16 Minimalist Ideas for 2016

I believe striving to be a minimalist is a lifelong process to reduce things that clutter life and distract from peace and tranquility. As a Christian I think it is to live by these verses in the Bible, 

"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal (Matthew 6:19-20)."

Here are some steps on the road to being a minimalist that one can try. You don't have to do them all at once and some may not be practical for you at this time in your life.

1. Eliminate 16 pieces of clothing from your wardrobe. 

2. Eliminate 16 files from your paper filing cabinet and put contents into Evernote. 

3. Eliminate 16 unhealthy foods from your diet. Here is a list of 33 for some ideas. 

4. Unsubscribe from 16 email subscriptions that clutter up your email inbox. 

5. Remove 16 apps from your smart phone. 

6. Get rid (donate, sell, dispose) of 16 unnecessary items from your garage, basement, or attic. 

7. Use a GPS App like Waze or Google Maps to find the shortest route and drive approximately 16 fewer miles per month. 

8. Eliminate 16 pieces of incoming postal mail by removing your name from mailing lists. 

9. Cut your cable service and watch 16 hours less of television per month. 

10. Find 16 types of items you can routinely reduce, reuse, or recycle your consumption of. 

11. Share 16 experiences during the year with people you cherish. 

12. Take 16 pictures over the course of the year of things you like but don't own and don't need to own. 

13. Cancel 16 magazine subscriptions and subscribe to Texture or Readily (both are a type of Netflix for Magazines). 

14. Read 16 books during the year that you can borrow from your public library or a friend. 

15. Set aside $16 per week in a savings account (that's just $2.28 per day) and leave it alone and you will have $832 at the end of the year. Then give that to someone or some organization to bless others in some practical and minimalist way. 

16. Spend 16 minutes per day in prayer for what matters most in your life, because in the end the person who dies with the most toys doesn't win. 

God's Care in the Air

Preparing to board the airplane my fears run wide,
What danger might some sinister stranger hide?
Am I spiritually prepared to enter eternity today?
For Divine safety and salvation I fervently pray.

I hurriedly eat an overpriced and average meal,
Resting from the strain of walking on my heal.
Shuffling past dozens of empty plane seats,
Wishing I could keep my feet on level streets.

A turbulence is like an earthquake in the air,
And I’m so glad I’m under a loving God’s care.
Flying brings me personally closer to heaven,
With memories today of September eleven.

While my ears hurt during the shaky descent,
I hope my faith in God is as strong as cement.
For as I return quite safely to the good earth,
Before me lies a vision of tremendous worth.

By Alan T. Stokes

November 19, 2001

Note:  Written on my first plane ride after 9/11/01 as I was headed to Orlando, Florida. 

Cell Phone Usage Safety

Here are two tips for reducing one's exposure to potentially dangerous cell phone radiation.

1. Use ear buds when talking on the phone instead of holding the phone close to one's ear (Note: The speaker mode works too but that may annoy others and will make the conversation not so private).
2. Keep the phone at least 3 feet away from your head at night (Note: This helps make it a more effective alarm clock too, if you have to actually get out of bed).

Anyone know of other suggestions. Leave a comment on this post. We will add to it in the future.