
Simple living means a simplified calendar that’s not packed with obligations that don’t add value to your life or busywork designed to make you feel productive. And it often means cutting out meat to lessen your exploitation of humans, animals and the planet. It can mean going back to the land and growing your own food to stop consuming and start being more self-sufficient. Simple living can often mean eating simpler and buying local ingredients to minimize your carbon footprint. A simpler life reduces your costs and your cleaning time. It includes getting rid of whatever takes up space and isn’t useful. Simple living means a simple home that’s decluttered and not overflowing with the junk that’s often a cause of anxiety and overwhelm. The lifestyle is sometimes about refraining from luxury and indulgence – but certainly not always. The emphasis is on gratitude and being happy with what you’ve got. Simple living includes things like the 100 Things Challenge or the small house movement. If you spend less money on things you don’t need, you can work less or pursue more meaningful work instead of living to paycheck to paycheck and maxing out your credit cards. Simple living at its core is about reducing your consumption. Simple living usually encompasses a few basic elements: Minimalism and reduced possessions A life driven by what’s most important to you – not by possessions or status. It’s a lifestyle that often includes cutting back and streamlining your possession and living a simpler and more intentional life. It’s about valuing things that make us happy instead of chasing status symbols or societal expectations. Simple living is all about finding the beauty in less and putting quality over quantity. While some may life off-grid and grow their own vegetables, others may just aim for a less cluttered garage.

It’s not a strict lifestyle that everyone follows in the same way. There are dozens of interpretations on the theme of simplicity. Their millions of readers testify that rampant consumerism isn’t making people happy. These days, Joshua Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus brought simple living to the mainstream with their blockbuster Netflix documentary Minimalism. More recently, the Bohemians of Paris lived for art above the pursuit of material possessions. The Greek philosopher Diogenes used his simple lifestyle to criticize the corrupt society of his day.

Religious leaders from Buddha to Muhammed have advocated for a simpler life dedicated to self-knowledge and good deeds.Īnd literary thinkers have left behind the excesses of their age to reconnect with life’s essence, from Henry David Thoreau and his sojourn to Walden Pond to Leo Tolstoy and his admiration for rural life. And ironically it’s also become a huge industry with online retreats designed to give you a less complicated life.īut simple living as a reaction against materialism is as old as antiquity – even if it’s now wrapped in a new package.

It’s become a big trend with books, YouTube channels and podcasts all dedicated to simplicity. The term “simple living” gets thrown around a lot these days.

Here are some powerful tips to living simply. Simple living is all about cutting back your possessions and living a less hectic lifestyle.
