topic Re: Anyone here into living simply? in Community Spirit

Anyone here into living simply?

bella_again — Sun, 07 Apr 2013 12:09:01 GMT

If so how does it work for you and are you all out living simply or combining the concept with modern day luxuries? For me its been baking, sewing, growing vege and doing what I can to leave less of a carbon footprint on the planet (although admittedly I have a long way to go!) What is it for you?

Re: Anyone here into living simply?

**meep** — Sun, 07 Apr 2013 12:12:15 GMT

Recycling.

Re: Anyone here into living simply?

the*scarlet*pimpernel — Sun, 07 Apr 2013 12:12:23 GMT

I pooped in a can and bathed in muddy old creek water for 10 years. 😐

I am so loving my new indoor shower and toilet :^O

Re: Anyone here into living simply?

monstersinthedungeon — Sun, 07 Apr 2013 12:29:54 GMT

We sold up our suburban McMansion not quite two years ago and moved out to a 126 acre property in the sticks.

As it was a flood damaged, abandoned property with no running water or electricity, we started from behind the eight ball, but are slowly working our way towards self-sufficiency, or at least as much as possible without becoming total hippy sock-and-sandal-wearing tree-huggers.

We have chooks and turkeys (for eggs and meat), raising a few cattle and sheep for the freezer and have just started on our vegie garden.

We are also lucky enough to have a permanent creek running around the property, we are currently investigating hydro-electricity.

Our previous home was huge and filled with belongings, we now live in a very simple small cottage and most of the belongings have been sold. I have come to realise that all the "things" were not making us happy, we are happiest grubbing around the property, surrounding by our animals and living very simply.

Re: Anyone here into living simply?

crystal**flake — Sun, 07 Apr 2013 12:41:57 GMT

May I ask why you would buy a property that was once flooded, you do know it will happen again dont you.

Re: Anyone here into living simply?

bella_again — Sun, 07 Apr 2013 12:43:08 GMT

Wow Monsters sounds like its worked for you and well done on the progress re the property. I'm not sure I'll ever be totally self sufficient but I really admire those who are. I love the country, couldn't quite do an acreage but have a big back yard with a great vege patch no farm animals though although would love a few chooks in the future!!

I'm not sure I could be a full fledged tree hugging hippy either although my shaved head kinda makes me look that way atm lol!

ha ha ha Pimpy full marks for trying lol!!!

Re: Anyone here into living simply?

bella_again — Sun, 07 Apr 2013 12:44:32 GMT

Good for you Meep thats a great starting place 🙂

Re: Anyone here into living simply?

i-need-a-martini — Sun, 07 Apr 2013 12:44:38 GMT

Yep. We've been on a simple living strategy for about 7 years now. It started when I had a revelation when I was looking at various philosophers and came by Thoreau's Walden. His philosophy would have us out in a cabin the bush but I took the core of what he was saying about modern society confusing wants with needs and now we question everything we do.

Initially we went all out trying to reduce our carbon footprint and changed our lifestyles completely. I sold a lot of my clothes and all my shoes. We got rid of furniture and some cars. We took only local holidays. But we've pulled back now and aren't as strict.

But the way my family tackles it is by taking on bits and pieces at a time.

We started with the basics - recycling, reusing, disusing. Vegies. Public transport.

Then we started slowing our lives down (and the lives of our children) to get a better life/work/activity balance.

Then we got stuck into our consumerism. Aside from shoes and the odd garment here and there, we've hardly bought anything new for years. We only buy what we need. There are no 'wants' in our household anymore.

At the moment we are heavily into local made everything - food, clothes, businesses, activities. It was hard at first but we can now get by with only Australian made in our pantry. A supermarket shop for us takes HOURS cause we read every label lol!

I find that if we tackle one aspect at at time then it doesn't feel like a major step. So something like buying only Australian made was a big deal at first cause we thought so little was made here and it felt like we were losing out on some of our favourite foods. But 12 months later we've found all the Australian products, we know the Australian companies and get a lot on line. So now checking a label for country of origin is simply second nature.

The thing I am looking into at the moment is bartering time and services. So have just joined Airtasker and can't wait to start using companies like this.:-)

Re: Anyone here into living simply?

the*scarlet*pimpernel — Sun, 07 Apr 2013 12:50:04 GMT

good for you martini, I wish more people would buy australian made.

at my old place I used to recycle the water from the washing machine. I would catch the rinse water in garbage bins and then use it for the wash water for the next load. All our used water went out on to the lawn.

I tried growing vegies but never had much luck.

Monsters you sound like the Goods from The Good Life, I loved that show

Re: Anyone here into living simply?

bella_again — Sun, 07 Apr 2013 13:12:46 GMT

Yes I remember the Good life, that was a cracker of a show lol! I always liked their philosophy! Martini, good on you for making positive steps toward changing your life style, sounds like your effort have hugely impacted on your family. Love the bartering idea and I also like the idea of co -ops.

Did anyone see the supermarket that buys fruit and veg that is not 1st grade but perfectly usable? They gave people a discount if they worked for so many hours at the supermarket, great idea! I also liked that it gave people purpose, they were all working together to help one another.

Re: Anyone here into living simply?

monstersinthedungeon — Sun, 07 Apr 2013 13:28:01 GMT

May I ask why you would buy a property that was once flooded, you do know it will happen again dont you.

Crystal, we decided "you pays your money and takes your chances". We knew there was a distinct possibility the property could flood again, and in fact it came very close on Australia Day weekend and again a month later.

But only eight of our 126 acres are below the 2011 flood level, the bulk of the property is well above that flood level. The current cottage is on the lower part of the property, but we have an emergency caravan set up on the upper part of the property (this is for fire and floods) and, time and finances allowing, the intention is to build a home up on higher ground.

Re: Anyone here into living simply?

meh_too — Sun, 07 Apr 2013 20:02:50 GMT

Crystal, we decided "you pays your money and takes your chances". We knew there was a distinct possibility the property could flood again, and in fact it came very close on Australia Day weekend and again a month later.

But only eight of our 126 acres are below the 2011 flood level, the bulk of the property is well above that flood level. The current cottage is on the lower part of the property, but we have an emergency caravan set up on the upper part of the property (this is for fire and floods) and, time and finances allowing, the intention is to build a home up on higher ground.

where are you monsters? must be close to me

Re: Anyone here into living simply?

katydidthat — Sun, 07 Apr 2013 22:13:44 GMT

Living simply?

In any conversation about how I live, my thoughts turn first to food.

Most of our meals are made from fresh vegetables and meat. The only vegetables that I buy frozen are peas and broad beans. The only vegetables that I buy in cans are tomatoes and sweet corn.

Last night I cooked chicken soup. I boiled a chicken for stock, cut up the meat and added it to the stock, then added celery, potatoes, zucchini and carrots. Extra flavour was added with garlic and fresh and dried herbs.

We live in a tiny two BR unit ... no garden ... but I grow fresh herbs on my balcony.

I don't drive, so I walk, catch taxis or take the bus.

We don't use heating or cooling ... I have the door open all day for fresh air and a breeze.

I rarely use the microwave ... although my son uses it ... he heats up the leftovers for breakfast ... and food rarely goes to waste here (((15 year old boys and their tummies))).

Re: Anyone here into living simply?

shhh_its_me — Sun, 07 Apr 2013 23:39:04 GMT

Monsters it's really obvious you loveanimals... I've enjoyed reading about screech and your lovely dog who went to the rainbow bridge... So I was wondering how you will go with using some of your animals for the freezer? I always figured that I would love to do that knowing they'd had a good life but then I kinda realised maybe I couldn't. I had meat yesterday for the first time in months yesterday and I've felt guilty the whole time since!

Id love to do what you're doing, but I would have to find a big strong man to protect me as I'm scared of the bush, weird animals and serial killers.

Re: Anyone here into living simply?

monstersinthedungeon — Sun, 07 Apr 2013 23:57:57 GMT

Bella, I don't think we'll ever be totally self-sufficient, I'm not one for making my own soap, etc. Also I don't want a house cow, so we'll probably never be producing our own dairy products - maybe one day, but too much to do now to be tied to twice-daily milking. So for now we're just concentrating on vegies, beef, lamb, chicken, eggs, etc.

Meh, we're about 25 minutes out of Toowoomba, where are you?

Shhh, we haven't slaughtered any of our own beef or lamb yet, so in theory I'm fine with it, but I know it's going to be tough when the time comes. But the way I figure it is that they've had a pretty good life - much nicer than if they were reared in a commercial feedlot. We're going to get them home butchered, so they will also be saved the stress and fear of being transported and handled at an abbatoir (sp?)

Our chickens have a wonderful chicken life, so very far removed from the commercial chickens you eat from the supermarket. They have a pen almost half an acre in size and then every afternoon they are let out to free-range the house yard of about three acres (can't be out all day 'cos our young dogs are murderers).

Dispatch is extremely quick (although my husband has to do that part, I can't - happy to do the rest of the work once they're dead, but can't do the actual killing).

I enjoy meat and not that fond of vegies by themselves, so it would be very hard work for me to be a vegetarian.

Having said that, I have already grown too attached to one of our calves and he is now designated as a permanent lawn-mower. Maybe a different story when he's full grown, but he's just so sweet and loves his pats and cuddles - don't think I could eat him. The others I like, but am not attached to in the same way.

My OH works away quite a bit, so I run the place by myself most days, but I couldn't do it without his support - when he's home he does the stuff I can't, or at least can't do by myself. I have lots of dogs and they make me feel safe when he's not here.

Re: Anyone here into living simply?

2012foolfool2012 — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 00:05:53 GMT

We got rid of ... some cars.

Goodness. How many did you keep?

Re: Anyone here into living simply?

sprinklespowerpuff — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 04:52:07 GMT

Hi Monsters, as usual some interesting posts from you to catch up on. Makes a lovely change from many of the less than wholesome threads that have popped up in the last few days or so.

I certainly could stand living on a large property with heaps of animals but I worry about things like how I would manage if I had a chronic condition - those sort of things. Don't know what sort of contingency plans would be workable in that case.

Re: Anyone here into living simply?

monstersinthedungeon — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 06:31:52 GMT

Hi Sprinkles, I keep my head well out of some of those other posts, I's not bwave enough to get involved :^O

I have a heart condition which means I am constantly struggling with tiredness (the meds rather than the condition), but I try very hard not to let it interfere with my life. Actually most of the time I tend to just ignore it and get on with things. Occasionally I need a sleep in the afternoon, but I fight hard against that, 'cos I just hate wasting the day sleeping when there's always so much to be done. Unfortunately I'm not quite as physically strong as I used to be, but sheer brute determination goes a long way 😄

My contingency plan is "hope for the best" - don't really have another one. It's sod's law that all the difficult things happen when OH is away, but I have found I am much more capable than I ever knew. If there's no one else around to do something, you just have to figure out a way to get it done. I have found some very creative solutions to problems; I have found a hammer and a towbar make an excellent tool kit - what you can't bash into submission, you can pull! (I'm NOT talking the critters here, but reluctant pieces of machinery, fences, etc)

As far as a really debilitating chronic condition, you could consider getting people to come and live on your property and help you out with the work, lots of people want to get farm experience or live an alternative lifestyle but can't afford to buy a property themselves.

Re: Anyone here into living simply?

sprinklespowerpuff — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 06:59:59 GMT

Yes Monsters, I sympathise with your tiredness that's for sure. Like you I don't like having to give in to it and just push through. I know someone whose OH was in the army and without fail one of the kids would fall ill while he was away or something else would come up where she could really have done with him being there. It's Murphy's Law in action, lol. You're right of course, you just have to have a go yourself if no one else is there and work something out somehow. I must admit I never thought of people staying for the farm experience/alternative lifestyle to help round the place. A good idea if it does become a bit too much for you eventually.

Really, at the end of the day if we start thinking of every little thing that can go wrong we'd be too scared to attempt anything new in this life, hey?

Re: Anyone here into living simply?

i-need-a-martini — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 20:57:13 GMT

Goodness. How many did you keep?

Fool - my husband collects old cars so we are down to 4 and a caravan now.

One of those cars is our every day car - a semi new (Australian made) holden that replaced 2 old mercs. We also got rid of another vintage car.