The Simple Year blog is a platform for those with a year-long Simple Living Project and is currently looking for its next story teller.
Huh? Imagine an online version of some reality show in which the participants change each season. Although, we fly our freak flags a bit lower than your standard cable network reality stars, but we are giving you a glimpse of our daily trials and tribulations as we attempt year-long simple living projects.
The Simple Year was started in April, 2012 by Kerry and family as a journal in their attempt to Buy Nothing New for a Year. In the beginning the blog was just a first person narrative read by a few family and friends.
If you would like to read about Kerry’s Simple Year, you can start here to read forward from Day 1 or here to read Day 365.
And then others began to take notice and started to read the story with all of its ups and downs. Slowly, The Simple Year year gained an audience. As the year of buying nothing new grew to a close, Kerry decided she had written enough about the subject. But, she didn’t want to lose the momentum of The Simple Year and wasn’t ready to abandon the site to become one of those blog equivalents of a a ghost town or a nearly empty strip mall with only a Chinese Buffet and a We Buy Gold Store– from vibrant to abandoned.
The HandOff
So she decided to give someone else a shot at telling their story via The Simple Year and advertised for a replacement–someone else who had a Simple Year (2) in them.
Simple Year 2
Kandice and her upper middle class family documented their year long attempt to shed their swank neighborhood and all the social and material trappings that go along with it in order to live a more “meaningful life”. Visit here for her details.
Simple Year 3
The Simple Year’s third writer was Kim who documented her attempts to improve her life by making other lives better. She calls it conscious kindness and explored if being kind complicates or simplifies. Start Here to read about Kim’s project.
Simple Year 4
Next, Tracy approached the concept of simplifying with her educator’s eye during year four. She mapped a course in Life Management and spent the year implementing the program with her family and writing about it. Start Here to read about Tracy’s project.
Simple Year 5
Ever thought about a year with no waste, no takeout containers, product packaging or anything else that may end up in a landfill? Trisha and her family spent a year doing just that. Follow her journey here.
Simple Year 6
Hannah started telling her simple living story from one of the most far flung places on the planet, a remote fishing village in Alaska. She documented her life with limited access to technology, healthcare and shopping. During her year, she also gave birth to a baby girl, moved her family and changed jobs all while trying to keep it simple. You can read about her adventurous life starting here.
The Simple Year will be looking for another writer with a Simple Living project next year. Sound Interesting? Think you might be interested in taking over a blog with an existing readership?
Subscribe via email or Like us on Facebook and we will keep you up to date when we start accepting applications for next year.
Kerry,
I am fascinated already! I can relate to the Target situation (I usually go in for $30.00 worth of products and come out with $300.00 worth of products). I am curious to know your guidelines, what you will purchase new (besides the obvious). So, for instance.. what will happen over the Holidays? Or, a birthday? Are you going to be crafty and make gifts? I am sure the details of this new adventure will be posted in your blog over time but I have to say I am already impressed and fascinated! 🙂 PS I like the idea that FlyBagz falls under your category since it is “repurposed” 😉 Never even realized that…
Great, and I mean REALLY great idea. I’m a closet survivalist and we have a saying that might make sense to your effort. “Use it up, wear it out, fix it, or do without.” Good luck!
I admire your gumption! And wish you the very best in your quest. It’s something I would love to try. Now I must read to see how you are coping. Who knows, I may be inspired…!
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Was just introduced to your blog via Becoming Minimalist, and I’m really enjoying reading through some recent posts. What an interesting project, and what a great writing voice! I look forward to following future posts.
Just read some of your blog it is very fascinating. Would love to do this but it will take a lot of convincing for my husband. Good luck with everything! You got this!
Like LeeAnne, I was introduced to you via Becoming Minimalist. I have only one problem…it’s making me laugh out loud at my desk — a sure sign to co-workers I am not hard at work. 🙂 Can’t wait to read more!
i love ur idea to keep this blog, but could you support RSS export. cuz i don’t like to read newsletter. thanks!
Alexander: I was able to add the URL to my Google Reader manually and I’m getting the feed regularly just fine.
I adore this blog. Truly appreciating the simple new life that took me most of 2012 to build. military zen mom
My kids are 6& 8 too! They don’t need anything yet are constantly asking for things. I am trying to simplify but with my husband and kids against it it’s tough. Good luck!
I also can relate to the Target trip! All too well….. good luck!
Even five months in, I still miss Target…
Target is my weakness — I have gone on “hiatus” from big-box stores for a month at a time, but never more and I’m truly enjoying your blog and inspired by your journey. Keep it up!
We shop at thrift stores to save money…more chance of random weird variety, too…but can end up with items that “sort of” fit our needs. We’ve gotten better at paring down over the years…lots more selective now than at times in the past…but thrift stores can be just as dangerous as the “big boxers” even if they are a whole lot cheaper. We’ve also slowed way down on the “shopping as entertainment”…maybe we’ve just reached a saturation point…I don’t really know. I’ve started a blog in the last month (more normal than not)…your blog showed me what “focused” (and funny) looks like….thankyou! Peter Rorvig
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Awesome way to start a movement and build a community focused on simple living. Love it!
I’m going to start at the beginning of year one and read through year two (current year). I’d love to be your year three but I’m not in a place to do it yet.
Maybe year 4…
Love your post. Our family also is a simple living family. I love hearing the experiences of others. This year my girls and I have decided to make things much more simple. We will see how it goes.
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This is awesome!! So inspiring! I recently just finished selling/donating everything that I don’t absolutely need. It’s the best feeling in the world! I love seeing other folks living a free and minimalistic life!
Here is a link I wrote about the benefits of a simple lifestyle – http://roamwildandfree.com/2015/07/07/the-simple-life/
Looking forward to following your philosophy!
Exciting endeavour, definitely requires discipline! Love seeing such a strong community of those living with less.
Hey!! I would love to do a simple year of zero waste!! after a while you don’t need to buy anything new except ingredients instead of clutter.
That’s nice and gives me motivation to do it too, great blog!
You may like my IG:iconedigitalarts .)
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