As our non-renewable resources are depleted (some faster, some slower), the call to live a simple life grows in importance. This lens will provide resources to assist us on the journey to a simpler and fuller life.
What is simple living?
Simple living is not a physical circumstance, it is a mental attitude. You can live in downtown New York City and still live simply. Begin with awareness or mindfulness. Slow down your thoughts, your reactions. Do you eat simply and in mindfulness? Turn off the television and the radio. Turn off your cell phone and computer. Sit in the silence and just observe. Within five minutes you will already feel like you are living more simply. Simple living starts in the mind.
After you have started on the path of simple living in your mind, start to look at your physical circumstances. Is your living space cluttered and chaotic. Simplify. Get rid of your non-essential stuff by giving it away or selling it or whatever feels right for you. Pack away most of your decorations, you can always cycle your decorations rather than putting them all up at once. Unclutter your physical space like you unclutter your mental space.
And that is the key to simple living. Once you have uncluttered your mental and physical spaces, you will have room to work on any other area of your life you wish to simplify. These might include your office, your relationships, and your diet. Stay mindful, stay aware.
After you have started on the path of simple living in your mind, start to look at your physical circumstances. Is your living space cluttered and chaotic. Simplify. Get rid of your non-essential stuff by giving it away or selling it or whatever feels right for you. Pack away most of your decorations, you can always cycle your decorations rather than putting them all up at once. Unclutter your physical space like you unclutter your mental space.
And that is the key to simple living. Once you have uncluttered your mental and physical spaces, you will have room to work on any other area of your life you wish to simplify. These might include your office, your relationships, and your diet. Stay mindful, stay aware.
Simple Living Links
- The Simple Living Network
- Tools, Examples & Contacts For Conscious, Simple, Healthy & Restorative Living
- Simple River
- Simple River exists to help individuals live out the base truths of their lives by diminishing hindering interferences not meriting their attention. We strive to offer thoughtful and practical suggestions in lifestyle balance, spiritual growth, community development, and environmental stewardship.
- Clay and Julie Woods
- Thoughts on Voluntary Simplicity
- Simple Living with Janet Luhrs
- Connecting you with people, products, and ideas that allow you to live more simply.
- Living Lightly on the Earth
- Voluntary Simplicity and Financial Independence
- Context Institute
- (no longer updated, but chockful of goodies!)
Simple Living Blogs: Deeper Motive
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byTiny Houses Links
- Yahoo Group: Tiny Houses
- Tiny Houses were first described as a genre in the late 80's by Architect Les Walker in his book Tiny, Tiny Houses. Famous amoung tiny houses are Thomas Jefferson's honeymoon cottage (where he lived while building Monticello), Thoreau's Walden, and George Bernard Shaw's rotatable writing hut. Since 1993, Tiny House Company LLC (owned by Andy Lee and Patricia Foreman, www.TinyHomes.com) has been building tiny houses ranging from 200 square feet up to 600 square feet. We have written a book about our experiences, entitled A Tiny Home To Call Your Own, and would like to correspond with like-minded persons who want to learn more and share their knowledge about tiny houses. Notable books since the Les Walker classic are Jim Tolpin's New Cottage Homes (one of my personal favorites) and Sarah Susanka's Not So Big Houses. Although most of her houses tend to be over 2000 square feet they are nonetheless attractive and well designed. On this discussion group we hope to attract persons who are interested in designing and building their own tiny house. We are interested also in ecological design precepts that will enable a zero waste-zero energy house that is able to produce up to 90% of the homeowner's food. We are also interested in responsible subdivisions using conservation development guidelines such as at our 20-lot subdivision described on www.GreenWayNews.com. Other important websites are Jay Schaffer's www.tumbleweedhouses.com and www.smallhomes.com. We look forward to hearing from you about your dreams and plans, and sharing results. Please, no flaming or feuding. Be happy.
- Tumbleweed Tiny House Company
- You know you have reached perfection of design not when you have nothing more to add, but when you have nothing more to take away.
--Antoine de Saint Exupéry - Tiny Homes and Small Houses
- Small is "in" with these days of "big". Smaller homes can be beautiful and functional, more livable, cozy, homey, enjoyable, low maintenance, and easy to clean. Smaller homes can be more affordable and socially responsible than the current trend of mini-castles that is chewing up America's farmland. Some tiny houses can be build on existing lots without requiring new land purchase.
Impress neighbors with style and freedom
rather than with large scale, impersonally built
square footage.
