The "Simple Living" Myth

"Simple living" has become a sought-after keyword in the world of blogging and YouTube, because so many people search the phrase on a daily basis. Ironically, this term which implies, among other things, frugality and disdain for collecting material things, can be quite profitable.

The truth is, people who write and video about simple living are selling a fantasy. Why?

Life is complicated.

I don't care who you are, where you live, or what your lifestyle looks like. Life is never simple. Even a newborn baby has to figure out what kind of cries will get their mother's attention. They don't instantly get their needs met just by having a need. 

Want to be self-sufficient in food? It takes a lot of work, planning, and, yes, some material collection in the way of seeds and tools. Growing and foraging for food are complicated endeavors.

How about living off the energy grid? Unless you have zero energy needs, the items you purchase in order to produce your own energy have been manufactured using a complicated process, and assembled by other people. 

I know! Make things really simple by just renting an apartment where all utilities are paid and maintenance is free. On the outside, this lifestyle appears simple, and probably feels simple to the person living it. But you and I both know that all of the materials, resources, and systems required to allow this "simple" life end up being a complicated array.

Time to face the truth.

Simple living is a myth. The main reason? 

People. For one thing, entering into any kind of relationship with even one person makes life much more complicated. For another, human beings thrive on those relationships. We're meant to be interdependent. Even if you live all by yourself in a lean-to, trying to be as independent as you can, you have to count on other people not to infringe on your space. And you can't control other people.

That's what really makes life complicated.

How about a new phrase?

I prefer the term "simpler living." Because, while a simple life is non-existent, a person can always strive to make one's journey simpler.

Henry David Thoreau hated the railroad because he believed technology made life more complicated. But no one with half a brain can believe that his year on Walden Pond carried no frustrations or worries with it. And the seeds that he used to grow his food didn't just come out of thin air. He would have had to have spent money in a store to purchase them.

 Then, afterward, he wrote a book about his experience and sold it to a publisher.

In other words, he got involved with a complicated system in order to get his message about simple living across.

Like all of the online "simple living" gurus do, hoping to make a few bucks from the fantasy they weave in their audiences' minds. 

Simple living does not exist. But it's always a good thing to reach for the next step to make life a little simpler.

How To Transform A Cluttered Shed Into A Cute Living Space

So, you want to convert an existing shed to a work studio. Or play space  for children. Or a guest cottage. How does one begin such an onerous task? How to transform a cluttered, messy shed to a cute living space?

We originally built our sixteen-by-twelve Tuff Shed to collect rainwater, intending to eventually use it for storage. However, realizing that I was going to do violence to someone if the three of us had to live in a travel trailer for longer than a couple of weeks, I convinced J to finish the shed out so that we could live in it until our permanent home was built. The video below illustrates how.

The shed then served as a tiny house for us for almost 2 yrs. Then, after we had our earth-sheltered house built, it reverted back into being a shed.

A messy, junky shed.

Until I decided I wanted to turn it back into a tiny house. In the first video at the top of the page, I share the five steps it takes to get such a large project accomplished. Those steps are:

1. Determine the purpose for the space.
2. Declutter. Which means, you need to have somewhere to take all the things that you want to keep, but that you no longer want in the shed. We had another shed for that purpose. I had to declutter it first, to make room for the items from the Tuff Shed.
3. Plan the space. Where which piece of furniture will go, etc.
4. Rearrange and/or add the furniture and accessories that you need and want so that the shed can fulfill its new purpose.
5. Finally, to the largest extent possible, save money by using what you already have. An extra night stand or bookcase not being well-utilized in your home. Extra wall decor. And so on.

To convert a shed into a living space can take a lot of time and effort. But, in my experience, it's well-worth it!