Mini Minimalist Interview: Kristine

Today's Mini Minimalist Interview features Kristine from Utah.

1. What is your current living situation?
   Family house


2. What do you think of when you think of "minimalism"?
   I think of simplicity and outdoor living.  Reducing clutter. Donating unused belongings. Cutting back on purchases. Setting priorities. Borrowing books at the library. Seeing the world through a child’s eyes. Taking a walk in the springtime. Visiting the local farm. Participating in a trail running race, the kind without expos.


3. What about daily life can be stressful? What do you like about daily life?
   Commuting. Enough said. 
   I enjoy spending time with family and friends, running, and teaching students.


4. What are some of your hobbies? Do you collect anything?
   My favorite hobbies are hiking, trail running, spending time with family, reading, listening to music, and photography. I enjoy organizing photos and collecting postcards, as reminders of fun trips!


5. What are some of your most prized possessions?
   Family photos and race medals. The photos are memories of special family times while the medals are reminders to keep working hard when the going gets tough.


6. What are one or two things about life you'd like to "minimize"?
   I’d like to minimize and organize emails. I cannot keep up with all the work and personal emails in my inbox! Also, I’d like to donate extra clothes, limit media (web surfing, television), and cancel catalog mail.


7. Any other thoughts?
   I highly recommend the Four-Hour Work Week book by Timothy Ferriss. This book provides helpful tips on the journey toward minimalism, since I have not arrived at the destination yet! Just note the disclaimer that not all the principles may apply to service professions!