The Journey Towards Minimalism

Living Large for Less

At some point in the last few months, I came to the realization that I simply had too many things. It did not surprise anyone who knew me when I was able to fill two walk in closets in my new apartment with all of my clothes. I had so many clothes that nothing else would even fit in the closets! I live alone in an apartment with about 1,000 square feet, but I felt like I was drowning in my things. So I began the very sad task of adding up the quantities of everything that I owned. Some of the highlights: about 300 T shirts, 12 jackets, 10 bathing suits and about 40 pairs of jeans. And yet despite all of this, I kept routinely jaunting off to the mall and returning with new bags of stuff. Something had to change. 

First night in my new place!

Where to Start...

I knew that Step One was just realizing that I had too many things, but that was as far as I got for a while. I was onto something, I just didn't know what. And then one day I found this finance and general life blog and I realized where I was supposed to go.

I looked at all of my things and slowly started to ask myself if any of them added any meaning or value to my life. At first I thought that they did. For example, I could hold up one bathing suit and imagine myself wearing it on some tropical island, while another I would envision wearing to a family pool party. And so on until I got to 10 different occasions and color combinations "requiring" different outfits. Step Two: realizing how ridiculous this was. 

I suddenly understood that I did not in fact need 10 bathing suits. This may seem insignificant, but to me it was huge. For the first time ever I realized that my life would be no different if I bought one more article of clothing; and in fact, my life might actually be easier if I had a bit less. I didn't actually want to get rid of anything at this point, but I convinced myself that I could sell some of my stuff and make some quick money on eBay. So I did.

Reduce, Reduce, Reduce

In the first week of "reducing" as I'll call it, I listed close to 100 articles of clothing on eBay. Not everything sold, but I still made about $100. The first time I went to the post office to send my beloved items away, I felt very sad. I thought about all of the money that I had spent on everything and all of the times I had worn these things and I was angry that for less than $100 I was giving it all away.

But after a few more rounds of this, something started to change inside of me. I started to feel happy when someone would pay me $.99 for an old T Shirt that I hadn't worn in years. I started realizing that I actually didn't need it at all, and I didn't even want it. Slowly, my closet started emptying and a few dollars would enter my bank account here and there. And better yet, I stopped buying new things. For the first time in my life, I felt happy with what I already had! 

Budding Minimalism

It was amazing: I suddenly cut my spending, got rid of extra stuff I didn't need, saved money for a downpayment on a house and felt happy at the same time. But the best part of all was that I could see an immediate reduction in future consumption. I knew looking forward that I could save even more because I would continue not to need the things that I realized I didn't need today. The entire facade of our culture of materialism and consumption began to fall apart right before my eyes. In essence, I had discovered minimalism. 

To be fair, I have only just begun this journey, and I have no idea where it will take me, but I do know that I have made a substantial change in my present life to the benefit of my future self. I hope that as I move forward, I will continue moving in this very new and very positive direction. 

Heat Increases Crime

Why Heat Increases Aggression

This topic has implications for those living in cities as well as for people in rural areas. I wanted to talk a bit about the relationship between heat and crime. While it has been establishes that cities are safer than rural areas, both types of areas experience spikes in crime during heat waves and during warmer months in general. 

One of the first studies about heat and aggression was this one shown in the graph. As you can see, hotter weather tends to lead to more riots. Similar studies have been conducted in many cities. Houston, TX for example studied the increase in murder rates that tend to occur during the summer months. So interesting, but what exactly is it that makes people more aggressive in the heat?

Heat Increases Testosterone Production: The hotter it is outside, the more the body naturally produces testosterone. Particularly in men, testosterone production is linked to aggression. The more testosterone a person has, the more statistically likely they are to act in an aggressive way. 

Increased Time Outside: When temperatures rise, more people come out from their homes. Interactions between people increase and alone this enough can increase the likelihood that someone will be involved in a crime. When there are more people in an area, the percentage of people committing crimes may stay the same, but total crimes may increase. Heat almost artificially boosts population by bringing people together.

More Irritable: This one is perhaps the most subjective, but lots of people struggle to sleep when it is too hot. Many people do not have air conditioners and so in the summer have to sleep in extreme temperatures. Heat can make it harder to fall asleep, leading to less sleep per night. When people get less sleep they tend to be more short tempered and irritable. This can lead people to act in more aggressive ways towards others.

Washington D.C. : America's Best City For Young People

The morning sun passes through the large windows of the mid-rise apartment, no taller buildings cast shadows onto the facade or into the wide streets of the city. Looking out from almost any point, one can see the impressive structure emblematic of a vibrant history. People stop by their local cafes, passing briefly en route to their jobs, wearing suits that live up to the grandeur of the buildings in which they work. This is a snapshot of life in Washington D.C.

While it goes without saying that life in Washington D.C. is not perfect by any measure, the city has so much to offer, particularly for people in their 20s. Over the past 20 years the city has grown rapidly and a lot of this growth has come from young age groups. The median age of city residents is 33, compared to almost 40 nationwide. This rapid growth has increased real estate prices, but it has also brought many new amenities and services to the city. 

Because the federal government is located within the city, unemployment rates are notoriously low, currently are 5.3%. The government provides stable jobs through almost any economic climate so residents of the city tend to have great employment prospects. The federal government is also known as being one of the best places to work; employees get much better benefits than employees at most private companies. 

Despite being so big, the city is so well planned in its design that it truly feels like an eclectic city of neighborhoods. No two areas of the city are quite the same and almost the entire city is composed of medium density development. Walking around the city, one can feel the culture shift every few blocks. The city feels much more European than any other American city. The development pattern is a bit less efficient than highly developed citys like New York, but it is much more aesthetically appealing. 

D.C. also has a wide array of choices for entertainment. The city is full of clubs, bars, restaurants and music venues of all different types. No matter what your preference, you can likely find your niche in D.C. To bolster these offerings, the subway or "Metro" remains open until 3 A.M. on the weekend. While not perfect, the Metro is rather expansive and can get you within walking distance of most developed sections of the city. 

Along with everything else, D.C. has a pleasant climate. The average high temperature for the year comes in at 66. The city does experience all four seasons, but the swings between hot and cold tend to be more moderate due to the proximity of the city to the ocean.

All of these things have probably continued to perpetuate the growth of Washington D.C. and this growth will likely continue into the future as the city becomes increasingly attractive for those who are starting out their professional lives.