A Scandi (less) Life

This year I am trying on a simple life. A Scandi-Life. 

I have long been obsessed with Scandinavian Design. 

"Scandinavian design is a term to represent a design movement characterised by simplicity, minimalism and functionality"- My mate Wiki

I love the clean white lines, the textures that create the warmth and sense of peace it evokes. The idea that less is more. That beauty isn't in stuff but in the space around it too. The best part about Scandi style is it encourages repurposed objects and the idea of affordability in design (IKEA anyone?)

When I started my cake business I wanted to have the same philosophy, simple designs with the functionality of being able to eat it. (okay, I will admit that my cakes aren't all functional...you can't eat the flowers). but that was the original idea....

 

psst...find my cakes at @scandicakes on Instagram.

The thing is, the more I have studied this design theory, the more I've realised how much my life is not Scandi. My life is layers upon layers of complications. I make it even more complicated by having a consumerist lifestyle where I collect clutter and put value on material things. I buy things I won't use to sit on a shelf yet I fail to spend money on quality things I could use again and again. I over complicate simple tasks like getting ready in the morning and I fail to see value in practical things that will bring quality to my whole life (Exercise, I'm talking about you buddy). So I've decided to put myself on a complication detox. 

" A Simple life is not seeing how little we can get by with - that's poverty - but how efficiently we can put first things first... when you are clear about your purpose and your priorities, you can painlessly discard whatever does not support these, whether it's clutter in your cabinets or commitments on your calendar" Victoria Moran

My 3 step plan to a Scandi- life. 

1. Simplicity

2. Functionality

3. Affordability

1. Simplicity/minimalism- 

Simple foods- If I'm going to uncomplicate my life, then I need to uncomplicate my body. I'm a big believer in eating the way our grandparents or great grandparents ate. 

Food shouldn't come in a box through a hole in the wall. It shouldn't be made from 10 or more ingredients mixed together with anti-caking agents and additives and preservatives. It should come looking the same way it did when it was sent from the farm, or picked from the garden. fresh and clean. 

I believe this but do I live it? No! My busy life means that I have no time to shop or cook. so instead of a healthy trip down to the farmers market it's a shameful trip to Macca's for a burger I don't even like, chips that a cold and a black fizzy drink of death. This has to change. 

I pledge to cook my food from scratch and prep so I'm not making hasty decisions fuelled by the hunger monster.

2. Functionality- 

What have I been designed for? What is my purpose? Do my actions serve a purpose? Am I pursuing my purpose? Heavy questions right? Let me break it down for you.
Have you ever spent the whole day trying to complete a task and feel at the end of the day that you have made no traction at all.? It can be such a disheartening thing to see the sun is starting to set and there is no more daylight hours to get the job done. 
Imagine this is your life... oh wait, it's mine. When I have spent the day at work doing other people's jobs or fussing around with the small things that really don't matter, time is taken away from me doing what my purpose for being there is. It has caused me to lose my functionality. 
It's the same with life. If I waste too much time on things that don't matter, like catching up to the last season of Greys Anatomy or surfing You Tube, then I have no precious time to do what I am called for. 
I'm still figuring out my whole purpose, and I think that is sort of the meaning of life.... to always be figuring it out... but this is what I know my purpose is so far: 

• To create. I have this consistent need in me to create something out of the little I have. This means that is order to function at my best I need to spend time honing my skills in cake decorating, writing, cooking, and painting etc... To put into the physical what is swimming around in my imagination. 
• To worship God and to lead others into his presence. This means it is my job to work on my craft, to attend practices and to spend time with God to remain fresh.
• To love on people. This means that I need to make people a priority in my life. I have neglected some friends in the worst way because of my constant business of meaningless tasks. 

I will ask myself this: Does it serve a purpose? Is it my purpose and calling? Then no, I don't need to do it. 

I pledge to cut down on meaningless empty tasks and instead fill my life with purpose and functionality. 

3. Affordability-

My parents and my brothers will a test to the fact that I am the greatest spender in the world and the worlds worst saver. 

When I was about 17 my parents went away on holiday leaving me and my 2 brothers to fend for ourselves for a week. I was given the money for groceries and a list of what to buy for meals that week. I prided myself on being a great bargain shopper and was very able to purchase what was needed with $50 spare. A rational person might stop there, take the money home for emergency pizza deliveries or even split up the proceeds with the brothers. Not this spendy little spender. I took out my calendar and went straight to the junk food aisle where I calculated to the dollar every last piece of chocolate, chips and the biggest bucket of ice-cream you ever did see. I was unprepared to leave the shop without every last dollar being spent. 

And this has been my life pattern for the last 15 years. Spend like its the apocalypse and zombies are allergic to icecream!!!!

I can't believe that little ol' me has somewhat turned this terrible pattern around to find myself debt free and on my way to buying a house. After signing away my name for thousands and thousands of dollars for what is essentially brick, mortar on top of a sandpit, I'm starting to realise the value in the big spend rather then the millions of little things spend. 

This year I pledge to buy only things I need to function. I pledge to save and to live an affordable life. (Lord help me) 

"A pretentious, showy life is an empty life; a plain and simple life is full of life" -Proverbs 13: 7 The Message - The Bible. 

What is your plan for a Scandi-life?