I have been trying to live a minimalist lifestyle, with moderate success. For three years, it seemed like things were moving in the right direction. And then, we moved to live in Atlanta. And things went in another direction. Atlanta is an active retail city - a lot of malls, stores and food, unlike the little Oklahoma town we moved in from. Temptation sets in every once in a while and minimalism has taken a back seat.

When I practiced minimalism, my life was simple. Life was good without a TV and couch. There was less clutter and less baggage. The husband was constantly grumbling that I was not letting him buy things. Now, he buys what he wants and is a happy.

Minimalism went hand in glove with our wandering life. It was easier to pack things and move.

Clothes, plastic and shoes are what boggles me the most. Every time I go to the recycling center with a bag of plastic, I come home and see some new stuff has entered again. I carry reusable grocery and produce bags. But there are stuff where plastic packaging cannot be avoided.

I am hoping to bring back minimalism into our lives again. That would mean less buying and more living with awareness.