The More of Less Update (March)

We are three months into the year now, so instead of individual posts, I'm moving to one update on my word of the year, and progress towards it.

January: Less scrolling. Well, thanks to Lent, I am mostly off social media. I log into Facebook daily to check birthdays (because I like sending greetings) and a few times a week to update my blog page. I occasionally find myself scrolling, but try to hold back. 

I am on Instagram only to check the Yogi See Yogi Do Crew pose and make sure no one has hacked my account. For some reason, I have not been as tempted to scroll there. Having the apps off my phone really does help!

I am accessing my pins on Pinterest, and still have that app on my phone so I can save things I find on the Internet, but otherwise, I am not scrolling there.

But what am I doing? I realized that scrolling Reddit might be breaking my (mostly) Lenten abstinence. I also have a problem saving way too many possible books to read in the library Libby app. And I like to scroll podcasts and read snippets, just to see what's up. It's like my brain is always looking for "that thing." I guess it's good to recognize that my brain wants little dopamine "snacks." I just need to have enough self-control to stop scrolling after I get that (or find otherwise to get that "high").

February: Less picking. I am really a sensory person, and I am realizing that a lot of things about my skin bug me. So for starters, I am trying to take better care of it. This month, that looked like breaking into my new (expensive to me) Avon face cream. While I didn't expect to see results, man, do I! Although I am still having some breakouts, my skin is smoother and seems glow-ier (if that's a word). Props to my amazing Avon lady for this recommendation.

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And in other news, I have been reading a lot of books about minimalism--probably too many at this point, as they are all starting to run together, and I now have, as Kendra Adachi (2026) puts it "big black trash bag energy." While I cannot throw everything away, I did make a goal to declutter at least one item a day this month. Sometimes that looks like shredding old documents. Sometimes it is contributing items to the big brown donation box in the corner of the bedroom. I am trying to declutter my own stuff and not drive my husband crazy. I don't know how much I am really simplifying, but I am looking at things with new eyes. If we have duplicates we are not using, or I have not used something in a while, it is going away! And hey, at least I can fit the potato masher in the bin on the counter now, instead of fighting with the drawer into which I'd wedged. That makes my weekly potato mashing easier. 

As Rachelle Crawford reminded me with her book, Messy Minimalism, the goal of less is to be more present. The goal of less is to live more of life, and not just fill it with more stuff. At some point, sorting ends and a person has to sit with some hard stuff. I am not sure I am there yet, as I think I overfilled myself this month by setting too many daily goals (declutter, do yoga, read, etc.) as I saw a little space opened up in this season of "less."  May God continue to guide and provide, and may my attempts at less always point to Him!

References:

Adachi, K. (Host). (2026, March 16). How to better channel your big black trash bag energy. (No. 460) [Audio podcast episode]. The lazy genius. https://www.thelazygeniuscollective.com/lazy/bbtbe

Crawford, R. (2021). Messy minimalism: Real life strategies for the rest of us. Broadleaf books.

What We Cooked and Ate (Week 13)

This Week's Eats:

Go big or go home! This week found us at the end of our bag of salmon burgers from Costco. In honor of that, I made twice-baked potatoes as the side dish. They're not too much effort the way I made them. I just baked the potatoes, hollowed out the insides, and mixed the cooked flesh with sour cream, parsley, salt, and pepper, then threw that back into the shells, and topped with cheese!

Noteworthy Repeats:

Big-batch Instant Pot white beans (Epicurious)

Chickpea "tuna" salad (Drugstore Divas)

Five-minute chicken gravy (Fixed on Fresh)

Homemade ranch dressing (with Greek yogurt) (It Starts With Protein)

Instant Pot black beans and rice (Cozy Peach Kitchen)

Seeded PB oat energy balls (The Dietitian Runner)

Sourdough discard oatmeal bake (Acts of Sourdough)

Whole wheat sourdough pancakes (Tastes of Lizzy T)

Freezer Pull-Outs:

No knead pan pizza (Budget Bytes) 

Shredded chicken (365 Days of Crockpot)

Thin and crispy pizza (Budget Bytes)

Sourdough discard oatmeal bake (Acts of Sourdough)

Whole wheat sourdough pancakes (Tastes of Lizzy T)

Afghan 91

Crocheting is kind of my "party trick" (enter meeting or other gathering where I need to keep my hands busy). In this case, it kind of backfired. I chose this afghan pattern while we had company over (I think for my husband's birthday in September 2025, but I'm not totally sure), so I really wasn't paying that much attention. The pattern is labeled as "intermediate" level, but it was really kind of complicated. I ran out of yarn a few times and let the afghan be. But finally, finally, it's done.

I don't think I want to do a pattern like this for a long time, or ever. The point of crocheting for me is to have a soothing activity I can do almost without thinking. This took a lot of thinking and counting and tallying. The texture is cool, but not worth it for me!

Hook: Size I placed into a Boye ergonomic crochet hook handle

Yarn: Red Heart soft navy

Pattern: Hygge chic throw (Yarnspirations)

I chained 141 for 14 shells, and did around 25 rows. (The full blanket size was 128 rows. I cannot imagine doing that many!)

Finished size: 25 x 37 (approximating 30 x 35 stroller size)

What We Cooked and Ate (Week 12)

This Week's Eats:

Same menu again, with a few tweaks to add variety. I have found sheet pan pancakes an extremely efficient way to make pancakes. Yes, round pancakes are pretty, but with a sheet pan, they all cook at once, hands off! Plus, I can add whatever mix-ins I want. This week, I added strawberries to all the pancakes, peanut butter chips to some (for a PBJ vibe), and chocolate chips to others (for a chocolate-covered strawberry vibe).

Noteworthy Repeats:

Big-batch Instant Pot white beans (Epicurious)

Chickpea "tuna" salad (Drugstore Divas)

Five-minute chicken gravy (Fixed on Fresh)

Homemade ranch dressing (with Greek yogurt) (It Starts With Protein)

Instant Pot black beans and rice (Cozy Peach Kitchen)

Seeded PB oat energy balls (The Dietitian Runner)

Sourdough discard oatmeal bake (Acts of Sourdough)

Whole wheat sourdough pancakes (Tastes of Lizzy T)

Freezer Pull-Outs:

No knead pan pizza (Budget Bytes) 

Shredded chicken (365 Days of Crockpot)

Thin and crispy pizza (Budget Bytes)

Sourdough discard oatmeal bake (Acts of Sourdough)

Whole wheat sourdough pancakes (Tastes of Lizzy T)

Afghan 90

This was a nice, pretty blanket that worked up easily with various skeins of yarn I had lying around. With just half-double crochet and slip stitches, it worked up pretty mindlessly-perfect for picking up and putting down without losing the pattern. It went to a very special little girl whom I haven't met in person, but already love very much!

Hook: Ergonomic crochet hook size J

Yarn: I Love This Yarn! turquoise, Mainstays white, Red Heart soft navy

Pattern: Pumpkin spice blanket (Beautiful Dawn Designs)

Finished size: 32 x 47

Project 333 (I Pretty Much Failed Before I Started)

I learned about Project 333 by reading Courtney Carver's (2017) book Soulful Simplicity. She designed Project 333 to help reduce nonessential items on her closet and pursue a life of simplicity. She would wear 33 items of clothing (including shoes and jewelry, but not her wedding ring, undergarments, socks, or workout clothes) and wear only those items for three months (Carver, n.d.). Her efforts went viral and thus the "official" challenge was born.

I read about Project 333 again in Joshua Becker's (2018) book The More of Less and figured, "Why not?" Originally, I thought that the challenge would coincide with Lent, and I would be good. Then I realized it was for three months, which would stretch into and over hopes for a weekend trip, and a family wedding. Still, I thought I might be able to do it.

I made some intentional choices to rewear clothes that first week. I tried to use the same accessories and to keep workout clothes for working out only (a rule of the challenge according to Carver, n.d.b.). I realized I would need to be resourceful to keep in my wedding clothes, as I thought I needed to dress up to be respectful. I was doing okay until I realized I had already worn three different pairs of sunglasses, plus added a hat. I could argue that I "needed" these for sun protection, and I did, but I didn't need all three pairs. One would have done.

As I read more about the challenge, I realized that I missed some key steps. I was supposed to box up all the clothes I wasn't going to wear (Carver, n.d.b.). So I basically set myself up for failure there. Carver also suggests doing a closet clean out and choosing only loved items for the capsule wardrobe. I didn't do that, either. I didn't categorize (Carver, n.d.a.). I didn't make a preemptory list of my capsule wardrobe (Carver, 2024). By failing to plan, I basically planned to fail.

I did put Carver's (2020) Project 333 book on hold at the library, and am currently reading it. That way I will know how to be successful at the challenge if I really decide to do it. I am not sure I will, though. Yes, I see its benefits: It can reduce decision fatigue (Carver, n.d.a.). It can reduce clothes in my closet. But is it practical? Would it benefit me, or just add more stress? I read that it is "not a project in suffering" (Carver, n.d.c.). I read that Carver did it in 15 to 95 degrees. I am not sure the challenge is for me, though. Sure, get rid of what I'm not wearing, but why not enjoy wearing what I have? Should I lose, or grow out of, or have to throw out all of my clothes, maybe I would build a capsule wardrobe and go from there. As it is, it just seems pointless, borderline wasteful, and definitely slightly stressful and guilt-inducing to try to do the challenge. Oh wait! I guess I already tried to do the challenge and failed.

References:

Becker, J. (2018). The more of less: Finding the life you want under everything you own. Waterbrook.

Carver, C. (n.d.a.). How to build a capsule wardrobe. Be more with less. https://bemorewithless.com/how-to-build-a-capsule-wardrobe/

Carver, C. (n.d.b.). Project 333 challenge. Be more with less. https://bemorewithless.com/project-333-challenge/

Carver, C. (n.d.c.). Project 333: Getting started (Without these 5 things). Be more with less. https://bemorewithless.com/project-333-enough-is-enough/

Carver, C. (2017). Soulful simplicity: How living with less can lead to so much more. Tarcher.

Carver, C. (2020). Project 333: The minimalist fashion challenge that moves less is really so much more. Tarcher.

Carver, C. (2024). How to start a capsule wardrobe (10 easy, practical steps). Be more with less. https://bemorewithless.com/start-a-capsule-wardrobe/

What We Cooked and Ate (Week 11)

This Week's Eats:

We've been eating the same menu once again this week. So I'm showing our special Friday Lent meal of salmon burgers and potatoes. Salmon burgers definitely make this meal more expensive than our weekday dinners, but they are a splurge and help us get in some of those good Omega 3 fatty acids!

Noteworthy Repeats:

Big-batch Instant Pot white beans (Epicurious)

Chickpea "tuna" salad (Drugstore Divas)

Homemade ranch dressing (with Greek yogurt) (It Starts With Protein)

Instant Pot black beans and rice (Cozy Peach Kitchen)

No knead pan pizza (Budget Bytes) 

Sourdough discard oatmeal bake (Acts of Sourdough)

Whole wheat sourdough pancakes (Tastes of Lizzy T)

Thin and crispy pizza (Budget Bytes)

Freezer Pull-Outs:

Five-minute chicken gravy (Fixed on Fresh)

Homemade pizza sauce (Budget Bytes)

Shredded chicken (365 Days of Crockpot)

Sourdough discard oatmeal bake (Acts of Sourdough)

Whole wheat sourdough pancakes (Tastes of Lizzy T)