This summer was one of the greatest testimonies of how living with less gives us the opportunity to LIVE more. Kate Fehr
Nothing calls me back to the most joyous times of being a child like summertime. Vivid memories of waking up without alarm clocks, spending days in the pool with friends, and traveling through the mountain states are always front and center come May. Since I first became a mom, my desire has been to have lots of summer adventures with my son and let work simmer on the back burner. This, of course, is easier said than done.
When our minimalist journey began over 4 years ago, I had no idea just how powerfully it would support my deep desire of keeping our summers about play and connection. During those 2 years, and 25 layers, of releasing of stuff (we moved through lots of emotion too), I had no idea how this would set us free to really experience life!
This summer was one of the greatest testimonies of how owning less and doing less gives us the opportunity to LIVE more.
- We spent four of the last five weekends in a row out of town, with the fifth weekend fully engaged in a 40th birthday celebration and a wedding. We were essentially not home for FIVE weekends in a row.
- We spent 5 days in Idaho to experience the totality of the solar eclipse. My son even missed the first 2 days of school, which he was not excited about at first, but it was one of the more moving experiences of our lives and we are most grateful to have been there.
- While we were away from home, whether traveling or just doing regular old things, we were able to be fully present with the people and activities we were experiencing.
My son and me goofing around in anticipation of the eclipse.
Because we live simply with less stuff and all of our stuff has easily-accessible homes:
- Packing and unpacking is quick and easy. This makes preparing for trips stress-free and getting back into the swing of things a breeze.
- We usually don’t have vacation hangovers from the stress of vacations.
- Upon returning home one weekend much earlier than expected, I wanted more playtime. We got home, unpacked, started laundry, put everything away, and then had plenty of time to go to Snowbird for Oktoberfest and a hike.
There was a time when I spent SO much time, energy and money organizing, and re-organizing closets, drawers and our garage. Once I no longer had as much stuff, I was able to spend time on what matters most to me. None of it is worth all of the beautiful memories I have as a result of letting go.
Minimalism simply is about living with the things you truly use and that truly add value to your life. It’s a very personal experience and journey, one that I invite you to try out for yourself.
All my best,
Kate