Why can a bird fly? Because they have nothing holding them down.
One thing that I feel is needed to get back closer to nature is decluttering. The physical stuff we have takes time to clean, maintain, store, and just care for.
This article from Becoming Minimalist is a shocking look at our “stuff.” Stuff is the reason we may not make it to that hike or sit by the lake with our friends. I find it is time to consolidate and remove all the excess that has been building up over the years.
Obviously the bigger you live there are more things you may need. An apartment requires far less than a homestead. In an apartment you probably won’t need to mow the yard, you can get by with much less. Step into a medium-sized home, and you will need a mover, snow shovel, and maybe some basic tools to work on things around the home. If you have a full on homestead, you may need a tractor. This isn’t a perfect rule as there are always some exceptions. A tiny home on a large swath of land really doesn’t need much if you forage for native plants. You could live in the city and be a crazy tinkerer that needs all sorts of tools. The important part of this whole thing is to remove the distractions and pursue what makes you happy.
Over the past few years, I have spent a few months in a hotel. I really learned how little a person needs. I can tell you of just a few things that I really needed. Hobbies were pretty limited to what little free time I had. I could only bring along a few things. I am amazed by those people that travel the world with only a 40 liter backpack. Tech makes it easy to travel light, but that is a post for another time. The smart phone can do the work of so many different individual gadgets. You can read my hotel posts by searching the archives for Hotel or TDY.
As with all hobbies, interest may peak and wane. You can adjust appropriately. It might come back as a passion, but it also may be time to move on and remove that old chapter from your life. Embrace it and move onward.
Join me on this adventure of clearing the excess in my life and building out a place for more time and freedom to enjoy being Barefoot in Nature.
