So, what is essential to you?

Year-ends involve inescapable excess—noisy timelines, big blowouts, brutal hangovers. High-powered December rarely permits a slow fade, and before you know it, January is upon you with its expectant gaze.

Year-beginnings, then, are about regaining balance. As you settle into the New Year, let the enterprising minimalists and zero-waste warriors featured in our cover story inspire you to trim the excess in your life. This could be as drastic as eliminating the use of cars or breaking up with the city for a greener address—in which case, travel writer turned permaculture student Neha Sumitran and digital nomad Shivya Nath have additional notes. Or you could enter 2019 with a baby step, like a leaner closet, a commitment to recycling, or borrowing from the practice of one of the minimalists in our cover story, shorter hair.

To help you enter 2019 with a short list of essentials, we have a pre-made stationery kit, our pick of must-visit culture events, a full calendar of seasonal ingredients drawn from the principles of Ayurveda and handy advice on getting your homes, and your phones, in order with assistance from professional clutter-busters and efficient apps.

Vatsala Chhibber, Issue Editor