Token & Bliss

by Cathie Bennett

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Why I’m Not Going Black Friday Shopping 

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Happy Belated Thanksgiving to all my American readers! I hope that you all had a wonderful day celebrating with family and friends! Although Canada tends to be America 2.0 in many respects, we have our own Thanksgiving Day in October, so Thursday was just a boring old work day for all of us up here (although many of us definitely snuck in some football action).

While our day didn’t involve fancy things like turkey, stuffing and pumpkin pie, today is a different story. Up until a few years ago, Black Friday did not exist in Canada. I remember taking a break from studying and paper writing to go to the mall and try to find some deals on “Black Friday” in 2011. The only problem was that there were no deals. There were no promotions. There were no doorcrashers. Black Friday did not yet exist in Canada. My past shopaholic self was certainly disappointed and I remember resenting the fact that I had not planned a trip down to the States for a Black Friday shopping spree. My more minimalist present self now resents the fact that I ever thought driving 5 hours to go to a mall on the busiest day of the year was a good idea.

Corporations have assimilated and we now “celebrate” Black Friday here in Canada. Americans, you’re probably thinking how strange it is that we don’t celebrate Thanksgiving, yet we partake in Black Friday. Well, us Canadians find it odd that you fight over TVs mere hours after you’ve expressed thankfulness for what you already have. Who are we to judge though? On December 26, the day after Christmas, we have HUGE Boxing Day sales; after spending ridiculous amounts of money on Christmas gifts and receiving innumerable gifts ourselves, we head back to the stores the following day to spend even more money. Sound stupid? That’s because it is. Yet millions of us still partake in this “holiday” that corporations have invented to keep us spending our hard-earned money on the various plastic, metal and fabric objects that they sell.

So without further ado, I give you three reasons why I will be avoiding Black Friday (and Boxing Day too) like the Black Death this year.

It perpetuates our consumeristic culture

What comes to mind when you think of Black Friday? Most people think of a day with sales as far as the eye can see, where crowds trample (and sometimes even kill) one another to get the best deal on any and all consumer products that will be out of style and/or obsolete in just a few months’ time. It’s a stampede of blind consumerism, and is the epitome of a capitalist orgy. While the stores may encourage us to participate in Black Friday with their various sales, they’re not putting a gun to our heads and forcing us to go shopping. Consumers are willingly making the choice to spend their money on objects that are futile and produced for much less than they are on sale for. We are the ones who keep this negative aspect of our culture alive by being willing slaves to commercialism.

Black Friday for stores, but a Red Friday for consumers

In case you didn’t know, Black Friday was a “positive” name coined by retailers in the 1980s because it’s a day when they are successful and make an insane profit. Accountants use black to signify profit, while red is used to indicate loss.  Corporations are always profitable and “in the black” on the day after Thanksgiving. Consumers though? Not so much. On Black Friday in 2015, Americans spent 67.6 BILLION dollars. In one day. That is INSANE.

Want to know the best way to save money on Black Friday? Not spending any to begin with. Because if you’re “saving” money while spending it, then you’re not really saving it at all, are you?  Half of all Canadians and Americans are living paycheck to paycheck (48% and 49%, respectively). We can’t afford to pay for our rent, gas or groceries, yet somehow we can still get the newest Apple product or 4K TV. We don’t live within our means to begin with, and the existence of Black Friday certainly doesn’t help when it pressures us to buy even more things that we can’t afford in order to impress people we don’t like.

When you truly think about it, it’s just sad

The best things in life aren’t objects. Objects are just a distraction to make us forget the real meaning of life that exists in the simple things. If you want to know what the real meaning of life is, ask someone who only has a short time left on this earth. I’ve never heard of anyone on their deathbed saying things like, “I wish I’d bought those Armani shoes” or “I should have gotten the iPhone 5 on the day that it was released in 2012.” The real meaning of life is found in people, experiences, and adventures. That’s why the most common end-of-life regrets include working too much, investing too little time in relationships, and living a life dictated by societal expectations. We feel inadequate, so we buy things we don’t need, fall into debt, and then must work more to pay for all the objects we’ve bought but can’t actually afford. In the midst of all this chaos, we miss out on the things that really matter: experiencing amazing new things and making memories with the people around us.

This Black Friday, don’t feel like you are a slave to consumerism. Black Friday is the last thing we need in our society of excessive  consumption. You don’t have to partake in a day where people trample one another in order to prepare themselves for Christmas, a day where objects take the place of human feelings.

I’m not saying that you can’t participate in Black Friday. If you need something and you’ve saved for it, then go right ahead and buy it. Just please say no to consumption for consumption’s sake. Instead, say yes to thankfulness and gratitude for the things that you already own, and the people that surround you each and every day.

Until my next rambling essay,

30 Days & 465 Items Later: My Review of the Mins Game

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I did it. I successfully completed the Mins Game. In case you don’t have a clue what I’m talking about, the Mins Game was developed by Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus, AKA the dynamic duo known as the Minimalists. (Check out their blog for more info about them or you can check out my first post about starting the Mins Game here.) The premise of the game is this: on day one, you get rid of one thing. Day two, two things. Day three, three things… you get the idea. This continues for 30 days, which ultimately amounts to 465 things that were no longer bringing you joy or adding value to your life.

Now I’m not new to minimizing or anything, so I know what it’s like to get rid of stuff. In fact, in May I played my own little version of the game by getting rid of 500 things that month. So how does playing the Mins Game compare to regular decluttering? Here are some pros and cons:

PROS

1. It’s a great introduction to minimalism: If you’re new to minimalism or you have a tough time getting rid of stuff, then this game is for you. It starts out really slowly, and each day, you feel a sense of accomplishment and pride after getting rid of the allotted number of items. Each day completed is like a little confidence boost and you’ll feel more encouraged to continue the following day.

2. It forces you to purge: When you have to find 17 items one day and 18 items the next, plus you have a social media audience watching you and keeping you accountable, you are probably not going to slack off by missing a couple days. After the Minimalists reposted the Instagram pic from my first day, I gained over 350 followers overnight. There was no way I was letting 350 minimalist strangers down, so I made sure to stick to the game each day and not give up!

3. It makes minimizing a habit: While I was playing the game, I was constantly looking for stuff that I could get rid of. The game was always in the back of my mind and it made me look at my stuff in a new light. I would ask myself if I actually even needed an item, and usually the answer was a big fat NOPE. I searched thoroughly through bins, baskets, closets and drawers. So many times before I had thought, “nah, there’s probably nothing in there that I could get rid of.”  Instead I thought, “there’s gotta be something in there!” Usually, I ended up finding more than just one item, and I even ended up getting rid of a lot of the storage units that were holding my junk!

4. It keeps your shopping in check: When you’re getting rid of stuff each and every day, it really makes you re-evaluate the things that you’re bringing into your home. We are constantly bombarded by advertisements (about 5000 each day actually) and certainly have ample opportunity to buy more stuff. But when you’re playing the Mins Game, you’re less tempted to buy more when you are being challenged each day to own less. I don’t really like shopping to begin with, but I began to see products in a new light and upon seeing a gadget or gizmo, I would think things like: “what a silly thing to buy. How infrequently would that get used? Looks like a dust collector. Only a few short months before that will just be junk…”

5. It’s surprisingly fun: Seriously, it is. Not only is it pretty enjoyable to sift through your stuff and see what kind of buried “treasures” you can get rid of, but it was incredibly fun to engage on social media with other people who were also playing the Mins Game and experiencing the exact same emotions as me. I received so many comments and inspiring messages from people all over the world to keep going and not give up. I was an “accountability buddy” to some, and to others I was an encourager and motivator. Even though I’ve never met most of the people who commented on my Instagram and Facebook posts and sent me pictures of their own minimization, I feel like I’ve made many friends in the process of playing the Mins Game.

CONS

1. It’s not instant: If you like the Marie Kondo method of decluttering an entire category quickly and all in one go, then this game may not be for you. The Mins Game is a month-long journey, not a quick sprint done all at once. Like I said earlier, it’s awesome for beginners who are just discovering minimalism and want to challenge themselves each and every day. If you’re an experienced minimalist and purger, then you might find this game to be slow and slightly boring.

2. It takes time and commitment: I probably spent an average of an hour per day finding items, displaying the items in an appealing way, taking pictures of the items, editing the picture, writing a description of the items in the picture, and then actually getting rid of the items by selling, donating, recycling, or throwing them out. Moreover, I had to make sure that I took pictures during the daytime so that I had good lighting. If I was going to be out all day and miss the sunlight, then I had to display things nicely before leaving for the day and then have my husband take pictures for me later on (thanks babe!). Although it’s not necessary to take pictures, I highly recommend it because it keeps you accountable and is a great way to actually see all the stuff you’re getting rid of!

3. 465 items seems like a lot, but… If you have a house full of 300,000 items (the number of things in the average American household), then 465 things is truly just a drop in the bucket (like, 0.00155%). If you have 300,000 items in your home and you played the Mins Game every single month for 5 years, you will have still only gotten rid of 9% of your things–and that’s assuming you’re not buying anything else or bringing anything else in to your house. Yes, that statistic sounds ridiculous, but it’s true and it’s a reality for many, many, many people. As stated previously, the Mins Game is a great introduction to purging, but if you have a large quantity of possessions, then you might consider hiring a professional or using the method that Marie Kondo describes in her #1 New York Times bestselling book,The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing.

VERDICT

I loved playing the Mins Game and I would highly recommend it, especially if you’re feeling overwhelmed by your stuff and you just need a place to start. It’s fun and is an awesome introduction to living a more minimal life.

Even if you’re not a beginner purger, the Mins Game would be great when you feel like stuff is starting to pile up again or if you feel like certain items just aren’t adding the same value to your life as they did in the past.

MY MINS GAME RECOMMENDATIONS

1. Take pictures:  Not only will taking pictures keep you accountable each and every day, but it’s also fun to be able to look back on the stuff that you’ll be glad you didn’t keep around! In addition, it’s a great way to show other people what the Mins Game is all about!

2. Find someone to keep you accountable:  It was great to have my husband or a friend text me reminding me to post my Mins Game picture for the day, especially on those days where it was getting late and I had other things on my mind than posting a picture to Instagram. It is essential to have someone around that can encourage you and make sure that you’re actually finding the items and then doing the followthrough work.

3. Challenge yourself:  While playing the Mins Game, I challenged myself in two ways. First, I tried to group like items as one item. For example, on day 8 I got rid of 12 Magic Bullet accessories. Instead of counting each accessory as an item, I counted them all as one because they were bought together. Second, I tried my best to keep “theme days” going for as long as possible. Each day I would have a theme of clothing, books, school supplies, hair products, jewelry, etc. and I would have to make sure that all the items I was getting rid of that day fit in that category. For example, on day 16 I was trying to make sure all the items were from my kitchen. I was stuck at 10 items until I thought, “Hey, I have lots of magnets on my fridge and I definitely don’t need them all.” I was able to keep the theme days going consistently until day 21. I struggled some days, but it really challenged me to get rid of more stuff in each category than I would have if I weren’t doing the theme days.

4. Love the process & don’t be too hard on yourself:  I get it. Getting rid of stuff can be hard. Maybe the items are sentimental or you keep thinking that they could come in handy “one day”. Maybe you’re feeling overwhelmed and stressed out by the sheer number of things you own. Or maybe you’ve even entertained the thought of just burning down your house so you don’t have to deal with your stuff any longer. I’m here to tell you that minimizing doesn’t have to suck. In fact, it can even be fun and enjoyable. Take before and after pictures of your house. Make purging a game. Love your newfound floor space. If you’re playing the Mins Game, don’t beat yourself up if you only make it to day 14…14 days is still 105 items! Just like anything, practice in purging makes perfect. Don’t give up!

Have you played the Mins Game before? I would love to hear your thoughts on it!

Until next time,

MINS GAME: October Minimalism Challenge 

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Over the month of October, I will be playing the “Minimalism Game” or “Mins Game,” coined by Joshua Fields Millburn & Ryan Nicodemus (but you might know them better as “The Minimalists”). They discovered the benefits of minimalism around 2010, and since then have built a minimalist empire (ooohh what an oxymoron) with a successful blog, podcast, documentary, and several books. These guys are awesome, and their documentary “Minimalism: A Documentary About The Important Things” is so inspiring that I may or may not have seen it multiple times and shown it to many of my friends (check it out on Netflix!).

Scott and I had the opportunity to meet Josh and Ryan when they stopped in Calgary a couple weeks ago for their “Less is Now” tour. Here’s a pic of us with them at their meet and greet after their show/speech/presentation/whatever you wanna call it. Please note Scott’s awkward arm holding a copy of their book and feel free to laugh along with me… he gave me permission, and even encouraged me, to post this pic by the way – despite the awkward arm!

Mins game
My husband and me (middle) with “The Minimalists”, Joshua Fields Millburn (left) and Ryan Nicodemus (right)

While Josh and Ryan are awesome and all, what I really want to talk about is their “Mins Game”. What is this “Mins Game” you ask? Well, let me tell you! It is a 30 day challenge; on the first day, you get rid of one thing. On day two, you get rid of two things. Day three, three things… you get the picture. By the end of the 30 days, you will have removed a total of 465 items from your home and life! Isn’t that insane amount of stuff?! Well yes, but compared to the average amount of things people in our society actually own, not really.

Since I started this challenge yesterday, I’ve had quite a few people ask me how I’m even going to do it. Do I even own 465 things? Haven’t I already gotten rid of the majority of the things I own? While I have gotten rid of over 50% of the things I once owned, I don’t yet consider myself a minimalist. I’m on the path to minimalism. It’s a journey, and I haven’t quite reached my destination. In my opinion, I still have wayyy too much stuff. My house frequently feels (and looks) cluttered and messy. There are so many things that I own that I had good intentions to start using after I did my initial minimalistic purge, but that I still don’t use. I have sentimental items that I’m holding onto but never even look at because they are tucked away in a box in my basement. Moral of the story: Yes. I DO own 465 things that I shouldn’t.

Want to hear some disturbing statistics about how much crap we actually own? Prepare to be shocked. You ready?

The AVERAGE American household has 300,000 items in it. THREE-HUNDRED THOUSAND. Here’s another one: the average house size has nearly tripled in the past 50 years, just to hold all our stuff. Except that’s not enough room for over 10% of people who rent offsite storage units to hold the stuff that they can’t fit in their homes. In fact, storage facilities have been (and continue to be) the fastest growing segment of the commercial real estate industry over the past four decades. We consume more than twice as many material goods today as we did 50 years ago.

We are addicted to stuff. Objects. Possessions. Items. Gadgets. Belongings. Whatever you want to call them, they are all just things.

As I do this challenge, I must remember why I am doing it in the first place. On some days, it may be tough for me to part with certain things, but I believe that this challenge will help me to evaluate what I truly value and love. Above all, I must remember what I am discarding: THINGS. Not my family or friends. Not the amazing experiences that I’ve gotten to check off my bucket list. Not my memories.

In a society and culture that always tells us that we must consume more in order to be happy,  it is important to remind ourselves that happiness does not reside in our things. Happiness lives within us.

As I “play” the Mins Game, feel free to follow along on my Instagram page, where I will be posting what I am saying bye to each day.

24 Hours in (and near) Drumheller, Alberta: Our 3rd Wedding Anniventure 

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My husband and I made a deal when we got married: we would not give each other tangible anniversary gifts. Neither of us is particularly traditional and we decided that we’d rather not buy (or receive) paper, clocks, jewelry, appliances, etc. or whatever else it is that society says people should spend money on for their loved one every year.  Instead, we agreed to take turns planning fun events and surprising one another with activities for our anniversaries. We even named it: Anniventure (anniversary adventure). Scott took the odd years, I took the even.

The first year, Scott took me zip-lining at Canada Olympic Park. The next year, I took him to Kelowna to try the FlowRider surf machine. This year, Scott surprised me with a trip to the Canadian Badlands and had so many amazing activities planned for us for our third anniversary! Honestly, I have no idea how I’m going to top it next year. Here are a few of the activities that we did in and around Drumheller for our third anniventure (as well as a few notable mentions that we didn’t have time to do this trip)!

Drumheller things to do

Hike Horseshoe Canyon

Our first stop was Horseshoe Canyon, located approximately 15 minutes west of Drumheller along Highway 9. Horseshoe Canyon is hands down one of my favourite hiking spots in Alberta. The tagline for the canyon should be “Design Your Own Hike”, because that’s exactly what you do. You can enter the canyon via a huge set of stairs, but there are a few little paths to enter it as well. Once you’re in the canyon, there are paths and some stairs, but you can basically go wherever you choose as the whole thing is explorable (and climbable!!). You can read more about this incredible hike, courtesy of Hiking with Barry, here.

BONUS: check out Horseshoe Canyon at sunset! (props to my amazing husband for taking this photo when he went another time!)

Check out the “World’s Largest Dinosaur”

Okay, so this thing is huge. 86 feet tall to be exact, which is actually 4-5 times bigger than real Tyrannosaurus rexes were. While completely inaccurate in size, you gotta admit, it is pretty darn neat. For just a couple bucks, you can even climb up to the top and hang out in the dinosaur’s mouth! This lady (yes, she is a female apparently, just like in Jurassic Park!) is located right above the Drumheller Visitor Information Center, and you can find out more info about her by checking out worldslargestdinosaur.com.

Visit The Little Church

Drumheller: home to the world’s largest dinosaur and Canada’s smallest church. While it is a bit of a novelty – as it can only seat 6 people – services are actually held here and funnily enough, there had been a wedding at the church on the same day we visited! I also decided to give a little sermon to an audience of one (thanks for listening to me read the Bible, Scott!) This itty-bitty church is located less than 5 minutes west of Drumheller along North Dinosaur Trail.

See a play at Rosebud Theatre

This was definitely the highlight of our little getaway, as Scott had made this the main event of our anniversary trip.  The town of Rosebud is about a 25 minute drive southwest of Drumheller, and has a population of less than 100 people! It is such a cute little town that consists of theatre students, staff, and bed and breakfasts. The heart of the entire town is its theatre and the people who live there live and breathe the performing arts. If you love plays and amazing hospitality, then you need to check this place out!

Before the play, we had an incredible buffet dinner right across the street from the theatre at the Rosebud Mercantile. After our dinner, we walked around the tiny little town and checked out some gift shops and an art gallery. We were wayyyy too stuffed from dinner, but rumor has it that there’s an amazing ice cream shop right across the street from the theatre.

Now onto the actual theatre performance. We saw the play “The Spitfire Grill” and holy moly, I CANNOT recommend it enough. The acting/music/storyline were so incredible that I actually left the theatre crying. Yes, I cried. Not because I was sad, but because I was so happy and in awe of the amazing performance that I had just witnessed. While you can see some great performances in the big city, I had never seen anything like that. The heart and soul that went into the production astounded me and completely blew me away.

After the play ended, we witnessed an amazing sunset and then went to the bed and breakfast we were staying in called “The Rose Cottage Bed & Breakfast”. It was absolutely adorable! In the morning, the hosts served us breakfast by candlelight in the main dining room (that they decorate to reflect each play showing at the theatre).

Before leaving Rosebud, we checked out the Thorny Rose Cafe for a quick drink and bite to eat… Except we saw that they had cards and board games in the cafe and we ended up talking to the owner and the manager for awhile, so our “quick” stop turned into more than an hour of playing cribbage, chatting and enjoying the cozy atmosphere of the cafe.

Needless to say, I fell in love with Rosebud. The hospitality was incredible, everyone was so kind, the play we saw was amazing, and overall, it had a Star’s Hollow Gilmore Girls kind of vibe, except on an even smaller scale. It was just so cool to be in a place where everyone in the town knew one another. For more info on the community of Rosebud and their upcoming events, check out www.rosebud.ca.

Notable Mentions

The Star Mine Suspension Bridge

I so wish that we had had the time to visit this bridge, as it’s so cool and is quite long! Alas, we did not, but if you’re in the Drumheller area, make sure you check it out! The best part about it is that it’s free!

The Royal Tyrell Museum

I’ll be honest: I’m not a huge fan of museums, but even I have got to admit that this one is sweet. It has some super interactive exhibits, and you get to be up close and personal with dinosaurs! For more info, check out tyrrellmuseum.com!

Have you been to Drumheller and surrounding areas before? If so, I what is your favourite thing to do in the Alberta Badlands? Leave me a reply below!

Until next time,

Three Years Ago Today…

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Copyright © Kristyn Harder Photography

Today I wanted to share something a little more personal with you than a DIY project or minimalism tips. Today I am celebrating my third wedding anniversary with the love of my life, Scott Wesley Bennett.

It’s crazy to think that exactly three short years ago, I walked down the aisle and said “I do”, unaware of what the future would hold or what kinds of new adventures awaited us. Little did I know that we would soon buy a home together or adopt a little dog. I never suspected that Scott would record bands in our basement or that I would end up tutoring high school students the same subjects I found the most difficult back in the day. Despite the challenges that have come along with our new adventures, I would not have it any other way.

Scott is the most wonderful, patient, warm-hearted and unselfish man that I’ve ever met. The fact that I get to do life with him and call him my husband is incredible. I honestly think he is the greatest human being, and I, Catherine Leeanne Bennett née Kesteven, am lucky enough to be married to him! (#blessed)

For my birthday this year, Scott sat me down and surprised me with a video that he made from our wedding footage. I bawled from happiness; it was so lovely to reminisce on such wonderful memories of that amazing day, and is something that I will cherish for the rest of my life. Below is my birthday present from my amazing husband. Scott, may we always be the best of friends. May we continue to have many new and exciting adventures together.  May we continuously strive to beat the many marriage statistics that are stacked against us. I love you, always and forever.

What minimalists REALLY want for their birthdays

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I’m often compared to Rachel in Friends. Not because I look like Jennifer Aniston (oh, how I wish), but because Rachel is known for returning every gift she gets.

In one episode, Rachel gets a board game from Chandler and immediately hands it back to him. She returns a gold necklace given to her by Ross and when he asks what she got instead, she simply replies, “credit”. When Tag gives her a scooter for her 30th birthday and says, “it wasn’t on your list, but hopefully you’ll think it’s really fun,” Ross whispers to him, “stick to the list. Always stick to the list.”

Like Rachel, I return most things I am given. Last year, Scott gave me a colouring book for my birthday (I already had two that I barely touched) and as soon as I opened it, I said, “Aw, thank you babe! That’s really nice of you. Did you happen to keep the receipt?”

It has become a running joke in the Bennett family that it doesn’t matter what anyone buys me – I will just return it anyway.  The simple fact is that I just don’t need more random things that eventually turn to clutter and junk. Gift giving and minimalism can certainly co-exist, it’s just important to think about what the person on the receiving end wants or needs – because let’s face it, no one wants to give a gift that’s not going to get used.

So, since it was my birthday yesterday, I have compiled a list of things that minimalists really want to receive.

1. Gifts of Time

Minimalists would much rather spend time with you, the giver, than receive something they don’t actually need. There’s a reason I listed this first. I would much rather a friend or family member share a gift of their time with me than spend money on something that I have to find a place for in my house.

Treat the minimalist in your life to  brunch and engage in great conversation with them. Take them on your favourite hike. Bake a cake or cook a delicious meal together. All that matters is that you are putting aside time specifically for them.

2. Experiences

Experiences are awesome. Who doesn’t love getting a voucher to do an activity you love or that you’ve always wanted to do? Here are just a few ideas of “experience” gifts:

Tickets to concerts, plays or sporting events

Cooking, music or fitness classes

Spa or massage vouchers

Painting events

Craft beer or wine tasting

Gondola rides

Laser tag or paintball

Kayaking, canoeing or whitewater rafting

Helicopter or balloon rides

Hotel stays

Horseback riding

Escape rooms

Kayaking or canoeing

Carriage rides

I found all of the above experiences on the local Calgary Groupon website. Groupon always has awesome deals on unique experiences and is the first place I check for my gifts of experience.

3. Edible gifts

Minimalists gotta eat too! Edible gifts like wine, chocolate, and homemade desserts and canned goods (jams, jellies, pickles) are always appreciated and enjoyed!

4. Charitable gifts

While you may think that this type of gift isn’t for the receiver, it means so much to those who are passionate about charitable causes. When you donate your hard-earned money to their favourite organization, it means you took the time to think about what the gift receiver likes and you helped in the process! Bonus: you often get a tax receipt for your donation!

5. Gift cards or money

Yes, money and gift cards have a bad rap of being impersonal and “lazy” gifts, but hear me out! Minimalists like practicality and gift cards can be practical. Gas and grocery gift cards will most certainly be put to good use and won’t go to waste. Visa gift cards are awesome if you feel weird about getting your friend money for gas on their birthdays. Gift cards to favourite restaurants also work!

You can also get more specific, depending on the person. For example, my husband and I are in the process of renovating our unfinished basement and for Christmas we got a couple of gift cards to Home Depot and Lowes. This was something we truly appreciated and it showed that the gift givers had taken the time to think about what we really needed and would want.

6. Specific items (you just have to ask!)

Minimalists aren’t against owning things – they just dislike owning excess things. You need only ask if there is anything that they require – just don’t expect it to be something fun or impractical! It might be something that you would not consider to be “gift material”, but would mean a lot to the receiver (without a word of a lie, I asked for a new kitchen sink and faucet for Christmas). Just because it isn’t what you would consider to be gift worthy, doesn’t mean that it won’t be genuinely appreciated (certainly more so than a little knick-knack that might not get used).

I hope that this gave you some ideas or maybe even inspired you to give differently! Do you have a minimalist in your life that’s hard to buy for or maybe you just know someone who has everything? I would love to hear about them (and the gifts you’ve given to them) in the comments below!

Until next time,

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