My Journey to a More Simple Life

**MamaPyratekk** · 11-27-2008, 03:42 PM

If it's within the rules here, I am going to start this post as a journal of sorts. My only internet access is through occasionally using my husband's BlackBerry, so using a blogging site was proving to be a little tedious.

Anyhow, I've always wanted to live a more simple life. Minimalistic even. But it has been hard for me. I'm only 22 and the pull to fit into society by having all the latest things has been overwhelming for me. I'm pretty against the grain in other facets of my life, but this one thing has been hard for me. I was raised until age 11 by my grandparents. We weren't poor but they lived well below their means. I was considered 'the poor girl' at school and I guess it has made it hard for me to be OK with living a more simple and frugal life.

Anyhow, enough rambling! As of now I have already began step 1...purging.

Our home isn't messy or cluttered so I have been amazed so far at how much I've already gotten rid of. I have freecycled approximately 6 small/medium boxes of various items, have given approximately 8 trash bags full of things (and then some!) to goodwill, consigned some things, and sold some. Yet we still have more STUFF! I want it gone.

I just posted 6 more things on freecycle, so that is continuing the process.

For those of you who have already started a similar journey or who are living minimally already...any tips? How did you get started?

I can't wait to share my journey with all of you!

**SixxOfDiamonds** · 11-28-2008, 11:24 PM

I have no tips for you but I just wanted to say that I'm looking forward to the minimalistic journaling. You've given me inspiration to start writing about my attempts towards living a simple life and saving money. Thanks!

Completely off topic, but I am 22 and living in NC as well!

Good luck!

**MamaPyratekk** · 11-29-2008, 07:12 AM

Awesome! It's always great to inspire

. And what a small world it is (well, I guess not here on the internet lol!), where in NC are you? We're in asheville now but moved here from Charlotte, and moved there from Boone. Personally speaking I've lived all over the state from tiny towns like gulf, to cities like fayetville and Charlotte.

Now on to the journaling!

I have been freecycling like crazy for two days. I am even getting rid of some of our larger things like our couch in the basement (which we never ever use now that we have a new couch for the living room), and our 46g fishtank since we have upgraded to a 125 upstairs. I really wanted to sell the fishtank, but we choose to not have home internet access and instead use my husband's blackberry. And for whatever reason, it won't let me post to craigslist, so I said to heck with it and gave the tank away! We have two fish in it still that we will be moving to the bigger tank. In all reality they will probably be eaten by our much larger fish, but we have sadly no other option because trying to do water changes in the tank downstairs is rather difficult and neither of us has the time or patience for it. But enough fish rambling!

I posted everything on freecycle from large cooking pots/pans (that we don't need because we have smaller items that do the same job) to a box of various items. I've found that is an Easy and less confusing way for me to get rid of smalle things. Just stuff them all in a box and post a list of some of the included items and call it a 'box of various items'. People love it, its like a mystery grab bag.

So now the things I need to work on purging are some of my son's toys. I love him to death but the reality is that he doesn't play with half of his toys AT ALL. He also doesn't wear over half of his clothes. I am keeping the clothes, however, until January when the consignment stores here start taking summer and spring clothes. Whatever they don't take or sell will be donated to the local women's shelter because lots of those women have children.

Whew, another long winded post from me! Once I get done with purging I plan to move on to organizing, we'll see how long that takes lol.

**MamaPyratekk** · 11-29-2008, 07:15 AM

*ps- excuse my typos, trying to go back and edit the post takes time and so if I reread it and it still makes sense with the typos I don't take the time to edit the post

**SixxOfDiamonds** · 11-29-2008, 11:40 AM

We're in Jacksonville - stationed out here at Camp Lejeune. DH is a Marine, so I have no choice.

But I LOVE NC and we plan on retiring here. The people are great, the weather is good and the land is beautiful.

That's a lot of Freecycling! I purged what 'extras' we had before we moved. Less to pack and less to unpack. But now that we're unpacking, there are things still in boxes in the garage. They've been there for two months and we've lived perfectly fine. So I think it's time that a lot of whatever it is goes!

**rainbowgc** · 11-29-2008, 11:45 AM

i love the way you are simplifying, gives me hope! lol

**Kaos Kitty** · 12-04-2008, 10:09 AM

I just signed up for freecycle, this will be a month of cleaning everything out for me too. I look forward to reading more posts.

**kittykatstrong** · 12-04-2008, 10:27 AM

purging I think is alot of fun and it feels so good after. I think I may need to do it again.

**forHISglory** · 12-04-2008, 10:49 AM

I applaud you. And I look forward to your journey.

**SHOPGIRL** · 01-02-2009, 11:51 PM

I'm totally with you on living a simple life. Less really is more. I look around my house and it's really silly the amount of stuff that I have. I keep thinking that if I got rid off half of it, my life would be easier. I'd have a lot less to clean and a neater house. So, donating, selling, tossing out are all things I'm going to be doing in 2009.