Introduction
These days, “simple living” is everywhere-on Pinterest, in podcasts, and sprinkled across Instagram in perfectly filtered squares. But what does it actually mean to live simply? Is it about decluttering every square inch of your home? Moving off-grid? Growing your own food, raising chickens and baking sourdough every week?
The truth is, simple living isn’t one-size-fits-all. And if you’ve ever felt like it’s something you can’t do because your life is too busy, too complicated, or too ordinary-this post is for you.
Let’s break it down and explore what simple living really is-and definitely what it isn’t.
The Myth of Simple Living
A lot of people think that in order to embrace a simplified lifestyle, they need to:
- Move to the country
- Quit their job
- Sell all their stuff
- Or suddenly become a minimalist
These ideas can be inspiring, but they’re also limiting-and sometimes even discouraging. Simple living doesn’t have to mean living in a tiny house, becoming self-sufficient, or unplugging from the modern world and people.
In fact, that kind of “all or nothing” mindset can keep people from taking small, meaningful steps toward a more peaceful and intentional life.
What Simple Living Really Is
At its core, simple living is about intentional living-making conscious choices about how you spend your time, energy, and money. It’s about creating a life that feels less frantic, more focused, and deeply aligned with your values.
Simple living might look like:
- Saying No to unnecessary commitments so you can protect your rest
- Cooking at home more often to save money and have a better quality of food
- Creating rhythms and systems that bring peace rather than pressure and stress
- Choose to live with less-not out of lack, but on purpose
It’s not about perfection or aesthetics. It’s about building a life that feels lighter, not just “less”
What It Looks Like in Real Life
Simple living can take many forms, and it doesn’t always look Instagram-worthy. Here are a few real-life examples:
- A mom with young kids batch cooks on Sundays to reduce weekly stress
- An empty-nester downsizes from a big home to a smaller space to cut expenses and free up time to do more enjoyable activities.
- A single person person unsubscribes from retail emails, deletes shopping apps, and starts budgeting
- Others create a “quiet hour” each evening to unplug, read, or reflect
Whether you’re in an apartment or in the countryside, working full-time, staying home, or retired, you can shape a life that feels more grounded and manageable.
What Simple Living Isn’t
Let’s be clear-living more simply doesn’t mean
- Living without joy or beauty
- Depriving yourself of good things
- Having an empty house or colorless wardrobe
- Following strict rules or trends
- Escaping hardship entirely
It’s not about ditching modern life or trying to recreate living like “Little House on the Prairie” like it’s the 1850s. It’s about living with intention, cutting the excess, and making room for what matters most.
So Where Do You Start?
You don’t need to overhaul your whole life. You need to take one small step towards peace.
Try this:
- Identify one area of your life that feels chaotic (your schedule, your kitchen, your spending habits)
- Ask yourself: What’s one simple change I can make this week to lighten the load?
- And then actually do it-guilt-free, perfection-free, and without comparing yourself to anyone else
Closing Thoughts
Simple living isn’t a trend-it’s a mindset shift. And it looks a little different for everyone. but no matter where you start, it has the power to bring more peace, more freedom and more purpose into your everyday life.
Want to go deeper? Check out my last post: Why You Feel Like You Can’t Afford ‘Normal Life’ Anymore- and How Simple Living Can Help.
From My Hearth to Yours,
Becky♥️
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