Camping - A Lesson in Simplifying

Last week we went on a canoe trip. It wasn't real long (only 4 days and 60 miles) but it was a fun time.  I was thinking about how trips of that nature (Canoe trips, backpacking and bike trips)  where you have to carry with you everything you are going to use for the next few days are good for teaching about simplifying. When you pack for a trip like that you really pause to consider - "Is that item worth the weight it is going to cause me to carry?"

Though we don't actually have to carry all of our belongings everywhere we go it still doesn't hurt to have a little of that mindset. Is this item worth the space it is taking up, the work that I might have to do associated with it, etc. Is it worth the "weight" it adds to your life. Many items truly are! On a camping trip just as in life there are things that are exceedingly useful and totally worth having around and even carrying on your back (Warm clothes and rain gear come to mind as things I have skimped on a little to much in the past). But some things aren't worth their weight. They slow you down and make you tired. In simplifying our homes we want to try to figure out which items are which. :-)

 Life has been pretty busy this summer and I have not managed to keep up with my de-cluttering goals. However I am still making some progress so I am happy about that! I don't think I have reported on my goals since July 12th so, since that time I have....

• Gotten rid of 129 items.
• Gone through 6 spaces.
• Sorted through 5 photo files and deleted unneeded pictures.
• Lately I have been doing a pretty good job of keeping my inbox empty. Yeah!

I think I am getting back in the swing of things again but we do have another very busy (Homeschool Starting, garden harvesting and preserving, 2 trips, 5 weddings, Homeschool co-op organization and music students starting back up again) month ahead so we shall see.

How are you doing at simplifying in your home?

If you would care to read more about our camping trips here are the links to a few of them...

• Backpacking on the Superior Hiking Trail
• Backpacking at Glacier National Park
• Biking/camping on the Mesabi Trail
• Another year on the Mesabi Trail
• Ken and I canoeing on the Mississippi.
• Canoe trip at Voyageurs National Park
• Canoe trip on the Big Fork river - post coming soon!