Cath and I wanted to start a new journey with the site to help us learn how to live with less. This is why:
- We wanted to be more thoughtful consumers: buying quality over quantity
- Now in our 30s, we really want to develop our style and not be as easily swayed by the siren song of trends and fast fashion
- The world deserves better than us constantly buying stuff and then throwing it into landfills (so we are oh-so-humbly trying to save the world — in a teeny tiny way)
- Spend less money on stuff and more time on experiences
- Discover and share sustainable and ethical brands and practices
- Inspire you to join us in this process
And let me emphasize the word “process.” Cath and I don’t consider ourselves minimalist and we aren’t aiming to create perfect Pin-able capsule wardrobes. We consider AsianCajuns as a workbook and journal of our evolution to live with less. It doesn’t have to look a certain way, it just has to feel good to us and work for us.
Over the past five years, I’ve whittled down my belongings quite a bit. It all started in 2011 when I moved to Scotland with Matt with just two suitcases each. After four years abroad, I’m back in the states and currently have way more than what two suitcases can hold, but still not much when compared to the average American household. I live in a 700 sq ft apartment and don’t have a car. I only live with my husband and we have no kids or pets. We live in an urban area in a large city that allows us to walk everywhere or take public transportation. We’ve prioritised this lifestyle, but that doesn’t mean it’s the only way to live with less or has to fit within these parameters.
Cath lives in a 1200 sq ft house in greater Atlanta (i.e. a car is an absolute necessity) with her partner and two large dogs. She didn’t have to downsize to move across the ocean, but during 2015, she has slowly gotten rid of more and more things. Living with less will look different for both of us, but our goals are the same.
We both realized that we wanted to continue to live with less because it made us feel so good. Less overwhelmed by things, our tidied and decluttered rooms make us feel lighter and more free to think beyond stuff. I definitely wouldn’t have had the headspace, luggage space or budget to travel as much as I have if I hadn’t gotten rid of so much stuff.
Once in awhile I’ll remember a necklace or chair that I’ve given away that I miss, but overwhelmingly it’s the experiences I’ve been able to have that give me so much more. Swimming naked in the Mediterranean, eating fasulye on a rooftop in Istanbul, and drinking whisky by a roaring fire in Edinburgh, make the necklace and chair seem unremarkable and forgetable.
So we hope you join us in this process and let us know what you think. We’ll be sharing with you what we get rid of and you can hopefully watch us in our process to live with less. That doesn’t mean we’ll be anti-consumers though! We’ll just be much more thoughtful consumers. And we want to be honest and show you what we buy as well and explain why we thought a purchase was necessary.
We can’t wait to hear from you! We’ve been blogging together since 2007 and AsianCajuns has evolved throughout the years, but this is by far our most comprehensive change. We’d love to know what you think and if you’re interested in living with less too!
I LOVE THIS! I DEFINITELY AM WORKING ON ONLY BUYING QUALITY INSTEAD OF QUANTITY. I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING MORE POSTS ABOUT THIS!
Thanks so much, Kaolee! We hope you enjoy our upcoming posts. Let us know how you get on too!
xoxo, Lar
This is great!! Im looking forward to reading about your process and learning what you learN 🙂
Thanks so much, Jackie! Hope you are having a wonderful new year in Edi with your beautiful fam!
xoxo, Lar
YEs yes yes! Less less less! i’m so looking forward to following along on this journey. <3
Thanks, Ellen! We are constantly inspired by you and your KonMari-ness.
xoxo, Lar
Definitely looking forward to this new chapter 🙂 Why can i only write in caps?
Um never mind. it’s all caps when i type but proper capitalization when it posts… just ignore me
Hey CurryLove,
I have fixed this issue, so now you should see proper case while typing for all future comments. Sorry about this bug.
Hey CL! Thanks for always following us through all our transformations. And thanks for your patience with the CAPS ;D — Troy is our genius-pants developer.
xoxo, Lar
So good to catch up with you two.
seeing you both look happy, makes me happy.
I definitely need to follow you these days . I am trying to thin down 45 years of stuff in my house.
I have gotten good at not buying what I don’t need and I don’t even pick up a free newspaper that I know I will have to toss out at my house later.
where is Lar living?
HI IB!!!
Thank you for all the sweet words! I know it is way harder to thin down things after 45 years in a house than if you move every year! But let us know how you get on. I started with baby steps and then it got much easier (and I was a certified pack rat ;D).
Oh and currently I’m living in Seattle! Still far too far from Atlanta, but closer than Scotland. I hope to see you and Greg next time I’m in town!
xoxo, Lar
Kudos on the new site and the inspired direction your blog is taking! But then, I’ve followed AsianCajuns for years now and I feel like I’d follow you anywhere you’re going to take me. 🙂 I’m eager to see what you have up your sleeves.
(By the way, I’m wearing that Madewell necklace today!)
Hi Lisa!
Thank you for following us for so long. I’ve loved to see SoloLisa develop over the years too. Your hard work and beautiful blog always leave us inspired. And hopefully I’ll get to meet you in person this year — Vancouver is the highest on our travel list!
xoxo, Lar
p.s. I love how you and Cath are necklace twins!
I’m so with you on this! I’m trying to do all of these things this year. I’ve just KonMari’d my whole house, in fact, life, and not only does my house feel better, I feel so much better too! I’m striving for so many of the same things this year so I can wait to see how it works out for you too!
P.S, Lauren, I miss you! I hope life is good back in the States x
Hi C!
I miss you so much too! I am so impressed at your KonMari-ing skills! Doesn’t it feel so good? It’s the main reason why Cath and I want to keep learning how to live with less (but better) because it helps us feel better too.
Miss you oodles and oodles!
xoxo, Lar
How awesome! Love the new site, post, the pics and the new direction! Less really can be more 🙂
Good luck ladies!!!
Whoops, sorry, tend to get a little exclamation happy when excited.
We love the exclamation points, Michelle! Thanks for being such a loyal reader and supporting us with your enthusiasm! xoxo, Lar
I’ve loved following you guys over the years throughout your adventures. Can’t wait for this new chapter. Since moving across the country I’m trying to be more minimalist too (not easy when your spouse is borderline hoarder – haha!). I even ditched my car last month!
Hi Laura!
Congrats on already getting rid of lots of stuff. Nothing like a big move to help that happen, eh? That’s totally what got me started.
Cath and I were just talking about you the other day because we just started out a new work out regime and we’re always inspired by your lifestyle!
xoxo, Lar
I’ve been following your blog since 2010 and I enjoyed following your journey (to different places as well as stages in life/experience). I recently became more aware of over consumption/shopping and its negative consequences, so I’ve been Konmari-ing and buying/shopping with more awareness. Your new blog focus will inspire others to change 🙂
Hey Tee,
Thank you for following us for so long – i can’t tell you how much that means to us! I think buying/shopping with more awareness is huge. In today’s fast fashion world, it’s so easy to purchase a bunch of not-too-expensive stuff without giving a second thought. Spending time and being intentional with purchases is hard, but it definitely gets easier – especially when you know how much stuff you have at home already. Keep us posted on your Konmari-ing!
xoxo, Cath
Hey ladies! Local ATLien here. I’ve been following since the early days and I have to say I really like the new direction and the clean lines of the site. As for the mission statement…totally sold, but most of all I appreciate your commitment to blogging as a whole. It’s been wonderful watching you two stay in touch and in the age of IG microblogging I just really like coming to an actual page and reading REAL content, so thank you for staying true to that concept!
Hi Katy!
Thank you so much for being a long-time follower and continue to follow us on this long-haul blogger journey. We did toy with the idea of microblogging (genius word for that, btw), but I like words too much and tend to be (too) long-winded. Thank you again for being such a loyal reader.
xoxo, Lar
Hi Ladies! I myself am trying to lead a more minimal lifestyle and it’s refreshing to see more bloggers going in a new direction as they mature. I’ve recently become “plant-based” with my diet in an effort to reduced my footprint on this earth and it definitely includes thinking more ethically and shopping consciously. Good luck on your journey and hope to read more of your posts!
Hi Tish,
We so admire you for your plant-based diet and trying to leave less of a footprint all around. Cath and I both feel the same which is why we hope we can keep ourselves accountable through this new direction on our blog.
Thanks for reading and let us know how you get on with your minimalist steps too!
xoxo, Lar
So I am finally catching up with my blogs…
and can I say, I love this!!!
As someone that lives in a small space I don’t really have much room for “stuff”…so I love hearing how you gals are living minimally.
ALSO…I *heart* the new layout!
Thanks Diane! And thank you for always being so supportive.
Welcome back from your vacay – loved seeing your photos on Instagram!
xoxo, Cath