My husband and I were just saying today how packing up our family into 6 suitcases and moving to New Zealand for a year has been the best thing for us (you can read more about it here). Having much less stuff has forced me think very much in terms of essentials. I’m not only talking about food/clothing, but simple essentials that assist me to enjoy life, appreciate my surroundings and facilitate family connection.
I spent time writing down a list for each season, and then a all-year essential list too (which I’ll share soon). Each season, I will have a new list that I’m working from and I’ll share what I have in them, and how I use the simple things to enjoy the time with my family in subsequent posts. In each seasonal essential pack, I’ve listed 10 main items that come under these categories:
- Something to enjoy inside the house
- Something to wear x 2
- Something for feet
- Something useful to create
- Something from nature x 2
- Something to facilitate living inside and outside the house
- Something to eat or drink
- Something easy/affordable/useful play item
Autumn
First up, is Autumn and it looks like this:
- Something to enjoy inside the house
- Throw rug: Put over my knees when I stop for cup of tea or at night when I’m watching tv or working late.
- Something to wear x 2
- Trench coat and shawl: can’t go wrong with a great trench! And a shawl scarf is useful for those chilly moments when you need just a little extra warmth. Wrap it around your neck, shoulders, head!
- Something for feet
- Flats: Gorgeous closed in flats do the trick during the transitional time.
- Something useful to create with
- Twine. Hang leaves, make raft boats, do a butterfly string (and more ideas to come).
- Something from nature x 2
- Golden leaves and rainbow leaves: go on a rainbow leaves hunt.
- Something to facilitate living inside and outside the house
- Calico bag and a note book: Collect leaves, sketch leaves, make it a priority in Autumn to visit the Library.
- Something to eat or drink
- Pumpkin soup: it seems just the right thing for Autumn (You can find my slow cooker recipe here).
- Something easy/affordable/useful play item
- Tennis balls. You can pick up a pack for under $10 and we are finding all kinds of ways to use them during this season. Ideas: making tennis ball puppets, playing catch, throwing them from a distance into a bucket (and more ideas to come).
We are discovering more and more as a family that we don’t need a lot of things to be happy. Our kids are, I find, (mostly) happy and content in general if Matt and I are investing into the family in the right way, and so I’ve focused my lists on things I need to keep doing that, and make it achievable and doable for myself. What I have found is that in having less things, I have the freedom to love what I have, buy what I adore and use it all to absolute bits!
After a year of executing my plan, I hope to have an annual map for how to enjoy the seasons and extend on simple joys in family life.
4 Comments
Luisa @ Looking for mama me
March 29, 2015 at 9:38 pmwhat a wonderful post and beautiful imagines! we moved across the country recently and are staying at my parents place until we find a house to buy. Its been 2 months and most of us stuff is still in storage, I’m surprised on how little we actually need!
I love what you say about having less gives you the ability to focus on the few things you do have! It gives you a better appreciation for you family and what you do have 🙂
Kelly - Be A Fun Mum
March 30, 2015 at 6:02 amAll the best for resettling. That’s always a bit of a process.
Playful matters
April 4, 2015 at 9:32 amKelly, it is so awesome and inspiring to see how you are enjoying your year abroad! I’m looking forward to all your seasonal lists and activities.
p.s. Had a little pinning spree from your site this morning! Loving all your Easter posts, such beautiful photos, especially on your Easter Hunt post 🙂
Kelly - Be A Fun Mum
April 5, 2015 at 3:03 pmThank you lovely!!!