This is one of the very earliest posts I wrote on ZimmerBitch. I’ve been re-reading Tony Watkins’ book “Thinking it Through” and realised how firmly his thinking has become embedded in my own — then, and now.
In Thinking it Through, Tony Watkins asks
What do you give to the person who has everything? Probably the greatest gift would be the ability to live with a little less. Far more than any consumer addition, they will treasure the ability to be free.
A single plum ripening on my tree.
The quote is from a piece called “Living with a little less”, and it’s stuck in my head for the last week or so; becoming a lens through which I see more clearly the things that are going on in my life at the moment; from de-cluttering my house, to planning meals around what’s ripe in my garden, to the way I am looking at tv advertising, politics, the environment … even trying to improve my health can be understood as living with a little less … of me.
Much of Watkins’ piece is about…
View original post 124 more words
Zimmerbitch 
Living with less is such a wonderful philosophy. It’s something I’ve only begun truly living by in these last twelve months but it really does free yet feeds the soul!🙂
LikeLiked by 2 people
That’s totally it. Freed and fed. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
A wonderful philosophy in this throw away world.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Lovely thinking. And living!
LikeLiked by 2 people
During the summer we live in a 500 square foot cottage with no dishwasher, washing machine or dryer. We have little room for storage so can’t bring much in terms of clothing. We seem to need less and relax more. (But we are hardly roughing it!)
LikeLiked by 1 person
It does sound relaxing. I’m becoming more and more convinced that I could do “small space” living. When I was in Melbourne recently, the Big T and I had an apartment that was probably about the size of your cottage (but it did have a dishwasher and washer-dryer). I know it was only for a week, but I felt I could live happily in that space for much longer (and T is doing it while he works in Melbourne).
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s remarkable how little space we need—but in the summer we are outside all day, so I am not sure how we’d do in the winter!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good point. Guess the temptation would be to hibernate; snuggle up with a good book and not take on any project that required a lot of space. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Fortunately blogging requires little space!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Agreed (or at least it will when I get more photos scanned) 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sadly, I don’t have many to scan.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I don’t have huge numbers, but am incredibly grateful for those I have.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I can relate to this Su, I work for folk who have lots of stuff, they are time poor earning money to buy more stuff. I fall over sheds and greenhouses full of stuff and plant plants bought at great expense, when it all could be a lot simpler with seeds and cuttings and time to watch the birds and bees whilst waiting for the seeds to grow.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s both sad and scary that so many people work like crazy to buy stuff that is somehow meant to make them happy. They commute hours travelling to jobs that they hate to pay the mortgage on houses they barely occupy, being constantly at work or in traffic. My greatest aspiration now is to live simply; in harmony with my surroundings and to put back into my natural and human environments all that I take out. I get such inspiration from your blog and the lifestyle you have created.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I find your blog really inspiring too Su, you have often make me think differently about things. I love your eclectic style and you always broaden my outlook. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much Julie; that means a lot. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think that if we decided to minimize our wants, we would surprise ourselves with how little we really need.
LikeLike
I believe you are right Inese.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Superb POV and lovely image Su.Pervasive Materialism and Consumerism govern our lives.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Doda. You are right and we are so much the worse for it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
And,we feel less and less happy …
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great. My kind of garage sale.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Love it. I need some more of this in my life. And yet I’m the family archivist… Such contradictory pursuits. 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Same here. But I think there is a difference between preserving that past, and buying lots of new stuff. I hate the way so many things are marketed as being being somehow able to bring happiness and fulfillment into people’s lives. And it’s such a vicious cycle of working to earn money to buy stuff that fills the emptiness created by working at jobs people hate in order to earn money to … Sorry, I’m having a rant here. Hope all is well with you. Happy weekend.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think you are correct. Our society is becoming so disposable too. Things just aren’t made to last like they used to be. I love the old things I have inherited from my grandparents – (anything really, tupperware, glass pans, furniture) they of superior quality and you can tell the difference.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s so true. It’s really difficult to find new stuff that actually lasts.
LikeLiked by 1 person