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It’s been a while since I’ve posted any real minimalist design photos.
Pictured above is my little computer(slash)everything desk. I got the white table at ikea on sale for less than $38. The ikea chair was a sweet find on craigslist for $10. And the toy on the table, well let’s not get into that (although I was able to snag a student discount).
Is it too white? Eh, I like it because it forces me to keep the surface area uber-clean.
One of the greatest feelings in the world is coming home to a sink with zero dirty dishes.
Now some of you would argue, “WTF?!?!? You think having an empty sink is one of the greatest feelings in the world?”
I counter with this:
Have you ever come home only to find your kitchen sink to be piled as high as the sky with dishes, bowls, spoons, spatulas and yogurt?
Isn’t that the worst feeling in the world? Well, the opposite of a full sink would be an empty sink. And the opposite of the worst feeling in the world is the greatest feeling in the world.
In my never ending quest for true minimalism, I have encountered many stumbling blocks.
One of those stumbling blocks is the power block; otherwise known as the surge protector.
Just take a look at the pictures, they are literally poison for the eyeballs. I have audio/video cables, light cords, and even more AC power supplies hooked up into one surge protector.
If I had an outlet behind my television, I could just hide this monstrosity behind it. But I don’t. So I am going to have to come up with some clever way to sort it out. I’m hoping I will have a solution to this by next week, so I can post an updated entry titled “cable managed.”
It is now estimated that some Americans spend about 20% of their salary on gas.
Well just think, what if you didn’t drive for one or even two days out of the work week?
You could take public transportation (which most jobs will happily pay for), carpool, bike, or even telecommute.
Just doing that for two days out of the week would bring that percentage down to 12%. You would be doing your part by being green, and spending less of your hard earned green on gasoline. I know this is an extreme case, but think about your situation. I’m sure you’re spending way more on gas than you would like. Those living in the San Francisco Bay Area can use 511.org, which is a great resource for driving alternatives.
I was having a nice little email conversation with Leslie (an editor for Apartment Therapy), and she said that I inspired her to make this list.
Sweetdiggitydiggums, thanks Leslie!
I am hoping to send her some photos of my place soon.
Just kidding. I love the blues. But I also love the green.
An old old old old friend of mine turned me on to Wheatware, a company that makes bio-friendly guitar picks and drum sticks.
Did I mention that Live Earth musicians rocked out with these?
Isn’t soap, by definition, anti-bacterial?
Otherwise washing our hands would just be like a logistical service for germs.
The next time you’re out shopping for soap, watch out for the “anti-bacterial” label. Many of these soaps contain triclosan(check the label), which is hazardous to the environment.
Triclosan is known to be an endocrine disrupter, which essentially messes up our ecosystem. You don’t need triclosan for clean hands, just a decent scrub with mild soap.
Many of you guys will shudder at just the thought of using a low flow shower head.
We all remember what happened to Jerry and friends in that one Seinfeld episode.
Well, rest assured my friends, low flow shower heads aren’t that bad. In fact, once I made the switch, I didn’t even remember what my old shower head felt like.
You’ll save a ton of water, and you might even save some money on your utility bill as well. Many water utility companies give them out for free, so why not try one?
Just came across every Apple fanboy’s dream.
A ring that can bond your Apple device to you in unholy matrimony. Who wants one? I doooooooooo (pun intended)!
More info here.
It’s been a while since I upgraded any parts on my bike, which is my main source of transportation during the work week.
So I ran into a couple of guys on the street while I was riding, and they happened to be selling a wheel. Nothing fancy, just a machined Velocity Deep V laced to a Surly hub. Definitely better than what I was rolling on.
I was able to get the entire wheel for $60, which should make my commute just a little better. Make friends, and make a deal.
Almost everybody who is anybody has used Craigslist at one time or another.
Here are two simpleton tips on how to maximize your Craigslist experience.
For buying:
Never bring “exact change.” This gives you the bargaining advantage. Here’s an example.
If an item is listed at $65, bring $80 (in $20 bills), to the transaction. That way if the seller doesn’t have any change, you can say,”Will you take $60 for it?” Chances are they’ll be more inclined to oblige, simply because they might lose a sale if they don’t budge.
If for some reason this doesn’t work, have some extra cash in the car that you can “suddenly remember you had in the glovebox.”
For selling:
Always assume that the buyer will not have exact change. For the same reason mentioned above, have enough legal tender (small bills) so that the buyer can’t pull a fast one on you.
Check out this downright dirty mobile pad. Courtesy of it’s just a bit of fun. Click here for more.
I wanted to re-create the record store experience at my home by constructing a poorman’s listening station.
The only things I had were nails and a hammer. So I hammered in two nails, and placed the jacket on top.
Now I have a place to prominently display the cover work of whoever I am listening to.
Have you realized how frugal I am yet?
Wait just a minute. You were going to toss those old batteries in the round file weren’t you?
Well, not so fast. Batteries contain chemicals that can leach in our landfills, and therefore must be disposed of properly.
The easiest way to recycle them is to take them to work or school, where there is usually an active battery recycling program. If you can’t do that, try using Earth 911, to find a local recycling program.
How many times have you wanted to return something, only to have lost the receipt?
Always keep your receipts! Even if you think that you’re going to keep the item forever and ever. Stuff happens.
I keep my receipts in a little expanding file holder. It doesn’t even have to be organized, just as long as they’re all in the same place.
And with many stores boasting a 90-day return policy nowadays, you’ll thank yourself in 3 months when you’re scrounging for that receipt.
Pretty sweet furniture creations.
Flat pack furniture for small spaces, also saves packaging waste as well.
Ripped from Weburbanist.
Getting a start on ridding your clutter isn’t always easy.
That’s why you just have to dump everything on the floor and do it. I usually dump all the stuff in the middle of a walk way, so that it forces me to clean it up.
Throw away the little knick knacks that you don’t use. Toss liberally. Good luck.
Looking for a solid flick to watch this weekend?
Look no further than Friends with Money, starring my all time favorite Jennifer Aniston.
This movie touches on basically every subject that I post on this blog.
The Air Jordan XX3 is coming out soon. Nike has finally decided to back up their talk about being green, as the shoes are made from environmentally friendly materials. At $185, apparently they are not very paper wallet friendly.
It is nice to see a huge release item like this touting eco-friendly materials. Full article
I saw this little contraption online and thought it was pretty cool . It’s a sweet little phone that can be plugged directly into your Mac/PC or cell phone.
Not only does it sport a simple minimalist design, but the white model is on sale now here.
Pulled from Katie’s post at Better Living Through Design.
