Downscaling from a suburban, 2 bedroom apartment, and 2 car life to an urban, 1 bedroom apartment, and no car has given me a sense of freedom and lightness. Our stuff doesn’t own us anymore. As long as we have each other and our cats, we will be good to go.

4. More Free Time

Last summer one of our family members became suddenly ill and almost died. Since then, I’ve changed my life dramatically and have chosen a simpler lifestyle that allows me to spend more time with family.

Downsizing to a smaller apartment (and eventually a tiny home) enabled us to devote more time to outdoor activities, writing and the important things in life like friends and family.

5. Debt Free

Within the last year we sold our car, paid off our student loans and moved into a smaller apartment. These changes have allowed us more flexibility in our finances. If all goes according to plan we will either build or purchase our own tiny house in 2010.

6. Working Less

Eventually, I want to work part time. The United States is notorious for a workaholic culture. So owning a small home will enable us to work less and pursue career goals that didn’t seem possible a few years ago. Eventually, I want to get out of my cubicle and telecommute. Telecommuting is a feasible alternative to the cubicle forest because it allows people to do their job from any location.

7. Less Cleaning

A tiny house requires significantly less cleaning and maintenance and that make me very happy. I didn’t realize how much time we spent cleaning our large apartment until we moved to our new home in Sacramento. Instead of cleaning we spent more time riding our bikes outdoors. Yay for less scrubbing, vacuuming and sweeping!

8. Ease of Movement

Ease of movement to a new location is a great feature. Being tied down to a traditional home doesn’t appeal to me because they can’t be moved. But with a tiny home, if we decide to move we are free to bring our tiny house with us.

9. Going Off-Grid

We plan to take the tiny house off-grid. Hopefully, this will allow us to learn how to live more self sufficiently and insulate ourselves from a system we believe to be unsustainable. The looming peak oil energy crisis is scary.

10. Economic, Environmental and Social Merits of Compact Housing

Last year, I read a few books on tiny tiny homes. Two of my favorites were: The Small House Book and Little House on a Small Planet. After reading these books I realized there are enormous economic, environmental, and social merits of compact housing.

Here are some interesting facts from the books:

• The average American house, which is about 2,200 square feet, emits more green house gases than the average American car;
• The average American house, produces 7 tons of construction waste and;
• The size of New Jersey is lost each decade as a result of urban sprawl.

I see over-sized homes as a debtors prison rather than a source of enjoyment. The average American has a 20 to 30 year mortgage. By going small, we will have our tiny tiny house paid off in less than 1 year.

For the sake of the environment and economic sanity (ex. sub-prime mortgage fiasco), it is clear that we must change our attitudes about house size, building codes and the basic home financing structure.