just some little things
I love little things. I have a long list in my phone of little things I love.
In 2021, I opened this account with the goal of capturing the little things I love and never actually publishing or sharing with my friends (which isn’t very generous). I never wrote anything here and hoarded my daily glimmers in my phone. Not anymore!!
I have no plan, no set number of things to share, no schedule. I do, however, have 5 things to get us started.
Here are some little things I love right now.
Grocery Shopping with No Basket
(or cart)
HEAR ME OUT! In 2022 I set out to be more mindful about my food waste and expenditures. I got tired of lugging, tired of putting “cash in the trash” (™️ my mom, on food waste) and wanted to develop better skills and exercise my creativity in the kitchen. It started with an experiment in which I set my grocery budget to $250 in March 2022.1
Get what you need, then leave. A piece of fish, some greens & herbs, little snacks. What about bigger stuff? Get it delivered. Seltzers, paper towels, tomato cans. I am much more critical when adding to my Amazon Fresh cart than I am under the disco ball at the grocery store. Also… if you end up needing a basket, just get a basket! A basket is always available to you. But give this a try first. It’s fun.
Saying “It’s a hack!”
(™️ my friend Lauren)
Once you realize you’ve discovered a hack, you’ll never go back.
Cooking Orzo
(yes - orzo!)
I’m obsessed with orzo right now. It’s so easy and cute. It cooks in under 15 minutes and it’s the best for using up your scrappy cut lemons, herbs, and the dregs of your parmesan.
“Free” Rubber Bands
(on buying myself flowers regularly)
When was the last time you bought yourself rubber bands? Alternatively, when was the last time you bought yourself flowers? Which was more enjoyable/whimsical/fun/pretty?
I buy myself flowers fairly often2 and I love them. Most flower bunches are fashioned with rubber bands of all shapes and sizes. I save them and chaotically toss them in my silverware drawer where they live until they get their second life closing a bag of chips (or… orzo!). Who wants to BUY rubber bands? Not me!!
Generosity
(it costs less than you think)
Last year I read this book which dramatically solidified my perspective on generosity. The author writes about discovering abundance through foundations of prosperity (happiness, investing in yourself, building your support network, etc.). The bit that sticks with me daily is the concept of Radical Generosity.
TL;DR (since it’s literally a book), you can be generous with your time and energy, not just your ca$h. Holding doors, saying “thank you” loud enough so the person you’re thanking can hear you (!), being nice to someone that you don’t love interacting with, not jumping to conclusions when you think a friend is mad at you, bringing books to the little free library… the list goes on. Kindness costs $0 - spend it recklessly!
Ok bye!
~$250/month was the maximum benefit for a single person household on food stamps/SNAP when I first tried this. The maximum monthly allotments have been adjusted for inflation since I first did my research. This is extremely difficult, very humbling, and helped me tremendously with perspective around my privilege. Source.
I love to buy hydrangeas and tulips from the flower guy in front of the Whole Foods on 14th and P. His hydrangeas last a disturbingly long time. Skip the flower paper he wraps them in, though. The cost for this paper went up significantly in 2022 and he’s really appreciative of the small savings gesture… and you throw it out as soon as you get home anyway!!