If you were to come up with one word to describe your ideal life, what would it be? If several come to mind, try to winnow them down to the one word that best captures what you would consider the perfect life. Words like "rich" and "wealthy" didn't even cross my mind, for I am the farthest thing from materialistic. I think the best things in life tend to be free -- love, knowledge, laughter, companionship. For me, no word encapsulates the ideal life quite like simple . A self-proclaimed minimalist, I try to reduce as much clutter in my life -- both mental and physical -- as I possibly can. I respect those who find great fulfillment in owning the biggest houses, roomiest cars, and shiniest baubles. But that's just not me. I am much easier to please, finding satisfaction in the simplest things -- like reading a great book, taking a relaxing walk around the park, or watching an interesting documentary on TV. You're probably wondering whether ...

I consider myself unique in several ways, among them the fact that I am an avowed minimalist who strives for simplicity. Now, don't get me wrong. I am not meaning to imply that I live like the Amish do, sans TV, cell phones, and other forms of technology. (In fact, I spend most of my day checking emails and writing posts on this blog!) What I'm getting at is that I aim to reduce clutter and avoid anything that forces me to put a great deal of time and effort into something I dislike doing. Take my recent decision to buy a condo. Condos require a lot less maintenance than houses. They're shorter on space, which cuts down on the amount of stuff you need to store and fix. You also have less real estate to keep tidy. In 2013, I opted to buy a Nissan Versa. The car is small, economical, and offers ample trunk space. Could I have purchased something bigger with more bells and whistles? Absolutely. Did I want to? Nope. It doesn't take much -- and that includes money ...