Simplifying Life - Mark II

parsniphead

I have very much enjoyed reading this thread. I live a fairly simple life, but do have a lot of clutter which needs to go to help things run more smoothly. Finances have been very tight over the past 10 years but there is light at the end of the tunnel and luckily even if I had loads of money I'm not obsessed with gadgets and new stuff.

I currently work 3 days a week term time since going back to work after maternity leave which was so difficult as I really wanted to be a SAHM for the first few years at least. It's been a year now and I think I'm finally coming to terms that it can't happen but truly appreciate the four days a week I don't have to work. The thought of going back to a full time job fills me with horror, there would be so little time to do anything else. Life should be about more than work alone (for me anyway) and I'm happy to go without just to feel a little bit of calmness in what seems an overly busy world.

I look forward to reading this thread as it progresses.

myonlysunshine

I have really enjoyed reading how people are making changes to enjoy a simpler life in the midst of the chaos that seems to be the norm for many people these days...

I became chronically ill some 8 years ago and as a family we had to make major changes to everyday life which have took a long time to adjust too.

Its only recently that I stopped resenting how life had worked out for me, i mean, i couldnt/ cant work so how can i possibly complain that i have seen every part of my childrens developments because ive been lucky enough to always be at home for them, I do not take ANYTHING for granted, i love watching the changing seasons from the window on a sofa day, we have a small veg patch which we managed to grow enough courgettes to feed the neigbourhood last year (the tomatoes didnt work out though!!)

I also lost my mum recently and this has also made a huge differnce to my outlook on life, I have spent many months since her death reliving my childhood memories and how much fun we had with not much money, we didnt have many holidays but we had such fab summer holidays at home...i am very aware of now creating those same memories for my two sons, and love the feeling that we can do the same for them too.

What i would like to simplify this year are 'friends' that are STILL having a negative impact on my health, i find it hard to be honest with people how i feel and their are quite a few people that i want to break free from, this is what i want to change this year and I WILL do it..

Great post OP, and I hope you manage to quit the fags, you will be around longer to enjoy the simply life you are making for yourself and i wish you lots of luck x

Sunshine4

What a lovely thread.Loved reading all the storys.
I lost my job last year and started to panic as my OH is retired.
But I now love being at home now and living a simple life.

We both do the cooking him more than me and we cook from scratch everytime.We have started to declutter alot of STUFF that we thought we needed and dont.
We have enough clothes to last us a few years, I have even started to knit dish clothes.We have started to grow our own vegs and love to sit in the garden watching the birds nest. Also watching the seasons change.

I guess what I am trying to say is that we have slowed down and enjoy all the simple things that we missed while we were working and too busy to notice.:)

jezebel1

i lived in a house for over 20 years that was on the canal boats going past open your back gate geese outside they wanted to pull it down for renovation so i had to move .i have lived in this house for nearly 5 years now just about made it comfortable on the good side its nearer to my daughter,grandsons so i see them more. but the garden is not the same the only thing i can see is whats going on in the house behind so dont use the garden as much as i did. i have a lot of health probs heart prob vertigo fybromyalgia seiezures to name a few over xmas i was taken into hospital where i had my heart stopped and started again to slow my heart rate which was through the roof since then i have had as other people on here new ideas of how i would like to live have paid all my debts off trying to eat more healthy and loose weight stop wasting money 50.00 on a night out would rather stay in and watch dvds ect with my other half .see more of my grandsons and have shopping trips or coffee with my daughter .things were going ok but a week ago got a realy bad bout of vertigo still got it doctor said it will go on its own but its not lol makes you think what is important though your health for deffinate so get rid of anything that gives you stress this is something im going to do x:)

CurlyTop

So glad that this thread has sprung back to life. Reading everyone's comments, its nice to know that I'm not alone.

I reduced my hours 18 months ago, only by one hour a day but it meant I didn't get caught up in the onslaught of rush hour traffic. Whilst that sounded ok, my m.e. and fibromyalgia were getting worse, so 9 months ago, decided to drop one day altogether. Okay, so I've had a drop in money, but it just makes you prioritise what you do and don't need.

I love the life I live, especially as DH (there are only the two of us) works the same 4 days as me. It's been great for our relationship as after over 15 years together, we are finally sending some time together. We don't do anything elaborate, just being together is enough. We're listening to the radio and reading more, which is nice. We've a roof over our head, food in our bellies, loads of hints and tips gained from the forums, our bills are paid on time (just 6 months of being on a Debt Management Plan to go and then we'll start paying more on the mortgage) and we've got each other, things are looking up? As for the health, ok its not ideal, but its manageable.

Thanks everyone for sharing your thoughts, it's when reading these I know I'm doing the right thing. How true is that saying, love the life you live? Finally after 49 years, I can say that I am. :j

ms_london

I've been massively interested in simplifying my life over the past year or so. To me it just means valuing what is important and not getting caught up in all the extra stuff, spiritually and materially. To me it links in with minimalism.. I want my life to be easy and not make my life hard for myself..

Health isn't great and I am thinking of dropping down to 4 days a week but getting a lodger to make the shortfall in my salary, I'd rather work less than buy new clothes or material items that really don't bring any value to my life.

I can suggest some websites/blogs xx

Chickenopolis

ms_london wrote: »

I can suggest some websites/blogs xx

mslondon - yes please ! if we are allowed to that is ?

storytime

I can suggest some websites/blogs xx[/QUOTE]





Yes please.
I follow the Mean Queen(brilliant) ,Frugal Queen, Mortgagefreeinthree and agirlcalledjack. Anymore?

Angel_Jenny

The simple life appeals to me - it causes some interesting conversations with my Amish pen pals!

They find it so odd that I buy things to cheer myself up or buy things that I don't really need.

Charis

My absolute favourite Homemaking website is Rhonda's Down to Earth blog. She lives in Brisbane, Australia, but she's a kindred spirit, and world famous for living her simple life.

I agree with the poster who said that the simple life isn't a place, it's a state of mind.

There's a lot to be said for living near family, near emergency services (cut to the bone in rural/semi rural areas), near schools, if you have children, and near a doctor & general hospital if you are approaching retirement age. If you move out to the sticks you will need a car or be dependent on wanting to go where the one bus an hour (or less) is going.

And the cosy log fire? You'll need to be fit to chop and haul all those logs, and they are as expensive to buy as conventional fuel. My friend's wood bill is the same as my gas and electricity bill combined.