Top products from r/simpleliving
We found 36 product mentions on r/simpleliving. We ranked the 305 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
1. The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing
Sentiment score: 2
Number of reviews: 4
The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing
3. The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment
Sentiment score: 2
Number of reviews: 2
Great product!
5. MERIWOOL Unisex Merino Wool Cuff Beanie Hat - Black
Sentiment score: 1
Number of reviews: 2
Package Includes: 1 - Unisex 250g/m² merino wool beanie – BlackSOFT & WARM: 100% all natural superfine 18.5-micron Merino wool ensures comfort all day long – no itch! Unisex Merino wool cold weather hat for men’s and women’s use while camping, hiking, hunting, working, playing sports, skiin...
6. The Happiness Trap: How to Stop Struggling and Start Living: A Guide to ACT
Sentiment score: 2
Number of reviews: 2
Self-help
7. Vivere Double Cotton Hammock with Space Saving Steel Stand, Tropical (450 lb Capacity - Premium Carry Bag Included)
Sentiment score: 2
Number of reviews: 2
Vivere combo, the double hammock with stand and carry bag is our top choice for combos. The double hammock is tightly woven with high quality cotton thread resulting in a heavy, durable fabric.The hammock stand is constructed of heavy duty Steel and assembles in minutes without any tools.Vivere hamm...
9. Back to Basics: A Complete Guide to Traditional Skills, Third Edition
Sentiment score: 2
Number of reviews: 2
Quality material used to make all Pro force productsTested in the field and used in the toughest environments100 percent designed in the USA
10. Sunbeam Folding and Collapsible Indoor and Outdoors Clothes Drying Rack, Grey
Sentiment score: 1
Number of reviews: 2
KEEP CLOTHES DRY THE NATURAL With a large drying surface, hang dry clothes over the horizontal spanning rods Perfect for the delicate garments that can’t be tossed in the dryerAMPLE DRYING SPACE ANYWHERE: Place it on the deck or in the laundry on a rainy day. Offers 13 horizontal rods for ample dr...
11. Meet the Frugalwoods: Achieving Financial Independence Through Simple Living
Sentiment score: 2
Number of reviews: 1
12. One Man's Wilderness, 50th Anniversary Edition: An Alaskan Odyssey
Sentiment score: 0
Number of reviews: 1
13. The Big Tiny: A Built-It-Myself Memoir
Sentiment score: 2
Number of reviews: 1
Plume
15. If You Lived Here You’d Be Home By Now: Why We Traded the Commuting Life for a Little House on the Prairie
Sentiment score: 1
Number of reviews: 1
16. Teach Your Children Well: Why Values and Coping Skills Matter More Than Grades, Trophies, or "Fat Envelopes"
Sentiment score: 0
Number of reviews: 1
Harper Perennial
17. Is the Internet Changing the Way You Think?: The Net's Impact on Our Minds and Future (Edge Question Series)
Sentiment score: 0
Number of reviews: 1
18. The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind: Creating Currents of Electricity and Hope (P.S.)
Sentiment score: 1
Number of reviews: 1
Great product!
Absolutely. I'm glad you asked and I hope I can be helpful.
I know it can be very difficult to stop consumerism within us because we've been advertised to our entire lives. We've been told that material possession equates to success and self-worth. The more we have, the better we are. You and I can read these sentences I wrote and recognize how stupid that idea is. Yet, advertising is so good that even the knowledge that we're being advertised to doesn't always prevent that same advertising from working on us. Advertising is based on exploiting human psychology. That's why it works. Just know that it's very difficult to ignore advertising on a subconscious level. We're only human. We will fail. We will make mistakes. Recognizing all this is a good first step.
It's important to practice desiring less. When you want something, stop yourself and think about it. Think about your motivations. Why do you want it? Is there a real justification for acquiring something? Is it a true need, or just a want? If it's simply a want, well, tell yourself you want it but you don't need it and move on. Try to thwart the desire for that thing at the source. Desire for a thing is like sexual lust... it's only human to feel that way, but you don't need to act on it.
It's a constant practice, desiring less. It's difficult. Possibly the most difficult thing a human can do. But desire leads to disappointment and suffering. Desire is temporary, but if we play that desire out to its end, often times the fruits of that desire can be disappointing and longlasting. But if you don't need something, if you don't desire, you're that much more free... "Nah, I don't need that." You become unflappable. More in control. But don't kid yourself... it's hard. Keep practicing.
If you're looking to get rid of stuff you already have that isn't bringing you happiness, I recommend Marie Kondo's "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up." It's become quite a popular book and for good reason. It really makes you think about why you have stuff and how that stuff functions in your life.
If you want to work on internalizing the idea of desiring less, take a look at /r/buddhism. It's important that if you start reading Buddhist texts that you realize that Buddhism is more of a philosophy than a religion. Buddhism's main tenant is "freedom from desire is the path to enlightenment." It's a very deep rabbit hole to go down and a lifetime of study. For a more modern take on Buddhist teaching, I love Pema Chodron. I also really love Anthony DeMello and Jiddu Krishnamurti.
Another great place to look is /r/stoicism and in particular "Meditations" by Marcus Aurelius. Aurelius was emperor of Rome, but that didn't stop him from living a life of equanimity and mindfulness. His book "Meditations" is more like a private diary, in which he reminds himself on how to live a good life.
“We need to master the art of acquiescence. We need to pay attention to our impulses, making sure they don’t go unmoderated, that they benefit others, that they’re worthy of us. We need to steer clear of desire in any form and not try to avoid what’s beyond our control.” -- Meditations, 11.37 (Hays translation)
I hope that this stuff can get you started on your journey. Just know that you don't need to be perfect. You don't need to flip a switch and completely change who you are to be a success at any of this. It's a process and it's a practice. Failure is okay. Don't beat yourself. Just try. Just keep practicing this stuff every day and it will add up. You can do it.
I started with one from Amazon ($130 includes the hammock and stand); it worked great, though eventually I did wear out the hammock (using it every day, and not repairing it when I started to notice it getting frayed shortened the life quite a bit). I'm 6' tall and just under 200lbs btw, and this is the hammock/stand that I got: http://www.amazon.com/Vivere-UHSDO9-Double-Hammock-Space-Saving/dp/B004YJCP7O
My daughter has a hammock now, and is using my old stand (which is an awesome stand btw, especially for the money). I hung my hammock (not for the faint hearted, but so far so good) and actually like it hanging better, since I can rock a bit when I'm going to sleep (sort of like a huge bassinet for grownups!) Head over to /r/hammocks for more info. You will need something under you (I just use a sleeping bag) for warmth in the winter, but it is perfect on those hot summer nights.
As for the angle, I sleep in it at a slight diagonal, which causes the hammock to flatten out. I've never been a back sleeper before, but this is surprisingly comfortable. Change the angle of your diagonal until you find a comfortable fit. Added bonus: you can throw your entire bed in the washing machine.
Some memoirs... would probably fall under "practical."
Yes it's possible. Though the current economic climate gives me pause. Peter Jenkins did it in the early 70's and wrote two books about it, A Walk Across America covering his route from Alfred, NY to New Orleans, LA, and The Walk West, covering the rest of the route, to Florence, Oregon. A 5 year trek (mostly because he kept staying with folks he met along the way for weeks or months at a time). So it can be done.
He basically did it by taking on temporary jobs along the walk whenever he ran out of money. For him, it became less about the walk, and more about the people he met along the way. That was really inspirational for me. I did a shorter version of it, a 3-week bicycle tour through 11 mountain passes in Colorado on less than $100 total, on a $10 thrift shop bike. Best three weeks of my whole life. I wish it lasted longer. I've done long walks too though nothing as spectacular.
On my bike trip, I found even going over mountains and up all those passes was a lot easier and faster on bicycle than walking. Instead of carrying 50-100 pounds on my back I put all that on my bicycle and pushed it up--then coast down the other side.
p.s. There are portable folding bicycles, that you can fold up, strap to your back, and carry, if you wish. But if backpacking is what you most want to do--then do that, and forget the bike. It's doable. :)
My biggest tip is not to approach it as a chore. Instead, get a solid understanding of your mind and how it causes you to suffer.
To do that, I suggest reading Eckhart Tolle's "The Power of Now" - it's a great book, and will help you see the insanity of your mind/thoughts. If you are looking for basic meditation instructions, this free guide is great and they also have an excellent 21 day course that works well and delves into how your mind works. And, "Mindfulness in Plain English" is another good book...you can buy it on Amazon or read it on the Internet here.
Dopamine is lovely stuff. Your brain is rewarding you for these actions... but like any addiction, you can never be satiated.
A couple of gentle suggestions that could be helpful:
http://www.amazon.com/Feeling-Good-New-Mood-Therapy/dp/0380810336/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1426797571&sr=8-3&keywords=when+panic+attacks
http://www.mindfulnesscds.com/
I've noticed a trend here lately of people turning to simple living as a way to treat anxiety. Simple living is awesome, but it's not a cure for anxiety. In some ways, it can promote it, because people use the idea of simple living to hide from life.
The best place to start, if you can, would be with a therapist who specializes in cognitive behavioral therapy for anxiety. If that isn't possible right now, this book can give you some tools to start feeling better, for under $6. It did help me. Ultimately, the key to overcoming anxiety is to do the thing you fear until it isn't scary any more.
Hard to name particular texts, as the psychology and philosophy of happiness and good life is one of my main interests, but this talk made me realize I'm normal for not having just one passion, this book introduced me to mindfulness, this book changed the way I view my own mind and this book gave an alternate view of happiness that works for non-upbeat people. I
I'm currently reading The Upside of Your Dark Side which has already convinced me that the American/Anglophone obsession with happiness-as-emotion, comfort and avoiding "negative" feelings is not just unnecessary but also harmful.
There's growing evidence that treating depression is best done with a multi modal approach. I.e. don't count on one silver bullet but try a multitude of things.
There's nothing static in this world. Things WILL change. Your mind too.
Regarding feeding the capitalist machinery, perhaps take some time and feel what is important to you. Then perhaps change job to something that is more aligned with your values. If your job drains you of energy it's time to look for other options.
For reference, those links were not referral links. They were links used to track where the user is accessing the page (
oh_aui_detailpage
refers to the product detail page), as well as what text encoding it should use in the browser (UTF8
). Referral links contain the referrer's information in thetag=blahblah-20
portion which wasn't present in OP's links. I'd still advocate removing the data tracking portion of the links though, and better still, prepend the links withsmile
instead ofwww
for charity.e.g.
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01NCEVBEL
is a good clean link.
In Praise of Shadows is a another great read on Japanese aesthetics and minimalism.
Some free-standing frames aren't much longer than the hammock itself. This one is pretty awesome: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004YJCP7O
you ll probably love this book then :)
http://www.amazon.com/Back-Basics-Complete-Traditional-Skills/dp/1602392331
Ah yes, I'm an old dude. Being free of debt helps too. I'm just so ready to do this but have to fulfill one more of lifes obligations before I can make it a reality.
I've got this Back to Basics version. I haven't seen the one you linked to. I wonder how much alike they are.
Seems like the perfect case for reading this
https://www.amazon.com/Power-Now-Guide-Spiritual-Enlightenment/dp/1577314808
Her book is fantastic. Highly recommended.
http://www.amazon.com/The-Life-Changing-Magic-Tidying-Decluttering/dp/1607747308
I highly recommend his book, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, that explains in greater detail the circumstances that led to his inventions.
I loved this book :) It gave me a lot of insight into who Henry was. Currently I'm reading The Thoreau you don't know: The Father of Nature Writers on the Importance of Cities, Finance, and Fooling Around
SUCH a good book. Teach your Children Well
Try something like this.
​
https://smile.amazon.com/Sunbeam-Folding-Collapsible-Clothes-Drying/dp/B01LDU0C4Y/ref=sr_1_21?keywords=folding+drying+rack&qid=1550285577&s=gateway&sr=8-21
My wife was profoundly influenced by "The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up". Might be worth a read.
If you want something slightly more up to date: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0084AOTM8/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&sr=&qid=
Simple living starts at home, so, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up.
> The Man Who Quit Money, by Mark Sundeen
http://www.amazon.com/The-Man-Who-Quit-Money/dp/1594485690
Non-mobile: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0084AOTM8/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&sr=&qid=
^That's ^why ^I'm ^here, ^I ^don't ^judge ^you. ^PM ^/u/xl0 ^if ^I'm ^causing ^any ^trouble. ^WUT?
I have one of these and it folds flat
Unless you go full Man who quit Money you will still be paying sales tax (VAT in the UK) as well as others. Besides, there is no law that says you have to work, make an income or anything else...
In the UK non citizens use/abuse our healthcare system, which is somewhat more unforgivable.
I recommend Is the Internet Changing the Way You Think compiled by Edge.org - it's really long but the essays are short (2-3 pages) and some of the insights are interesting to read. In the past month I have cut back on my "boredom browsing" and have had more time to do other things (read, exercise, etc.)
and here's the cleaned up links,without reference ids:
Merriwool Hat https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01NCEVBEL
Woolly full sleeve https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XYVP4R8
Darn tough socks https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008RSF3H2
Minus33 Thermals https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0006FKJPU
I feel like your post is right on the money. Some of us are drained by people, others are charged up by people. I prefer to be alone 99% of the time, aside from time with my wife. My wife and stepdaughter and one of my daughters prefer our personal time a great deal and rarely have people over. Almost never. Many of our neighbors are the same way!
There are many writers out there who have and do live in the wilderness. “They prefer their own company.” Richard “Dick” Proenneke who lives alone in Alaska. Sue Aikens. Dolly Faulkner. Heimo Korth and his wife. They all happen to live or lived in Alaska wilderness. They just prefer to be alone the vast majority of the time.
Some of us were not built for the people world, as I discovered as I read the books (and others) below.
https://www.amazon.com/Forty-Years-Wilderness-Dolly-Faulkner-ebook/dp/B00GU6N0JQ
https://www.amazon.com/Final-Frontiersman-Family-Alaskas-Wilderness-ebook/dp/B001D0IU5S/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=HEMO+KORTH&qid=1559087292&s=digital-text&sr=1-1-catcorr
https://www.amazon.com/One-Mans-Wilderness-50th-Anniversary-ebook/dp/B07G2F6GW1/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Proenneke&qid=1559087319&s=digital-text&sr=1-1-catcorr