For the past eight years we’ve been on a joyful quest to simplify our life. It’s been a journey that has taken us from minimizing our possessions and streamlining our digital footprint, to downsizing our abode and becoming financially independent.
We’ve done it all … and we’re thrilled with where we’ve landed.
For us, simplifying has meant boiling life down to its essence – then focusing on the people, things, and experiences we truly value. Our ultimate goal is to live lightly on this earth, spend time with the people we love, and do the things we crave – especially, travel.
So we’re developing our Simplify Your Life Series, and we would love your input. Maybe you’re facing some of the same challenges we did, and would like to bounce some ideas around. And if we don’t have an answer, we bet that our talented blog community will come to the rescue.
We know that many of you out there have already gone through the process of simplifying, and you probably have tips to share. We’d love to include them in one of the posts, with a link back to you.
So tell us the things that you have either done, or would like to do. What are your tips that have made the biggest difference in simplifying your life?
• Declutter – home, work, life
• Downsize – possessions, wardrobe, home
• Downshift – job, activities, commitments
• Reduce – expenses, stress, work hours, carbon footprint, social media, food consumption
• Change – habits, jobs, social activities, friends
• Increase – time with loved ones, doing things you love, helping others
• Organize – work, home, paper, digital files
• Manage – debt, income, financial planning
• Streamline – routines, chores, exercise, work life
• Explore – minimalism, voluntary simplicity, alternative housing options
Our aim is to offer a fresh perspective on these concepts. Over the next few weeks we’ll be sharing some of our experiences, thoughts, and tips. We’ll tell you how we did it – from disheartening failures to delightful successes, and we hope that you’ll follow along.
Keepin’ It Simple,
Terri & James
GALLIVANCE 
I am currently in the process myself, and look forward to your series !
Hi Beth! Congrats on embarking on the simplifying process. If you’re like us, it just feels good to start … and the cool thing is, you can simplify at your own pace. We found it tricky to figure out WHERE to start. How did you tackle choosing where to start? ~Terri
I got rid of everything I didn’t need or love, sold my house, paid off debts, moved to my daughter’s house while waiting for a small condo I wanted to go on sale. I’m closing on it tomorrow with a small mortgage and no other debt. less to take care of, small garden, short walk to town, short walk to river and woods, 1 block to my daughter’s house. next up, repaint in calm colors, take out carpeting, sit in it and see what the space feels like and fill it with only the special things I really love. downsizing and simplifying to head towards retirement in a couple of years. frees me up to travel, wander, hang out with fam and friends and no stress. happy.
Wow Beth, that’s SO fantastic!!! Congrats. It’s so exciting that you accomplished all these things … and got the condo you wanted. I love the way you think – calm colors, only special things – you read my mind. 🙂 Good luck on your closing tomorrow. I know that you will celebrate in style. Thanks so much for all the tips – we’ll be sure to hare them with everyone. Wishing you all the best, Terri
Following with interest. I sold up and down sized when I emigrated to the far side of the World 7 years ago and that was great. However, I’ve gradually acquired more and more stuff again which I’m torn about. Also recently reduced my work hours to help with my mental health but still want to do so many other changes, just in need of both the motivation and the inspiration.
Hi Fi, I bet your move from Scotland to New Zealand was quite a challenge! Did you move much of your personal stuff, or just figure you’d wait and see what you needed? I know when we moved from the US to Sudan (earlier in life) it was hard to figure out what we were going to need. Like you we recently acquired more and more stuff (bigger house), but decided to downsize and move to a smaller place. I’m really interested in your change in work hours. I’m sure lots of people would love to do that! 🙂 Any tips? All the best, Terri
I arrived in the summer so packed only summer clothes. Had to buy a winter wardrobe in NZ when the cold weather came. I still have some boxes stashed at my parent’s house (much to their annoyance!).
As for my work, I dropped a day per fortnight which might not sound like much but has actually made the world of difference to me. I’m a contractor though which probably made the reduction a bit easier than as an employee.
What a good idea, Fi. I can see how regaining that day per fortnight could make a huge difference … and might be something other people could negotiate with their bosses. Thanks for the tip. ~T
T and J, can’t wait for your series! We have downsized our house by half and gotten rid of more than half of our “stuff”. We still can improve on it.
Hi Brenda, it’s so fantastic to hear from you! Wow – downsized by half on your house and stuff – that’s truly impressive! I knew you’d made a change, but had no idea about the scale. I have so many questions. How did you and Larry decide what to keep? All the best, Terri
We kept our favorite things…gave away so much of our furniture to family and friends in the midwest (since we lived near them when we sold the bigger house). Now we get to visit them and also visit our furniture! We still have some things to shed, but we are working on it.
What a great approach, Brenda. I love that you can still visit your furniture and family simultaneously. The perfect solution – totally win-win. Over the years my sisters have also helped take some things off our hands. 🙂 Wonderful to talk with you. ~Terri
Hi Brenda,
For the past couple of weeks we’ve been writing about how we’re simplifying our life – and we invited you to share your thoughts on the subject. The response was wonderful! Thanks so much.
We loved reading your real-life experiences and have included them in our next post with a shout out to you and link to your blog. It will be published next Monday, July 29.
Thanks again. You made our day!
Terri & James @ gallivance.net
Keep out of debt. Do not pay by installments. If you cannot afford it do not buy it. One credit card to a family
Hi Sharrumkin, I’m so glad that you stopped by. I see from your bio that you taught in seven different countries. That’s amazing! I’m sure that moving around like that certainly encouraged simplicity. And your financial advice is excellent. I particularly like, “If you cannot afford it do not buy it.” We’ve lived by that maxim and it’s really paid off. Thanks for the tips, Terri
We downsized from our large family home and gave away most of our furniture. I retired early from a job I loved, but it was necessary in order to have total freedom. My husband also retired and we now we live most of the time in a motorhome touring Europe. It is amazing how little you need to be happy. I will be looking forward to hear what others have done and your downsizing experience.
Gilda, it must feel empowering to have worked hard and achieved a long-term goal … and then follow through on the fun part. As we’ve discussed, we too do a bit of camping/touring, and doing it in an RV in Europe sounds wonderful. Terri and I have had many conversations about exactly what it is about possessions that make them so easy to accumulate and so hard to get rid of. But, one thing that travel has taught us is how little we actually need on a daily basis, and that is a great starting point. ~James
Inspiring! I am looking forward to your future blog posts. My intention is to declutter and downsize, and I have been doing that (Marie Kondo’s book provides motivation as well), and find that sometimes it is easy, and other times it is really hard!
Bertie, it sounds like you’ve made a good start, and that’s a big part of the battle. One thing that got us into trouble in our last house was having an abundance of space in our home. We suspected this but we now have proof, that the more storage space we have the more stuff we acquire. Hopefully, we won’t make that mistake again. As for Marie Kondo, we think that whatever works as a motivational tool is a good thing. Best of Luck. ~James
It seemed each time we moved we sold, gave away or threw away tons. The key phrase is “each time” because after we arrived at our new location, it miraculously filled up again. Perhaps it was because we really never downsized, and indeed even when we sold our house and moved to a condo, the condo was bigger than the house.
Now we are planning to do it again. I shall look forward to the series.
Ray and Alie, this is exactly what happened to us in our latest round of the down-up-downsize game. We were living a small townhouse, and for a couple of reasons, one primarily medical, we needed to make a change. So we ended up in a much larger house: empty rooms to fill up, etc. We’ve gone through the downsize process again, because ultimately, we’re both minimalists at heart. For us, it appears that the one thing that gets us into trouble is having more space. How about your future plans? How will they impact your downsizing effort? ~James
From reading the comments, it appears that this topic resonates with all of us. As I read through your list I recognized that each item was one I’ve been chipping away at for the past 8 years – some successfully and others … well, not so much.
Looking forward to reading more about this shared experience.
Joanne, inertia is a strong force, and for most people, it’s probably easier to stay the course than to make a change. And when it comes to possessions, as I’ve said to others, I believe that it ultimately comes down to how much space is available. Its’ so much easier to stuff something into the closet than to make the decision and follow through on getting rid of it. At least that how it worked for us. And good news on your successes. What has worked for you so far? ~James
I guess it helps that I’m just naturally not a clutter bunny. Whenever I’m in a closet or drawer and encounter something that I no longer need/value I pull it out immediately. I keep a box or bag in the basement where rejects get dumped. When the bag or box is full, it goes to a donation centre.
The constant donation box is a great idea Joanne. We keep one going as well, and I’m an absolute zealot about getting it out of the house and donated ASAP – out of sight, out of mind.
I’m the same. It’s gone as soon as possible. I HATE clutter. Having said that, my office is an embarrassment right now 😏
I am so looking forward to this series. As you know, we moved to Spain from Canada 4.5 years ago. We got rid of 75% of our belongings and have seldom missed any of it. Which makes me think why did we have it all in the first place. We have been good about not accumulating, except for getting a dog. If I buy a book, I have to get rid of one, if I buy a pair of shoes, I have to get rid of a pair etc. Less stuff, less stress.
Darlene, I’d like to think that we all have the willpower to make these decisions on our own, but honestly, there’s nothing like a major change to get one motivated. And as you found, an international move will do it. We’ve had the same experience. I’m interested to hear your “buy one, toss one” rule. Terri is a firm believer in this rule and calls it “one in, one out.”
Amen on less stuff, less stress! We’ve just gone from 1700 sq ft of home ownership in the burbs to 700 sq ft of apartment rental in the center, and we celebrate our freedom every day. ~James
It took us a little while to get used to 700 sq ft. as we kept tripping over each other, and then we got a dog! Fortunately, in Spain, we have a large outdoor patio and spend a lot of time outside. I like Terri’s “one in, one out” rule.
Darlene, when we looked for our rental an outdoor space was a deal-breaker. As you know, an outdoor space becomes another room, which if you adjust a bit, can be used for much of the year. I think that this point should be in the Small-Space Living guidebook. ~James
For sure!!
Looking forward to your series and seeing what ideas other people have. One thing I learned when we were downsizing was terminology is key when planning. Have a “yard sale” on Fri, Sat and Sun and you will do OK. Have an “estate sale” on Wed, Thur, Fri and Sat and you WILL clean up! Then you have one more sale, a “moving sale”, at that point everything left goes for next to nothing. The $100 coffee pot – $5! Let it go! Craig’s List is a great place to advertise, but don’t forget to look at the Wanted section. Those children’s clothes you have packed in the basement could go to someone who truly needs it. I wrote a post called “Taking it all with us – or not” It didn’t solve all our problems, but it did help with a major one. We also live by the “one in-one out” rule. Waldo is only 400 sq. feet so everything has a place – no room for extras. All the best!
That’s so fascinating about the “Estate Sale,” Laura! I’ve never tried that one, and I love the idea. Why do you think that wording worked so well? And your post “Taking it all with us – or not” (https://thewanderingrver.com/2017/03/11/taking-it-all-with-us-or-not/ ) introduced me to another ingenious idea – photo album curtains. You’re amazing! Thanks so much for all the great tips – we’ll be sure to include them in future posts. We’ve only lived in 400 sq. ft. once. What was the most challenging adjustment you and Steve had to make? ~Terri
Part of why “Estate Dale” works is being open on Wed & Thurs. People who buy at those types of sales are usually busy at flea markets on the weekend. Also the term implies an entire household of items, not just odds and ends.
We love the curtains and they really worked well in Alaska! With the room darkening curtains behind, when they are shut you really have to turn on a light to see anything. A few months ago I wrote a post called 5 Truths About Our Life on the Road, but probably the biggest challenge has been I have learned I need my “me” time. In 400 sq feet, it is always us. But we’ve adjusted well!
Aha! Now there’s an interesting insight I hadn’t considered. So are they buying stuff to sell on the weekends? No matter what, it’s a great idea. And about the “me time.” Ditto! I guess it helps having The Great Outdoors as your playground. We had a 400 sq ft apartment when we lived in St. Pete, FL. It worked out OK, except that James was keeping his bicycle in our only closet. It was kind of like tackling a moose any time you need something to wear. 🙂 Thanks so much for all the great ideas and insight. ~Terri
Many readers have focused on downsizing, which we did a few years ago with great happiness. My husband took a much less stressful job with the move, and I too reduced my hours and commute by a lot. I have long been a “zero-inboxer,” keeping my electronic clutter to as bare a minimum as our physical possessions. But our renewed aim is the one you mention about living lightly on our Earth. There are so many more steps we can all take, and we are trying to add to ours every day!
Lexie, I haven’t heard the phrase “zero-inboxer,” but love the concept. We’ve worked very hard on the going paperless side, and we just got back from a month-long road trip, and we didn’t have a single piece of snail mail that wasn’t junk that we tossed. So something must be working. We’re working on the digital side as well, but not making as much headway. Do you have any tips, links, recommendations, or info on zero-inboxing? ~James
I’d say it’s just a relentless purging of anything useless or too frequent. I immediately unsubscribe to anything I don’t want regularly, knowing I can always go to a website if I choose to; this alone keeps my daily new mail down to mostly personal correspondence or things I want to see. Because I now have it so stripped down, I can deal with each thing that comes in quickly. I do not let things sit in there! I respond quickly, and if the topic is fully covered, the email string immediately get archived, trashed, or put in a folder.
P.S. I just looked it up and it’s actually called Inbox Zero!
I noticed that your blueberries are the wild ones. You can tell the difference by the size. (I’m an old blueberry picker from the wild) They taste so much better than the cultivated ones.
Leslie
Leslie, I can’t take credit for picking them (I’m a blackberry picker – chiggers and all), but we have this great Farmer’s Market that prides itself on finding freshly picked berries. I’m so impressed that you noticed. 🙂 ~Terri
I know my blueberries Terri…
James and Terri – Will be reading this series with interest. We moved from 2400 sq ft to 600 sq ft seven years ago, debt-free, with most of our ‘things’ sorted out and given away. We are on the cusp of another move, and are trying to figure out why, in our mid-sixties, we haven’t yet ‘settled down’. Keep adventuring! All the best – Susan
Susan, we are totally simpatico with you since we experienced the same situation a few months ago! Our friends said, “But we thought you were all settled!” Is the 600 sq ft place the house you talk about in your book? I can’t wait to hear what the next move is. I’m so impressed that you managed to become debt free with your things sorted out. Congrats! Was there one particular thing you did that made a huge difference? All the best, Terri
Terri – Yes, same place. Owning the little beach house outright has been a matter of great luck – we bought very low. But prices in California are so high now, we are planning a move. It has been great, though, to be walking distance to grocery, restaurants, walking trails. Is convenience one of the reasons you moved to the apartment?
Absolutely, Susan. We had ended up in the suburbs (story to come), and we are not suburbanites! It was an island with nowhere to walk. So we decided that our #1 priority was a great walkable location. We figured we could make any abode work if it was in the right location. And that’s what we did. Are you going to stay in California or try a new destination? ~Terri
Oh, my, Terri – we have so much in common. Walkable locations can add so much. Our town is tiny, but we have 5 restaurants and one grocery store within two blocks. About the move – we have for a long time figured we would move from California at some point. Since our son just moved to Washington State, we figured – why not?
BTW – if your travels bring you to this coast soon, we have a small cottage just vacated by our son, and are inviting visitors for the next couple months 😉 -Susan
We lived in Oregon for a while and really enjoyed our visits to Washington. With such great access to the Pacific Northwest and Canada – it’s ideal. We got into Whale Watching and did find it to be a real weather change from California. Thanks so much for your very kind invitation – We just got back home in Kentucky from camping in your neck of the woods for a month! Rats! I wish our timing had been better. Many thanks for thinking of us. Hopefully our paths may cross in the future. 🙂 ~Terri
Terri – also, I eagerly await your suburbs story – we are weighing options ourselves right now, and could use the wisdom of other choices 😉
Susan, we’re definitely going to talk about it because it was an emotional decision we should have thought through better. We ended up with a great house … but nowhere to walk. It was WAY too car-dependent for our preferences. Do you know yet if you’re considering a large city or small town? ~T
Terri – we are living in a tiny town now, and find it a bit too small (though safe, and restful.) A medium-sized city would be perfect, I think. Probably much like Louisville. Our son is in Olympia right now – just about right – and we are hoping he stays 😉 We own one car, but America makes it tough to be car-independent, especially in the burbs, as you found out! – Susan
Olympia is a great small city with a charm all its own. And the location gives you access to so many cool things. We made the shift to one car many years ago and love it. But being in the burbs took a lot more coordination of our schedules. And when our car was in the shop we were really in a pickle. ~Terri
Florence and I downsized before we traveled and lived abroad for three years. It took a couple of years to sell a house, two cars, furniture and all our beloved keepsakes. What we couldn’t sell, we donated. In the end, we got everything we needed into a suitcase and a carry-on apiece.
What we learned when we boxed things up was, if we didn’t open a box for over a year, we didn’t need whatever was inside. It was a heart rending for me to let go of skiing and camping gear, and for Florence to part with the dozen or more exclusive art pieces we had accumulated. Nonetheless, we wouldn’t trade those or any of our possessions for the friends and memories we gathered along the way. Even now on special occasions, we get notices from four continents!
We’re back stateside, and since returning from Europe, we’ve continued to move around having lived in Washington, South Carolina, and now Idaho. Travel is still in our future once Florence is fully retired, but we’ve found a beautiful spot to call home…for now. 🙂
Mike
Hey Mike. It’s good to hear from you and it sounds like you and Florence are doing well. You two could be poster children for simplifying, downsizing, and then harvesting the fruits of your labors. We’ve taken a similar path, and while there’s no right or wrong way to do this stuff, it’s worked well for us. All of our RTWs and our extended time outside the US was when we didn’t own property, and the few things we had were in storage – usually the smallest unit we could fit into. We’ve moved so many times that at some point (after move 27 I believe … no joke), we said “There has to be an easier way.” So now we’ve settled into a 700 sq ft rental in Lexington, KY which is our old university town and close to family. Years ago we learned that we never say never, but it feels damned good right now. BTW, where did you guys land in Idaho, and why there? It’s beautiful country for sure. All the best to you both. ~James
Hey James. Yes, I’m back, getting ready to write again. We are almost as mobile as you guys, having moved 19 times in 14 years. 🙂 I couldn’t wait to get back out West where the mountains look more spectacular than foothills. We landed in Caldwell, just outside of Boise, which has apparently been widely discovered. The house we bought in September has increased 15% in value due to the scarcity of homes for sale. We’re far enough out that the farming country is just walking distance down the road. It is similar to my old stomping grounds around Yakima, WA. Hot summer days, cool nights. – Mike
Hi Mike, Welcome Back!!! You have been missed. Glad to hear you’re going to be writing soon. I’m going to be publishing your tips and I want to link back to your blog. Are you still at https://globalexplorerclub.wordpress.com/ or is there a new site? All the best, Terri
I haven’t downsized yet, but it’s looming. I’ll be eager to read the tips people have.
Hi Juliann, it’s so great to hear from you. It’s funny that you say that downsizing is looming because I had the exact same feeling 6 months ago. Trying to wrap my head around the task just seemed too enormous to even start. So i decided to tackle it a bit at a time. As my sister says, “I always start with my socks. There’s always something there to get rid of!” 🙂 We’re getting some great tips from folks, so we look forward to passing them on. Are there any special challenges you want to focus on? ~Terri
It’s only a matter of time. 🌟✨💫
Hi Gail, I’m so glad you stopped by. Could you explain a little further what you mean? All the Best, Terri
Perhaps wisdom comes with age. I know mine has. The best laid plans can be consuming in young adulthood. Jobs we earn, things we acquire (deemed necessary by society), status, desires. Then suddenly Life happens and things change, making intangibles much more valuable than stuff. Call it maturity, call it a spiritual awakening. For me things became very clear. Ultimately, simplicity is the answer.
What a beautiful perspective, Gail. I love it! And I think your observations are spot on. When I was younger, I never gave a second thought to acquiring stuff – it was just what people did. But now, as you point out, intangibles are more valuable than stuff. Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts. ~Terri
Blessings! 🌟✨💫
Very well said! I ckuld have written essentially the same words myself; my life experience has been similar. I am 82 and completely retired now. I have taught university students for over 50 years and miss teaching; so I’m now developing a blog at lifewriting.art through which I hope to inspire people to read and write biographies and memoirs and learn how to communicate more effectively.
Hello John, I’m so glad that you stopped by. What a fascinating life you are living – a man of many talents. I love your statement, “Over the years I have learned many things in many fields, but one thing remains constant, my interest in the history of ideas, and curiosity about understanding human behavior and social change.” Well said. All the best, Terri
You are a good man, John. 🌟
I look so forward to reading this series James & Terri! We are giving thought to changing our living situation, most likely a downsize, but are still in the process of asking ourselves, what does that look like?
Before we make our own changes, we are in the process of divesting of a parent’s home of 57 years. Lots & lots of stuff! It certainly has opened our eyes in considering our own home & its contents.
I would have to say that my husband has a more difficult time letting go of stuff than I do. He has been saying that he is going to clean out his garage for the past 29 years! It’s a slow process!
Hi Lynn, James and I are both still chuckling about your garage comment. James can absolutely relate to your husband’s predicament.
We can also relate to your challenges of dealing with a parent’s home. We’ve been through that with both sets of our parents – and they were of the WWII generation who held onto everything. It took lots of time to sort through their stuff, but it sparked wonderful conversations and memories. It also convinced us we wanted to simplify our possessions down to only the things that were really special to us. It’s immensely satisfying to look around now and only see the few things we love. Consequently, we needed considerably less space, so we downsized that too.
I love that you and your husband are in the process of asking yourselves what a downsized life would look like. Such a smart idea. We’re really looking forward to the coming conversations and ideas – maybe we’ll spark some ideas for you.
All the best, Terri
Terri, I must admit, it is hard not to raise an eyebrow when my husband announces he is sick of tripping over things and needs to clean out his garage.
You are so right about our parents being of a generation who held onto things. We have definitely come across some treasures & I am certain, there are many more to come! Cheers, Lynn
I love this idea for a series. Shane & I have simplified our lives and we love it. I left my lab job and we moved to a small cabin on 100 acres. We make less money but have fewer expenses and many more experiences now. We both work less (hence the less money) but we love it. Spending time doing the things we love and with the people we love, it’s worth it! As we call it we are “selective employed”, not old enough to fully retire (we don’t plan on ever fully retiring), we work when it’s needed and play when we feel like it. Looking forward to reading this series.
Amy, it’s so cool that you and Shane have made these changes in your lives, and now you can pursue work that you love – and are SO good at. 🙂 Was your move to a small cabin a challenge? And since I’m a Hoosier by birth, I know that 100 acres in Indiana has to be gorgeous pasture, farmland, or woodland – or all 3! I bet it keeps you busy, too. I love your term “selective employed” – we did the same thing and it made us so happy. When we transitioned to lower incomes, we kept reminding ourselves, “Money we don’t spend is money we don’t have to earn.” 🙂 Was there one key thing you and Shane did that helped you simplify? ~Terri
Thank you Terri. Moving to the small cabin (700 sq ft) was a challenge but a good one. It was the first big step in simplifying our lives. Downsizing was the best thing for us. Now we think carefully about all of our purchases. Never buying things that will not add value or improve our lives. We fix things instead of buying new when something breaks. I love your quote “money we don’t spend is money we don’t have to earn.”. Very true in our case too. The other thing that really helped us simplify or reduce our expenses is more accurate would be cooking at home. We used to go out to eat for most of our meals. Since moving out here I cook the majority of our meals and we save a ton of money (and we eat a lot better). I do not feel like we are sacrificing but instead choosing wisely where our money goes. I say we live rich lives just not in a monetary sort of way.
Love following along on your travels through your blog.
When we moved into our RV seven years ago, we thought we’d only do the full-time RV thing for a year or two and thus have maintained two storage units full of stuff. In early June we brought it down to one. For the longest time, I viewed my success by my possessions. I also hung onto business awards, etc., but after seven years, I managed to purge and donate a whole storage unit and feel lighter for it. I took photos of all the “Oscar” type of awards and plaques that I had received and then tossed.
We’re currently spending the summer parked on family property and I’m helping them with purging and organizing. It has been a slow process, but once I got my sister-in-laws mind going in the right direction, she and the Salvation Army are on a first name basis.
I basically asked her two questions when she was having trouble letting go of things. 1. Is this something you plan on moving to your next home? 2. If you passed tomorrow, what do you think your loved ones would do with this? That seemed to get the ball rolling.
Great post and subject. I look forward to what others have to say. – Ingrid
Hi Ingrid, it’s so great to hear from you! 🙂 I didn’t realize that you originally thought your RV life was just for a year or two. Congrats on falling in love with a great lifestyle … and downsizing your storage. I know what a big job that is. I love your statement, “I viewed my success by my possessions.” I bet a lot of us are nodding our heads along with you. It feels so good to step off that treadmill.
Your summer project sounds fascinating.Your family sure is lucky to have your guidance and motivation … and so is the Salvation Army!
Your very last question #2 is my fave. “If you passed tomorrow, what do you think your loved ones would do with this?” Talk about thought provoking! I’ve just been reading several articles titled, “Your Kids Don’t Want Your Stuff!” For many I think it’s sobering to realize that items they’ve collected over a lifetime may not appeal to their children. This is a topic I would definitely love to explore.
Ingrid, thanks so much for your thoughtful insights. If you had to choose, is there one thing that you and Al did that made the biggest difference when you were simplifying your life? All the best, Terri
Hi Terri, I don’t think there was “one thing” that made a difference other than to “start”. I see that in my sister-in-law. She did a lot of talking about doing this or that but was so overwhelmed she didn’t know where to start. I started her with one kitchen drawer, then two and now she’s doing a little purging every weekend. She told me yesterday, that she feels less stressed. Amazing!
Ingrid, I love your point that the key is to just “start.” That’s some of the best advice I’ve heard – and so true! Having some small decluttering successes under your belt is empowering – and makes you want to do more! Thanks for this great insight. ~Terri
Hi James and Terri! What a wonderful topic, and one close to my heart. As you might know already, I’ve been a minimalist and traveler my entire life and a (digital) nomad since 2003. Still, whenever I can get rid of stuff, I love the process! Not much left, though. 🙂 We are not financially independent, but we live on a tight budget. As one of my blog readers currently commented “We spend small and live large.” 🙂
Downsizing is liberating and being able to “love what you do and do what you love”, brings us happiness, despite still needing to work and facing many challenges that come with the lifestyle. I’ve never known financial wealth or a “normal life”, so my choices have come easy to me. As you post your series, I’ll try to provide my input!
PS: If you ever decide to do an interview series, I happily partake. I find it easier to answer specific questions than think and report on the entire process of all the points you mentioned. 🙂
Liesbet, you and Mark have an unsual lifestyle, and I’m sure the people that know and keep up with you look at your life with envy. There’s no way to live the way you two do and not go through each day with deliberate choices of what you will and won’t do. And ultimately, that’s what it’s all about.
And on the interview, that’s a good idea, and not one we had thought of. We’ll put it into the hopper for consideration and see how it goes. All the best. ~James
What a fabulous idea. We downsized six years ago and Dave and I retired about 18 months ago. Our first piece of advice would be to write/draw/discuss what ‘downsizing’ looks like. Do this individually and then compare. Best to be on the same page before the process begins.
Don’t rush to fill your time. We hear so many people being fearful they will be bored. Take time to listen to long hidden passions or discover new ones.
Spend time working with those in need in your community. Homeless shelters, food banks and the like. Returning home to your ‘things’ one can see how frivolous objects are in life. Basically it gives perspective.
I could go on and on here. If there is a specific area you need I’m always happy to chat.
Sue
Hi Sue, Thanks so much for your excellent suggestions. Your very first one really struck a chord with me. I love it! I can’t count the number of conversations it took for us to START arriving at the same page. 🙂 As James says, “We can talk something to death!” But the good thing is that the conversations always lead to action. We did learn that we each look for solutions coming from a different perspective – right brain vs. left brain – yet miraculously we’ve ended up at the same place. Yay!
And you’re so right about working with those in need. Talk about putting it all in perspective. Thanks for making that point.
One topic that many people brought up was the challenge of maintaining a downsized lifestyle. Have you and Dave had any difficulty sustaining your streamlined lifestyle? ~Terri
Terri I think another point, in answering your question, is what does downsizing mean? For us it meant leaving a huge yard and home to an infill in inner city with a tiny backyard as we don’t enjoy yard work. We got rid of so much furniture and assorted household goods. However we still have a garage, a basement and two stories.
For us it is more space than we need obviously but far less than we had.
So we have maintained it but clearly we are not as downsized as some. It does take discipline to not fill up space. We have closets with nothing in them and it’s important to not start collecting again just because you have the space to do so. Does that answer the question?
Absolutely perfect, Sue! It sounds like you made a really great move. Your new home sounds wonderful. It’s great to see cities taking advantage of the infill lots. Here in Lexington, Kentucky we have an urban boundary; consequently all new building has to go on inside that line in infill lots.
We also just ditched the big back yard, and although I love gardening, we were over it. 🙂 My sisters said I can come garden at their houses any time I want.
And empty closets! You guys totally rock!
Thanks again for your great responses. All the best, Terri
I have accumulated a life time of clutter. My husband and I were both only children so we inherited two lots of household goods. I also had five children who have all left behind a lot of worldly goods when they left home. I am looking forward to your series as I know we have to get there but need a road map.
I was a nurse and when I retired I deliberately decided not to keep up my registration. I am very glad I locked the door as it is very easy to accept a few days work as a favour to a friend.
Hi Anne, Wow! You may win the prize. It sounds like you are at the nexus of a lot of people’s stuff. I’m sure there are many items you truly love, so I feel your pain on figuring out how to deal with it all. James and I dealt with both our parents’ worldly goods when they passed away – and it wasn’t easy. So many memories. After all the siblings and family members selected the items they wanted, we set about the task of finding new homes for the remaining items. We used community bulletins, yard sales, consignment shops, and online sales to sell items. Then the rest of the items went to charity shops, and they were happy to get them. We liked to think of it as “sharing the joy.”
But as to how you deal with the items that your children leave behind … hmmm. I’ve read that parents use a combination of compassion and negotiation – then if that fails – “Tough Love”! I think I’ll throw that question out to our Blogging Community to see what they think. They always seem to have really creative solutions. 🙂 All the best, Terri
wow, the photos are very pretty, like them!
Thank you Red Clouds Over Willow. What are you taking photos of these days? I look forward to you posting them on your blog. 🙂 ~Terri
We’re de-cluttering too. Not downsizing yet, because too many people troop through our house. De-cluttering is so satisfying.
Hi Peggy, it’s great to hear from you. Sorry we’ve been awol for a while. I can definitely believe that with lots of people around, that downsizing is not in the cards. But decluttering can certainly be so cathartic. All the best, Terri
At work, I was sitting with a bunch of work colleagues of which 2 different folks were trying to scale down from 2 to 1 car household.
Make sure if at all possible, we each live in a home that is within a 15 minute walk to store, bank, a park, community centre. We have biked and live our car -free over the last quarter century. https://cyclewriteblog.wordpress.com/2014/04/03/what-shapes-me-walkable-cycleable-neighbourhoods/
Jean, when it comes to personal mobility, we should all aspire to live like you. As you know well, walkability varies from city to city, but even in the best of places, it also takes individual effort to take full advantage of it. For years we’ve been very attuned to neighborhood walkability, and while the ideal is rare in our part of the world, it’s something that we pay attention to. In fact, one of our primary motiviations for making our recent change to an intown rental was having the ability to walk to: a grocery store, a few restaurants, the post office, library, etc. At this point we need our one car, but it’s our intention to leave it parked as much as possible and walk for what we need. Thanks for the link to your post on neighborhood cycling and walking. It’s a good example for others to see how good it can be. Thanks. ~James
It’s a harder adjustment for those who have spent last few decades very car dependent. It does mean a little advance planning and some time to walk, bike…though I dare say the bike can beat the car for car congested areas.
If a city has carshare or people thinking of renting a car several times per year, that might help.
Jean, your comment about advance planning is a good one. Living in Canada I’m sure you know better than most, when trying to walk or bike bad weather can have a big impact. And planning when and where to go is essential. I remember that one of the first things I bought when I moved to Oregon was a good rain suit. Even if it isn’t raining hard, you can get seriously soaked when cycling. But as in most things, it’s about the right gear and planning. ~James
I suppose our move was a simplification, Terri, though it doesn’t always feel like it. Certainly in terms of possessions (though we did lug a lot of ‘memories’ along with us- the postcards reside in a box or two, under the bed. I can’t bear to let them go 🙂 ) Life for us is about friendships and experience. You don’t need a lot of material stuff for that. Oh, and sunshine… of course.
Jo, I love that you say you’ve simplified, “though it doesn’t always feel like it.” I bet a lot of us feel that way at times. Oh, and postcards are so precious. My sister took some of our best-loved and turned then into a very cool collage that we really enjoy. We also keep a fun collection to hang on the Christmas tree.
But my favorite words from you are, “You don’t need a lot of material stuff for that. Oh, and sunshine… of course.” Life for us is about friendships and experience. I can’t wait to use your words next week. 🙂 ~Terri
This is great! For me, managing debt has been the greatest stress reliever. Proverbs 22:7 mentions that the “borrower is a slave to the lender.” Paying off all credit cards, car notes and student loans is a real blessing.
Congrats on your joyful journey!
Hi Heather Jo, I’m so glad you stopped by. You are so wise to manage your debt – something lots of people wish they did better. Congrats on paying off all your credit cards, car notes, and student loans. That’s huge. Do you have any tips on things that worked for you to accomplish this? All the best, Terri
Thank you! Let me be completely honest, this was a long arduous process that took about 10 years. 1 Timothy 6:7-9 was our guide. It says “For we have brought nothing into the world, and neither can we carry anything out. So, having food and clothing, we will be content with these things.” With much prayer we buckled down and stuck to the bare necessities. We never had a lot of credit cards but we made sure to keep only one that we shared for emergencies only. That way we could hold each other accountable. We refinanced our cars which allowed us to pay them off. We both went to community college and/or trade school so student loans were never unmanageable. Plus we had scholarships as we both grew up in poor families and had good grades. We sacrificed living in better neighborhoods for a while so we could get by with cheaper rent. That allowed us to save and double up on payments. We made sure to have some fun so we didn’t go crazy but we were modest on our vacations. Instead of all inclusive resorts, we opted for cruises which can be a lot cheaper and are also all-inclusive. We focused on living a simple life so now that we’re older and make a little more money we can focus on saving for retirement. When everything was paid off we celebrated in Hawaii. The sacrifice is long and hard but it’s worth it in the end.
These are excellent suggestions for anyone looking to manage their financial life – while living a happy life. It’s great to see a couple accomplish this … and celebrating in Hawaii sounds perfect. 🙂 Thanks so much for your ideas. ~Terri
You’re welcome. I hope they help someone trying to improve their situation.
Hi Heather Jo,
For the past couple of weeks we’ve been writing about how we’re simplifying our life – and we invited you to share your thoughts on the subject. The response was wonderful! Thanks so much.
We loved reading your real-life experiences and have included them in our next post with a shout out to you and link to your blog. It will be published next Monday, July 29.
Thanks again. You made our day!
Terri & James @ gallivance.net
OMG! Thank you so much. I’m glad my suggestions made your day. I’ve found you never go wrong when you follow bible principles. It’s not easy but worth it. Thanks again!
Such a great topic Terri and James!! I’m looking forward to your next posts, and also your readers’ ideas too. We all need at some point to do some cleanup🙂
Thanks so much, Christie. It seems that just about everyone has some real-life experience with the subject. Given your extensive travel, have you ever experienced the urge to simplify? All the best, Terri
Ohh, you just hit a sensitive point Terri LOL I’m working on that with my hubby, but still a long way to the point where I would like to be. But small steps make the day great 🙂
Cheers, Christie
Great point Christie. Several people have pointed out that THEY are ready to simplify, but the important people in their lives are not. I think that’s an excellent topic to open up to the group to see their ideas. Thanks. ~Terri
Yvette, thanks for the link to our post. As a student of history I think that it’s interesting that much of what we know o ancient cultures comes from an analysis of their rubbish. I wonder what ours till say? ~James
Interesting one!!! Another way to simplify can be to always be open to problems and be ready for them. Do visit my post ‘brace for it’ and drop your thoughts on it
I totally agree with you. By anticipating problems and preparing for them, you’re better able to handle whatever challenges lie ahead. Thanks so much for stopping by. All the best, Terri
Thanks for sharing this! I am in the process of downsizing and letting go of things.
Hi Kimmie, Thanks so much for stopping by. It’s exciting- and sometimes a little daunting – to start downsizing and simplifying. Often the hardest part is just getting started, so congratulations! How’s it going so far? All the best, Terri
It is going well. I will be honest this was a move that was forced upon me after losing my husband very suddenly in July at the age of 48. It started more out of necessity but now is really helping me mentally.
Oh Kimmie; I’m so very sorry to hear that. A loss like that must be so incredibly hard to bear. I can only imagine what you must be going through. I admire your amazing spirit and hope that you can find some ideas and encouragement here for your journey. The post Sage Simplicity Stories was totally created by our readers, and contains some of their best ideas. We look forward to having you as part of our community. Best wishes, Terri. https://gallivance.net/2019/07/29/sage-simplicity-stories-51-thoughts-to-simplify-your-life/
Thank you. I will check that out.