Simplicity

January has just about come to an end, and I am taking a look at the upcoming year. I will be undergoing gastric bypass surgery on February 8th, and beginning a new,healthier life.

I have a lot of plans for my little homestead, vertical gardening, a small greenhouse, fencing in a couple areas for my goats, and of course building a root cellar.

I spent much of December cleaning closets and purging my home of unwanted clutter, and junk, I'm not finished yet, but made a HUGE dent in what needed to be gone.

This is going to be MY YEAR! A year of change and building on the good things that were accomplished last year, and the Blessings God has given me.

But I just wanted to remind myself (and you) just what simplifying is...and what steps we can all take to make our lives better and richer. You don't have to be a wanna be homesteader, to de-clutter and simplify your life!

10 Steps To a Simpler Life

1. Work is work and home is home. Being able to punch out at the end of the day and leave the work baggage behind is one way to make your life feel less stressful. Granted some jobs and career choices can influence this ability to disconnect your work life from “living,” the sooner you can remove this overlap, change can start.

2. Less is more. I feel that one of the biggest burdens to happiness comes from too much stuff, whether these are material things or activities. Having more is not always better. Consumerism is contagious and a hard habit to break. People often equate “things” with happiness. Working 60 hours a week to pay for a too-big house filled with stuff you don’t need or use is a trap.

3. Time never sleeps. People often say their lives are too busy because they “don’t have enough time.” Each day only has 24 hours. It’s not the day that is too short, but the list of things stuffed into the day is too big. Here priorities will allow you to thin the list to what will fit or needs to fit.

4. Bye-bye TV. Some numbers to think about: The New York Times reported, “Americans watched more television than ever in 2010, according to the Nielsen Co. Total viewing of broadcast networks and basic cable channels rose about 1 percent for the year, to an average of 34 hours per person per week.” If you’re having trouble with the “time” issue above there is a pretty easy fix. Push the “off” button on the remote.

I terminated my satellite TV service back in January, and I have not missed it a bit. The three shows I have grown to love are viewed via my Internet. Saving the $60 to $100 a month is a bonus, too.

5. Don’t swap one time waster for another. As I mentioned above, my TV service is gone; the trick was to not fill that space with other equally distracting events.

6. Limit online social time. This can be emails, Facebook, Twitter or simply texting. Fitting in a set time for this, and limiting that time, will do wonders. Twenty years ago people got by just fine with out any of these “conveniences.”

7. Declutter. Distractions can make your brain work harder than it needs to. An active working brain can keep the Alzheimer’s away, but the difference between “thought” and “noise” is key. Physical clutter can add visual stress and frustration to your day. Most people will agree that walking into a tidy room puts their minds into a more peaceful state. When the space is clean maintaining it, in its clean state, is much simpler. A few years ago I realized that letting go of stuff is very enlightening. I have seen more stuff leave the house lately than come in.

8. Have some hobbies and personal time. A good example of someone who uses this practice to keep life sane and simple is my fiancee. She has a hectic work schedule and occasionally has to work at home. When she does finally get to punch out, she heads to her crafting/studio space and works on her “fairies and miniatures” or kicks back to listen to an audio book. This is a cleansing and Zen-like practice for her.

9. Foods for thought. Just as a hobby can provide a retreat, many also find solace in the kitchen. The body’s basic need for nutrition and sustenance could be met with basic beans and rice and some tossed greens, or it can be meet with a seven-course meal of escargot-stuffed mushrooms, carbonnades flamandes, cognac shrimp with Beurre Blanc.... Well, you get the picture. Spending a few minutes Sunday night with dinner ideas for the rest of the week may have you streamlining your evenings. One of my tricks is to make a large batch of something on the weekend that can be munched on during the week, like a large pot of stew or gallon of homemade pasta sauce. A little reheat and dinner is served.

10. Downsize everything.  I’ve worked with clients who have begun the process of downsizing their lives. Many are doing it for green reasons; others are transitioning as empty nesters. A smaller home = a simpler home. When we take trips to our cabin (it is a small 200-square-foot, off-grid retreat) our basic needs are met in a simple way. We have a small PV system that provides some lights, we cook on a camp stove or over the wood stove, water comes with us in 5-gallon jugs, a cooler keeps the food fresh and a sawdust composting toilet handles the other end of business. A week will pass with reading, music, hiking and playing with the dogs. Life at the cabin can exist without TV, cellphones, a giant mortgage, utility bills and a closet full of shoes.

Think about it: People pay money to do what most can do with some basic lifestyle changes. Why is it that people feel so relaxed after one of these vacations? I’ll tell you a secret: It’s the simple and uncomplicated lifestyle that recharges our spirits.