I don’t think I am alone in reflecting on Covid pandemic in 2020. Life for everyone changed suddenly and dramatically. There was very little time at the start to think about what was happening. If the bare shelves in the supermarket were anything to go by, then I think most people were suddenly in survival mode. Getting enough food and toilet paper was suddenly a priority.

Our freedoms were suddenly taken away by a national lockdown, and at the time most people were on board with this. Whatever it took to keep people safe and to protect health services was seen as important. As life has returned to “normal”, I think it is important to think about the positives as well as the negatives and decide if there’s anything learnt to take forward into the future.

Everybody’s experience during the lockdowns was different. I am lucky because I think the changes in my life were minimal. I didn’t catch the virus until 2022, and I did not know anyone who died or was badly affected by it at the time. My job remained safe, and I could work from home. I lived in a rural location where I could walk freely and enjoy the countryside. Of course, there were many downsides, but my personal experience was reasonably positive.

However, as my life has become more complicated again, I sometimes miss the simplicity that lockdown brought. This has made me reflect on some of the good things I gained from the lockdown that I can use to help me achieve a simpler life.

One aspect that made life simple, is that our choices were suddenly severely restricted. Only one form of outdoor exercise was permitted each day, and many people around me seemed to make the most of this. I saw many people and families out walking and cycling in my local area. Although the same walks each day started to become a bit boring, I noticed those subtle changes as we went through the seasons. I noticed wildlife much more, even to the point of recognizing individual birds and creatures around me.

I also spoke to more people in my community. At a safe distance I spoke to neighbours longer than before and I began to find out who lived in all the houses in my vicinity. I went down paths and roads I’d never been down before, and even explored the local church yard. I had lived in this community on and off for almost 15 years, but I never got to know it as well as I did during the lockdowns in 2020 and 2021.

A lack of choice available outside the home also meant I engaged in activities inside the home more than ever before. I played the piano, cooked, baked, and even learnt how to use the sewing machine. 

The fact that no-one else was doing anything exciting made it easier. It’s so easy to feel the fear of missing out when friends are posting their exciting trips on social media, but during lockdown that comparison was taken away. I remind myself that for every friend posting their amazing day out, there are at least another 10 perhaps having done very little.

This is a thought I will try to remember as I go forward. Live my own life in a way that makes me happy and don’t feel the pressure of what others are doing or what they have “achieved”.

In addition, I will also aim to continue to appreciate my home and community; enjoy the simple things (a bird singing, some freshly baked biscuits, a phone call to a friend); and think carefully before taking on too many engagements or responsibilities.

Can you live as a family without a car?

We are currently living in the country with no public transport, so we are reliant on our own vehicle at present. However, we went for a year without a car when we were living in a city. The experiment was not exactly planned. It came about after my car was subjected to criminal damage and my insurance unfortunately did not cover me, which meant I had to sell the car for scrap, and I was not able to afford a new one.

I decided not to let this stroke of bad luck get me down, but to see it as a challenge. Could we as a family live without a car? 

initially I felt quite vulnerable without my vehicle. My parking spot at the back of my house looked quite naked without it! The first few days were the toughest, and I think it’s because using a car is partly a habit. It was a real challenge at first – getting myself to work, then children to school and getting to activities and appointments all took more planning. But we managed it all and after a short while it became quite normal not to have a car.

After a few months the benefits became a lot clearer.  

These are my top 5 reasons for not having a car:

1. Cars are expensive!

Owning a vehicle is often the second biggest cost to households after rent or mortgage. Many people spend more on their vehicles in a year than on groceries. 

Considering fuel, tax, maintenance and financing, it can run into thousands each year. Wouldn’t it be great to spend that money on a holiday instead?

2. Health

When getting in the car isn’t an option, then you have to use your own two feet. I know that being active is something I need to be better at. On some workdays I did very little exercise – driving to and from work, sitting most of the day and then usually sitting at night. The lack of a car has certainly changed my activity levels. On my very first day without a car, I achieved over 10,000 steps on getting groceries and running errands and this continued whilst not owning a vehicle.

3. Local Living

Without a car I lived my life more locally. I shopped locally, I used the local recreation centre, and other local businesses that I had bypassed before (hairdressers, doctors, veterinary clinic etc). At first there can be trial and error, such as visiting three local convenience stores before finding one that stocked dishwasher tablets. But I got to know where the best places were for certain products. I also got to know that people in the stores. The great thing about shopping locally is that it’s usually the same person behind the counter and they appreciate your custom. I also “saw” more of my neighbourhood. 

4. Reducing stress

My first thought was that NOT having a car could be stressful! However, I came to realize that driving was actually causing me stress. I am not an anti-car person, as I do enjoy driving along a clear country road with beautiful scenery either side (just like the commercials!). But the reality was driving along the Highway in rush hour bumper to bumper, taking an hour to do a 15-minute journey – there was no joy in that!

As the only driver in my household there was a burden on me in terms of other people’s schedules and expectations. My daughter can’t ask me to just drop her at the mall or pick her up from a friend’s house. It forces her to plan and be more independent and there is no harm in that! 

5. Environment

I am not the kind of person to preach about the environment. But I have met many people who are great advocates of green living, but still own at least one car in the family. It’s not always possible to manage without a car depending on where you live. But as I lived in a city, for the most part it was possible to walk, bike or take public transport. The growing trend for electric cars is positive in many ways, but they still have their own environmental impact, so surely it is better to manage without if you can.

How to live without a car.

Unless you suddenly find yourself car less, you may want to do your research first before considering this option.

Check out bus routes. Now I don’t know if it was just my city, but I happen to find bus routes and schedules pretty tricky to work out! You may want to just try out some bus routes to see how long it will take to get to your destination, if the connections work for you, and where the stops are.  I’ve made a few mistakes in getting the wrong bus, but now I have a pretty good idea on bus routes for my most common journeys.

Does your city run a car share scheme? I was part of one and found it invaluable. I use the car to get to appointments that are further away, for work when I need to visit clients, for doing larger grocery shops and for going out to the countryside. The scheme I used was affordable for use 2-3 times a week and it’s easy to use. All costs are covered when you hire the car (insurance, gas etc), so there are no hidden costs. The great thing is you can drive a brand-new car and you do not have any responsibilities in its maintenance. It’s a great option if you do not use your car every day or for a second family car. 

Many people use their cars to and from work. It’s convenient, but when you think about it you are only using your car for the morning and evening journeys, and it sits there the rest of the day? Can you travel with somebody else who lives near you? Is there an option to get public transport, walk or cycle? Are there days that you could be based from home, or a nearer location? In terms of long-term stress, commuting is one of the things that causes a lot of unhappiness. In the long term maybe, you might want to consider seeking employment that is nearer to your home. 

Does your town or city offer a bike share scheme? If so, this is also a useful way of getting around. 

Find yourself a reliable taxi firm and have their number in your phone for times when you will just need to get a quick ride somewhere. Or if you prefer to get the uber app. 

Look into grocery deliveries in your area and see who will deliver to you.

Explore local shops near you. The local convenience store can be more expensive than the larger supermarket chains, but I find I spend less by not visiting the larger stores as often as I am less succumbed to + purchases. You’re also saving on not having a car. 

Find local activities to do. For example, can your child go to a dance class that’s nearby rather than the other end of town? I have a recreation centre that’s within walking distance and we try to base as many activities there as possible (swimming, cooking class, exercise classes)

My first challenge was to declutter my wardrobe. I felt I had a lot of clothes in my closet yet never seemed to find anything to wear! My aim in this process was to:

• have a clearer looking closet where I can find what I am looking for.
• create a “capsule wardrobe” so that all my clothes coordinate with one another.
• have different outfit combinations with fewer quality items that I enjoy wearing.
• avoid the stress of not knowing what to wear each day.
• be able to chose outfits easily for the day freeing up more time.

10 Steps to Sorting your Wardrobe

These are the steps I took to organize my wardrobe. I hope they work for you:

1. Take everything out of your closet/drawers and lay them on the bed. You may also want to include footwear and outer clothing in your sort.
2. Separate anything that is not suited to the season you are in. I worked on my winter wardrobe. Having summery clothes in there created confusion, so I put them away.
3. Start separating your clothes into 3 piles – “get rid of”, “keep” and “maybe”.
4. In the “get rid of” pile put in any items that do not fit. I have held onto clothes that are too small and I have to face it that I’m not getting thinner anytime soon! Keeping clothes that don’t fit anymore can just make you feel bad about yourself – let them go! In this”get rid of” pile I also added items that were stained, broken, worn out or that I just didn’t like.
5. Put aside items that need to be fixed or altered and do it now. Be realistic with yourself – if you’re not going to repair the item, then get rid of it!
6. Do not feel guilty about getting rid of things you haven’t worn or that cost you a lot of money. We all make mistakes, and keeping the item isn’t going to make you wear it more often. If the style or colour doesn’t suit you, then you will not feel good in it and you won’t wear it. Pass it on to a friend who might wear it, or give to charity for someone else to find and love.
7. In the “keep” pile put all your favourite items that you wear the most. Think about what it is you like about these clothes. Is it the colour, fabric, cut, design? These will form the basis of your wardrobe and guide future purchases.
8. Note down gaps and excesses you have in your wardrobe. I realized I had 9 cardigans (so got rid of 5 of them), but I lacked smarter pants and blouses for work, so these are now on my shopping list. Consider how practical your wardrobe is for your life. Do you have the correct balance between work and casual wear?
9. Go through your “maybe” pile. Are there items that you would wear more if you had something for it to coordinate with? If it really isn’t going to go with anything you’ve got, then think about getting rid of it. Put your “maybe” pile aside for a month or two and then go back to it. If you didn’t miss anything then perhaps it’s time to let it go.
10. Do you need to extra storage to organize your clothes better – boxes, hooks, hangers, shelves? Being able to see and access what you have easily will help you chose your outfits more easily and make life that little bit simpler.

If you want more ideas on creating a capsule wardrobe, check out these YouTubers – Mademoiselle, Christie Resell and Justine Leconte.

Reflection on my wardrobe declutter

It’s been a few weeks since I overhauled my wardrobe. So far I realize that I have been wearing all the same clothes I was wearing before! I think this highlights that many of the things I owned I just didn’t wear. They just took up space and added confusion. I now have 36 items in my winter wardrobe, which is around the recommended number in a capsule wardrobe.

I got rid of 6 large bags of clothing and it’s now hard for me to remember what they all were, as I have not missed them at all. It has definitely been easier and quicker for me to chose what I wear each day. On a busy morning getting ready for work and getting the children ready for school, it really helps to have one less stress!

I still have some items I need to add to my wardrobe for it to be as versatile as it could be. My aim is to buy versatile, good quality items that are easy to look after. I’m sure I will make some mistakes in my future purchases, but I will be making purchases more mindfully.

If you declutter your closet or make the transition to a capsule wardrobe, let me know how you got on and share your experience for other readers!

It all began for me 3 years ago when I first emigrated to Canada from the UK. Emigrating was perhaps the most difficult and stressful experience I have gone through. However, on arrival in our new country we had very little, and I started thinking about how simpler life could be. 

We had left behind our home, our careers, and the majority of our belongings. I felt a certain amount of panic, but I also felt a huge sense of liberation, like I’ve never experienced before. 

When you have nothing (no job, no house, no belongings) it really helps to solidify what is important to you. I had my husband, my two children and my dog – all the immediate people that meant something to me. I also had ME. I valued my body, my health, and my mind like never before. 

Of course I felt responsibility to my family to provide for them. But I did not have all the added responsibilities that go with having a “good” job, a vehicle, possessions, mortgage and bills.

Living with Less

After acquiring minimum wage jobs, we rented our first house. It was comfortable but small.

We had very few belongings so tidying and cleaning was easy – just a quick sweep around, and washing the one small bathroom took minutes. 

My kids weren’t burdened with lots of possessions. They had a kindle, a packet of crayons and a pack of playing cards. Without TV and other distractions, the girls spent more time being creative (drawing, making things), being outside, reading and playing simple card games. 

Money was tight, but we spent our time together as a family doing free things – walks, playing at the park and visiting the library.

Acquiring More

Gradually, over the last 3 years, “normal life” has crept up on us again. With better jobs and more money came the inevitable acquisition of goods. We moved to a larger house, we bought a car, a TV, a games console, a desktop computer, a laptop, new phones, furniture, pictures, rugs, toys, books, clothing, sports equipment, kitchen items, tools and so on – gradually re-acquiring the many things we had left behind.

 Of course some of these things have been necessary, but I am more burdened again. I feel that we should have been more discerning about what we reacquired. Not only have we acquired belongings, but our lives have become more complicated in other ways. Our new jobs are more stressful. We have more bills to pay. Our kids are engaged in more structured activities. We spend more time getting or looking after our “things”. This all leads to stress. 

Making Life Simple Again

My challenge this year is to make everything simple again. Not to put myself in the risky state of giving up everything again (including a steady income), but to re-evaluate every aspect of my life and to do what I can to make it simpler.

Each week I am setting a new challenge to simplify an aspect of my life. As you follow my journey I hope you are inspired to follow some of the ideas to make your own life simpler and happier.

My first challenge – decluttering!