Living a Simple Life
We spent a good part of our married life chasing that old mighty dollar, spending more than we made, and being in debt to the hill.
We were depressed, unhappy and had wandered so far from our roots that we knew something had to change! What changed was living a simple life.
What did we do? We voluntarily simplified our life!
When we told our friends we were selling our house in the city and moving to a remote area they thought we’d gone crazy.
That was the furthest from the truth, and in all reality, it meant we were changing our life to fit our goals and values on how we wanted to live.
For us, it started with a list, a set of goals, and a written down plan. Our homesteading plan list was long in the beginning, but now many of the items have been checked off, and our dreams of living a simple life are taking shape.
Here are 10 of our living simple life items from our list:
Live debt-free – After six years of working on our debt, we are down to just a mortgage and a car payment.
Live closer to nature – When we lived in the city we were like everyone else who was trying to keep up with the Jones’s. Now we keep up with the birds and the stars and they don’t cost us a dime.
Life without chemicals – I am so proud that we’ve converted to a chemical-free household.
Cook from scratch – Nothing makes me happier, then to put a whole meal on the table that we raised on our own farm. Last night it was a roasted chicken, homegrown green beans, potatoes and a loaf of homemade bread with blackberry jam.
Raise your own meat – When I learned all the growth hormones that were pumped into livestock it made me sick. Now we only eat meat we’ve raised or hunted which includes, pork, chicken, rabbit, and wild game.
Live on one income – This was a big goal of ours and it took us five years to get this one crossed off our list! What a wonderful feeling to know I am now able to stay home and take care of our family, farm, and myself.
Even though I do some work from home I no longer have a long commute into the city and can be home to take care of my family.
Reuse, recycle and re-purpose – We’re the king and queen of making do with what we have. This week’s project is making a picket fence with recycled pallets.
Being happy with what we have. – Coming from a very consumer-driven society this one sometimes can be a challenge. How do we rectify this? We don’t watch TV that’s filled with commercials, and we don’t allow advertisements into our home.
Stop consuming – This one was fairly easy…we do not recreation shop, and I always go to the store with a list.
We’ve gotten so good at this that it took me six weeks to reason with myself to buy a new pair of sneakers, and if it weren’t for the blister on my foot, they’d still be at the store.
Learning to feel satisfied and not deprived. – The day we signed the papers to buy this land our hearts were filled with joy and then the day we sold our house in the city we felt satisfied and excited about the future.
So what have we gained by living a simple life?
Peace, happiness, and true freedom from owning less…you ought to try it is contagious!
We are working on paying off our debt and getting our kids through college. About 7 more years and we will be debt free. In the mean time we are also working on getting our homestead where it needs to be so that it will see us through our old age in retirement. So that we can put every penny toward these things, I have learned to be very frugal. We raise our own meat (which we recently ran out of beef) and it has given me sticker shock to purchase it at the butcher. Looking forward to being at home full time homesteading.
Joyful thank you so much for stopping by. I think as we get older we become more frugal and turn back to a simple way of life. I love being a full-time homemaker and homesteader. Have fun in your journey!
I truly enjoy reading your blog. Thank you. We’re not “quite” homesteaders here but oh when you talked about cooking from scratch and how the joy filled your heart when you bought your land I felt as though I had a kindred spirit in you. The day I walked around the lake on our 11-acre property, barefooted, picking wild blackberries was the day I felt such joy – I can’t even explain. After reading your blog I know there would be no need to explain to you. You get it!! From Indiana to South Carolina. I send you peace.
There is something right going on in the world when so many of us are now finding joy in the simple things in life like picking blackberries! I totally understand your feeling and you are right about he kindred spirit because I so want to be walking around your lake with you …barefoot and full of joy!
LOVE this post Tracy. The first paragraph is us. 🙁 We are working on our debt at the moment and that is the first step. While I would LOVE to live close to nature, my husband doesn’t share in that hope with me. Your words were very inspiring. 😉
Thanks for the nice feedback! I had to smile when you said your hubby was not into the back to nature. I thought that if that was me I would give him the front yard so he could be close to the city and I would convert my backyard to a country oasis:)
My husband will be retiring in 3 years and we do have a car payment,which we will be paying off before then.We wouldn’t have that if it were not have been if we didn’t need to buy a car we did not buy new but only a year old. We also thought that getting a newer one with a warranty would last us for a lot longer than the one he had before a 1989 Grand Am and had many miles on it.We live a fairy simple life also but in a city of 50,000 people. I know what you mean about cooking from scratch tastes so much better and it really dose not take that much longer, not if your fairly organized.
Isn’t it a great feeling to know you are going into your retirement debt free! Congratulations!
I love this list! Such a great reminder that it does come down to choice. It’s these decisions that are so basic, yet so hard for us to make. Great post!
Thanks for visiting Ayse! It is all about the choices we make!
Well said. Exactly what my husband and I are striving for!
It is all about making choices to set yourself up for the dreams you want to live!
While I don’t raise my own meat, in all other respects I’m right there with you. Contentment sure is a huge blessing, isn’t it?
I have to agree…we are so content in what we are doing and how we live now! Thanks for stopping by!
Hi! I just stopped by from Tuesdays with a Twist.
We are also shifting to a simpler mode. We had been debt free for a few years (sans mortgage), but as we get older, many of the trappings of modern life have lost their appeal. We are enjoying being more resourceful, doing for ourselves rather than hiring others to do for us, canning food, gardening, etc. We would rather make a small campfire and sit outside on a summer’s night and chat than go to the mall any day of the week.
Thanks for this article. Nice to find kindred spirits around the web!
Jan I couldn’t agree with you more! Many of the trappings of modern life just don’t hold the same appeal to us any more. Even little things like going out to dinner just isn’t important to us anymore. And yes it is so nice to find kindred spirits around the web! Thank you so much for stopping by!
This is wonderful! Debt free living really helps with a lot of the other things. We are almost debt free – no mortgage or car payments, but we still have a few thousand left on our student loan 🙁 Almost there…
Debt free living takes time but the rewards are wonderful!
I love this list. It’s a great idea! Thank-you for sharing.
Candice
mommawonderings.com
Thanks for stopping by Candice!
I love your list!!! I think it is a carbon of my husband’s and mine 🙂 Thank you Tracy for sharing another excellent post with us on the Art of Home-Making Mondays! Your blog really blesses me!
I really think homesteaders and those wishing to live a more simple life have lists just like this!
Thank you for sharing your list, I think being content with what you have is key!
Contentment was a big thing for us and even though we had many nay-sayers we kept to our plan and saw it through!
Oh Tracy, this post hits straight to the heart. Yes, yes, YES. Isn’t it funny how people question your move to voluntary simplicity, as if you’re somehow depriving yourself and your family. Once you finally get off of the consumer bandwagon you can’t help but to shake your head at all the things people think they need! Thanks for sharing!
~Taylor-Made Ranch~
Texas
Another great post and I totally relate! I would love to hear the story of how you moved to your homestead. Is there a post on your blog?
I can’t wait to spend some time reading more and hopefully find the story. What a dream it would be to homestead. My husband and I are both tired of the big city suburbs and all of the traffic.
Lisa thanks for stopping by and I think I have written about it a couple times but here is a link to our story that might help. https://oursimplehomestead.com/simple-living-story/ I also wrote a detailed post about the cost of setting up a homestead you might find interesting. https://oursimplehomestead.com/cost-of-setting-up-a-homesteading/
I like to keep things simple myself. It is more peaceful and fulfilling.
There is something peaceful about keeping your life simple!
Thank you for this list. We are working towards a similar list and are happier the further down the list we make it.
God bless!
Faith
Faith thanks for stopping by. I love our lists and it brings me so much joy when I get to cross something off my list!
yay, and G’day!!!…glad I came here for visit, I’m following on tweeter and g+…I am loving your blog and striving to do the same. We are almost debt free, and it is my dream to have a raised garden by next spring, a chicken coop/pen too. I have always dreamed of gathering eggs from the hen house, gathering fruits and veggies from the gardens, and I can see the light at the end of the tunnel…my motto…”we can do all things”
Jo May who sure can “do all things”….as I say it is all in your mind set! Change the way you think about living simply and the rest will follow!
Tracy, I found your blog through Elaine’s. My husband and I are hoping to move to a farm in NC in the next year and I really appreciate your simple living list. Thank you for the advice!
Loved this article. Not into homesteading, or cooking from scratch, but in Nov. last year, traded in our truck (with payments) for an older car that is paid off. I miss my truck, but no monthly payments takes away the sting.
Am trying to cut down on the clutter in our lives, and simplify our home environment. Really try to stay out of stores.
Cam over from the Home Matter Linky party #5.
Melinda,
Thanks for visiting and I agree that anyway you can do to cut down on any extra clutter in your life will help. We try real hard to stay out of the stores as well!
Tracy, I always love your posts. We don’t raise animals but we do have a nice sized garden. I am very content with what I have and I love my life.
Thanks Linda!
I just love to hear when someone is content with life. My daily goal is to find the joy in every day!
I love #7! I’m learning to do this more and more, and it is such a satisfying feeling. Great list you’ve put together. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for stopping by Karen…
Thank you so much for your posts!! Great wisdom and inspiration! Our family is in the process of taking the plunge and moving from Phoenix to Indiana countryside.. We’ll be debt free when we move and, although it may take a few more years, our goal is to become homesteaders. It has amazed me though how many people that I talk to about what we’re doing are “jealous” and wish they could do something similar.. so different from a few years ago when they would just look at me like I was insane when I learning how to can! 🙂
I think we are in a real “Homesteading Movement,” and I am excited so many people are striving to live a simple life. Good luck on your move and I hope you come back and visit with us again!
Love this list! We are 100% debt free (including the mortgage) and it is so liberating. We have paid cash for everything for the last 15 years or so. Another thing that happened was we traveled to a small island in the South Pacific and suddenly travel and life seemed more important to us than the latest electronic gadget. Our teenager just got the first, and only, smart phone in our family a couple months ago. She’s also the one wearing the same $8.00 Keds knock-offs that have two holes in them and very little soles in the heels. She claims they are “fine as long as it doesn’t rain.”
That is great about the Keds knock-offs…you have trained her well!
Hi Tracy! Found your blog today and I have already found so much inspiritaion! 3 years ago I lost my job and we had to rethink a bit. The adjustment to one income was pretty easy and we started doing more fun things as a family, like treasurehunts on the beach, playing boardgames. But last year I got a job and my husband got promoted. It´s been a hard year and we lost a lot of happiness in our home. Now both me and my husband want to get back that warm familyspirit and make a better life for us and our girls. So today I started researching the web 🙂 Thanks for sharing your story, Sofia (from Sweden)
Sofia I am so glad you found me! My hubby and I rode that high-stress train for many years and now am finding we are so much happier living a simple life on our little farm. There are so many things you can do to bring that family spirit back into our home and I hope you can find some inspiration here at Our Simple Homestead. Thank you so much for visiting!
Hi, Tracy! Let me start out by saying that I LOVE your blog! 🙂 I really identify with this post, my hubby and I have been married for almost 23 years and are just now realizing the need to truly simplify our lives. The peace we’ve gained is priceless!
I have to agree with you…the peace is priceless!
Our family kept telling us it was a mistake for my husband to leave his federal government job in DC when we decided to move to the country. But we have reduced our cost of living so much we are both now working part-time and devoting more time to our homestead and family life. It feels good to growing and raising more of our food and to not have hectic work and commute schedules. There is more to living a happy, healthy life than money, for sure!