Inspired for simplicity

One of the things I loved about my three weeks trip in Norway was the simplicity of life.

With so much travelling- and 10 hours plus for each journey on public transport-travelling light was essential. In my rucksack I had my clothes, family games, and an air mattress. So my clothes were a very basic collection that could all be mixed and matched depending on the weather.

And perhaps most of all I loved the Scandi feel air bnb’s. They were all very minimalist, often with a statement plant, and painted in soft blues, deep greys, or whites.

And food was simple as well- a trip to the supermarket to buy three or four days worth of food- no stocking up, or freezer filling. Just simple meal planning and only buying what we would eat in those days. When you have to carry your shopping back instead of piling it into a car- keeping it focused is even more important!

Coming home I felt completely overwhelmed. With five of us in a small home, and all of us working or studying from home, it is rather full of stuff. My bedroom is a downstairs room and tends to be where all general family stuff is stored. Sometimes it feels more like a cupboard than a room! As well as being a home office to boot.

I was left feeling inspired and overwhelmed- a strange mix. I wanted to create some of what I loved in my own life. The simplicity, not feeling as if I was drowning in life. So for the last week as well as working fall time (the problem with being self employed is we don’t have holiday pay) I have initiated a huge declutter. A big change in my life is no longer over parenting, expecting everyone to be fully involved in the chores. So we’ve each found our best place in this work-clearing, sorting, painting.

I loved our holiday, it was a really soul mending time. But I don’t want to live for my holidays. I want my life to have a feeling of simplicity, clearness, time left to play games, walk and read in everyday life.

I am also deeply inspired by the book “four thousand weeks”. I don’t want a life that needs a focused planner to manage. I want a life that allows me to spend my time and focus on doing the things that bring me pleasure. So simplifying the everyday to ensure it takes less of my attention feels like a perfect way to celebrate my holiday.

One of my biggest mindset changes happened in my 20’s. My husband and I were planning a very expensive holiday to Canada. I worked out that one fifth of my salary needed to be saved for this holiday. I told him I’d rather work a four-day week and have a cheap holiday. That decision released me from following a career instead of living my life.

Now as my kids are older, and my life changes again- I am freeing myself from over-parenting, clutter, and chaos. I will probably never manage minimalist (unlike my eldest son). But I’m streamlining and simplifying, and I have a feeling it will get easier and easier as I appreciate how much it frees my attention from the mundane to what I would love to focus on.

The picture- a print i found, and fell in love with in Bergen- on my newly painted bedroom wall.