Simple Living in Difficult Times

We are living in difficult times. As I write, we are in the middle of a global crisis. It began with a health crisis and then turned into an economic crisis as well. It will also influence emotional and mental health the longer it goes on. We are facing many challenges in health, jobs, education, and more. How are we going to manage? What can we learn from it? It has certainly pushed me to examine my own lifestyle, which led to the following question. Does living simply help or hinder us in coping with these difficult times?

Let’s start with the downside. Like many people deliberately choosing a simple life, I live in a small house. I have little storage space. My closets are narrow. My cabinets are few. My pantry is sufficient for one or two people only. Any extra items I buy must be stored in the garage.

I was caught unawares of the resulting shortage (or hoarding) of some items. I purposely do not keep a lot for “just in case” situations. When asking others who live a minimalist lifestyle, this was the common downfall. We buy what we need. We don’t have “just in case” piles of stuff. This has caused some anxiety as we scramble to procure items that were once available on the now empty shelves in our stores. Imagine my joy when the woman I lent my sewing machine to (for sewing masks) gave me a few rolls of toilet paper and a bottle of disinfectant cleaner! My take-away: Keep a reasonable emergency stash.

Let’s turn to the upside. On a practical level, many who lean towards simple living said that knowing how to cook with inexpensive and few ingredients has been very helpful. They don’t rely on restaurants or take-out for meals on a regular basis. They cook the majority of their meals, so their pantry is stocked. Some say they have enjoyed getting more creative with cooking and baking now that they have to stay at home. I’m not one of those people. I pretty much gave up cooking once the kids left, but I need to do better. My take-away: Keep the pantry stocked with the basics for simple dishes.

It helps to have hobbies when we can’t go to events or places other than home. Of course, lots of people have hobbies, but living simply often means focusing on hobbies that cost less and don’t require specialized equipment, supplies, or locations. Reading, knitting, jigsaw puzzles, and crafts come up often in my queries about how we spend our time. My take-away: Expand my hobbies. Buy some puzzles. Be grateful for eBooks.

The loss of jobs and reduced income concerns all of us, but over and over, I see comments in minimalist groups about how living simply has pushed them to minimize, even eliminate debt. Moving into smaller or more affordable homes means smaller mortgages and utility bills. Having little to no debt kept them from freaking out (too much). This mindset certainly helped me get through a year of unemployment, and while I’m fortunate to have a job now, I know nothing is guaranteed. My take-away: Have minimal or no debt. Save a lot.

One surprising (to me) benefit of living simply during a global crisis is the ability to feel a sense of calm (or at least, minimal panic). I felt relatively calm during my year of unemployment because I had little debt, a good savings cushion, and no desire to shop. Living through a global health and economic crisis is so much bigger. Knowing what is truly needed and having little desire to buy stuff keeps the anxiety away for the most part. An appreciation for experiencing instead of consuming fosters a sense of peace and serenity. My take-away: Stay calm. Keep perspective. Prioritize what is most important.

Despite being caught without extra emergency supplies, I think that living simply has helped more than hindered in getting through these challenging times. It never hurts to re-examine how we live and reflect on how we may need to change. I hope all of us come through this difficult time healthy and well in all aspects of our lives.