Minimalism Author: The Plan

I’m sure you’ve all heard that Tiny Houses are the new craze. People are tossing out their old lives, along with most their things, in exchange for a simpler way of life. At first, I thought “No way could I do that! I have a daughter. We need our space.” But I read an article “The Two Ways to Make a Living as an Author“. Of course, I was hooked by the title alone. I’m an author! What I didn’t know was that the article was all about living as a minimalist and how it can change your life so that writing isn’t just a hobby anymore, but a career. The key to achieving this dream? Don’t have so many bills and waste so much time is the gist of it. Being an author, income can be unpredictable at best. One month could be amazing and the next could leave you in a drought. What the article basically says is to live as cheaply as possible so you can dedicate all your working time to writing and the things you truly love. Think about all you could do if your mortgage wasn’t $1,000 a month, but $400! And with that smaller life comes smaller utilities. Instead of paying the usual $200 for electricity, you’re only paying $50. (And don’t get me started on solar panels!) The point is, the possibilities to life as a minimalist are endless. So I decided, right there in my pajamas clutching my steaming coffee mug at 8am,that I was going to make the change—I am going to become a minimalist!

13769606_1038985536169785_5348571860113772464_n — The big morning coffee epiphany. Trust me. I’m excited. My face just isn’t.

Recent events in my life left me a single mom.(Don’t feel too bad. We’re better off!) My daughter and I moved back in with my folks so I could pay off my debt faster and buy a house virtually debt free. I expect this to take about two years, which is perfect because that’s how long I have to be at a job to use my VA loan from being in the Navy. This week I started my new, full-time job as a Microbiologist Laboratory Support Technician, pushing my passion of writing back to a part-time job. (I foresee a lot of long nights and working during my lunch breaks in my future.) Eventually, I thought I would save for a house and my bills would be back up to what they are now if not more. “That’s just life”, I told myself. But I discovered it isn’t! Tiny House life gives me just the out from normality I was looking for. Building my own place gives me the freedom to design it around what is important to me. So, periodically, I will be blogging about my journey in this because I feel it is something all authors should consider. (Especially Indie! You freed yourself from publishing contracts, now free yourself from clutter and wasted time!) Here is what I have so far…

What Is Most Important to Me

Picture-462-283x300 — BOOKS! Of course! I need enough built-in shelf space to store my ever growing library.

Music. I love it. My daughter super loves it. I need it in my house.

coffee-bar-7 — Coffee is a daily morning, and sometimes afternoon, must! My own coffee station is a dream!

One-Piece-Corner-Shower-Stalls — Yes, I need my relaxation spot, and sometimes that means sitting down in the shower for some peace and quiet.

woman applying dry cosmetic tonal foundation on the face — I enjoy dolling myself up (though for clothes I prefer t-shirt and jeans, so don’t ask). When I look good, I feel good. I do it for no one but me!

nature-05 — Connecting with nature is something I want to be a bigger part of my life. I would love this view! (Haha, yeah right. Keep dreaming.)

Backyard-Landscaing-Ideas-Attractive-Fire-Pit-Designs-Homesthetics-7 — Having a place for family to gather outside will help us to get fresh air more often.

iRobot-Roomba-980-New — I like things clean, but I don’t want to waste time cleaning. Anyone else? So I’m sure I will have to invest in one of these guys.

13613349_1031609156907423_1178513217153409607_o — Writing my books. I love it. I don’t care if I don’t make as much money at it as a day job. I will never stop doing it!

13131297_997158863685786_4722036327348681563_o — Bob. He is the love of my life.

13240699_1004532429615096_3334901444131243805_n — Fandom, whether it be a television show like Game of Thrones, or a book series like Harry Potter, I am a nerd and I collect fandom items. That’s just who I am.

13244060_1000497743351898_7697443246188233247_o — And last, but certainly not least, my daughter (family). I want a place that will bring us closer together.

But how do I build a minimalist life around those things I love?

20160720_203810 — I have my tiny list of the things most important to me. If something I own does not fall into one of those categories, or the necessity category, then I am giving it a toss. I have my first entry! Charlotte’s baby clothes. I don’t plan on having another one so there was no use in me keeping bags and bags of clothes no one would ever wear again. I gave them to a neighbor who is having a granddaughter soon.

Never forget what you’re striving for and never settle when the time comes to get it!

20160720_215939 — As you can see in the short day I have been on board with the minimalist plan, I have already changed things I thought were necessary. I’m sure there will be more changes in the time it takes me to get to the building point.

20160720_215957 — I bought a Tiny House book for inspiration and found five floor plans I loved. I took everything I loved about them and used it to make my very own design which aligns perfectly with what I view as most important in my life.

“In my dream home each room will have a function, a purpose, and will be designed around that purpose. A bedroom is for sleeping (and clothes storage), so that is all it will have…a bed and a closet and windows. The writing studio is for writing, so it doesn’t need to be large or lavish. All it needs is a desk. The living room and four-season room will be the central focus since it is where friends and family will come together.” – Alex Apostol

One response to “Minimalism Author: The Plan”

J

January 18, 2017

-“Do you love a soft, warm, rainy night? Tied to your bedposts with luxurious velvet ropes; your feet tied over your head ever so lightly and my mouth making love with soft slow kisses upon your gorgeous, lovely, wet personal place…I look up…a smile to see your breasts are taut and you slightly squirm to get me to continue what I was doing…. – I realize, so clearly now, amidst my lavishing tonguing and gentle murmurs upon your heightened pleasure, that I really do like you a lot and find great pleasure in bringing you to this stage…Ah, yes, here you come…as I engorge myself in moans upon your juices of …pure and lovely sweetness. Come, my darling, come. Your soft whimpers of ecstasy are my delight in you…come….”

Hi, my name is James and I got to your web page, via, your Amazon write up on Chelsea Handler’s new book. -You mean it actually had a paragraph doubled up…-Not very professional, I’d say, to say the least….

Hey there ‘bae-be,’ have a good day and a good new year. -fr. CDN, w. Coast, V. Island.

(-I don’t know: it just got into me…) ! -Answering your question.

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