What is Simple Living?

Simple living is a term that’s getting thrown around everywhere.

What does it mean?

I like to think back to how I imagined my grandparents might have grown up. Everything was just that...SIMPLE. Every aspect of the way they lived was intentional. 

They grew food in their gardens, canned food in mason jars for the winter, sewed clothes when they had a hole in them, hung clothes out on the line to try, connected with each other on a human level (no technology involved), and so much more. 

Now simple living is more of an umbrella term. It can mean a variety of  things but they can all be grouped together. One main way they can differ is the level of simplicity you chose. Some people will be minimalists, others low waste, or more intentional, or self-sufficient, or a few of these together, or maybe even all of the above. There’s no right or wrong way to do it, just go with whatever you are called to and test things out along the way. It’s an ever evolving journey. 

One thing we can all agree on is that living simply and holistically go hand in hand. Better yet, simplifying your life will also lead you towards living out your life’s purpose.

When you are living intentionally you are living life on purpose and doing things with purpose. Slowing down is a part of simplicity because you notice each moment and you are living in the present. With our busy lives it can be difficult to make time to slow down. I think it is necessary in the chaos of daily life to take time for yourself and be intentional with it. Whether that’s making time to read or journal every morning or sipping your morning tea or coffee with no distractions. (phone & computer screen I’m talking to you)

Simple living gives you the ability to live in the moment and enjoy every gift the world has to offer. 

It’s about learning what nature can give to us and what we can give back to it in return. 

It’s about being grateful for what you already have and not buying into the concept of needing more.

It’s about doing it yourself instead of buying goods the world makes you think you need. 

It’s about slowing down when the world around you is at hyper-speed. 

It’s about connecting back with this earth and being mindful of your impact.

Simple and sustainable go hand in hand. In time you might be feeling more in tune with your body and nature. If you are eating fresh fruits and vegetables that you are growing yourself or your local farmer is growing you can’t help but feel more in tune with both. Your body wants what nature has to provide not some processed, convenient BS. 

Meditation can also be a great teacher when learning how to slow down and connect with yourself. When you take moments for yourself like this you get clearer on who you are and what you are meant to do. You feel alignment with yourself and you are no longer opposing who you are meant to be.

When you practice this you may come to find you are truly living in harmony with what you feel is right for your life. You are no longer distracted so you can finally find what you are called to do and how you are meant to live. 

Taking moments to be still and slow down are truly a treasure when everything around us is in a hurry. We often buy into the notion that we need it now or that we don’t have the time. The more we slow down and simplify, the more we can be grateful for all that we have and realize we have the time if we prioritize what’s important to us.

Living in this way gives you so much.  You have more time to spend with the ones you love and  have more time to do the things you love.

Simplifying isn’t a competition and you don’t have to suffer to live this way. That’s why there are so many things that simple living can mean because it’s not one size fits all. It’s what works for you in your life and makes you happy. You know what makes you happy so do more of that.

Think about it. Give it a try! 

What are some ways you could simplify your life to nourish your mind, body, and the environment?

Apple Scrap Vinegar

How to make Homemade Apple Scrap Vinegar

Making vinegar out of apple scraps is a great way to turn something seemingly useless into something new. I like to think it’s like giving them a second life. I do compost my apple scraps after the vinegar as well. If you don’t yet compost that’s okay you can still make the vinegar. You always need vinegar in your house anyway so how cool would it be to tell people you made it yourself? 

When I have things that are going bad around my house I do everything in my power to use them up. I guess I must buy more apples than I can eat. I find the apples sitting around starting to go bad before I can eat them all. Since I am not one to enjoy a mushy apple I find a new way to eat it. It usually gets turned into my grandma’s homemade applesauce recipe. Click the link if you want to try it out it’s super simple! It’s just apples, cinnamon, and a little bit of water can’t get much easier than that. 

After I peel and core my apples I have the scraps leftover. These seemingly useless food scraps can be turned into something new! Best news is it’s possibly even simpler than my grandma’s applesauce recipe.

I am all about simplicity, saving the earth, using what nature has to offer us, and DIY. So let me tell you making this scrap vinegar brings me so much joy. I hope it does the same for you. Bonus, you don’t have to go to the store to get vinegar (ever again if you don’t want to) you have everything you need right at home.

Apple scrap vinegar 

1. Put all of your apple peels and cores into a mason jar.

2. Fill the jar with filtered water, enough to cover it and a TBSP of sugar. I have a reverse osmosis system in my home so I always use filtered water. Make sure it is non-chlorinated water, chlorine will mess with the fermentation process. If you only have chlorinated water to use let it sit out overnight to let the chlorine evaporate. 

3. Place a little cup inside to help submerge the apples in the water. I have also skipped this step in previous apple vinegar makings and it didn’t seem to make much of a difference. 

4. Now you wait! But while you are waiting for this to turn into vinegar you have to burp it. When the apples start to ferment they will start producing bubbles. So all you need to do is open the jar once a day to prevent it from bubbling over and making a mess or possibly exploding from the built up pressure.

5. After about a week or 2  when you stop seeing bubbles, you can stop burping. Once you no longer see bubbles it is ready to go. 

6. Just strain out the apples and wala! You have homemade apple scrap vinegar. If you have a compost bin like I do then you can throw the scraps in the compost.

7. Scrap vinegar lasts over a year, but I always use mine up before then. Use it to replace white vinegar or apple cider vinegar in recipes. Or as a natural cleaning solution.

Here’s the finished product!

Homemade Apple Scrap Vinegar

Ingredients 

• peels and cores from 6  apples 

• 1 TBSP of sugar

• enough filtered water to cover

Instructions

1. Use up older apples to make homemade applesauce, apple crumble, or whatever you like.

2. Core & cut the skin off of apples 6 (large) apples

3. Put apple skins and cores into a mason jar. Fill with enough filtered water to cover and 1 TBSP of sugar.

4. Burp your vinegar jar daily, by opening up the jar to release some of the pressure.

5. Once all the bubbles are gone it is ready to be strained.

6. Strain out the apple scraps & wala you have your own homemade scrap vinegar!

7. Scrap vinegar lasts over a year but I always use mine up before then. Use it to replace white vinegar or apple cider vinegar in recipes. Or as a natural cleaning solution.

8. Vinegar keeps for 1 year at least. (I’m sure you will use it before that point)