The holiday season is upon us. This magical time of the year can quickly become stressful for many, both financially and emotionally. But, it doesn’t have to be. Switching your focus from purchasing lots of gifts to the people you love, and building relationships with them, can help ease the expectations that cause us […]
Because Sometimes More Is Just Too Much
I received an advertisement in my email last week for a mid-summer clothing sale that brought to mind memories of how I used to feel years ago when looking at items I wanted to purchase, but couldn’t afford, always feeling like I never had enough. I would be happier if I could just have one […]
Waste More-Want More?
Does wasting what we have cause us to desire more? I explore that idea in this post. You can read my thoughts and conclusions and feel free to add your own comments! We’ve all heard the old proverb, “waste not, want not”. The interpretation is generally thought to mean- “If you use a commodity or […]
Finding Your Balance
Keeping our life in balance can be difficult at times when you feel like some areas should be more important than others. Maybe you are sacrificing sleep for solitude, or healthy meals for convenience. Whatever is out of balance, asking yourself an important question can help. Recently, I was inspired by an older blog post […]
The Twilight Zone of Minimalism
Sometimes living a simple, minimalist lifestyle can be lonely, maybe you even feel a little like you are in your own personal Twilight Zone… Over the past couple of weeks, the kids and I have been binge watching the old 1960’s episodes of The Twilight Zone. It’s been a lot of fun watching the […]
Maintaining Your Minimalist Lifestyle During the Summer Months
Summer is in full swing at my house here in Georgia, and for those who read SimplyClearly on a regular basis; you may have noticed a lack of new content on the blog, and even a pause in my weekly emails to you. I wasn’t planning on taking a break, but with the kids out […]
Take the Mysterious Road
When I was a kid, living 20 miles out of the nearest town in the undeveloped Mojave Desert, I was always filled with an overwhelming curiosity to explore the winding dirt roads that were little more than trails branching off of the ‘main’ dirt roads in the valley. They held such excitement, the unknown, what […]
Consumer Chronicles Week 8 & 9-Dinner Update
My last post in the Consumer Chronicles series I focused on our purchases specifically related to eating dinner out of the house. You can catch up on that confession here. The good news is our resolve to go two weeks without eating dinner at a restaurant didn’t waiver, we made it! My husband and children […]
Take the Chance-Simplify Your Life
“Maybe it wasn’t the ‘brain cloud’ that was killing Joe after all, but his fear of what would happen if he opened or closed the main drain. Sometimes you’ve just got to take the chance.” What would happen if you took a chance at simplifying your life? Maybe you and Joe have more in common than […]
Finding Calm In Community
Sometimes I have so many thoughts, needs and wants pulling at my attention, it feels like my thinking is far from intentional, almost out of my control, and it doesn’t feel like I can slow it down. I try meditating, and the quiet just makes everything louder up there. It can become pretty frustrating when […]
Pillars of Minimalism
Everyone’s interpretation of a minimal, simple life is different. We all have different lives, filled with unique experiences that have shaped us into who we are. Our reasons are diverse, yet the same for living a more minimal lifestyle compared to the cultural tendency towards over consumption in every form. Some of us may be […]
Did I Mention I Was Homeschooled? And Answers To Awkward Questions About Simple Living
Sometimes even today, with homeschooling becoming much more a ‘norm’, when I mention I was homeschooled from second grade on, I get strange looks from people, or odd questions like, ‘how did you get a job without a diploma?’, ‘are you socially awkward as an adult?’ or ‘were you brought up in a fanatically, religious […]
Consumer Chronicles Week 1
I decided I would give my accountability posts for this project on Saturdays, as that is usually when my shopping for the week ends. I like to stay home and take it easy on Sundays. This week was fairly easy, it is only a few days into the New Year, and, I hurt my back […]
Protected: Setting Goals and Making Changes
There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.
Tenth Day of Minimalist Christmas-Last Minute Stocking Stuffers
We all do it. It’s two days before Christmas, or even Christmas Eve, and you realize you somehow ended up with multiple stocking stuffers for little Jenny, and only one for Ben. Or maybe you’re just barely getting out to buy items for stockings at all! Most stores have at least one aisle dedicated to […]
Eighth Day of Minimalist Christmas-Appreciating Gift Givers
People in our lives show their love for us in different ways. Some feel more comfortable showing their love through giving compliments, while others give hugs or gentle squeezes, still others may show their love for you through acts of kindness or gift giving. The commonality between each of these is that the individual wants […]
Sixth Day Minimalist Christmas-Helping Children Transition to A Simpler Christmas
If you have recently committed to a simpler holiday season, and have children who are used to piles of presents under the tree, overstuffed stockings and more food than could ever be eaten in one day, simplifying Christmas may come as a bit of a challenge. If you’re lucky enough that your children are under […]
Second Day of Minimalist Christmas-Simple Christmas Decor
Simplifying our Christmas decorations has been one of the most enjoyable aspects of minimizing for me. As I have gone through our décor each year for the past three years, I have found what I choose to keep is less each year, but has become more meaningful. I have also chosen to switch out some […]
Recommit To Simplicity
Simplifying your life can come with majestic peaks and low valleys. During the best of times, with excitement and adrenaline on your side, you find yourself easily parting with items you no longer use or value. You are able to pass by items as you shop that you may have previously been tempted to purchase. […]
Minimalism-Not Just An Empty House
Many times people who are unfamiliar with the different levels of minimalism assume that it means living in a tiny, bare home, intentionally depriving your self of anything that makes life easier and more comfortable. In it’s most drastic form, perhaps that definition could be correct, but for most people who practice living with […]