Okay, I write about simplicity every day, but what’s the real story? I always wonder what goes on behind the scenes at other blogs, so I thought I’d shed a little light on what my life is really like.

What got you started on your simplicity kick?

To be honest, I’m not truly sure. I think I wanted to be able to scale back without worrying about keeping up a consumer lifestyle. Also, I think being in a house (instead of an apartment that was temporary for me) made me want to take control of my surroundings. There were lots of things that contributed, among them: frugality, style, laziness, and maturity. As I grow up, I need fewer things to define myself.

Do you follow all your own advice?

I’d say I’ve got an 80 percent follow-through rate. I do pretty much all the things I recommend, just not all of the time.

Have you always enjoyed simplicity?

Nope. I used to collect everything, from vintage Barbies to Elvis albums. Collections can be important, since they help us define our personalities in a tangible way. But I’m just not in that kind of mode right now.

What’s the most satisfying part of simplifying?

The feeling that I don’t need much to get by. No matter what happens in life, I know that I’ll be okay because my priorities are in order, with “stuff” at the bottom of the list.

Is your home fabulous?

Nope. But it’s not bad. I learned how to pick wall colors the hard way, and the home is still recovering. (P.S. Neon blue is not meant for walls. Trust me.)

What clutter are you still clinging to?

Books. I’ve gotten much better (I used to be a flat-out book hoarder), but I still have a lot around that were good, but not great. For me, getting rid of books is a process. I can take out one here and one there, but doing a massive dump would be painful.

What’s the messiest part of your home?

Probably the laundry room. I leave stuff hanging in there all the time and never clean the corners. Is it wrong that the room dedicated cleaning is the messiest?

What’s the single most important step a person can take toward simplicity?

Realizing that your stuff doesn’t define you. You won’t forget who you are or what you like just because you get rid of things. Also, it’s important to know deep down inside that you don’t need to impress people with material things. The people you actually want in your life don’t really care about that, they care about how you treat them.

Tell me more about Roo.

He’s about two and a half years old, and we have no idea what he is. (Our best guess is Lab-Vizsla mix. That’s what everyone at the vet office thinks.) We adopted Roo from the local Humane Society after seeing his mug on their website. Fittingly enough for a tightwad, he was a bargain at $30, including crate, bed, and toys!

If there’s ever anything else you want to know, just ask. I’m pretty open about my life. I’m by no means perfect (or anything resembling it), but that’s perfectly fine with me.

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