June 16, 2016

I'm trying to simplify my life.

That means going against my impulses to buy, collect or hoard things. It means getting rid of excess possessions, and rationalizing what I keep.

One of the things I've been trying to pare down is my everyday carry, or EDC as you often see it on the internet. That is the things you carry everyday or always have with you.

There is an attraction to being prepared and able to take care of every situation that comes up. But the downside is that you wind up with more stuff. Not just more stuff, but portable versions of things you may already own and have to organize and integrate into your lifestyle.

I think that last bit is important. It's very easy to get bogged down with lots of extra stuff, but simplifying means paring down to the essentials. I'll never need a woven paracord belt that will allow me to rappel down a ravine to save an animal, or anything else for that matter. And, if I did, I'd end up being the one who needed to be rescued.

For me, the first thing would be my watch. It's actually the first thing I put on in the morning. I know that we have clocks everwhere, and wearing a watch is not something every man does anymore. But I enjoy wearing a watch (currently a Seiko quartz) to know what time it is without having to look for a digital readout somewhere around me, that I probably have to move closer to to read. No digital watch for me, a regular face and hands gives me a visual view of where I am in the hour as well as the time.

Second is my wallet. I'm trying to weed out the cards I need to carry, mostly points or loyalty cards. If I could, I would be happy with just my driver's license and my bank card. But alas, that is not to be. Room for cash too - not too much, but enough for small purchases or emergency money. I'm old school enough to believe cash is still king.

Next is my pen.  I've had a pen in pocket since my school days - it probably looked a little nerdy then, but I'd be lost without having my own pen to write/sign with. At least it's just a pen now, and not the pen and mechanical pencil I carried while in school.

After that is my phone and keys. I wish I could trim down the number of keys, but the best I've been able to do is split them onto two key rings.

I suppose to some people, that's a pretty simple everyday carry. No multitools, flashlights, pill bottles or pocket knife. Nothing clipped onto my belt or pockets, in fact I don't even wear a belt anymore.

Maybe I'm getting the hang of simplifying.