Practical Tips for Creating a Simple Life at Home

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Learn how anyone (yes, even you) can create a simple life at home. Our homes offer a unique opportunity to create simplicity and cultivate agency in a complex world. With these tips, you can reclaim simplicity as a way of life.

The concept of “simple living” usually implies that to live simply, you have to alter your life radically: get rid of your material possessions, renounce technology, live frugally, and retreat from modernity.

Or it conjures up some fantasy Hallmark narrative about living in a small town and spending the days in a rocking chair on the front porch (which sounds quite nice, actually).

Yes, those paths can certainly lead to a simpler life. But for most of us, those routes to simplicity are unattainable.

Without the convenience of the modern world, much of what I do daily (like typing this blog post on my laptop) wouldn’t be possible. Yet, I find myself constantly craving a simpler existence.

The world is chock full of complexities that we have no control over. But where we do have control and where we can create a simpler life is in our homes.

There is a common misconception that simple and easy are one and the same. But just because something is simple doesn’t mean it is easy. Instead, a simple life is an intentional life and an uncomplicated one.

As such, choosing a simple life at home creates intention and uncomplicates the day-to-day.

The Home as the Path to Simplicity

The path toward a simpler lifestyle can start anywhere, but often, one of the easiest ways to reclaim simplicity is to create it at home.

Home is the starting point where we can unravel the world’s complexities and craft an intentional and simpler way of living. There isn’t much we can do about the world outside of our homes. But we can at least control what is happening at home.

And the key word here is “control.” Because at some level, simple living is really about control. How can we control our circumstances to create a life we feel good about?

So, for me, simple living isn’t so much about retreating from the world as it is about positively taking control of the circumstances within my home.

About These Simple Living Tips

The simple living tips below are not exhaustive. Instead, they are a starting point for exploring ways to create a life of simplicity at home.

These tips are not about putting away your credit cards or to-do list. Instead, my interpretation of a simpler lifestyle embraces modernity but also asks us to reexamine how we engage with the world’s demands inside the walls of our homes.

DIY Instead of Buy

Keeping up with commercial trends often involves frenetic energy. As such, the path to simplicity often includes renouncing commercialism and consumerism.

Though I enjoy keeping up with trends (I like to think I’m still cool), one way I aim to create a simple life at home is by slowing down my energy and DIY-ing trends.

Savor Homemade Favorites

At the time of writing this, it is peak pumpkin spice latte season. Instead of rushing to the coffee shop or idling in the drive-thru line for a PSL, I savor a homemade pumpkin spice latte.

Making my own indulgent coffee is such a treat on a quiet morning. It costs practically pennies to make, there is no line to wait in, and I make it exactly to my liking.

Plus, this relaxed effort and quiet time keeps me in the present moment, where I’d feel anxious and impatient if I were waiting in line. These moments are so important, especially if you have young children.

This might seem too simple to be true, but learning to DIY commercial goods is deeply satisfying and will inspire you to savor those moments much more than chugging your PSL in traffic (which I have done before, so no judgment here).

More DIY Ideas To Create a Simple Life at Home:

Restaurant trends: Recreate your restaurant favorites. For example, skip Panera and make the most delicious sourdough bread bowls at home.

Seasonal trends: Make sure you are stocked up for the current season. Making my pumpkin spice latte was much easier because I had my fall kitchen essentials ready to go.

Pinterest: Pinterest is full of how-tos and DIY inspiration. Add a simple living board to stay inspired. And don’t forget to follow Moon + Magnolia on Pinterest!

Make your own all-purpose cleaner: Fill 1/3 of a reusable spray bottle with white vinegar. Top it off with water and clean as usual!

Be Mindful of What You Bring Into Your Home

Unless you are willing to completely retreat from modern life (which I am not), consumerism is impossible to escape.

But thinking about how and what we buy can help us slow down the pace at which we consume and spend. And it makes a huge difference in our homes.

Buy Items That Are Built To Last

Maybe it’s because I am getting older (and hopefully wiser), but I’m worn out from the endless cycle of items coming in and out of the house.

I just want less clutter, and I want to buy what I need once and only once. Really, I don’t have the mental space to deal with so much clutter.

To simplify how much stuff we have and how much we buy, I am making a conscious effort to stock my home with only items that will last.

For instance, my favorite tools for scratch cooking and cast iron cookware are high-quality items that I use regularly. They meaningfully and usefully contribute to our daily lives, and they are built to last.

Invest Within Your Budget

Yes, buying quality items can be an investment. But a lesson I had to learn the hard way was to invest in the best quality items possible.

Otherwise, it becomes a vicious cycle of buying and rebuying—and a huge waste of time and money.

It took me three stand mixers to learn this lesson!

More Consumer Considerations to Create a Simple Life at Home:

Care and maintenance: Take good care of the items you purchase. Keep your cast iron well-seasoned, laundry strip your towels once a year, and stay on top of your appliances’ routine maintenance.

Follow a purchasing path: I heard a great tip on Frugal Friends Podcast about simplifying decision-making and saving money.

When you need to purchase an item, first see if you already have something you can use. If not, try to find the item secondhand. If you still can’t find it, then look for it at the store or online (and keep your fingers crossed that it is on sale).

Don’t get stuck on a minimalist lifestyle: Of course, there is nothing wrong with a minimalist approach. But reframing it to a “practical lifestyle” can reshift the emphasis from living with less stuff to living with what makes life easier. Focus on quality over quantity.

Use Technology That Simplifies Your Life

There is a sentiment that simple living and technology cannot coexist. Sure, technology can distract us from the things that matter most. We’ve all been sucked into the Instagram black hole.

But I contend that technology can also support simple living. The trick is to make sure your technology is working for you.

Employ Technology That Makes Your Day-to-Day Easier

Sure, I’m not churning butter by hand, but I use appliances to help me make scratch-made food. For instance, I use my grain mill to make fresh flour for einkorn cheddar drop biscuits, which only takes a few seconds.

I use my stand mixer to knead sourdough sandwich bread dough so I can do the dishes while it works.

And you better believe I let the Roomba vacuum for me every day.

Given the way most of us have to live our lives—rushing between work and home and everything in between—the right technology can make it easier for us to survive our daily routines.

You don’t have to do it all by hand all the time.

Technology Won’t Replace You at Home

I like to believe that no amount of technology can replace our humanness at home. And the technology we choose to engage with can create the simple life we hope to curate and cultivate in our homes.

More Ideas for Living Simply with Technology:

Limit screen time: Easier said than done, I know. But spending less time interfacing with screens will help you refocus on what matters most.

When using cell phones or other screens, make sure the social media accounts and content you interact with support your mental health and the home environment you want to cultivate.

Embrace technology that enhances your life: Use technology that actually supports your home life. For instance, I love my dehydrator and freeze dryer, and they make eating homegrown and local food much easier year-round. But I hardly use or need other kitchen appliances, like an air fryer.

Create a Simple Life at Home with Heirloom Skills

Self-sufficiency, or maintaining yourself and your home without external assistance, is often a cornerstone of simple living. Many of these skills, such as food preservation, growing your own food, and sewing, are considered heirloom skills.

In recent years, self-sufficiency has become synonymous with prepping. But I want to emphasize that being self-sufficient and practicing heirloom skills doesn’t mean you have a bunker of food.

Instead, these heirloom skills can support a simple lifestyle at home.

The Benefits of Heirloom Skills Are Exponential

Practicing heirloom skills like food preservation and sourdough enriches my life and makes my days easier.

And through this, I have found that the benefits of heirloom skills are exponential.

For instance, I save money when I make sourdough because it is much cheaper than store-bought bread. But I’m also serving more nutritious food, and we feel better because we are eating healthier.

All the while, I am learning new skills that I can pass along to my daughter.

By practicing one small heirloom skill—baking bread—we enjoy growing benefits every day.

Frontload the Work for Simplicity Later

Many heirloom skills require hands-on time, but the reward is hands-off time later. If you make and freeze a year’s worth of sourdough pizza dough now, you have it ready to go without any effort for the remainder of the year.

So, simple living doesn’t necessarily mean easy. You will have to put in some hands-on time and hard work on the front end, but the reward is that it uncomplicates life later.

More Heirloom Skills Tips To Create a Simple Life at Home:

Start a sourdough journey: If you want to start making sourdough but don’t have a starter, download my free sourdough starter ebook!

Learn new simple skills: In your free time, dabble in new skills. Learn to garden, freshen up your sewing skills, or try your hand at new scratch-made foods like homemade cottage cheese or homemade bacon.

Only do what makes life easier: You don’t have to master every skill. Dial in the ones that actually make your life easier and that you enjoy doing.

How ANYONE Can Create a Simple Life at Home

Sometimes, it feels like a simple life was made for other people. But I promise YOU can create a simple life at home.

If you are like me and live in the middle of the suburbs or live a lifestyle where finding this sense of simplicity seems unrealistic, I encourage you to start with dinner.

Yes, simple living can be as easy as returning to the basics with a single dinner.

Pick an easy meal: Replace one store-bought food or restaurant meal with an equivalent scratch-made meal. Our family favorites include homemade cheeseburger helper and homemade sloppy joes.

Memorize it: Once you’ve dialed in that recipe to your liking, repeat it until it becomes so seared in your brain that you can make it with your eyes closed.

Lean on that meal: When times are tough or if you’ve had a hard day, the simple answer isn’t takeout (though there is no shame in the takeout game some days).

When you can pull this recipe out of your back pocket without thinking, it makes the day easier.

Simple Living Gets Easier & Evolves

Ultimately, when you master simplifying one part of your day, it becomes easier to simplify other areas of your home life.

So don’t overhaul your whole life right now. Keep it small and manageable with a single meal. And in time, reclaiming simplicity in your home will be less arduous and more empowering, exciting, and fun.

So What Does It Mean To Create a Simple Life at Home?

I know it seems like we are just talking about kitchen tools, recipes, and homemaking. But what we are really talking about is small steps toward:

• Creating a home and traditions that we love with less stress and without caving into consumer demands.
• Using the tools, technology, and skills at our disposal to create a home we love.
• Focusing on the most important things in our homes instead of external chaos and uncertainty.
• Being able to make the most of every moment for ourselves and family members.

And in a world that is so fraught, what a gift it is to have such autonomy and simplicity in our homes.

Video – Creating Simplicity at Home

Check out this simple living vlog on YouTube. And be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel. New videos come out weekly!

If you have tips for creating a simple life at home, share them in the comments below!

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