Simplifying Life - Mark II

Tryingagainandagain

I think that the previous post demonstrates that we all have our own perception of simplicity.

Mine cannot be the rural idyll as I live alone and am getting older and need to be aware that I may become infirm in the future. This is not intended to sound despondent as I am fit and active now and intend to have a good life for a long time.

I need people nearby me (but not living with me:eek:).

I am moving into a flat which is being completely refitted. The boiler and central heating are new and the management committee arrange the service. I have bought good quality appliances and furniture that I love and will last me - I don't intend to buy many more "things" in my life.

I have brothers and sister and neices and nephews living near to my new home. They are willing and able to do any repairs and decorating that I will need in the future.

I will grow just what I want to in baskets and pots. The communal outside space is great for relaxing and I don't have grass to mow.

I will declutter my tools, decide on the crafts I want to continue with and reduce my untouched supplies.

I will work part time locally instead of commuting. I will do more voluntary work and am studying for a new career.

I will be able to cook for family.

For me, not having to worry about workmen and property maintenance and the future have simplified my life. I won't need to move again. I am decluttering my life in order to be as busy as I wish to be at things that are important to me. I will still have a car and many appliances, and will be living in a city.

ms_london

Chickenopolis wrote: »

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

Here are the ones I love, obviously they may not be your cup of tea, but they keep me grounded:

http://bemorewithless.com/

http://zenhabits.net/

http://mnmlist.com/minimalist-faqs/

http://www.missminimalist.com/

http://www.sarahwilson.com.au

Books - Simplify & Inside Out Simplicity by Joshua Becker

Let me know what you think.

Chickenopolis

Thank you Ms London x

walkers60

Cheapskate: 'content with my life and at peace in my head' I think that sums up exactly what I want my life to be like. I am cutting back my part-time hours and will be finally retiring properly in July. I have thought about it a great deal, I will obviously miss the money but I have decided I want to be able look after my grandchildren, do more gardening, crafting, walking and other things that make me content and relaxed. I have worked hard but never had a 'career' as such so never had a great deal of money but have been fortunate in keeping my job over the years.
When my family were younger we wanted to move to the country but it didn't work out for various reasons. However, with hindsight it was for the best as I now live near trains and buses, shops, hospital all of which are important as I get older. I keep a few chooks which make me think I live in the country!! Lovely eggs and fascinating to sit and watch - the chooks not the eggs!

Walkers

Cottage_Economy

CurlyTop wrote: »

We gave up the car 5 years ago, mainly because at the time DH worked from home and it wasn't getting used and I don't drive.

We still have our car for work as public transport to get to the area is abysmal, but drive a 13 year old model because its cheap to insure and fix. We made a conscious choice not to have a second car when I went back to work but to figure out a way for us both to use it to get to our respective jobs about 10 minutes from each other even though he starts earlier than me. So he drops me off at work in the morning and I go in about 90 minutes early and spend some quality time reading.

However, there is one women at work who keeps harping on about me getting a nice little car of my own...so I can have lie in and come in on time... so I can take myself off when I want to...so i can be independent...and why won't my mean husband get me one (because his even meaner wife would kill him for wasting money :rotfl:)

CurlyTop wrote: »

I still have a square screen telly :rotfl: with a whopping overhanging box on the back.....My relatives think its amusing, I ain't bothered. Its only a contraption for watching sometimes rubbish tv programmes on.

I loved our old beast. It gave up the ghost last year at the age of 12 - us going shopping for a new one was excruciating. It was like getting to grips with alien technology. All we wanted was something to play the DVDs on and let me watch the odd interesting farming programme on the countryside channel.

VJsmum wrote: »

I decided I couldn't fight the management system so I now keep my head down and my mouth shut, and, whilst I am still as busy as ever with work, I am nowhere near as stressed. it makes a huge difference.

I do that now. Part of me craves recognition and glory for all the work i do, but that's just my ego i think. Plus I'm in a heavily male- dominated environment where only testicles get you ahead. I only have them metaphorically so can't show them off at the urinals and get promoted.

I had a rude awakening today. Had to go to a college in London for the day. So in South Kensington during half term right next to the Science museum, natural history museum and V&A. I have NEVER seen that many people crammed into one place outside of a sports stadium. I actually ran into one of the buildings at Imperial to get away from the heaving screaming mass of flesh giving off Ribena and fag smoke smells, and sat and recuperated in a toilet stall.

Then I realised coming home at 5pm they had shut all the entrances to the station bar the main one. Aforementioned mass of flesh plus commuters cramming in through about 7 barriers to rush to get to the platforms.

Hell on earth. My sciatica is playing merry this evening as I stood all the way there and all the way back. Never been so glad to disappear into hubby's jacket for a hug when he picked me up from the station.

CurlyTop

Oooh Cottage Economy hope the sciatica is feeling much better today. Yeah know what you mean about the kids at the museuem, it can be a bit overwhelming. I sometimes get the rabbit in the headlights look on my face with large crowds of people now due to my m.e., its all the noise, drives me bonkers - and to think I used to work in football and would regularly get in the midst of a crowd of 70k+ people on a match day. Oh how times have changed.

I'm so dreading buying a new tv (can see some of the colour going down this one). I can't tell the difference between a LCD, LED, abc or xyz. I'll have to drag my brother with me, he's the gadget boffin. Some areas I don't wanna know about and this is one of them. Don't even ask me about watching tv on demand!!!!:rotfl:

DH and I have a couple of days off extra this week so our simple day yesterday comprised of us taking a empty trolley to Aldi, together with our nieces and DH pulling it back when it was full, but on the way stopping in at McD's for a breakfast and playing a game of which of the four of us could keep quiet the longest on the way home (good thinking of DH for the humdinger of a headache I'd had - cant believe girls bought into it).

Today will tootle off to local market, not been in over a year so out will come empty little trolley and off we'll go. Back home will do some laundry, potter around the home and catch up on some tv in the warm.

mardatha

For me, a simple life is essential and the very thought of crowds like that make me panic. I have ME as well so it might be that I need to live remote, I need to have most of the day to myself, and then I'm happy. Have neighbours if we need them but not in your face. I really think a lot of the ailments around today are stress and pollution related.

Cottage_Economy

CurlyTop wrote: »

...playing a game of which of the four of us could keep quiet the longest on the way home (good thinking of DH for the humdinger of a headache I'd had - cant believe girls bought into it).

:rotfl: well done hubby!

CurlyTop wrote: »

Yeah know what you mean about the kids at the museuem, it can be a bit overwhelming. I sometimes get the rabbit in the headlights look on my face with large crowds of people now due to my m.e., its all the noise, drives me bonkers - and to think I used to work in football and would regularly get in the midst of a crowd of 70k+ people on a match day. Oh how times have changed..

You're spot on about the noise - I'm quite introverted and hate a lot of noise. I was reading a book recently on introverts by Susan Cain and apparently research has shown introverts hear noise at a louder decibel level than extroverts, which may account for why they have to have quiet time away from people to recharge. I find I also have a very sensitive nose as well. That drives me bonkers. I don't know how cats and dogs put up with it...

CurlyTop wrote: »

Don't even ask me about watching tv on demand!!!!:rotfl:.

My hubby has just got into programmes on demand and it seems to be simpler than watching tv. Sometimes when the odd programme was on we wanted to watch the tv ended up staying on for hours past when the programme had ended. This way we just watch what we want when we want and the tv can stay off most of the time and we gain hours to do other things. Generally i don't think I'd miss the tv if it went, but I would worry that I would miss something important one day...quite what I don't know. I guess I like having the choice, and most f the time the choice is not to put it on.

Is anyone else tv-free by choice?

Cheapskate

Mar, I think you're spot on about ailments being stress or pollution linked. The GP I've been seeing about depression in firmly convinced that humans can't sustain the current level of hamster behaviour - she feels humanity will implode at some point soon, over half her workload comes from people so stressed they're physically ill, heading for strokes etc, right down to lower levels of depression. Makes you wonder about some cancers and heart attacks out of the blue, doesn't it?

A xo

Cottage_Economy

mardatha wrote: »

For me, a simple life is essential and the very thought of crowds like that make me panic. I have ME as well so it might be that I need to live remote, I need to have most of the day to myself, and then I'm happy.

I would love to have most of the day to myself...it's the one thing I miss after going back to work.

mardatha wrote: »

I really think a lot of the ailments around today are stress and pollution related.

Agree wholeheartedly.