“Simple living is a thought before action. Simple Living is a commitment to purpose.”

The convenience of all kinds of modern day technologies have impacted and altered what should be deeply human processes. We are now heavily influenced and shaped by the comforts of our modern world. Consider this, why do so many people need reminders regarding getting enough sunlight and '“getting in your steps” and the fact that gardening is beneficial to your health?

That’s because it’s no longer intuitive to do the things that should be the most natural for us! So as you read on, try to notice how far from nature you have been skewed by modern day comforts and where you have intuitively found your way back.

Skip ahead to “What is Simple Living” if you want to get straight to the main content!

A small purchase of mine recently has just taken me down this thoughtful path about simple living. What is simple living, how to incorporate more of it into your life, and why you might even want to.

My Short Story on a Label Maker That Threw Me Into a Simple Living Spiral

I went to purchase a label maker and after looking at the abundance available on Amazon, I knew making the decision would cause me some anxiety. I don’t like to feel regretful of a purchase that I know I will use again and again but end up not liking my choice.

I decided to go IN TO the store Staples to choose a label maker and even with the choices lessened to about 5 label makers and ultimately 2 contenders that fit my needs, I still had this feelings that I could make the “wrong” decision and not like my choice. I thought, ‘Did I want the one with more “template “ options,’ or ‘the one that was more handheld,’ or ‘the one that was rechargeable?’

Again, SO MANY OPTIONS. I placed one in the cart, not totally sure of my decision and decided to wander around Staples for batteries since this new device required 6 AAA batteries which was making my head spin. I would have to have 6 batteries on hand whenever I needed to get this thing working which felt ridiculous to me and one other thing for me to have on my mind. Needless to say, I was not loving my options and felt that this could be a whole lot SIMPLER, and why wasn’t it?! Because of the endless amount of products to consider and consume.

As I perused the aisles, I found myself in the back of the store by miscellaneous items and I set my eyes upon a single item for **$9.99.. a manual, rotary, embossing label maker**. This product fulfills all my needs, without needing batteries, ink, or a charger! It is repairable with the right supplies, and with the right tape, I could use this label maker for the rest of my life! I was mind-blown. While this may not be the fastest option, it’s still faster than the most simplest option of me writing on a slip of paper, cutting it out, and taping it onto things when I need a label in my home.But this embossing label maker is the best option for me because it’s all those steps in one without batteries, ink, or a charger! **I was almost roped into getting one of the more expensive options because I did not know this simpler option existed!**

Ultimately that’s my reason for writing this blog because many of us have not yet begun to search for the simpler options and we may not even know what to look for in order to get closer to living a more simpler life. I understand that, and that’s why I wanted to write this blog to show how this label maker is a step toward a simpler life for me and to share (1) what living a simpler life looks like, (2) why you should care, and (3) some small actions you can start taking to live a simpler life now.

What is Simple Living?

Living a simple life does not mean easy but it does mean closer; closer to home, closer to self, closer to God.

God gives. He gives you everything you need to live this life. Simple living starts with parsing down what’s important to you into very few basics/essentials. Then YOU can base your everyday decisions and choices around YOUR essential core values.

For example, MY essential core values include,

Relying on the people in my household and the local community (in the event that phones or cars didn’t work),
being frugal (to practice living without relying on money), and
loving my family the way God loves (so that I am at peace now, and by the end of my life).

I want to be valuable and giving to my family and my community’s needs. I want to be selective and intentional in my everyday choices to minimize chaos. And I aim to always keep God at the core of all my decisions. Simple living is a thought before action. Simple living is a commitment to purpose. There’s a physical/ tangible aspect to living more simply and there’s a mental aspect as well. Let me explain:

Physical:

You can think of the essential basics to life easily by imagining an emergency situation where you may not have access to grocery stores or even running water. If that type of scenario scares you, you’re not alone!

So many of us have been comforted into the current way of living that we wouldn’t be prepared to live on our own with only what God gave us. Man made systems are not infallible but God’s bounty is unlimited.

My household is still not completely self-sufficient but we’re actively and intentionally learning skills and are improving each year and THAT TRUTH is what drives me forward. There’s no need to feel scared and rushed, but each small step toward simple living adds up and God provides the rest as you do your part.

Mental:

As i’ve mentioned, “Simple living is a THOUGHT before action. Simple living is a commitment to PURPOSE.” Just like anything, it takes effort to live more simply in this modern era. Without total awareness, you can be dragged through the trenches of making decision after decision on the newest and latest trends and happenings. You’ve got to feel convicted about how far modern life has taken us from our roots, in order to begin to make a change. (I sure felt convicted even about motherhood and how it’s changed over the past few decades.)

Simple living may not be the most aesthetically pleasing and it’s not for the weak, but when you understand the purpose, it’s easier to commit to the process, no matter how much more difficult it may be than taking the easier route. Most people might end up wanting to quit after their first try at living more simply. This is because they have the wrong IDEA of what living simply is and they go into it deluded by modern day comforts.

This family and their story is a great example of something that happens to many: “We were lied to about Off Grid Life”. The wife explains how she imagined off-grid living to be like a dream or beautiful, peaceful rendition of what she once read in books. But living a more simple life does not mean a life that’s more accessible or more comfortable, but rather, boiling down life to the essentials!

If you’re ready and wanting to live more simply, you first MUST mentally prepare to accept that certain aspects of your life will change and possibly require more effort on your part. But as I said earlier, God provides the rest as you do your part.

Why should you care about living simple?

With how chaotic and out-of-your-control the world is outside your home, wouldn’t it feel secure to have something solid to rely on within your home? A life more focused on the essentials will grant you greater connection to the God who created you and all things fundamental to our survival. He created everything we need, we just need to relearn what’s been lost. If you’re already pursuing living a more simple life, you may be pursuing peace and I understand the marriage of the two. Simple is peaceful. Overabundance can be overwhelming.

Ultimately, living more simply puts real life back in your hands. The basic human things that I mentioned earlier, such as getting sunlight, gardening, taking walks, maybe even hanging laundry to dry, mixing medicines in your kitchen from herbs, learning how to bake with sourdough, and even homeschooling your children — All of these things are in some ways feeding your soul and you just know it when you do it.

When you’re able to be more organized with your day, these things do fit together, and when you are more intentional with raising your children, they will help with chores and you won’t always feel so overwhelmed, and when you take your time choosing one skill at a time to learn, you will eventually feel so accomplished and capable, and of-value that all the hard work will be a thing of the past and with practice, comes ease and mastery.

These are God’s gift. Things you cannot buy, but only acquire with commitment to purpose.

The Ways I Consider Living More Simply

Take a moment to consider each of these bullet points and see how many you can mark off:

Opt for items that do not require batteries or power

How is this helping you to live more simply? You don’t have to deal with batteries or plugs. It may mean the item is more mechanical/manual and takes more effort on your part but then you must weigh out if it is worth your time to do this task in this manner. For example, some people love throwing pottery and there is a pottery wheel that manually spins with the work of your foot. If you don’t throw pottery all the time and you just want to experiment and try it then go ahead and use one that plugs in and please don’t feel bad about it. If there is something you do daily and want to save time in your day, then the electronic version would help to simplify your life because it saves you time and stress. But I do recommend at least knowing the manual way of doing things and not solely relying on technology. Just by KNOWING, you’ll feel much more accomplished, skilled, and grounded.
Have you thought of using a clothesline to save money on electricity?

Opt to repair or refurbish before replacing

Cancel Your Amazon Membership - A simpler life is a slower life.
Ask Friends, Family, and Neighbors first!
Facebook market and plenty of resale apps exist to show you what your local community is selling
Avoid big retail stores as best you can - opt for thrift and consignment stores first - It may take more trips and searching effort to find the thing you need but if it’s not an emergency (which most things aren’t) then you can exchange some browsing time in a thrift or consignment shop for a few dollars saved and the attitude of gratitude that someone gave away an old thing that can now be useful to you.
Lean into learning to repair before replacing - as a personal example, I recently purchased a vintage sewing machine that I just couldn’t figure out but I kept at it and kept watching videos to learn what I could be doing wrong. Months later than what I wanted, I finally got the machine working correctly. I’m sure I’ll run into more problems along the way but it does feel much more fulfilling to know I’m learning hard lessons along the way. Rather than taking the easy road and replacing my sewing machine with a newer one that may indeed eventually have a similar problem and then I’d have to figure it out anyways.

Learn Essential Skills such as:
- Building/Renovating
- Sewing/Mending
- Gardening
- Tending to Livestock
- Fermenting + Canning + Pickling
- Foraging Edibles
- Making Herbal Remedies
- Reading in favor of scrolling social media
- Building relationships with local suppliers of goods
Minimize the Stuff You Have
- Can your family manage to work around having one car?
- Do you still own a TV? Can your family do without it?
- Purge your children’s toys. Anything that hasn’t been touched in over a month and only holds the purpose to entertain, can go!
- Have you tried a Capsule Wardrobe to minimize your clothing?
Be Intentional About Your Time
- Can you decrease your phone scrolling time?
- Do you Have a Morning or Night Routine so you don’t have to think so much around those times?
- Do you have a specific time set aside for ‘Time With God?’
- Do you utilize a family calendar?
- It’s okay to say no to activities that may not align with your core values.
Minimize Your Bills
- Can you aim to reach no vehicle payment at all?
- Do you need Wifi/ internet installed in your home or do you have unlimited on your phone and can visit the library when you need wifi?
- Can you make a wise investment into solar energy in order to cut your electricity bill?
- Do you plan your family’s meals in advance so you are less likely to spend money on eating out?
- It’s okay to say no to activities that may not fit into your budget this month. Plan to create for fun/ special/ traditions and memories at home with your children instead of feeling like you HAVE to get them involved in ticketed events just “for the fun” or memory of it.

I hope I shared enough ideas to get you started living a more simple life because that’s really all it takes, getting started. Not perfection and not by tomorrow. This life is yours to LIVE but I hope this blog has urged you to reflect on if you are truly LIVING this life fully engaged the way God intended - using your hands, your brain, your heart, and your effort with true commitment to purpose for a simpler life. Things can be simpler but unfortunately we have to find our way back to it and weed through the overload and dodge the chaos.

I pray you don’t get lost in it, and I pray all becomes clear to you and that your core values become illuminated on the holy path for you to follow. I pray if you fall from the path you always find your way back because God loves you and will not leave your side… as long as you remember to do your part. I pray you remember to pray each moment that is hard and in each moment of rejoice. I pray you remember a simple life is a thought before it is the action and I pray you stay committed to the purpose. Amen!

I love you! Thank you for reading.

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Quick Summary: What This Post is Really About

Modern conveniences have distanced us from what should be natural, human, and essential. This blog takes you through a personal story—a simple label maker purchase—that reveals just how overwhelming and overcomplicated life has become. From there, it explores what it truly means to live simply: not easier, but closer—to home, to purpose, and to God.

Simple living isn’t about aesthetics or trends. It’s a mindset shift, a commitment to living with intention, paring life down to the essentials, and making daily choices that reflect your values. Whether that means choosing manual tools, mending instead of replacing, or reconnecting with your food and community, simple living is about reclaiming what’s real.

You don’t have to do it all at once. Just start. Let your values guide your steps, trust God to fill in the gaps, and little by little, watch your life become not just simpler—but richer and more grounded than ever.