Ithaca

I’ve fantasized many times about my last post on this blog.  My first vision was a re-creation of the last scene of the Lord of the Rings, with Frodo disappearing over the horizon, heading for the Grey Havens.

My goal in beginning this blog was to chronicle our sailing adventures.  Back at Our So-Called Life, on March 8, 2011, I began sharing our journey into a rather unorthodox lifestyle, our fascination with minimalism, and–most importantly–our experiences on our new-to-us sailboat, Moonraker.

Throughout that year, I shared a touching tribute to my mother-in-law, who passed away unexpectedly while preparing for our Mother’s Day visit, and we drank a toast to her while underway for our first cruise that summer.

A much younger-looking version of me took the helm as we headed out on our first adventure.

As most of you know, that trip did not end as planned, as we ran aground after a week underway and had to end our season while the boat was repaired.  Devastated, I wrote that “my soul was sinking, failing.”

I thought I was seeing the end of a dream, when all I was really seeing was an opportunity to dust off my knees and get back up after a fall.

That summer, as we had taken off on Moonraker, I had been searching.  I had been seeking a place over the rainbow, where everything would be better, all right.

Since my early 20’s, my life had carried a theme of running away.  As newlyweds, we moved away from the town where we had grown up.  Then we moved into the middle of the woods, thinking we were closer to that perfect place, where everything was all right.

When that didn’t pan out as hoped, we fantasized about moving to the Upper Peninsula, or possibly to the west side of Michigan.  Every port we had encountered became a potential home.  Maybe one of those places would be the magical place for us.

In the summer of 2012, when the journey over the water came to an end, we began searching for that perfect place at home.  We embraced the minimalist lifestyle and began frantically getting rid of possessions.

We became crunchy, we tried to get off the grid, and I even followed the Fly Lady’s program for awhile!  We were passionately anti-consumer and felt strongly about our life style choices.

Our summer ended with a call from the marina and an “epic” sailing trip through what was left of hurricane Rita.

The following school year, I found that my head was never in the game, and all I could think of was returning to the water.  I loved our adventure sailing, and I was certain that I had found the place where everything was “right.”

And the summer of 2012 seemed to only prove me correct.

My writing also took an exciting turn during that summer, as I was featured on Miss Minimalist.  As we returned to land in August, I had a great deal of friends to keep in touch with.

Being a writer had long been a dream of mine, and during the fall and winter of 2012, my confidence increase with the encouragement of other bloggers.  My posts became more philosophical, as I began to question the doubts and fears I had held about myself.

I opened up and shared “secrets” that I thought were a part of the “real me” that I tried to hide.

We further embraced the minimalist lifestyle and spent the winter living in our basement, to save money and to gain experience living simpler.

With our success living in the basement and the positive feedback I received from my writing, we became brave enough to question our status quo.  Perhaps it was time to travel again.

After a lot of introspection, I began applying for jobs across the country, in Texas, and we pack and left in the summer of 2013.  To this date, we have not launched Moonraker again.

You were there with us as we settled into our apartment, and then onto our first full-time boat.

After the move, it surprised me to see the same patterns repeating themselves.  Here I was, 1300 miles away, living the life I’d dreamed.  I was a crunchy minimalist, living on a sailboat, and I had left such a difficult situation.  I was supposed to be in that place over the rainbow, and yet I was not.

What I did not share on this blog is that, with that realization after our move, 2 1/2 years ago, came the beginning of my real journey.

Over that time, I learned that running away is limited in its usefulness, because our external circumstances have little bearing on our happiness and peace of mind.

And that is because what we are seeing, isn’t really happening.

We think we are fighting an internal battle against fear, but what we don’t see is that fear is based on things that aren’t even real.  Nobody is intending to harm us–they are in their own misunderstandings, perhaps, but we are interpreting their words and actions based on our own misunderstandings.

There is no internal battle.  There is only growth, from the beginnings of understanding into greater understanding.  As we understand, we stop fighting.

We learn that our deepest secrets are nothing more than our common experience of fear.  We all have scars on some level, but they are not who we are.  Who we truly are is what we experience during times of freedom from fear.  And that is love.

It is only when we begin to discover this that we are able to break the constantly-repeating patterns in our lives.  It doesn’t need to involve moving onto a boat or traveling across the country.  All it really requires is a change in the way we see and understand the world and everyone in it, especially ourselves.

When I began writing this blog, I was searching.  I wanted to find that place of peace, of no-fear.  At first I thought it would be across the ocean, which is why I thought I would end this blog with a video of us disappearing over the horizon.

As I traveled through my journey within, I thought that I was searching for a place of constant awareness, or the ongoing knowledge that love is all that is real.  I was looking for an end to suffering, an overcoming of fear.

I have “achieved” neither of those things.

One day, it is likely that we will disappear over that horizon.  And with every waking hour, I learn to see reality more clearly, gradually breaking away from the fear that distorts it.  But I also now realize that this is a lifetime journey.

The nearly 5 years that I spent writing this blog was instrumental in this journey.  There was a time when I needed to write in order to sort out my thoughts and discover my identity.  And I needed to have my words read.  I needed the direct support of people on similar journies.

And yet, as time has gone on, my journey has become more and more private.  I trust my own insights, because I know them to be true in my heart.  Writing here once was a daily necessity for my peace of mind.  Now writing once a month has become a chore.

Journeying into peace has led me to live more experientially.  I have enjoyed sharing our story and our journey here, but the time has come now to just live it.

So many of you–more than I could possibly count–have helped me tremendously on this journey.  I want to thank you, and I want to say that I hope I have helped you on yours as well.  But what I have learned is that love is never a one-way street.  If love flows in my direction, it has flowed in yours as well.

So instead, I will say that I am grateful that we have grown from knowing each other.

I will continue with my writing in other venues, and I am on Facebook and Twitter.  I do sometimes still answer my e-mails, but I can not promise a speedy response!

I will conclude this blog by making reference to the poem “Ithaka” by Constance Caverfy, which inspired the blog’s title.

I thought I would end this blog when I reached my own personal “Ithaca,” but I have learned that in life, Ithaca doesn’t actually exist.  We are all on a journey.  We are all working to overcome fear, grow in love, and see reality as it is.  It is a constant growing, not a “graduation,” where we arrive and live happily after.  Happiness and joy are found in each moment where we experience life as it is, and the fact that we will inevitably experience fear again does nothing to diminish this joy.

And if this joy is Ithaca, then I could never find it poor.

Thank you for being a part of the journey.

With love,

Bethany

new menu plan

new menu plan

new menu plan week of 4-11

A Fall Filled With Adventure!

Back in Michigan, fall was always a time of adventure for us.  Our last year there, we took a cruise on the S.S. Badger for my birthday, then went camping for Halloween (and first started discussing living aboard–we thought we would move to Lake Michigan in 2 years!).  In Texas, however, daily life has been adventure enough.  We’ve been learning our way around Houston, and getting settled into a succession of new homes.  Our only trip was visiting the cabin at Canyon Lake for Thanksgiving (which we will do again this year!).

But now that we’re living comfortably on the S/V Morning Mist, the adventure bug is biting us once again.  Until recently, it had been 3 years since we’d cruised.  We’re all thinking that it’s time to make life interesting again!

And interesting it will be.  We have so much planned for October and November, that I’ve had to set up a Google calendar!  We’re visiting San Antonio next weekend, and a highlight of our trip will be a special needs amusement park.  After that, Rob and I are attending a moped rally in New Orleans.  The week after Halloween, Beanie will have her first competitive cheer competition!  And then it’s off to Canyon Lake two weeks later!

And all that excitement is in addition to our adventures this weekend and last weekend.

“Rockstars!  Rockstars!  Rah Rah Rah!”

Living in an urban area has had many advantages for us, and one of these advantages has been the number of “mommies'” groups available to join.  I joined Moms of Galveston Country, which lead me to two other special needs groups on Facebook.  It was through these groups that I first heard about Rockstar “Special Stars” Cheer.

Beanie has always had kind of a “cheerleader” personality, especially with her pigtails!  So a free, special needs competitive cheer group seemed to be right up her ally.  The group has kids ranging from age 8 to high school, so the older kids help keep an eye on their younger “buddies.”

From her first rehearsal, Beanie was in love!  The parents get to watch the practices on monitors in the waiting room, and it is a delight to watch, as I get to know the other mommies.  And don’t let the “special needs” part fool you–there are some talented tumblers in this group!

Beanie’s first performance with the Rockstars was last weekend, at the Down Syndrome walk in our town.  They don’t have their uniforms yet, but their t-shirts coordinated.

The fun began with dancing, and of course Beanie attracted attention!

She immediately fell in with some local junior high cheerleaders.

Who let her borrow their pom poms!

Finally, the Rockstars had the stage.

Beanie gains some altitude as a part of their routine!

And this is my favorite picture of her cheering!  It’s definitely a fun, low-pressure group, with some talented athletes!

Setting Sail Once Again

Grandma and Grandpa took Beanie home from the cheering event, and Rob and I headed over to the S/V Reprieve, three slips down from us.

My friend, Deanna, greeted me with a birthday bouquet.  We piled onto their boat with two other couples.

We rounded Clear Lake Shores island.

And then the reason for my flowers was revealed, as we made our departure, past the Kemah Boardwalk.

The whole “flock” of sailboats was out on Galveston bay!

We were quite well-fed on our journey!

I was a little exhausted…

And while I was getting sunburned, this is what passed us…

Meanwhile, this is why I have blisters on my back…

And then I woke up in Galveston!

We arrived in Galveston in time for dinner (it was a 6-hour nap…I mean sail!).  The marina we stayed at was near the Strand, which is the shopping/tourist district.  So we walked into town, hit the shops (the three of us ladies bought $10 dresses!) and enjoyed dinner at a shrimp restaurant.  Two of us had been wearing our bathing suits under our clothes, so we spontaneously jumped into the marina pool, before retiring to our various beds on the boat.

In the morning, we had some company in the marina.

We headed out at a leisurely pace, stopping for lunch and swimming at Red Fish Island.

Underway once again, there was no wind, so we motored back toward the bridge that led the way home.

It was a fun, wonderful trip, and now we’re eager to get our boat up and running, so that we can cruise next summer!

The Cardboard Challenge

This weekend, it was all about cardboard.  Beanie had the opportunity to create something out of garbage, for her school’s “Cardboard Challenge.”  She eagerly went to work on a Pokemon stage, which she displayed at school this morning.

Of course, Beanie’s favorite part was exploring the other creations!  She spent a lot of time in the Tardis.

October has been a great month so far, and we look forward to sharing our upcoming fall adventures with you!

 

‘Tis the Season for Stress (But This Year Can be Different!)

Why is it that holidays and stress seem to be synonymous?  In the Western world, the months of October-January are almost always the most stressful, as we try to meet unrealistic expectations and create a storybook holiday, that can’t really exist in real life.

But what if this year could be different?  What if we all were able to pare down on our obligations, simplify our expectations, and create a holiday experience that really worked for us and for our families?

Creating such an experience is possible, and a number of bloggers have come together to create a “calendar” with daily tips to help you simplify the season.  We are offering you our Simplify the Season calendar.  With your subscription, you will receive one post (via e-mail) per day, to help you reduce stress, simplify your life, and simply enjoy the season more this year.

The calendar costs only $2, but you are invited to donate more if you wish, because 100% of the proceeds are donated toward financing a Kiva loan to an entrepreneur in a third-world country.  Kiva will provide updates on our beneficiary, and I will post those throughout the year.

This year’s calendar features an exciting line-up.  You will receive posts written by the following bloggers:

Adyashanti, spiritual teacher, author, and blogger

Seth Godin, author of “Linchpin,” blogger

Tara Brach, author of “Radical Acceptance,” teacher, psychologist, and blogger

Josh Becker, blogger at Becoming Minimalist, author, and speaker

Francine Jay, blogger at Miss Minimalist and author

Leo Babauta, blogger at Zen Habits, author, and speaker

Angel, from Diary of an Alien

Mark, from Enjoy Life Slowly

Jennifer, blogger at Moms Running It!

Ewa Schwarz, online life coach and blogger at Online Counseling

Lani Cox, blogger at Life, the Universe, and Lani

Lois Field, from The Eco-Grandma

Christy King, from The Simple White Rabbit

Eliza Floyd, from The Fearse Family

Julie Saint-Mleux, blogger at Happiness Savored Hot

Jehan, publisher of Leading to Love magazine

Carol Preibis, psychologist and blogger at Ahh! The Simple Life

Kathryn Sandfod, blogger at Kathryn Sandford’s Blog

Dara Simkin, from Melbourne Natural Wellness

Monica Lobenstein, blogger at Acorn Oak Forest

Renee Suzanne, the Love Coach

The calendar will also feature photos and pictures from the following sites:

Joy Sussman, photographer, blogger and teacher at Joyfully Green

Cathryn Worrell, artist, photographer, and blogger at Concrete Moomin

Frank Millitello, photographer at Shutterfly

Lori Rochino, blogger and photographer at Lori Rochino.com

We are asking for a $2 donation for the calendar, but you are welcome to donate as much as you would like.  After all the calendars have been sold, we will update you on the Kiva loan beneficiary and their progress.  Make this a season to experience less stress, focus on creating a simple, calm lifestyle, and to make a difference in the world around you!

Purchase the “Simplify the Season” Calendar Now!

How to Be Broke: Introduction (and an update!)

Hello, folks!

It’s been awhile.  This summer has certainly flown by, and it has brought with it a fair amount of challenges.

Our kitty, Popcorn, playing with her best friend, Mikey. They’re kind of like Milo and Otis.

In late June, we bought Morning Mist, which gave us some much-needed space.  I’m not going to lie–Breaking Tradition was a little TOO minimalist for me!  I’m glad we did it for a year, but sharing a twin mattress was aggravating an old shoulder injury.   I was so happy to sprawl out in our full-sized v-berth on Morning Mist!

Beanie’s birthday party. Her teacher said it was the social event of the season!

Having a HUGE fridge, an oven, and hot running water has also been amazing.  We’ve even got a shower on the boat, which makes washing Beanie’s hair much easier.

Making green eggs and ham!

Then end result.

After we made our move, we stayed on Morning Mist in its slip on West Dock.  We had until August 1 to find a new home for Breaking Tradition, so that we could move Morning Mist into our slip (and not have to pay for two slips).  We had a buyer lined up, so we felt confident heading up to Michigan for our annual trip up north to visit family.

Tropical storm Bill added some excitement to our moving experience. There was flooding, but not much else.

We tried our best to keep our Michigan trip low-budget, because we owed money to three different parties, in order to buy Morning Mist.  We would be making our first payment after getting back.

Beanie rode her “glide bike” in the fourth of July parade.

Of course, the universe had other plans.  The axle bushings on our car went out while we were up north, so we needed to spend a great deal of money fixing it.  Luckily, it was work that Rob could do, even if we did end up setting the axle on fire in his dad’s driveway!  (We had to, to burn out the old bushings).

So it all went smoothly, right?  Wrong!  On July 31st, the buyer, unfortunately, had to back out.  So we had to pay double slip fees, and we had to get some payments to the people we owed.  And still find a way to eat.

Hanging out with Grandma on the 4th!

The good news is that it turns out that Houston is a great place to be broke.  We have eaten well and kept ourselves entertained.  Things will continue to be tight, probably until Christmas, but to good news is that we are making progress toward getting everybody paid off.

And, of course, the experience has been educational.  It’s been a boot camp in how to stretch our dollars, whether we’ve been buying groceries, looking for things to do, or maintaining things at home.  And over the next few weeks, I will be sharing the lessons I’ve learned, with all of you.

Chilling with Grumpa in Michigan.

Being broke doesn’t mean that you have to eat beans and rice and sit around at home.  I look forward to sharing some of my strategies with you, so that we can all live frugal, fun lives.

Summertime Changes

It has been a long time since I’ve given you an update on our daily life.  I’ve been busy preparing for my Simple Living Basics E-Course, tying up loose ends during the hectic end of the school year, and putting together a wonder eighth birthday party for the Bean.  We weathered a crazy storm that led to flooding all over Houston.  (We were unaffected by the flooding, but it did get me a day off of work!)

Otherwise, it’s been daily life as usual aboard Breaking Tradition.  That is, it was life as usual until we unexpectedly had the opportunity to purchase Morning Mist, an Irwin 37 center cockpit.

While we’ve been happy living aboard, sometimes living in under 200 square feet can be a little TOO cozy.  We’re glad that we did live in that small of a space, and we’ve learned a great deal from it.  But, man, when we first stepped onto that Irwin, we were smitten!

Now we’re enjoying such luxuries as a small oven (with a rotisserie!), a larger bedroom for Beanie, a bedroom for us outside of the main salon, a proper dinette, more floor space, and a larger fridge!  Being able to stretch out on an almost-full-sized mattress at night led to the most restful night’s sleep I’ve ever had.

Would you like a tour of our almost 300 square foot palace?  Here are some pictures of our new home:

Beanie packed up her favorite toys to take on our first trek to the west pier.  (We will be moving Morning Mist to our slip, after we move Breaking Tradition).

She’s definitely not as pretty on the outside as Breaking Tradition.

But, wait until you step inside!

A kitchen with actual counter space, and a place to eat…

The aft cabin has a sign that says “Captain’s Quarters” over the doorway, and Beanie was excited to claim this as her bedroom.

The Bean has been talking about wanting a “tiny office” in her bedroom, so she was very pleased to see that the Captain’s Quarters came with a desk.

This is definitely an upgrade, space-wise.

We’ve got two heads with showers.

Our bedroom is a very spacious v-berth.

We had a guest outside, watching us move in…

There is still a great deal of work to be done, but we are enjoying our new home.  Last night we had our first rain storm on Morning Mist. There were some definite leaks, but overall we stayed pretty dry!

Simple Living E-Course–A Last-Minute Give-Away!

For the past month, I’ve been revisiting the topic of voluntary simplicity, in anticipation of my Simple Living Basics E-Course, which will start July 1.

In case you missed the post about the e-course, I will begin by reposting the information:

Minimalism is a tool that can assist you in finding freedom. Freedom from fear. Freedom from worry. Freedom from overwhelm. Freedom from guilt. Freedom from depression. Freedom from the trappings of the consumer culture we’ve built our lives around. Real freedom.”  –The Minimalists

Have you always wanted to experience the freedom that comes from living a simpler lifestyle, but you never knew where to start?  There has been an explosion of information available on the minimalist lifestyle: the 100 possession challenge, Project 333, extreme minimalism, and tiny houses.  Ironically, simple living has become an overwhelming topic.

But it doesn’t have to be.  Simplifying your life can be…simple!  And this interactive e-course will help you get started.  Over the course of 6 weeks, we will explore the following topics:

• What the minimalist lifestyle  is.
• What a minimalist lifestyle is not.
• How to get started in your decluttering journey.
• Tips for decluttering problem areas.
• How to keep the clutter from coming back.

In this interactive e-course, you will work with a supportive group of people who are also working to declutter their homes and their lives.  Weekly discussions will address specific problems regarding simple living that group members are facing, and the group will work together to help and support each other. 

What does this course include?  For only $50, you get the following:

• An electronic copy of Clutterfree by Courney Carver and Leo Babauta.
• Links to articles, videos, and other resources.
• Weekly “lectures,” where I explain the topic more in-depth.
• Pre-quizzes, so you can monitor your own understanding.
• A 30-minute  individualized Simplicity Coaching session, via e-mail, after the conclusion of the course.

That is an amazing value already, but if $50 is too much, these discounts are available:

• If you display the “Simple Living E-Course” button on your blog or website, from the time you register until July 1, you will get $10 off of the price.   To use the button, simply copy this code:
  
• If you register before June 14, you will get $10 off as a part of the “early bird discount”.  This can be in addition to the $10 off for displaying the button.

What if these discounts are not enough?

In these last days before the course starts, you can take an additional $30 off.  So if you sign up now with the Early Bird Discount and display the button on your blog, you will only pay $10 for the course, if you sign up this week!

This offer is only good until June 12.

But wait….there’s more!

If you sign up for the course at this discounted rate, post a comment stating your simple living goals.  One person will be selected out of the commentors to take the course for free!  You will be refunded your money on Paypal on June 12.

So what’s the delay?  Sign up now!

Click here to purchase the e-course for $20:

Are you willing to display the button?  Then click here to pay only $10!

Simplicity Story: Brianne’s Minimalist Journey

Note:  This is a guest post from Breanne, who blogs at Metalsmithing Poodle.  You will love her story of how she embraced the simple lifestyle through pursuing her art and moving into a parkour gym.

My minimalist journey started about a month and half ago, but in reality I have been infatuated with the minimalist lifestyle for years but had other obligations (excuses haha) over the years and have never fully committed to the idea. My interest was first peaked about 7 years ago when I had moved out of the apartment I shared with my significant other at the time and did not feel ready to see him so I didn’t move any of my things into my new place. I lived happily and simply with a sleeping bag and my clothing for about a month. I felt an overwhelming sense of freedom in doing this.

Recently after graduating with my BFA in jewelry design and metalsmithing and all the unfulfilled expectations settling in I started searching for something more. Life was not what I had expected; I went to school for art….I chose happiness over money and ended up with neither. Sadly our society values art but not artists, even the people within the art community don’t seem to place much value on the artist. I had also never really considered there were actually jobs in America that did not pay enough to survive on.

I was rudely awakened from this misconception after the financial aid came to a halt. For nearly a year I fretted about what I was going to do and how I could possibly make it in this world. In tandem with this I was doing everything I could in order to “make it” as an artist. I feel somewhat like I was chewed up and spit out by the art world. I was on the right track, my work was in galleries and I was even a board member for the Colorado Metalsmithing Association, but everything felt forced and it was no longer bringing me happiness. It also was not bringing in enough money to even sustain the art-making much less anything else.

The only solution seemed to be minimizing my bills and living off of less since I have no reasonable way to make income above minimum wage. Also the only thing I wanted to do on my free time was parkour. I took the only two things that made sense my life and mixed a little romance in there and the outcome was starting a new life and leaving the old one by the wayside.

Parkour was something that changed my life almost instantly. I used to be gymnast and was so in love with this sport is was literally the only thing that mattered to me during the 4 years I participated in the sport, not to mention the many years I spend admiring it and trying to teach myself on the front lawn.

When I turned 18 I could no longer practice the sport and was devastated, heartbroken even. Ever since I have always felt like there was something missing, like a big chunk of myself was somehow severed from my existence. Once I discovered parkour at the age of 25; it was love at first sight. With parkour I finally felt like a whole person again, I once again had an outlet for the physical expression of my existence.

After high school I did a lot of partying and strayed down a bad path. I constantly at odds with myself because I wanted to be healthy but was unhappy and the only thing I really looked forward to was drinking with friends at the end of the night. Currently I can think of nothing I would rather do with my day then parkour, it is what I day dream about, it is my passion and my love. It is literally the funnest thing I have ever done and I just can’t get enough of it. Since this is the one thing in my life I feel the strongest about I decided totally immersing myself in this world was a good way to figure out a profession within this field and it is happening much quicker than I had expected! I am currently apprenticing to be a parkour coach and co-taught my first class last week!

About 2 months ago I found another kindred spirit who was also dedicated to living an alternative minimalist life dedicated to what we love the most; parkour. We hardly knew each other but decided our connection was strong enough that we needed to figure out where it would lead. We had met in Colorado and only hung on two occasions but had meaningful conversation, similar life views and goals not to mention our shared passion over parkour.

These conversations continued over instant messenger after he left to Arizona and one month later we left both our lives behind to live one truly dedicated to minimalism. Neither one of us could fathom the idea of working a typical 9-5 job for the sole purpose of maintaining an apartment or a house and all of the shiny objects within it.

We have left our old lives behind in order to purse one that is truly free, not just working until hopefully one day we would have enough time to do the things we want once our bodies are wasted and worn. We started a new life with the pursuit of minimalism, the simple dedication to our interests and desires, a life filled with passion, adventure, love in the pursuit of true freedom. We are currently residing in a parkour gym and plan to eventually buy a van and live in that while traveling across the country practicing parkour in various cities.

Are you working toward a simpler lifestyle?  Then I would love to share your story!  Please submit your original (not published anywhere else) story about how you are simplifying your life.  You don’t have to be an extreme minimalist–I would love to share stories of people who are just starting out of their journey.  If your story is selected to be featured, you will receive 50% off the the Simple Living Basics E-Course, after any other discounts.  Send your story to brosselit@gmail.com . 

New to Simple Living?  Then check out our Simple Living Basics e-course.  There are plenty of discounts available, and it will be an investment in a lower-stress more focused lifestyle!

Breanne blogs at Metalsmithing Poodle, where she shares her art and her adventures living her alternative, minimalist lifestyle.

Blogroll–The “Where are They Now?” Issue

Four years ago, I spent an extensive amount of time researching minimalist blogs, to create my blogroll.  While I no longer maintain a blogroll, I decided to revisit the blogs that I had recommended.  Surprisingly, most of them are still being written.

Remember, when choosing blogs for my blogroll, I used these criteria:

—The blog is written by the person who maintains it. I don’t follow a lot of big blogs, because they tend to run out of things to say and resort to guest posts exclusively. I want to hear the writer’s voice! My exception to this is Miss Minimalist, because her guest posts enhance her message, and she does write some posts herself.

—No merchandising! We’re trying to get away from consumerism and Getting More Stuff. So nobody on my list does sponsored posts. A couple of them do the occasional give-away, which I find to be annoying, but I did not include any that make that central to their focus.

—I chose only blogs that facilitate discussion. Everybody either responds to their comments or has a great discussion going on.

—These blogs are all updated at least once a week, unless the writer lets everyone know that they are taking some time off. They’re not likely to run out of things to say anytime soon!

—And, finally, the subject matter is good. These writers will challenge your way of thinking and of doing things.

So, here’s my list!

Intentionally Simple
This is written by Rachel, a mother and a Person Who Doesn’t Have a Lot of Stuff. She has great practical ideas and did a series called “31 Days to Living Intentionally Simple,” which is a great way to get started at simplifying your life!

Just a Little Less
Dolly has a lot of practical ideas for living simply, and her honesty and sincerity are very refreshing. Be sure to look at the pictures of her house–it’s gorgeous in its simple, calm decor!

The Eco-Grandma
Lois used to live in a 300 square foot apartment–now she has bought an adorable home that she is restoring in an earth-friendly fashion, using her signature creativity. On her blog, she shares her ideas for downsizing, decluttering, and upcycling, as well as very positive and innovative ideas for being earth-friendly.

Miss Minimalist
This is the only big blog that I follow. Francine does a lot of facilitate discussion and community. Her guest posts support her message and bring more people into the community that she helped create.

Plastic is Rubbish
This couple completely boycotts all things plastic! They share tales from their adventures, as they travel the world, and some very practical ideas to avoid using plastic. Even if you don’t avoid plastic, their ideas will help you to live more sustainably.

Slow Your Home
Brooke is on a mission to “slow the hell down.” You will love her sense of humor and her great ideas. She also offers a “boot camp,” to help you get started on your jouney toward simplicity.

The Non-Consumer Advocate
Katy is an expert on thrift-store hunting and repurposing. You will love reading about her finds and be inspired to do some hunting of your own. It’s retail therapy for People Who Don’t Have a Lot of Stuff!

The Ramble
The adventure lifestyle is much easier, when you don’t have a lot of stuff. Gigi will take you across the world and entertain you with her fun and insightful stories.

The Simple Year
This blog is now in the hands of its fourth writer, Tracy, who is chronicling her efforts to focus on becoming more organized this year.  Through her experiences, you will definitely learn many tips.

Zach Aboard
My favorite live-aboard family details life on the Majestic, a cataran docked in Chesapeake Bay. Cindy writes about natural/attachment parenting, simple living, and, of course, sailing.

Zen Presence
After taking a leave of absence, Dan has returned with a very introspective tone.  He still writes short posts that say more in a few paragraphs than most people say in many pages.

So, that’s my list! I hope you enjoy reading all of these blogs as much as I do!

Are you working toward a simpler lifestyle?  Then I would love to share your story!  Please submit your original (not published anywhere else) story about how you are simplifying your life.  You don’t have to be an extreme minimalist–I would love to share stories of people who are just starting out of their journey.  If your story is selected to be featured, you will receive 50% off the the Simple Living Basics E-Course, after any other discounts.  Send your story to brosselit@gmail.com . 

New to Simple Living?  Then check out our Simple Living Basics e-course.  There are plenty of discounts available, and it will be an investment in a lower-stress more focused lifestyle!

How We Got Started Living Simply

Originally posted February 2012

We heard about “Minimalism” back in 2009. When we went to Florida, to see Rob’s parents, we met a couple, living aboard a 29-foot boat, that changed our lives. Here is the post I wrote on Michigan Natural Parenting, after that encounter…

When we were in Florida, we met some friends as the IL’s who call themselves “minimalists.” This couple lives with as few possessions as possible, so that their life is more simple. They are both professionals, but they each only own 3 outfits. They do the laundry every other day, so that they always have something clean to wear. They own 2 plates, 1 pair of shoes (they go barefoot on the deck of their boat, because they think deck shoes are unnecessary.) He does not have a wallet; he uses a rubber band to hold his money and cards together. They lived for years on a 27 foot sailboat, and it was always pristine. Because they didn’t own anything to clutter it up! Now they live on a small power boat, which is also clean and uncluttered.

Well, we have a huge (IMO) house and a LO. And a cat. And my DH thinks he’s better off having a wallet, because rubber bands can break. But we still thought we could learn something from these people. We have so many possessions that we can’t really enjoy any of them. And even Beanie had a room so filled with toys that she never played with. I went through them, got rid of over half of them, and only allowed one toy per bin on her shelf. She immediately began taking them out and playing with them, happier than I’d ever seen her. Having less clutter and “stuff” brought her more enjoyment. I would love to have a hobby, rather than spending all of my time managing the stuff. So here is what we have done so far:

–Only 3 plates, 2 mugs, 2 glasses, 2 sippy cups. Only 3 sets of silverware. The rest of the dishes are stored away, so we can sell the set if we ever want too.

–The 3 sets of family heirloom dishes that were dropped at my house are not being stored away.

–The microwave is taking a trial leave of absence. If it stays up in my closet for a year, it will be off to Goodwill.

–Ditto on the toaster.

–Fewer cookbooks (soon to be ever fewer)

–Bye, bye to the old CD’s from the 90’s that we never listen to anymore.

–Only 3 of each type of clothing for me. (It’s Michigan, so 3 outfits wouldn’t be realistic)

–Only 5 of each type of clothing for the Bean.

–I’m down to 3 pair of shoes.

–Anything we don’t use goes to Goodwill. From the kitchen, a shake maker new in the box, George Foreman grill, punch bowl, and ice cream maker. I dropped off 10 bags and have about 10 more waiting.

So that’s our progress so far. I really like how our house is starting to look.

Wow, we’ve definitely come a long way since then!

Are you working toward a simpler lifestyle?  Then I would love to share your story!  Please submit your original (not published anywhere else) story about how you are simplifying your life.  You don’t have to be an extreme minimalist–I would love to share stories of people who are just starting out of their journey.  If your story is selected to be featured, you will receive 50% off the the Simple Living Basics E-Course, after any other discounts.  Send your story to brosselit@gmail.com . 

New to Simple Living?  Then check out our Simple Living Basics e-course.  There are plenty of discounts available, and it will be an investment in a lower-stress more focused lifestyle!

Simplicity Story: A Tale of Two Kitchens

originally posted in November 2014

Three months ago, this was my kitchen:

 

 

Notice the double sink with hot water, the dishwasher, the oven, and all the floor and cupboard space?  While the apartment kitchen was certainly small, it was an adjustment to move from that to this:

 

You can imagine what an adjustment this was!

And around the same time that I moved, Lois from The Eco-Grandma moved from a 300 square foot apartment into a house.  This, too, was an adjustment.

As we settled into our new homes, I began to notice the changes that I was making in my kitchen, and I began to wonder what changes Lois was making.  What lessons had she learned from simplicity?  What luxuries was she choosing to indulge in, now that she can?

As a result of the changes we have made, Lois and I decided to co-ordinate our posts and invite you into our kitchens today.  I will show you how things work in my kitchen, and then you can head over to The Eco-Grandma to visit Lois’s kitchen.  (And we will both be sharing a recipe with you!)

Living in less than 200 square feet has been interesting, and our biggest adjustment has been the galley.  First off, the companionway, aka our DOOR, is right above the counter.  In fact, the countertop is a step that must be used in order to enter the cabin without falling down.  Below the counter is a small ladder, which we refer to as “the steps.”  Both Beanie and the cat like to perch on the steps, especially when I am cooking.

So where do I stand when I cook?  In a teeny, tiny corner, next to the steps!  Our kitchen is equipped with a single-basin RV sink.  While we have a knob for both hot and cold water, only the cold water knob will turn on the faucet.  The water temperature is quite cold in the winter, but hot in the summer.  This is due to the fact that we use shore water, which sits in an RV hose for great periods of time.

Our range is a luxury for a sailboat–it’s dual-powered.  We run it on electricity in our slip, but we can run it on alcohol when we’re anchored out.  We have a bottle Everclear for this purpose!  The range has a stainless cover that turns it into additional counter space when we’re not using it.

We also have a gas grill mounted on the stern rail–it doubles as our oven.  When we feel like picnicking, we have access to communal gas and charcoal grills.  We have a medium-sized dorm fridge and a small amount of cupboard space.

Having such a small kitchen has led me to learn to do without some amenities.  This hasn’t been a huge adjustment, since we were already living rather minimalistically.  We already had service for 3, 3 pans, no toaster, and limited appliances.  But what have we gotten rid of since we moved here?

• Our blender.  Yes, I used to love making smoothies.  But it isn’t worth the effort to unstow the blender, and then to clean up afterwards.
• Our plates.  This isn’t permanent, but they broke in the move.  After a month of using bowls, we missed them and bought some Thanksgiving-themed paper plates.  We will soon return to Goodwill and find some plates for our family!
• Our pressure cooker.  It was too big to store, so it’s gone.  We’re on the lookout, eventually, for a higher-end unit that is small.  But for now, we do without.  We’re down to 2 pans.
• Our popcorn popper.  All right, so we still have it!  And we’re going to use it next week, when we stay in a rental cottage.  But it takes up so much space that we have is stowed and never gets taken out.  And Rob is learning to pop corn in our saucepan.

And what unexpected luxuries have we kept?

• Stemware.  Mason jars don’t cut it for us.  We keep this bit of elegance.  Of course, we’re constantly breaking glasses, so they never match.
•  The slow cooker.  I love it.  It’s wonderful to set it, head to work, and have a lovely roast waiting when I get home!
• A coffee maker.  We did the French press thing for awhile, but we drink too much coffee!  I love to set the coffee pot, then have it wake me up in the morning.
• A tea kettle.  It boils water.  Fast.  And it doesn’t make it taste like anything else.

So what do we cook in my kitchen?  Normally, we eat very simple meals.  I’ll buy pre-cooked meat, which we’ll eat with a salad.  When it’s nice out, we have burgers and a salad.  When it’s cold, I cook.  When it’s not, we eat salad.  I make sure to eat a lot of protein, with a few carbs and lots of veggies.

But sometimes, we like to do something special.  Here is a fancy dinner we prepared in my kitchen:

First up is this low-carb lasagna recipe I found.   I browned the beef on the stove, then assembled everything in the slow cooker.  Notice the door above me.

 

While the slow cooker did its magic, I simmered the mulled wine on the stove.  In place of brandy, we used our homemade orange liquor.

 

There was some zucchini left over, and Beanie decided this was her new favorite snack.  She is standing on the steps.

It was a crazy, fun night for mother and daughter alike!

 

Are you working toward a simpler lifestyle?  Then I would love to share your story!  Please submit your original (not published anywhere else) story about how you are simplifying your life.  You don’t have to be an extreme minimalist–I would love to share stories of people who are just starting out of their journey.  If your story is selected to be featured, you will receive 50% off the the Simple Living Basics E-Course, after any other discounts.  Send your story to brosselit@gmail.com . 

New to Simple Living?  Then check out our Simple Living Basics e-course.  There are plenty of discounts available, and it will be an investment in a lower-stress more focused lifestyle!