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Simple Living Resource Group |
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| Visit the Small House Society | WelcomeThe Simple Living Resource Group is dedicated to the exploration and presentation of minimalist living techniques. Please let us know of any news, ideas, information, or resources that would be helpful to add to this site, click here. Consider Storage FacilitiesWe're currently encouraging people to consider storage facilities as a way to simplify life. Click here for a short article on the benefits of storage facilities. Index[Index | Top of Page | QuickLinksİ | Map]
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Resources for Life Director Greg Johnson was featured on CBS affiliate KCCI Channel 8 in Des Moines Iowa in a story about his small house. Click here to watch the video now. (20060521su1531) Gregory has also been featured on National Public Radio's All Things Considered and written about in newspapers such as the New York Times. Click here for more about Greg in the media. |
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Benefits of Simple Living
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Simple living has many benefits. Among them are:
 | Ecological. Lower consumption of goods and services benefits the environment. |
| Financial. Expenses are reduced dramatically resulting in a more economically sustainable lifestyle. |
| Spiritual. For years, people seeking spiritual growth and inner peace have established for themselves simple spaces, clothing, and food to enhance their personal development. Consider monks, nuns, Buddhists, and spiritual leaders such as Gandhi, Mother Theresa, and St. Francis. Simple surroundings enhances the ability to look inward and upward. |
| Health. Eating simple and healthy reduces diet induced illnesses. |
| Focus. Sparse surroundings enhances the ability to focus on work and pleasure. |
Using Themes to Create Order and Harmony
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Keeping a room clean and uncluttered is an important part of creating and maintaining a simple and peaceful living space. Yet, creating order is not just about organizing furniture or picking up messes. Themes have an essential role in establishing an orderly and organized life. Choosing consistent and complementary colors, fabrics, images, fragrances, and textures is crucial, not only in planning living and working spaces, but also when choosing a wardrobe.
A wise sage once said, "Disharmony disturbs balance. When balance is disturbed, stress increases. When stress increases, overall heath and well-being decline."
Imagine a room that is all picked up and straightened, but it is painted day glow orange, with incongruous green chairs, a yellow carpet, and a pink table. When physical, visual, olfactory, and audio themes are created order is established, this creates harmony and balance in the body, mind, and spirit. As a chameleon changes its color, human physiology and spirituality is inclined to imitate the environment it is in. Essentially, the body, mind, and spirit are "programmed" through the environment as we respond to and adapt to environmental stimuli. We can program peace and wellness or discord and illness through changes in our environment.
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As an example, let's say you choose a nature theme (see Model Home 200012, click here). Below are some suggestions of how you might begin to organize your living space, working space, and wardrobe.
| Colors. Natural earth tones, greens, browns, kaki, pewter, putty. |
| Clothing. Cottons, brown or green "Kaki" style pants, earth tone shirts. |
| Images. Leaves, flowers, grasses, gorilla artwork [reference] |
| Objects. Plants, flowers, rocks, and complementary textures and fabrics (see below). |
| Textures & Fabrics. Sheer materials with nature patterns, natural olive or beige cheese cloth fabrics, possibly draped on walls. |
| Audio - Sounds & Music. Natural acoustic sounds, such as a waterfall, and acoustic music (gentle drums, piano, vocals, and acoustic guitar). |
| Aroma. Only naturally derived scents from flowers, plants, and foods. |
| Food. Vegetarian. |
In this way, the living space, work space, and even clothing all blend together into a harmonious tapestry that itself is woven into the fabric of nature. This creates a very pleasant environment that is conducive to both work and rest. Other themes to consider could be: high technology, antiques, at the farm, or by the ocean. Cultural themes are also a possibility: Andean, Jamaican, Mexican, Israeli, Native American. What colors, fabrics, objects, images, sounds, music, and aromas can you think of? Have fun with Themes. Be creative and expressive. Themes are a way to externalize something inside of you so that your surroundings reflect your inner self. Harmony is then created between the inner self and the surroundings.
Featured Stories and Resources
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Books
- Radical Simplicity by James Merkel
Below are links to features on this site.
| Glossary. Definitions relating to the philosophy of Simple Living. [click here] |
| Model Home 200012. This is a photo journal of a very efficient and simple sleeping room and rental space. [click here] |
| Southern Comfort. This is an excerpt from an article that appeared in Natural Home Magazine. The story is about a very unique home in the south that doesn't have airconditioning. [click here] |
| Tumbleweed - The House that Jay Shafer Built. This page contains information about the small and efficient house that Jay Shafer built in Iowa City, Iowa. [click here] |
Other Links
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Here are links to other relevant sites.
| Tumbleweed Houses - Small Homes for Better Living. [click here] |
| Life Mobility - "Transportation Solutions for Better Living" [click here] |
| The Simple Living Network [click here] |
| Simple Living - The Journal of Voluntary Simplicity [click here] |
| The Breathing Space Resource Center [click here] |
| Living Gently Quarterly [click here] |
| Simplicity Forum | |
| Simplify Life [click here] |
| Simple Home (house plans) [click here] |
| The Small House Society. Small dwellings are big news these days and that's why Resources for Life is grateful to contribute website hosting and management for The Small House Society. (20021011fr) Click here for more information. |
| Natural Home Magazine [click here] |
| Rubbermaid - products for simple living |
Thank You
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Thanks for visiting Simple Living. Please let us know of any news, ideas, information, or resources that would be helpful to add to this site, click here.
This page complies with Planning & Development Standards - Revision 20010209fr1010
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