Choosing a more Simple Life tribe

[Amys1st]

I thought I would start another thread since the other one died out a while back.

http://www.mothering.com/discussions....php?t=1212071


So introduce yourself, lets talk about living a more simple life, steps taken to get to this etc. Talk about how this has fulfilled you or how you are getting to that point.

*Lets try to keep the discussion to the aspects of simple living, not one upping anyone or understanding what is simple for one person, might not work for another. Please also refrain from decluttering discussions since there are plenty of threads here already, unless just to say I decluttered areas and it made my life....

[Katie T]

I guess I will go first.
I am Katie and I am still learning how to simplify my life. I have found since I hate hate hate shopping that anything I can do to NOT have to go to the store does just that. Bonus that it is good for the environment as well as the pocketbook.

I am new to canning (on my second summer) and love that I am in the kitchen which I love and saving myself from having to spend money and time at the dreaded store.

I try to keep the tv off cause it feels like it just makes noise to me and that drives me nuts.

Reusable stuff is my friend as well.

I can't wait to hear other ways people have simplified their lives. It is a learning process of what works and what doesn't. I find if I enjoy it it works for me lol.

[peaceful_mama]

Hi. I am Melanie. I'm going on 4 kids in a small place. That right there means I need to simplify!

I recently read the book "simplicity parenting"

After that, I went through the kids' room and book collection. They now have access to about 20 of their books at any one time, the rest are in a closet and the intention is to rotate ones they've lost interest in or don't show interest in right now every week or 2. (i need to actually DO this)
And eventually, to weed the collection further by giving away any books that are consistently ignored for a long time. (I already gave away duplicates--we get the free United Way books in the mail, with siblings, I've gotten doubles of many, and any that the kids just didn't show interest in.)
15-20 seems to be just enough that they can see what is there, easily find something, and yet not be bored because they read a couple different ones every time--and at 5, 3, and 1 they ENJOY re-reading.''

Toys I simplified to a *few* 'baby/toddler' toys being out on shelf at any one time (3 pc. puzzles, shape sorter, stacker, that kind of thing)

Dolls, doll clothes, house related items stay. their doctor kit, dramatic play type toys stay.

Character toys, limited-use toys (push a button, it does something, that's it.) WENT AWAY.

The favored, but noisy 'baby toys' like the ball popper and basketball hoop went into the closet to be brought out occasionally only.

toy vehicles stay and loveys stay.



I'm also trying to provide some 'rhythm' to the days with some parts that are the same, and working to cut back on TV. (like after school clothes-change followed by snack for the oldest, immediately after school. And dinner followed by outside time followed by bath, one cartoon show if they behave during dinner and bath--with a snack. Followed by toothbrushing and bed.

[zoebird]

well, here are my newer projects for myself. i don't know if they are simple or not. LOL

1. i'm upcycling quite a bit. i'm making some shelves and planters out of old pallets (from the trash), as well as a compost bin out of one. i would like to start gardening both indoors and out this spring (spring for us is in a few weeks, btw).

from the instructions i have for hacking pallets into these objects, i just need a hammer, a hand saw, and nails. i have those, and so now i just have to do the projects, then get the soil and such, and get the plants from friends and neighbors.

2. learning more kitchen stuff. we have been fermenting a fair bit; i want to make home-made, natural sodas because i miss soda and i've had some home made ones here and they *rock*. so, i want to learn to make those. also, sourdough bread. i'm psyched about learning how to make that.

so far, i make a lot of things from scratch, so canning is also high on the list--particularly pasta sauce and mexican sauces, but also soups, pickles, and so on. but, i think i can wait until late summer (january) before i get going on that side of things.

3. personal care products here are pricey. decent soap, shampoo, and deodorant cost a small fortune. i know that i can do soap and deodorant no problem, i just have to gather up the supplies again and get going. haven't done it in a long time, so i'll need to get that rolling too.

4. wool felting-- i just joined a crafting group, and while the current project is making dolls, they are starting me on some basic sewing projects (i think, birthday crowns), just to get my feet wet. but, i was quickly taught both needle and water felting, and i want to make some seasonal decorations, and it looks like that might be a fun way to go for me. and, it's something where--at least with the wet felting part--can be done *with* my son, so that would be enjoyable.

5. celebrating the seasons-- since we aren't particularly religious (though we are spiritual), we want to create seasonal celebrations and rituals for our family. just part of the larger rhythm. the daily and weekly rhythms are fine, it's just a matter of getting the annual rhythms going.

so, gotta get to work on that.

i don't know if this is making my life simpler or not. LOL

[Oliver's Mama]

Hi!
I think my current issue in striving for a more simple life involves becoming more patient- I am a very impulsive person. For example, yesterday I realized we needed more tissues, and as soon as I realize we need something, I must go get it NOW. And with 2 little ones, that turned into an hour and a half and several screaming fits trying to get them ready and out the door, and probably ten minutes packing the diaper bag so I'm prepared for any possible scenario. So I spent like 3 hours of my day all frazzled for an outing just to get tissues (well, we bought a few more things).
I'm not necessarily thinking not going shopping is my solution, but realizing that I don't have to drop everything and force a trip to the store.. ds1 was happy playing, and I had to make sure he used the potty before we left which became a power struggle and temper tantrum; ds2 was ready for a nap.. it just wasn't in the rhythm of their day to drop everything and go. I seem to do this at least once a day. earlier this week it was going to the zoo, and I just arbitrarily decided we need to go NOW, and created a huge mess for myself trying to prepare for the trip, and found myself nearly yelling at ds to get ready or else.
I think part of the issue is I hate being cooped up at home, and sometimes I just need to get out of the house. I also set up this expectation that I must do at least 1 outing a day or else I'm depriving my kids somehow by just playing indoors all day.
So.. some sort of simplifying is in order.. I really just need to slow down. One thing I was thinking of trying is hiding all the clocks in the house for a day.. I think I set a lot of arbitrary time frames and deadlines, particularly when we're heading out. When ds2 naps, I'm constantly watching the clock, worrying wether it's the right time for a nap, how long it takes to fall asleep, how long it is, etc, and my day got off to a really stressful start when I saw what time it was when the baby woke up.. and I wonder if the time on the clock becomes irrelevent, if I would time things based on how our day is flowing and how we're feeling, and therefore get more in tune and keep us all a bit happier. hmm.. maybe I'll try that today.

[holidaymama]

Hello all!

My hubby and I both are teachers working outside of the home, so ourlife is pretty busy...however, the working is a nonnegotiable, so trying to do things more simply, makes me feel more relaxed.

For me, doing things simply is all about organization. If I am organized, I can come home and not stress about what we are going to eat, or a messy house, or running out of shampoo, etc.

I do not have a gardent, but I bought lots of fresh produce this summer on super cheap sales and froze lots of it for later use this winter. I made freezer jam as well as pear sauce. It's not a lot, but it's a start at trying to get back to simpler times.

I also did a major declutter this summer so that again, we can be more relaxed and not worry about things.

TV watching is becoming very infrequent for me and is becoming less for my boys as well. We are very tired this first week of school, but we will go for walks and such as well after supper many nights.

Extra activities after school stress me out, so we are cutting down to ONE sport which only practices one night and only has one game a week...that makes me feel simpler as well

I like to sew and once things settle back into our school routine, I will start working on holiday projects.

I think fall is a GREAT time to start thinking more simply. Thanks for starting the thread!

[mommariffic]

Thanks for this thread!

Now that I'm functioning again [just had a babe 6 weeks ago] simplifying BEFORE fall/winter/hibernation is a must or I will go crazy! I'm working on it daily but in small, tiny chunks that I think only I notice.

My goals:

Toys:
I'm trying to get rid of anything DD doesn't use. I'm going to do a combination of donation/sell on Craigslist. We have so many things that were gifts that I just DON'T want. Going to stick with open ended toys/crafts.

Books:
I've got thousands of books. Want to keep only non-fiction and children's classics that I want DD/DS to enjoy. I want to get rid of the fiction I buy cheap [especially the trashy embarrassing chick lit!]

Getting rid of paper towels/plastic water bottles/napkins.
I'm going to be sewing fabric scraps for both paper towel replacements AND napkins. And the water bottles - no more bottled water here! I want to get a GOOD water filter and use our BPA free bottles.

Going through 4 peoples wardrobes and getting rid of things that don't fit/won't be worn. Donating/selling combo

Also just trying to simply life. Cook more meals at home, SPEND more time here, and have a slower rhythm.

[joyfulheart]

I strive to lead a more simple life.

I like to cook from scratch and bake. I love trying new recipes. I am always borrowing cook books from the library to get ideas.

I like to sew and knit and do other crafting. This holiday season, I plan to give all hand-made gifts. I started making gifts in spring, and think I'm going to be able to do this.

We belong to a csa, which I love, love, love. I am preserving the extras.

I love to make jams, jellies, and butters -- some for our family, others for gifts.

I am taking a preserving class next weekend, which will go over root cellaring, freezing, drying, and canning. I'm super excited to do this.

We visit the library often for reading materials, which saves us money big time and keeps us from having to store bought books.

I like going to thrift stores to see if I can find some of the things we need.

And, finally, I don't keep a very full calendar for my family, so we are not constantly running around. Fortunately, my kiddies love staying at home so they are happy to have lots of time to be home.

Love hearing what others have to say!

[clutterwarrior]

Originally Posted by zoebird

i don't know if this is making my life simpler or not. LOL

LOL...but I am sure it will enrich your life.

I suppose when I reflect on it, simplicity is not necessarily about doing less things, it's the sort of things we choose to do with our time, so we fill our life with worthwhile things, rather than with superficial clutter.

[Amys1st]

Originally Posted by clutterwarrior

I suppose when I reflect on it, simplicity is not necessarily about doing less things, it's the sort of things we choose to do with our time, so we fill our life with worthwhile things, rather than with superficial clutter.

amen to that!

[*bejeweled*]

Hi

I love living simply and find that I'm letting go of a lot of the pressure I put on myself to be productive. This has led to me spending more time at home and spending less money.

I try to do one activity or less a day.

I try to keep lists of all that I need to do and get.

Our Whole Foods has a shopper service, so I use them for groceries.

I keep a journal of the things that matter. The things we do & experience.

I prioritze the things that are important to us.

[aprons_and_acorns]

Great thread! I've recently started stockpiling--for lack of a better word--gifts for occasions that call for them. If I see something special when I'm out and about I get it and put it in a box in my closet, then when I have an occasion to give a gift I can "shop" through my own little store. It also works for crafting, I can make whatever suits my fancy when I have the time and then put it in the gift box for later. I store interesting gift wrap supplies in the box too, and string for tying up packages. It makes giving a gift easy and fun instead of an errand to fit into my busy day.


One area that I think would simplify my life a lot is setting my bills up for auto-pay online. But I'm so nervous to give up control like that, I feel like since we don't have a lot of money that if there was an error (like accidentally being overcharged) we would be in trouble while it got sorted out. Maybe that is just paranoid though? I would love to hear if anyone else switched to autopay. It's not as fun to read about as some of the other simplifying ideas but I think it would be a worthwhile step toward simplification.

[JennyClaire]

Hey!

I've been trying for a life with fewer possessions, but part of my journey toward peace means accepting that I can't control everything (i.e. spouse, kids, grandparents, etc.) and these people I love seem to actually enjoy their stuff...

I'm not a big blog reader, but I've really been enjoying this one:
http://www.becomingminimalist.com/

Originally Posted by *bejeweled*

I love living simply and find that I'm letting go of a lot of the pressure I put on myself to be productive.

Lately, for me, trying to live simply means not running around like a crazy chicken all day long until I collapse at 9:30 or 10:00 at night, dissatisfied not to have accomplished half of my "essential" tasks. It means stopping to breathe before any activity, errand, or chore. Then asking, "is it necessary to get up and do ________ right now?" Sometimes, just walking outside and looking at the trees for five minutes can take away the urgency of my usual mantra: "I can't get it all done!"

[goddessjulia]

Originally Posted by zoebird

i don't know if this is making my life simpler or not. LOL

I can relate zoebird!

seeing the thread title, I am interested (obviously, thus I am here!), and it has me thinking, what does this mean to me? decluttering, yes, lots and lots. bringing myself to let go of projects that have been on the master to-do list in my mind for years that clearly have lost importance. resolving to finish things that *do* still matter. simplifying finances, with the ultimate goal (still a long ways off) of living debt-free, just because it seems like it will be so much less stressful what else?

so to introduce myself, my siggie will tell you I'm Julia with 3 kids. I'm part of an organic farming family, so I often say homebirthing, homesteading, homeschooling (more specifically unschooling). I'm also a (usually unpaid) writer and spiritual counselor/shaman/life coach. I tend to go through my days-- when I'm at my best-- really immersed in experience, and that's how I love to live, but the day-to-day maintenance can interefere easily and overwhelm me completely, so my goal in simplifying is to minimize and streamline the maintenance so I can be present with each moment as it comes I imagine my ideal day and look at that imagining for guidance as to what is and isn't important to me and try to adjust accordingly

I've noticed that when I give myself rules to go by disaster ensues, so I skirt that carefully lol, but I am doing what I can to follow the general guideline of buying new being a last resort when that's possible. all the intense decluttering I've been doing this summer has me really thinking about wasted money and therefore energy. every physical thing in my life is getting a ruthless evaluation for usefulness, with the select remaining items then finding their way to a more simplified keeping method... I've reached a point where the cost of keeping my things is too burdensome! then of course, this thinking readily applies to the rest of my life as well... streamline, streamline...

goodness, I could streamline this post! I'll shut up now

[*bejeweled*]

[QUOTE=JennyClaire;15756769
Lately, for me, trying to live simply means not running around like a crazy chicken all day long until I collapse at 9:30 or 10:00 at night, dissatisfied not to have accomplished half of my "essential" tasks. It means stopping to breathe before any activity, errand, or chore. Then asking, "is it necessary to get up and do ________ right now?"

[*bejeweled*]

Seriously, sometimes I ask myself, "What would most men do?" And then I proceed to sit on the couch and veg without guilt. We women expect so much of ourselves. We hardly ever take time just for us.

[Hollysmom]

I would love to join this thread.

I'm Kristine, WOHM to 3 girls. I'm busy but try really hard to keep things as simple as possible...

I have been working on this for a long time...

Ways we try to keep things simple:

- I love to cook from scratch and am in currently in the middle of preserving dh's tomato harvest

- Our girls are not in tons or activities. My two oldest take swimming lessons and my oldest has one other activity. Soccer in the summer and Brownies in the winter. I have no idea how people with multiple children spend all kinds of time running around to activities. I would go nuts

- I am in the middle of decluttering and at the same time trying to keep more stuff from coming in the house.

- I try hard to be mindful and meditate every day. I find the days I don't are the days I run around like a chicken with my head cut off

I love reading how others keep their lives simple and looks forward to getting new ideas from this thread.

[chrissy]

I'd like to join in too.

I don't have much time now, so I'll just give a brief intro. The past 9 years have been sort of a gradual simplifying for us, with it stepping up a great bit this past year or so. Right now, we are really getting heavy duty about it.

For us, a huge part of simplifying our lives is that my dh is trying to change careers. He has been a lawyer in private practice and is trying to get into teaching law instead. A huge part of the reason for this is so we can have a better quality of life- way less stress for him, way more time together. With is comes a much lower paycheck, but we are all thrilled about the whole package.

Later on I'll list other ways we've simplified, and ways we still hope to simplify further. For now, I'm going downstairs to simply hang out with my sleeping babe and my sweet husband.

[princesstutu]

Originally Posted by *bejeweled*

I try to do one activity or less a day.

Originally Posted by *bejeweled*

Seriously, sometimes I ask myself, "What would most men do?" And then I proceed to sit on the couch and veg without guilt. We women expect so much of ourselves. We hardly ever take time just for us.

I love the way you think. I have a friend who gets so upset when her dh sits around doing "nothing". I told her maybe she should learn from him. Sit next to him. Take (mental) notes on how to be non-productive. She is ruining her body doing everything. Just chill!

I've been considering this. I don't want to own a bunch of stuff, again, but it's so easy to acquire things! I figure it's a state of mind, so I've been keeping it simple so far.

My weak point in the past was craft stuff. I always felt I needed to have everything possible in case the world ended and there was no way I could get to Michael's or Joann's. Now, I have a rule where I can only buy things for the current craft project of each type and I can only have 2 or 3 going at a time. I'm not one of those ppl who can do one activity at a time and I respect that about me, but I won't allow myself to get out of control with it, either. Currently, I have one knitting project on the needles with all the supplies for the next one in the craft drawer. (It's a drawer. Only one drawer. Down from two full closets, stuffing stuff in the kids' closets, having a dedicated shelving unit or two, and then randomness like the easel and laundry room full of supplies.) I have one sewing project on the table. I did not buy patterns when I was at the store b/c I haven't finished the project I went to the store for in the first place.

I want to get back into soapmaking, but that means buying more supplies b/c I moved across country and didn't bring all that stuff with me. I'm not sure it's worth it. If I start teaching this stuff, I will buy supplies, but if not, I won't. I have a rule now that if certain objects or tools can't serve 2 or 3 purposes, at least, I don't want them in my home.

I keep the thought, If I had to leave my home right now, I'd like to be able to unload it without too much strain, alone if I had to without too many trips, and not have too much stuff cuz I won't pay to store anything.

I also just go to the library instead of buying books, no matter how cheap they are. Oooooh, but this is the hard one. Also not buying DVDs feels painful at times.

I try to channel Zen monks as I walk thru life.

[redvlagrl]

I am also trying to simplify. We are doing pretty well so far:

- We are TV free and have been the entire time we have been together. We watch shows on the web after the kids go to bed

- We make almost everything from scratch. The only exceptions are yoghurt (cheaper to buy here), crackers, cheese, protein powder (much more processed than I would prefer but my holistic nutritionist wants me to take it and I am losing weight with it so it stays).

- We have a veg garden - not organized this year as we had a baby right at planting, but we are harvesting tomatoes, squash, chillis and basil for pesto

- I am going to can for the first time this year - tomato sauce. I also ferment kim chee and sauerkraut and I want to do fermented pickles.

- We walk/bike as much as possible and use only one tank of gas per month.

- We buy most of our veg/fruit and all our meat locally

- We budget and don't buy much stuff as we are decluttering (doing pretty well on this)

- As we now have a girl and a boy I have decided to buy boys' snow gear so DS can wear it the following season.

- My biggest weakness is kids' clothing. I like my kids to be dressed in nice clothes. I shop at thrift stores, once upon a child and gap on sale only. I am super duper picky about what they wear. But DD only has one pair of shoes (nice ones that she wears every day) so I can justify buying $50 shoes for her (actually the last pair was on sale for $25, but normally they are $50).

- We buy quality clothing but not much - we use a 'cost per wear' philosophy when shopping. Even if a sweater or jacket is $150 it is worth it if you wear it every single day for several winters.