Browsing category: Voluntary Simplicity

Overcoming the Paralysis of Too Much Analysis

When you are faced with an important decision, it’s always a good idea to gather information about the possible options and to use that information to evaluate the possible consequences.

Peter Lawrence — The Happy Minimalist

Peter Lawrence’s lifestyle is very different from that of the average American. He doesn’t own a bed… instead he sleeps on the floor in a sleeping bag.

Organic Seeds, Heirlooms, Hybrids, Open Pollination, and GMO-Free

A good basic definition of organic seeds seems to be that the seeds have been produced without the use of… or exposure to… insecticides, fungicides, herbicides, artificial or chemical fertilizers, or sewage sludge.

One In, One Out vs. Purging for a Reason

Reader question… “A friend told me that I should always purge an item if I buy something similar, even if the item to be purged is still in good condition or if I am still using or wearing it…”

Accomplishing What Needs To Be Done… Efficiently, Quickly, and With As Little Stress As Possible

Eventually just about everybody comes to the realization that housework is never ending and involves drudgery, tedium, and getting your hands dirty.

A Prickly Situation

After years and years of no porcupines, this fall we kept seeing two… a smaller female and a very large male. Usually they would be waddling around in the meadow.

Two Resolutions That Can Change Your Life

I heard on the radio this morning that every year most people make the same three New Years’ resolutions… to go on a diet, to stop smoking, and to spend less money.

Things I Have Learned About Cooking & Baking with a Wood Stove

I have found that it’s really a continual learning process, because cooking or baking with wood requires a different rhythm and a different timing than cooking with gas or electricity.

The Wood-Burning Cook Stove In My Kitchen

The centerpiece of my kitchen is our wood-burning cook stove. It’s a big stove, standing over five feet high and almost three and a half feet wide. It has an oven, a warming oven, a solid copper water reservoir with a tap, and a large cook top surface with six lids.

Where Did the Summer Months Go?

We’ve been busy. We spent several weeks cleaning up the incredible mess that the road crew left after their unwelcome tree-cutting and trimming rampage early this spring.