Simplify! Part I
Thursday, January 14, 2010 Edit This 22 Comments »
I've been thinking a lot about balance and simplicity lately. I've had the growing feeling that our priorities have become out of line with our values leading to a real sense of imbalance, stress and overwhelm in our day-to-day lives.
Though it is an easy thing to write it off as being a result of major life change, such as the addition of a new baby, I don't think that is a helpful or fully truthful tactic. As a person who is always seeking greater and greater balance.... sustained, or maybe self-sustaining balance... I question whether or not I could have better prepared for the upcoming change so as to have her appearance be one of transition and learning... a greater focus on the spiritual and emotional aspects of a growing family... than one of trying to recover from a major blow to the already weak balance we had struck.
In other words: what could we have simplified in order to make room for Simone and everything that comes with her?
As I looked around my house with frustration at the level of order (or disorder as it may be), with longing at my children and partner, and a sense of loss at my own dreams, self care, responsibilities and creative ventures, I had to begin questioning whether I was doing everything that I could to address these feelings... whether perhaps a little extra attention here could lead to a snowball effect of greater balance overall.
Finally, fed up and no longer recognizing my life as conscious choices, I began making changes.
I found two things in this.
One: we are still living significantly more simply than I imagined, as my whole house has been reorganized and cleaned from top to bottom in two days without neglecting our chores, food values or quality time together. In fact, in simply addressing things which were weighing on me I gained energy and, therefore, time for things which were slipping away like family storytime and laundry folding.
Two: I could further increase my time and available energy by revisiting my core values and applying them to the amount of "stuff" I have. This is always a tricky process, especially when there are multiple people (and their things) involved.
Though, by comparison to our former selves, and most of our Western society, we have very little stuff we still have significantly more than we need. Most importantly though is that fact that having this stuff, and having to take care of this stuff (or watch it get ruined because we haven't the time to give to it) prevents us from spending that time and energy on things which truly feed our souls... the things which make life worth living.
Extra towels, a new outfit for every day, 12 pairs of socks, twice as many utensils or cups as we have people, etc., etc., etc. are not the things which make life worth living. In fact, I would dare say, that there is no Thing which makes life worth living. The true value of our lives is in what we do... what we experience. It is in how we choose to spend the one thing we are born with: our time on this earth.
I ask myself, then, Why am I here? What purpose is there in my life on this earth?
Anyone who has truly found their purpose or heard their calling can tell you at least a part of the Meaning of Life. We can feel it! That which has true meaning and value for us engergizes us. It does not haunt us, it does not taunt us, it does not drain us or elude us.
No. It wants us as much as our souls want it. It calls to us. We may have stopped listening to it, or supressed it so much that we cannot recognize the source of the pain any longer, but it is there, always wanting us and never failing to forgive us our ignorance and neglect.
In order to be able to give more of myself to that which has true meaning and value to me... which gives me real purpose on this earth, I will be making some changes around here.
Clothing will be pared down. Dramatically. Nothing will be kept which is impractical, rarely worn, damaged or ill-fitting. What is left will be further sorted into four changes of seasonally appropriate clothes, duplicates that will fit next year to be boxed and stored as replacement for worn out items, and things which will be used by Simone in the coming years. Gone is the endless pile of laundry to wash, dry, fold, sort and put away, unnecessary water usage, storage issues and financial burden of purchasing such an unnecessary supply of clothes.
The kitchen will be pared down. We will have one mug, one glass, one plate, bowl, spoon, fork and knife for each family member. Any excess will be donated or boxed and stored for future company. We will keep one sauce pan, large enough to accomodate all needs and two skillets; one extra large cast iron and one smaller steel skillet. This eliminates a pile up of dishes and will also get us closer to coo
king in only non-leaching pans, thereby removing unwanted toxins from our bodies and home environment. In addition to this we will keep our Pyrex glass dishes as they double as bakeware and non-toxic, non-leaching storage for leftovers. It also reduces our overall environmental impact and monetary expenditures.The bathroom contains one bottle each of shampoo, conditioner, lotion, oil, tooth soap and peroxide for contacts. To simplify this we will be transitioning to a more sustainable and healthy option for hair hygiene: The No-Poo Diet. Gone then are the $9 bottles of products and the toxins that are contained in their less expensive counterparts. The children have been on the No Poo Diet for years and I can vouch for it's effectiveness as well as their scalp and hair health.
The garage contains only in-use tools, firewood and lumber and will (happily) be left alone.
The livingroom contains only our furniture, books, a guitar, drum, wooden statue and the journals adorning the kiva mantel. The dining room contains nothing but a table and bench :-) So satisfying, by the way!
In addition to this we have only one storage location for the whole house: our closet. This stores our winter vegetables, our out of season clothes, coats, blankets, towels and sewing supplies. It also houses the dryer which is going to get much less use when we pare down the clothes and get the clothesline into working order. Did you know that you can dry clothes on a line even in cold temperatures?
The only work left then lies in the children's bedroom. Though their toys will all fit on the shelves we have for them, and they are almost all what I would call "quality" toys, there are simply too many of them for two young children to keep in order and care for.
To tackle this problem we will be eliminating any toys which are made of materials which are not in line with our values, such as plastic. In addition we will be implementing a toy rotation system that Quinn helped to come up with. All the toys will be sorted into categories such as musical instruments, kitchen play, puzzles and games, etc. Each category will then be boxed and labeled. Once we determine the amount of toys that fall into these categories we will decide upon a number of boxes that will be "in play" at one time. For example, we might decide that the maximum number of toys which the children feel that they can keep organized, sorted and cared for are contained in three boxes. Only three boxes then will be opened at any given time. In order to open a new box, one must be repacked and stored away.
Happily, the kids, frustrated with the mess and the chore of cleaning it, are excited about this plan. :-)!!
In Part Two I'll discuss how we are tackling our internal messes with our food choices, spiritual practices, exercise and clearing of emotional baggage. Again, creating that much more time, space and energy. I'll also upload some pictures of what a truly minimalistic, simplified house looks like.
Anyone want to join us? Tell me what you've simplified, dream of simplifying, or want to make more room for. Got questions? Hit me! I'm all ears (or eyes as it may be;-)
xoxo
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22 comments:
We are about to move in to our conversion van and rent out our condo for extra $$, to pay off debt. We want to be able to hit the road soon without these payments looming over our heads every month. The weather is starting to get a bit warmer here in austin, making this plan much more feasible. Along with the extra cash we are hoping to learn about simplifying down to the things we NEED. Should be quite the experiance:2 adults, 1 toddler, 1 15lb pug, can't wait!
you write so well. I love this post. Am so into reducing to what we need. and he struggle against the onslaught of toys! I hate plastic toys! I run community playgroup and it has cupboards so full of crappy plastic toys you just can't even get to the good stuff. we are going to do a massive clearout.
inspiring words. thanks
I will soon be moving out of my house and into a studio apartment (on a farm, yay). It's been years since I've lived in a single room, but my smallest ever apartment was my favorite because it was so easy to keep orderly and clean. You couldn't leave things out because there wouldn't be room to move.
So I will be taking my futon, some but not all of my books, fewer clothes, as you say (thanks for reminding me to edit that), probably a small gate-leg table I have that comes with 2 stools, that fit under it when it's folded down. Right, why do I need dishes for 8, I could never fit 8 people in a studio apartment! So thanks for some ideas as I go through my stuff to figure out what essentials to take with me. I'm really looking forward to radically simplifying.
"Though, by comparison to our former selves, and most of our Western society, we have very little stuff we still have significantly more than we need."
LOVE this! It's so true! Those of us who have at one point embraced a simpler lifestyle need to stay on top of it, because the "stuff" lurks and sneaks in the house if we are not vigilant.
Great post! Thanks for sharing. :)
This year I too am focusing on creating balance in my life. We bought my husband's grandparents home and, along with it came accumulated "stuff" from his extended family. We have been here six and half years and we still have stuff from them stored in the gigantic garage. This spring, once our snow has gone (I am in Quebec) we are renting a dumpster and sorting things out to go to charity. The dumpster is for the garbage that I know is in there after all these years. I am also sorting through the house room by room this winter, while the snow still lies on the ground. If it hasn't been used in six months and isn't seasonal it is gone. If it doesn't fit properly it is gone. If we don't absolutely love it then it is gone. Once I have gone through this process I am hoping to have a much more simplified and pared down home.
At the moment it is quite impossible to have any creativity with all of the stuff waiting in closets and cupboards wanting attention. Yay to simplification and balance!
Hi! I've been following your blog for a while (since I saw the article about it on NYTimes) but I don't think I've ever commented before. I just wanted to let you know how inspiring it has been to follow you on your journey! I long for a lot of the same things in my own life, and it is wonderful to see someone actually accomplishing them! Thank you for sharing!
Hi! I've been following your blog for a while (since I saw the article on NYTimes) but I don't think I've ever commented before. I just wanted to let you know how inspiring it has been to follow you on your journey! I long for a lot of the same things in my own life, and it is so wonderful to see someone actually accomplishing them! Thank you for sharing!
Brava sistah!
I have slowly but surely been chipping away at the simplification wagon as well both in things, and in use of my time.
I've gone back to being 'poo free (after a brief stint off the wagon) and have been using only BS, Vinegar, Lemon juice and salt in the house. I still have yet to rid us of dish soap and laundry detergent but in each of these cases, these are chores that have been taken from my list so the convenience factor for others means I get more time...ah such a balance.
But...the more I personally simplify, the more those who live with me appreciate the simplification so I can only hope I rub off on them ~grin~
I also find, that when I am meticulous about feeding my body what it needs to be healthy and avoid the ails of my gluten intolerance, I shop to a T and there is nothing left in the refrigerator at the end of the week save a few staples...that is such a satisfying feeling.
Actually, the time afforded me by NOT having to worry about laundry and dishes is the perfect time to plan and shop for our nourishing, perfectly planned out meals...so I'll take solace in the fact that I am purchasing detergents that are not a detriment to our well water as a happy medium for now.
We too, live with too much stuff...and you've inspired me (yet again). I do believe i'll tackle the book shelf...oh such a very hard one to do as I have such love for so many of my books!
I'll check in soon :)
Much love and simple joys to you dear friend
babs
http://curiousgeorgeandhollyhobby.blogspot.com/
One of the things I'm most looking forward to with the RV is drastically simplifying our lives. I'm so overwhelmed with our home and all it's "stuff" - most of which we don't love and that doesn't really speak to us. We're keeping so little and we're no longer acquiring anything that doesn't "fit us" or our values. It's a liberating feeling. And I think it will greatly contribute to our emotional, spiritual and mental clarity as well.
We are continuing to downsize and simplify after our move back to the UK from Austin. This is due to lifestyle choice and the much smaller home sizes here in the UK compared to our huge Austin house. We use our local Freegle (UK Freecycle) to pass on unwanted stuff. This week I sorted through the kids' clothes and freegled two bags of grown-out-of clothes. Next up is the hundreds of books we have ... that will be tough to let of some of those books but we just dont have the space for them,
I've been using the no 'poo hair care method since the summer and I absolutely love it! Not only am I avoiding chemicals, but now I only have to wash my hair every 3-4 days! Its a huge timesaver, and my hair looks much better. I use a different method than described in the link, tho. The one in the link sounds like you will have to pour cold water on your head since it has to be refrigerated. If you don't like it and are looking for another way I'd suggest this one: put 1 tablespoon of baking soda in a glass, and fill it up with warm water while you are in the shower. Mix the solution, and pour it on your head. Work it through your hair and then leave in on for 5 minutes or so. Rinse well. If you want to condition, mix 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar with a cup of warm shower water, pour on, work through your hair and rinse. No need to wait with the "conditioner." You hair should be clean, soft and style well :) YAY for no 'poo!
I've been using the no 'poo hair care method since the summer and I absolutely love it! Not only am I avoiding chemicals, but now I only have to wash my hair every 3-4 days! Its a huge timesaver, and my hair looks much better. I use a different method than described in the link, tho. The one in the link sounds like you will have to pour cold water on your head since it has to be refrigerated. If you don't like it and are looking for another way I'd suggest this one: put 1 tablespoon of baking soda in a glass, and fill it up with warm water while you are in the shower. Mix the solution, and pour it on your head. Work it through your hair and then leave in on for 5 minutes or so. Rinse well. If you want to condition, mix 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar with a cup of warm shower water, pour on, work through your hair and rinse. No need to wait with the "conditioner." You hair should be clean, soft and style well :) YAY for no 'poo!
I'm curious--doesn't Jeff still telecommute for an IT job? Where does that kind of job fit in with the no-plastic, make-it-ourselves values?
Yeah, this is Bossy: living smaller and with less stuff than most but it is never ever ever enough for Bossy. Bossy would like to whittle things down to a tent.
Thank you for this reminder. Starting today I'm going to begin the long-overdue task of getting rid of more stuff.
For those posters who mentioned getting rid of books, if your local library can't take them try paperbackswap.com. It is a great way to get your books to people who want to read them.
Claire,
I'm sorry, but I'm a bit confused by your question.
We choose not to purchase things which go against our values. We choose to keep our children's environment as clean as we are able. While we are a long way from living in a yurt and making our own textiles, we are working very hard to bring our lives as close to our true values as we are able, and always taking more steps.
Jeff telecommutes to an IT job. This has been our income source for 11 years. Every single step we take is to make our lives more sustainable and less dependent upon such income, but quitting his job now and leaving ourselves without income for clothing, food, etc would be just plain stupid.
There are years of work ahead of us before we could get by with no income at all.
Perhaps you could clarify what you meant by your question because it seems reactionary rather than valid.
hello my name is Enea from Italy , im 22 years old .
I read an article about your caravan that is powered by vegetable oil, i would like to know the model of this Van I'm very interested :)
I would like to buy that for be my house in the future
I appreciate your way of think
ciao
Hi Enea,
While we are considering selling our caravan, I'm afraid it doesn't run on veggie oil. One of the troubles we met with was the high price of gasoline and the low miles per gallon for such a large vehicle.
We were not able to find a veggie oil conversion in our price range, and many of our friends, dependent on VO, are having great difficulty finding sources these days.
Four years ago, we simplified our home to an extreme. Two years ago we went so far as to limit our stuff to only that which would fit onto a 4'x8' trailer that we pulled behind our van to move across the country and to the remote north (in Canada, across country is very VERY far).
We have four children ages 6.5 to 26 months and are expecting #5. I find the less repeated items, the more care and satisfaction comes from what we do have and share. We are also tv free and eat traditional foods amongst other very non-mainstream practices.
Anyway, we have mostly maintained this level of stuff, but still not having our home and still not being able to homestead, has made it so that having little has made a life that feels more like scarcity than abundance in other ways.
I know this has more to do with our present circumstances, because when we had this little two years ago, it was great, but now, while still waiting for things to fall into place that cannot be coerced, it just seems scarce.
It is a fine line between asceticism and scarcity, it seems.
Thank you for your post. We share many, many values in common and I really love your blog and seeing your beautiful family in beautiful photographs. Thanks for the inspiration.
I think I need to take some time to re-evaluate our home environment. Maybe it just needs some tweaking.
Hi, Thanks again for your blogging. You are an inspiration. I am looking forward to reading more on simplifying and I am taking my first steps in that direction also!
"That which has true meaning and value for us engergizes us. It does not haunt us, it does not taunt us, it does not drain us or elude us."
This is a good statement, for sure. I have a sense of what has true value for me, but when I'm feeling down or unable to cope or out of focus, I must remember that there is opposition in all things. It's not because I'm a failure or that I've forgotten what my path is. In science, in nature, and in ourselves, there is opposition. We can either be stronger as we press on, or we can be brought down. I think even being brought down teaches us something. It has taught me that I can climb back up, keep on working, striving for what is best, because it doesn't feel good to be in the place that paralyzes me.
Working on it is good food to the body and soul. But know when to rest, when to pause, and when to reconsider. It's all progress.
Great post. It's inspiring to read what you're doing and helps to give me the impression that this is doable. For the past few years (I am 30) I've had in my thoughts that there is so much STUFF that I can barely even consider what is really important anymore. My clutter, compared to some others, I'm sure, is minimal, but it seems to invade my headspace. It's hard to let go of things, but when it comes down to it they seem only to fill up the empty with more empty. Stuff is just stuff. Bleh!
I found you from the Tiny House Design page, and I'm so happy I did! Well done on having a meaningful, and colorful life. I look forward to Part II.
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