Suburban Homesteading – Frugal Living

Have you ever noticed how heavy and out of sorts your life feels when your house is groaning under the weight of “too much stuff”?

Well—I have, and it can be crushing, almost debilitating.

Our body feels what our brain sees.  So when a house, or homestead, has too much unnecessary stuff it can weigh heavy on our heart and our psyche.

One of the very best ways to lift your heart and your outlook on life is to consume less stuff.  By doing this you spend less money, consume fewer natural resources and have fewer “things” swirling around in your universe.  You may think owning stuff is really cool, but how much of it really owns you?  Think about it, “the stuff” takes your money, your time, your attention, and all too often, your emotions.

Imagine what would happen if you used those spent resources on things that really matter to you?

Imagine how much better, lighter, freer your life could be without all that stuff!

In my own quest to simplify my life, and move into the next stage of my life, preparing for a future move, I have been taking a cold hard look at what I really love about my “things”, and what I really hate.

I love the special pieces that bring back great memories, or give me a warm and fuzzy feeling—the great antique that I would never part with or the statue I bought on a wonderful trip.  My special pieces run the gamut from expensive antiques to thrift store finds.  There’s really no rhyme or reason for why they’re meaningful, they just bring joy into my life.

But, then there are the less meaningful things.  The one’s we feel obligated to keep because someone made them for us or gave them to us.  They are the pieces that have outlived their joyfulness, and have now become a burden to our living space.  These are the things that must go in order for us to feel lighter, happier and freer to move forward in our life.

I’ve acquired a lot of stuff raising a child, running a suburban homestead, showing livestock, and just living in general.  So over that past years I have begun really looking at what I want to keep and what I can “let go”.

Case in point…I’m not really one to turn down an offer of free stuff, so over the years I have been given several garden carts, long handled tools, kitchenware, and clothing that was “too good to give away”.  But, how many garden carts does one gardener need, really?  Or, how many shovels, rabbit feeders or water troughs does one suburban homestead need when you’re only homesteading for one person?

Part of gleaning was incentivized by my desire to move out of CA and how much it will cost to move everyday items to another state versus buying new on the other end.  For me, moving will be a new adventure, one that will enable me to change my style, rethink my life and the way I live.  (Don’t panic, though, I’m not moving for a few years)

Why burden down the new adventure with old baggage?

So—with the cost of moving floating in my mind I set about gleaning what I don’t want or haven’t used in a very long time, and in the process I have made hundreds of dollars on the items I’ve sold.  YAY!  It will be the seed money for replacing the items I really need and want.

If your belongings are cluttering your life and your mind, consider these 8 ways to lighten your load.

You won’t regret it—I promise!

8 Ways to Declutter your Home & Life

Sell stuff you don’t use.  Take a cold hard look at what you don’t use, and then list it on Craigslist or Facebook Neighborhood Market, take it to a consignment store, or sell it at Buffalo Exchange or Plato’s Closet, if you have one nearby.  This may take some time, so be patient.  If you don’t think it’s worth your time, donate it, someone else will love it.

Don’t feel guilty.  Ok…you paid for something, so what.  It has taken your money, your time and your attention, but if it no longer serves you then there’s no reason to keep it around.  Let it go!  Your heart will feel lighter for it.

Dump the duplicates.  We all have them, those doubles we got with a buy one get one special, the same gift from a friend or family member, or the multiples we bought because we forget we already had one.  Maybe you feared not having enough.  From bake ware to garden trowels, one is usually enough.

Adopt a one in, one out habit.  To keep the clutter at bay and really scrutinize your purchases commit to getting rid an item every time you bring one in.   As an example, if you buy a new sweater, commit to getting rid of an old one.  If you really want to keep the clutter at bay, try getting rid of two items for every one item you bring in.

Play hide and seek.  If you’re not sure you really want to get of something, tuck it away where you can’t see it.  If you haven’t used it, or even thought about it in several months it is not one of your beloved items and won’t be missed, get rid of it.

Challenge yourself.  Experiment with living with or dressing with a smaller number of items.  The number of items isn’t important, but learning to live with less is.  You will gain valuable information about how much you really need, use and what is truly important to you.

Did you know that the average woman usually wears the same 20 items? 

Lighten up.  It can seem like “things” have a grip on you, but in reality it’s YOU that has a grip on your things.  You can let things go until you lighten up and loosen up your grip.

Borrow or trade.  Be selective about what comes into your home.  Do you need that new gardening book, or can you borrow it form the library?  Do you need a new seasonal wardrobe for the kids, or can you host a clothing swap?  Do you have something that a neighbor borrows often?  Try trading for something they have that you need.

The key to simplifying your life is to own what you love.  But, remember it will own you right back, so make sure it’s worth it.  Really think about how much value “stuff” brings to your life and what serves no purpose at all.  When you own less you have a greater appreciation for what you do have, which frees you up to do what is truly important to you.