Real life

Newcomers to the blog have sent a few emails recently asking how to start living more simply. I wish there was a clear answer to that but the truth is that simplifying is a rubbery customer that moulds around one's life to fit it like a glove; there is no one size fits all approach.  Some of you will be coming to this like we did - you want to live well while spending little money. The fact that it's a healthier way to live, it slows you down and connects you to your family is one of its many beauties and advantages. Others will be more overtly political and want to reduce, recycle, rethink and will probably join community action groups. Others will solely see the green options a simple life affords. Some will want to declutter and be more mindful. No matter what your reasons, there will be a way of living more simply that will suit you.

I am a very practical person and when I made my change it made sense to me to not only try to be thrifty but to do that by making as much as I could at home. Not having to buy commercial products saved us a lot of money and, more importantly, gave us the opportunity to reskill ourselves so we could do everything we wanted to do. Most of us have moved so far away from the old ways of doing things that it seems at first we'll never get back to basics. But for us it's been a wonderful and enriching experience. We are just normal people so if we can do this, everyone can - in their own way and time. Remembering what our mums and grandmas did when we were growing up, Hanno and I have been able to get back to those old ways and have discovered ourselves and a rewarding life while doing it. We started by shopping in a different way, that lead to learning about food storage, enlarging the garden, adding more chooks, adding more water tanks, worm farms, composting enough to feed the garden, making soap, preserving and freezing food, sewing, mending, recycling, reusing and many other things that used to be commonly done by all our families.

There is a big difference though. We have modern equipment now and while some of these tasks are time intensive, it doesn't take as long as you would think to make a lot of the things that are commonly bought. For us, bread making is now part of our day. We make soap and cleaners far less but even making a batch of soap that will clean us for three months, only takes 30 minutes. We know exactly what we're eating and putting on our skin and that has made us healthier than we used to be. Living this way has made us happier too. There is a connection made when you work alongside someone who is concentrating on tasks that help in day-to-day living. That connection isn't there in the same way by just picking up groceries at the shop, it's the tasks themselves that make the difference. That connection has made us happier, we are both focused on daily tasks that help us live this chosen life and while we do a lot of work in our home, we have a lot of rest time too.

So what should your first steps be? Well, think carefully about your reasons for change. What do you hope to get out of this? If it's for health, start with food and cleaning products. If it's for the sake of frugality, start with shopping and cooking from scratch. If you're a crafty type or are good with your hands, stop thinking of your crafts as a hobby; they're part of the work you do in your home. In most simplified homes there is a lot of modification to be done. If you're a great seamstress, painter, carpenter, or handyman, that will add more value to you as a skilled person. Whatever you start with, learn as much as you can about what you're doing, be mindful, stop multi-tasking, and slow down. If you're working full time and want to start simplifying, start by changing things you're already doing - like the way you shop, you might start a stockpile - that will save you money and time and when it's complete, you'll wonder how you ever got by without it. You could also start cooking from scratch more, maybe do some batch cooking on the weekends, learn how to take full advantage of your slow cooker, start cleaning with vinegar and bicarb and pack lunches for everyone who goes to work and school. Start tracking your money so you know what you're spending. Stop recreational shopping. You'll find that whatever you start with will lead you on to the next thing; just starting opens up all sorts of options and possibilities.

I didn't know what was waiting for me when I changed how I live. Back then there were very few blogs and no Australian books about the kind of simple life I wanted. I made it up as I went, you can too and there is nothing stopping you making a unique life unlike all others. So read as much as you can, then take control of your own life and do it your way. Don't let anyone tell you you're not doing it right. Don't be put off by family and friends who don't understand what you're trying to do - show them. It's tough at the start, but exciting too because this lifestyle will take you from being a passive onlooker to being in the driving seat. But as your life slowly changes and you become more satisfied and focused, your own life will provide the motivation to continue.

Way back then, I didn't know I'd be more confident and content than before. I didn't know how imporant my way of life would become and that it would change me completely. I thought I was just changing how I shopped and cleaned; but it is more, so much more. Had I know what I know now, I would have changed sooner. But if you're new to this, if you're yet to take those first steps, dive right in. This is significant change you're about to embark on, it may be simple but it's also meaningful, fulfilling and heart warming. This is real life.