Live the Simple Life – Finding Joy

I’m on a quest to live the simple life (with chickens). For some, this means adopting a minimalism or self-sufficiency lifestyle and for others, it’s cutting back or reducing their possessions.

When I turned 50 last year, I decided I needed to cut some of the stress out of my life. When you’re caught up in the hustle and bustle and going nowhere, it’s time to re-evaluate. I realized I was giving more to my job than my family. Therefore, I had to make a change.

On my journey to live the simple life, I first began by examining my budget. Next, I started by scaling back on my purchases. Then I figured out where we could save money and started building up our savings. If you haven’t started a budget, check out my previous blog post.

Having financial stability reduces stress and frees up your mind from worry. Above all, stick with your budget. Within three years we had eliminated our credit card debt and had six months’ income in savings.

To live more simply, reduce your spending.

Before making a purchase, determine if you really need it. Ask yourself what purpose does it serve? Is it replacing something broken or worn out? Or is it something that you just really want? Getting my 14-year-old daughter on board with this has been difficult. She’s been a trooper and really trying but she needs all the things! I’m not pushing this too hard with her, I just hope some of it rubs off.

“Simplicity does not one day suddenly arrive. You must minimize now, remove what is unused and unnecessary, seek nothing more but a deeper connection with what is here.” Brendon Burchard

Learn to be satisfied with what you have.

Furthermore, quit comparing yourself to the Jones’s. The bigger house and a bigger car equal bigger payments. Consequently, all those payments have you strapped down. Do you feel like a slave to your possessions? A smaller house with less clutter means there is less to clean. As a result, you’ll have more time to do what you enjoy.

My issue was I didn’t know what that was any more.

When I began this path, I wasn’t sure I knew what made me happy. For that reason, it was time to take an inventory of my life. I missed having family time, spending time outside, cooking, and taking care of my family. I would get home in the evenings and be brain dead from working all day. Additionally, I didn’t interact much with my loved ones. The greatest thing I do is being a Mom, but I didn’t feel I’d been a very good one lately.

I needed work-life balance.  

Because of my personality, this is a work in progress. I tend to get hyper-focused on projects putting everything else on the back burner. Unplugging and putting away technology plus setting boundaries and time limits will help.

For more balance, I spend as much time as I can outside with our chickens, sometimes just sitting with them. My grown sons started coming over once a week for dinner, which has been great for me. If someone asks me to do something on that night, the answer is no. It’s non-negotiable.

Do less

Don’t overextend yourself. It’s ok to say no.  When you say no to something you don’t want to do, it frees up your time and energy for things you do enjoy. Don’t worry about hurting someone’s feelings. True friends will appreciate your honesty. The only drawback – people may quit asking you to do things. So, initiate get-togethers. Invite your friends to do things you enjoy, even if it’s just getting coffee.

Next, I decided to declutter.

It was time to eliminate things I no longer used. I’ve cleaned out two closets and got rid of quite a bit of junk. I downsized my clothing, keeping two dresses, a casual one and a dressy one. I kept several sweaters and kimonos, so I can change the look of these pretty easily.

One thing I like to do when the seasons change is hanging my clothes up backward. As I wear them, I hang them back the right way. At the end of the season, it’s easy to see what I didn’t wear. I evaluate the items and figure out why. Does it not fit well? Out of style? Did I wear it for a special occasion, so I have a personal attachment to it? Once you’ve answered these questions, decide if you are going to keep it, donate it, or throw it away.

Take a few months and declutter some areas in your house.

Don’t try to do it all at once. When decluttering, I use a similar technique by asking myself, Have I used this in the last year? Will I use it in the next year? If not, it’s time to get rid of it. Sell what you can on an online marketplace or eBay. Anything else, donate, or throw away. Here are some more useful tips. 

Above all, decluttering can also help reduce stress. When my house is clean and organized, the energy changes. It just feels better, sort of invigorating. Check out this article I found on the benefits of decluttering.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

My husband struggles with getting rid of things he no longer uses. He can repurpose anything! So, because of this, we have lots of random stuff.  I’m okay with that. He built our chicken coop out of scraps from different projects. Occasionally, when things start to stack up, we just reorganize. I’m a huge fan of Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. Before purchasing something, is there anything that can be reused? Hit some garage sells or resale shops and see if you can find something to upcycle. You’ll not only save some money but also help the environment.    

Another thing we are doing to live the simple life, is working on self-sufficiency and self-sustainability.

My husband plants a garden every year and has gotten into canning. Two years ago, we got chickens. Now, only on rare occasions do we have to buy eggs. Additionally, in the Spring, I’m going to have him run a clothesline in the backyard. He lovingly refers to me as “1950s Carol.”

I’ve already noticed a big difference in my stress level with these few changes. We are going to continue to work on getting back to the basics, consuming less, and living more, and finding the joy in the simple things. We are focusing on our basic needs: food, water, shelter, energy, and finances. My goal next year is to help Herb in the garden more and continue to eliminate some of the clutter both mentally and physically.

What can you change in your life?

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