Back in my late 20s, I had a lot of stuff. The garage was never used to park the car because there was too much junk, and the back patio became a sort of storage unit as well. Add to that a cluttered office and a guest room that left no room for a potential guest, and you can see that my actual living space was very, very small.

Guess what? So was my actual life.

I didn’t make the connection to all of that until many years later when we started downsizing our stuff and upsizing our life. Warren made a huge impact on my life in my 30s because he is not an accumulator, though I tried bravely – nay, valiantly! – to convert him to my evil ways. The man is a pillar of minimalist strength.

Life is the space between our things. ~ Francine Jay

For those of you who have a clutter problem and live alone (or with another accumulator), there is hope. We’ve mentioned Miss Minimalist before, and if you have not checked out her blog before you should. She has a lot of great advice about becoming a minimalist, and every Monday she showcases another “real life minimalist” in various stages of the process. It is truly inspiring.

Miss Minimalist (government name: Francine Jay) has taken her experience and turned it into a book called The Joy of Less, A Minimalist Living Guide.

I read this book on my recent trip to visit my family in New Mexico, and my main goal was to see if her lessons on minimalism mirrored what we had learned in our own experience. I had no idea I would be using it as a primer to help my mother go through her cluttered storage building.

The Book

Francine’s book has four parts, a discussion of minimalism and how it can impact your life, introduction of her STREAMLINE method, a room-by-room application of the STREAMLINE method, and information about taking minimalism beyond your four walls and applying it to your entire lifestyle.

The STREAMLINE method is as follows:

• Start over
• Trash, treasure or transfer
• Reason for each item
• Everything in its place
• All surfaces clear
• Modules
• Limits
• If one comes in, one goes out
• Narrow it down
• Everyday maintenance

Francine made a lot of inroads in the first section about the psychological barriers that keep us in a packrat mentality. It was really amazing to read about this in the evening and then use almost her exact words to help my mom go through this storage building that had been bothering her for years.

How I applied the lessons from the book

As you all know, my mother is a saint, a legend, and possibly the world’s best mom. She is also incredibly organized and neat. But she does have a not-so-tiny problem with letting go of things, which is probably genetic. She keeps things for sentimental reasons, because someone else in the family might need it, or because it is still in good condition and she can’t bear to get rid of it. Over time, her very large storage building – my dad’s old workshop, actually – became crammed full of her past.

I’m not sure if the book increased my motivation or not, but when she expressed her disappointment at not being able to streamline her stuff I volunteered to help. A local church was taking donations for a community garage sale the next weekend, so we had the makings of a perfect storm: a deadline, a place to take donations, and a supportive helper who was not attached to the stuff.

Think about what minimalism is instead of what it isn’t:

more space instead of less stuff.

We spent a full morning organizing and going through boxes – quickly and decisively – and making space in the storage building. We had a donation pile and trash pile, and even though it was hard for my mom in some points, I think having me ask the question about why she was keeping something made her evaluate it more than she would have on her own. Francine writes quite a bit about this and I was surprised how easy it was for me to guide my mom through this (and how I wished someone had done this for me a few years ago).

Mom still kept quite a few things (this is a woman with 5 different “themes” to alternate each Christmas, after all), but we ended up taking the equivalent of 2 pickup truck beds full of donations and 1 bed full of trash away from her house at the end of the week.

Mom has more space in her life, someone else is able to use the things she wasn’t using, and she doesn’t feel the dread of knowing she has this big chore in front of her.

The think I liked about Francine’s book is that it is practical and addresses the concerns, excuses, and delaying tactics we all use when faced with this kind of project. She also advocates starting small, which I love. Think about it: if you start by decluttering a drawer or a shelf each day, or spend even 10 minutes a day on this, you will eventually get where you need to be.

It takes the same kind of effort and help to declutter your life as it does to start an exercise program, eat healthy, or study for a new career. It isn’t always fun, but the end result is always life-changing.

How you can use the lessons in the book

Francine has a way of making you think about things differently. She advocates MORE SPACE instead of LESS STUFF because minimalism is not about lack or deprivation. In fact, she doesn’t advocate living in one of those sterile homes you see in the magazines that look as if no human has ever lived there.

Francine wants you to LIVE, and to do that you need space: space for your kids to play, to have friends over, and to pursue leisure activities. This is your home, after all, and it should be the place you unwind, relax, and recharge your batteries. All of us who have lived in cluttered homes know how hard it is to relax in a home that is packed with junk, dust, and remnants of the life you are no longer living (treadmill, anyone?).

Minimalism is about abundance of space and appreciating the things and people who are important in your life, and this book is an excellent guide to help you or someone you love get there.

Holding true to Francine’s lessons, I gave my book to my mother when I left. That’s what I suggest for you: Buy it, share it with a good friend, and then help each other work through the rooms in your home. Before you know it, you’ll have created more space in your home and your life. And that changes everything.

And once you’ve learned the lesson, give the book away. Or else you haven’t really learned the lesson.

Full disclosure: Francine’s publicist sent us a copy of the book and the link above is an affiliate link for Amazon.

Happy Anniversary! Today marks 2 years since we drunkenly agreed to travel around the world. (Tomorrow marks the day that we woke up and said “holy shit!”)

We could have never imagined the changes we would go through in order to make this round-the-world trip a reality, and we’ve learned a lot about ourselves, each other, and our relationship to money, possessions, and other people.

Writing this blog has been a sort of therapy for us as we’ve worked through the various issues that go along with saving a lot of money and getting rid of everything we own. Thank you for letting us lay on your virtual couch and talk this thing through. We feel a lot better, and we hope you do, too.

(Click here if you do not see the video below.)

(Confidential to Debb and Pat: Our families all blame you!)

You know, hosting Meet, Plan, Go! in Seattle has been a great learning experience for us, and the biggest bonus is meeting great people and learning about new companies that support long-term travel. One of my favorites has been Mango Languages, not only because my contact Beverly Cornell is so fun and engaging, but because Mango provides a way for people to learn a new language for FREE because they provide their software through libraries all over North America and beyond.

Photo by ALT123 via Flickr

(In fact, if you aren’t using your local library for travel books, cultural music, videos, and reference material in preparation for your trip, you are wasting a lot of time and money. And who doesn’t want to save a few extra bucks for the trip fund? Anyway, enough of my PSA about your local public library.)

The team at Mango travels quite a bit, and many are bi- and tri-lingual. These people practice what they preach, and I love having them as sponsors for Meet, Plan, Go. If you are going to the Chicago event you can meet Beverly in person, and even if you aren’t planning to attend (the only excuse is that you are already on a trip), then you can benefit a lot from finding out more about our sponsors and speakers.

Listen below as Beverly and I talk about language, cultural taboos, and how to sign a petition to her boss to allow her to travel full-time to “road-test” all 70 languages in the Mango catalog. (ahem, if the boss is reading that is just a joke – kinda)

One of the main questions we get asked about our trip is what we did with our home. Even before we sold, we had a lot of debate amongst ourselves and with friends and family over the best plan. Selling meant possibly losing money and not having an automatic place to return to after the trip. Renting meant becoming a landlord at precisely the time we were trying to let go of that kind of day-to-day responsibility. And of course there are other options, like having a family member stay.

Photo by woodleywonderworks via Flickr

We eventually chose to sell, and you can read all about it here. What helped us come to that conclusion was the help of professional, one who had the experience and market knowledge to listen to our situation and put all the cards on the table so we could make the best decision for us.

You may not want to sell your home. You may be dying to sell your home. Either way, the best decision for you might not be the one you have in your head right now, and talking to a professional will clear the fog and help you make the best choice for your situation.

At Meet, Plan, Go in Seattle we are pleased to have Patricia and David Wangsness of Wangsness Connections as our Gold Sponsor. Patricia and David are long-term landlords, successful Realtors in the Seattle/Bellevue area, and Patricia has even spent quite a bit of time living abroad. They also work with a lot of people who relocate for work for a few years and don’t know what to do with their homes, which is a very similar situation to what some of you have right now as you plan your trip.

I spent a little time with Patricia in her studio talking about real estate, what to think about when you set out for long-term travel, and the joys and pains of being a landlord. She also talks at the end of our interview about her travels and one of her biggest lessons.

Check out the video below (click here if you don’t see it) and get to know Patricia. If you are in the Seattle area you can meet her at Meet, Plan, Go in Seattle on September 14 (hurry, only 7 tickets left!), and if you can’t make it you can always connect with her or David through their website.

“We are the music makers,
And we are the dreamers of dreams”
Ode by Arthur O’Shaughnessy

Every few years I give my imagination a kick by watching Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.  With Betsy out of town this last weekend, I decided to dive into the wonderful, odd, and fun world that Roald Dahl created.  I am talking about the original here which features the amazing performance by Gene Wilder.  While I am a fan of Tim Burton’s remake,Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, it is the original that draws the most direct connection with me (though I must admit I committed the time for you dear reader and watched both, just to be sure).  The original  simply reminds me of the first time I saw it as a child.  Each time the movie brings me the same feelings of excitement and wonder from the first time I saw it, and I love art that can have such an impact.

Now, I fully realize that this movie does not represent the pinnacle of cinematography.  However, I never let that ruin a story whose entire premise revolves around imagination, candy, and some very dark humor.  Seriously, how can you combine these concepts and not be pulled into the story?  As if that is not enough, they have singing Oompa Loompas, a river boat ride that gave me nightmares for years, and a freaking Chocolate Room!

Early in the movie Charlie opens his Wonka Bar to reveal the final golden ticket, getting him access to a tour of Willy Wonka’s factory.  Each time I watch it I get goosebumps and tears in my eyes, just like when I was 8 years old.  The moment is one of pure happiness, without concern for the unexpected or unknown.  The look on his face and the excitement he shows as he runs home to tell his family is something that I would love to capture each day.  While Charlie is not sure what lies behind the factory gates, his imagination is running at full speed as he thinks about the possibilities.  Watching the movie again with our trip inching ever closer I was reminded to open my imagination to what we will find on the road, both the expected and the unexpected.

On October 1st we are leaving for our extended adventure around the world.  In watching the movie again it turns out that the magical factory tour that Charlie has won is also set for October 1st.  Coincidence? Perhaps, but that will not stop me from feeling a special connection to the story and using it to provide lessons as we get into our trip:

• Embrace my imagination.  I love the creativity of Willy Wonka and what the movie says about the importance of a healthy imagination.  As we hit the road we need to use our imagination to find the beauty in every experience, as I expect there will be times it will not be clearly evident.
• Be excited about the adventure. I strive to match the same level of excitement and enthusiasm that Charlie showed when he unwrapped that chocolate bar.  I will look forward to each new city and person we meet as an opportunity for excitement.
• Don’t let fear control me.  If you have seen the original scene with the boat going through the tunnel, you know it was scary and quite dark.  There will certainly be times when we are scared of what lies ahead, but we need to continue to embrace the experience.
• “A little nonsense now and then is relished by the wisest men.”  Sometimes, we just need to let go and enjoy ourselves, even if that means being a little silly.
• Smile.  I find that smiling helps me to get out of a funk and to deal with challenges in a positive way.  Plus, it is always easier to meet new people when you have a smile on your face.

What movie inspires you to live a more imaginative life?

Rolf Potts, veteran traveler, author, and coiner of the phrase “vagabonding,” is off to do something new. He’s going to take a 6-week trip around the world with nothing but his toothbrush and what he can fit in his pockets. I just recently bought a Scottevest for our big trip, so I’m excited to see how he utilizes his to carry everything he needs. You can follow along on his journey at RTWblog.com.

What do you consider “essential” for your travels?

You may have noticed we look a little bit different this week. Warren has done a lot of work behind the scenes so we can more easily share photos and videos with you as we travel.

A few changes:

• We are now using our new logo from I Design Your Logo. You may remember us getting this logo several weeks ago, and we have already been using it on our Facebook page.
• The tabs at the top of the home page showcase the latest post, a video on where we are going, and random pictures. As we start to travel, these tabs may change. You’ll always see the most up-to-date info here.
• Are you on Facebook, Twitter, or Flickr? You can friend/like us through the icons on the upper right corner of the site. We put out a lot of info on Facebook and Twitter that isn’t quite big enough for a blog post, so if you like that sort of thing please connect with us there. You can also “like” us on Facebook from the widget in the footer.
• The categories are now on the right side in a dropdown menu, so if you only want to read posts on a particular topic you can click there and find everything you need.

Now that the basic changes are made, we can focus on the enhancements coming soon:

• An interactive map that will allow you to click on a destination and get photos, blog posts, and videos we’ve made. This is one we are very excited about and can’t wait to use. We’re hoping to have a function to allow you to suggest things for us, too.
• A really fantastic resource section with budgeting, planning, and downsizing information. We’ve met a lot of great people while planning this trip, and we want you to know them, too. We’ll also be updating the “New Here?” section for those just discovering our site or looking for how we got started.
• A link to our upcoming radio show, which will be done in a format similar to This American Life. We are really jazzed about doing this show for the Rock Your Genius network this fall and hope you like it, too.

Thanks for your patience as we’ve (we=Warren) worked behind the scenes to make this a better experience for you. Your comments and feedback have been a big help, and we want to keep hearing from you as we tweak this.

What do you think?

This weekend I got my first tattoo and I absolutely love how it turned out.  I fully realize that a tattoo is not for everyone and there is sure to be a group of people that question my choice. However, I am determined not to let other people decide what I will do with my life.  To help remind myself of this approach, I have started using the phrase “more cowbell” to push me to embrace new experiences (and to laugh in tough situations).  I am not sure how I got stuck on the phrase, but have found it really fits with how I want to live my life.

For those not familiar with the phrase, it comes from a 2000 Saturday Night Live skit (worth 5 minutes if you have not seen it).  The scene is a spoof of the Blue Oyster Cult recording “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper” with Will Ferrell (playing the role of Gene Frenkle) playing the cowbell with enthusiasm.   Throughout the skit Christoper Walken is pleading for even more cowbell.  I have seen the skit dozens of times, and laugh through each one.  At one point, Will makes the statement “we don’t have a whole lot of songs that feature the cowbell”.  This got me to thinking that this applies to a lot of the goals and dreams I have.  While people may love a good cowbell, most people would not be comfortable putting it into their song.  Often our dreams or goals are not understood by everyone else, but that does not mean you should shy away from pursuing.

So, when I decided to follow Betsy’s lead and get my own tattoo, the words “more cowbell” ran through my head as I decided to get something large and visible.  As I mentioned in my last post many of my fears about our trip arise from within.  In selecting what piece of art I wanted on my body for the rest of my life I decided on an image that would remind me to always look inside myself for answers. (see more photos of the experience here)

Follow your own voice:

More Cowbell!

• Find people that will support your dream.  They will be screaming “more cowbell” when you need it.  (The photo here is of Betsy’s parents sporting temporary tattoos in their version of “more cowbell” for her new art).
• Don’t be afraid to “explore the space” of your goals.  Make the goal your own and be fearless in how you attack it.  I wanted a tattoo that I could look at to remind me to slow down and experience both our trip and my life.
• Have fun.  After all, life is short so why not have a great time on the ride.  Our wonderful friends Pat and Debb joined us at the tattoo parlor for a few hours of laughs and fun to celebrate the moment.

Tattoo inspiration:
In November of 2006, Betsy and I visited Barcelona for a week. During our time touring the city we spent a couple hours visiting the Salvador Dali museum. Dali was an amazing and prolific artist, and if you have the opportunity I encourage you to spend some time walking through a set of works that inspires, confuses, and simply baffles the mind. While there I was mesmerized by his work on “The Anthropomorphic Cabinet” and “The Fallen Angel“.  I love the images and self-reflection they inspire.  I added the globe to reflect both the trip that we are going on, but also to remind me what I want to learn about myself while we are on this adventure.

It takes a while before you really start to believe in the positive changes your good habits create. In fact, you could do something for quite a while and need a stranger to point out when you’ve made real progress. We’re often just too close to see it ourselves.

Then there’s the period of time when you know you’ve made progress, other people have commented on it, and you are a bit taken with yourself. You may let your new habits slip a bit or admire your progress a bit too much for your own good.

Or maybe that’s just me. I’ll let you decide:

PS: I started telling this story to Warren and my friend Debb, and before I got to the punchline Warren grabbed the video camera and made me start over from the beginning. I don’t normally tape all my conversations with friends.

Today marks 50 days until we leave. I find that the closer we get to taking off the more my mind seems to focus on the life we have ahead of us. However, in addition to the excitement comes a healthy dose of fear. Instead of trying to articulate my trepidation and concerns with text, I thought it would be fun change of pace to start offering more of my insights in short videos.  So, here is my first attempt to give you more of an idea of what is keeping me up at night: