What can you live without?

[Farmfresh]

Those gals with long hair (like me) did several things... First they kept their hair up. When I am working outside I often braid my hair give it a twist and stick in a stick. Just any old stick off a tree. It works grand! (so I can live without the scrunchies) The next thing is they kept it covered. Those bonnets did more than keep off the sun. They helped keep off the dirt. They brushed hair throughly to help clean it AND they washed it with lye soap. I have several good soap recipes that are pretty good at hair too.

I am trying HARD to figure out what I can live without. The last kid moved out recently and I have been doing some HARD CORE elimination! Going to have a garage sale over Labor Day and if I can spare it - it is getting SOLD!

We just have TOO much stuff and the more you have the more time it takes to take care of it.

Back in the day people just had two or three things to wear in the summer and two or more winter outfits.
You always knew where your shoes were ... on your feet. Laundry day was a breeze you washed both of the dirty dresses and both of his dirty pants and shirts.

Often people had a plate, a bowl, a cup, a knife and a spoon each. Some people only had the bowl and knife. Hubby and I have really changed things up lately. We have recently eaten several of our meals with just one bowl and spoon - in courses. Salad, then veggies, meat then dessert.

I always do dishes by hand. First I wanted a dishwasher, then I realized how much washing dishes helps my arthritis. Now it is Hot water therapy!

 

[Beekissed]

We just have TOO much stuff and the more you have the more time it takes to take care of it.

Back in the day people just had two or three things to wear in the summer and two or more winter outfits.
You always knew where your shoes were ... on your feet. Laundry day was a breeze you washed both of the dirty dresses and both of his dirty pants and shirts.

This brings back memories, and the kids roll their eyes when I start in on them about all the clothing on the floor! When I was growing up, all my clothing fit in a small cardboard box under the bed. I had two pair of shoes, one for working and one for wearing to school, church, etc. Sometimes I had boots in the winter, when the other kids grew out of them. I was the last in line (9th), so they were pretty holey when they got to me! Now, before you think I'm an oldster, I'm only 42.

I still have that mentality and keep the bare minimum of clothing. If I find myself accumulating too many "work" t-shirts, I start making rags for the rag bag. I have one pair of jeans, one pair of dress pants, one skirt, one jacket/coat. I've had all of these for the past 4 years and they are still in good shape. One tends to take better care of their clothing when they live a minimalists life.

I agree with the fact that most folks carry the burden of too many things. Some years ago, I took nearly all my household goods to the auction, as I couldn't afford to move them across the state. I had been collecting these things most of my life...just old antiques and such that I always meant to restore, household stuff that I "may use someday", etc. What a weight was lifted off my shoulders. I felt so free and I have been working hard to keep it that way now. People give me "gadgets" that they think I "might" need. I just thank them and regift. I LIKE this free feeling! Like I'm ready to go somewhere at any moment....no ties, no worries. Feels good!

 

[pioneergirl]

DH is a packrat, as is his mother...ugh. I have a shed that is FULL, a garage that I try to keep cleaned, 7 closets packed beyond belief, and 2 spare bedrooms that store stuff. I've been trying to slowly get rid of stuff..hehe...I'll go through a closet and say "haven't worn it in 2 years, gotta go" and I bag it off to charity. He doesn't notice much, so its ok. He grew up not having to worry about doing without, whereas I did. My folks shopped for me at Goodwill, and yard sales. His mom wouldn't be caught dead at either one.

So, needless to say, its been an accomplishment for us to compromise on this issue, lol.

I understand the hair issue....when mine was long, I kept it up all the time, and I agree, it did help keep it clean. I also find myself wearing the same general set of clothes daily....couple pairs of 'work' jeans, same with shirts, etc. Albeit I have 3 closets full of clothes, lol. DH seems to think I need them..rofl. Not bragging by any means on that, like what was said earlier, its more to keep up with...

Anyway, I think our lives have become more burdened due to technology and other things trying to make it easier.

 

[ticks]

DH is a packrat, as is his mother...ugh.

You think your DH is bad
You should see my room.

 

[the simple life]

Beekissed, I can relate to the minimalist state of mind.
While I like to collect antiques, if I can't find a good place for it, it has to go.
Everything I have, I use. Most of my antiques are functional rather than just something nice to look at.
I hate gadgets and small appliances, I would rather use a handheld can opener and toss it back in the draw, than have an electric one sitting on my counter.
I have never had a dishwasher or garbage disposal, by choice. I have a large family and its alot of dishes, but its never bothered me. It bothers other people, like my plumber who tried to talk me into one when I redid the kitchen.
He could not fathom not having one and said his wife would never be without it.
It bothers friends who come to visit and want to help clean up after dinner, they proceed to stuff food down the drain in my kitchen sink (which is NOT a disposal) but everyone assumes I have one, and then can't find out where the dishwasher is and they stand there holding their plates asking me what they should do with them.
It bothers them I think because its outside of their comfort zone and so they think its out of mine.
I am not knocking anyone that has those things, its great if it makes their life easier. Its just not for me, I feel like its easier for me not to have the burden of something else that has to be maintained.

As for the clothes, my husband grew up in an orphanage and they only had a couple of outfits and most everything else, like pajamas was in a community closet.
If you didn't get to the closet first and get your size then you were out of luck.
My husband is a big guy and was always big as a kid and if he didn't get there on time he ended up with clothes that were too small, so he put his little brother on his shoulders to reach up on the higher shelves for something that would fit and all the kids were pushing and shoving and his brother fell off and broke his arm.
The nuns were sooo mad.

I always had hand me downs and only ever had a couple of outfits at a time when I was growing up.

We both have a couple of sets of church clothes,work clothes and jeans.
One of everything else, jackets, sneakers .....
Sometimes though if we can afford it, I make him get two pairs of sneakers when we go shopping because he is a size 14 to a 15 shoe and they are hard to find so we grab them when we can.

We share an average size closet and there is room to spare.
I think it could be because we always got by with so little that we don't feel we need it now.
On the other hand, I buy my kids more clothes than they probably need.
I guess maybe its because I want them to have more than I did.

 

[Farmfresh]

My mother was a hoarder. There was so much furniture in her house that it lined all of the walls - including the narrow hallway. There were pictures, and nicknack's everywhere. We had closets so stuffed with clothes you could hardly get them out. The basement, garage and barn had paths through them.

When we first moved into our house we had no furniture at all in our dining room for several years. We would turn on the stereo and dance with the kids in there. We stuck all the kids beds (x3) in one bedroom so they could have the entire 1/2 story upstairs to use as a play room. Over the years as they got bigger and bigger the house got fuller and fuller. I got to feeling almost claustrophobic sometimes .. and it is a pretty big house.

When I moved out from home mom pretty much kept all my furniture and stuff. When my kids have moved out, over the last few years, I tried to give them EVERYTHING! It was especially hard for the last one. I am making him take ALL his stuff!

I long for those empty rooms and spaces. I just have to remember that hubby has some stuff he wants to keep. My longing for space should not invade on his stuff.

 

[Beekissed]

While I like to collect antiques, if I can't find a good place for it, it has to go.
Everything I have, I use. Most of my antiques are functional rather than just something nice to look at.
I hate gadgets and small appliances, I would rather use a handheld can opener and toss it back in the draw, than have an electric one sitting on my counter.
I have never had a dishwasher or garbage disposal, by choice. I have a large family and its alot of dishes, but its never bothered me.

Same here! I like counter space and I unplug toasters and such anyway. By the time you plug in a can opener and get the can situated, I could have already used the manual one.

Same with the dishwasher...I never understood the concept of the dishwasher. One fixes water to rinse the dishes before depositing them in the dishwasher? Why not just complete the process while "rinsing them off" and just wash them anyway? And all the tough pans have to be washed by hand anyway, so why bother with a dishwasher? For glasses maybe? I don't trust them to get things as clean as I can!

I like my antiques to be utilitarian also, so I have quite a few damaged antiques! If I can't use it for something, it won't find room in my house. I like an uncluttered look, with good functional furniture. It calms my soul to keep the clutter to a minimum. My mother taught me that one can have a "dirty" house and, if it just looks neat and uncluttered, noone will notice much! Of course, what my mom calls dirty and what I call dirty are two vastly different things!