Living a Simple Life is about our own personal quest to gradually weed out the unnecessary things and get back to a simpler way of life. We don’t want to preach to anyone so if you’re not interested in “this stuff” you can leave and everyone will be happy. But if you share our passion for voluntary simplicity please stick around, share the things you have learned with us and other readers, and maybe learn a thing or two yourself.
Early American settlers and depression-era homesteaders didn’t have easy lives. But they managed and, in many cases, thrived without technology like tractors, electric well pumps, gas-powered tillers, income from online businesses, portable electric fencing, gas / electric stoves, blenders, massive amounts of information available at their fingertips (internet), energy-efficient windows, fireplaces, furnaces, hot water heaters… Need I go on?
If our ancestors could work hard and live happy lives without all of this, we can certainly live happily – and simply – with the help of such advancements and conveniences.
We are trying to use appropriate technology as a tool to live simply, rather than letting technology and creature-comforts (the “stuff” we own) end up owning us. How does a flat-screen television simplify my life? What about a nicer car, or the latest Playstation gaming system? Do any of these things let me spend more quality time with my family and consciously enjoy my VERY short time on this earth? No? Then why would I want to waste any of that precious time working for someone else so I can pay for crap I don’t really need in the first place?
Work less. Enjoy life more. Isn’t that all any of us really want to do?
Hey,
I have persoanlly seen people put stuff on the web about simple living, doing more with less, and I have seen the mean spirited comments by other people tearing them down. Thanks for having the gall to put your ideas out there in a very visible and accessible form.
What motivated me to actually comment here though, is this–when your page loaded up, I see these two, tatted out young aldults living this lifestyle. THANK YOU!!!!! I aplaud you both. A picture is worth a thousand words and you are sending a wonderful message to your peers. I love what you two are doing, and I am more than happy to see others besides middle age and older conservitive types sending the message. Kudos, and all of the luck in the world.
Sincerely,
Aaron Williams
Thank you guys for posting your experiments. There are many of us homesteaders out here and we needn’t all reinvent the wheel over and over.
I actually don’t think we are going back to a former era. Instead, we are integrating old tech with new and creating something else.
We recently converted a small chest freezer into a fridge by putting in a different thermostat (not complicated). Our energy consumption is now a quarter of what it was. I found this idea on another blog.
Passing on this sort of information is extremely generous and helpful. No matter what your reasons, we are all in this together.
julian
Like the website and love the posted reading list. I’ve read quite a few of the books you have listed and now have more to add. My wife and I are working towards a simpler lifestyle as well by cutting back on unnecessaries and producing more of our own food. We’re just getting started and the learning curve is vast but we know it can be done. Especially like that you two seem to be younger than us (we’re 34 & 36), so that lets us know it isnt just an older generation of “thats the way its always been”, but rather a younger generation of poets, philosophers, intelligentsia, and bohemians making a conscious decision to get more out of life. Looking forward to hearing more about your exploits and anything we learn along the way we’ll share. If you’re ever in Texas look us up.
Keith and Melissa
Awesome site! My husband and I moved out to Blacksburg, VA a few years ago so I could complete graduate school. We also had hopes of buying a farm and living a more simple life. It didn’t work out at that point (or perhaps it wasn’t meant to be just yet) so instead we sold our belongings, bought an Airstream travel trailer, and hit the road. We still have those farm dreams though and someday we will make it happen. Look forward to following along with your experience and checking out your recommended reading. Enjoy Virginia! We absolutely loved it there!!!!