Simplicity in the home, I believe, lends to serenity. Thinking back to my childhood and visiting my grandparents and great-grandparents, I’ve thought of how peaceful and calming those atmospheres continued to be whenever I was there. My great-grandmother’s house still had a wood burning stove. It sat in the middle of her sitting room. At six years old, I helped cut out quilting squares sitting beside the stove. That being said, I recall the peaceful atmosphere making me feel bored from time to time because there was always something going on at my house. Someone was visiting or we were planning a vacation, or so it seemed. At my grandmother’s house, she always had a new book for me to read.
Not to romanticize about how much better it was to live a hundred years ago, but my grandparents and parent’s generations seemed to know how to put things into perspective. They seemed to keep daily drama to a minimum with their lifestyles. Here’s some of my mother’s, grandmothers and great-grandmother’s habits which can help us minimize complications and simplify our lives:
1. Keep your hands busy. My great grandmother loved to quilt and so does my mother. Quilting, sewing, creating a product of quality in our spare time allows us to think clearly about a task and produce a great product.
2. Cook from scratch. My mother still cooks ‘scratch meals’ for herself and my daddy every day. It is just something she does. She’s always told me knowing the origin of your food from it’s basic ingredients gives peace of mind, especially when serving to the people you love the most. Quality is better than quantity.
3. Utilize your clothesline whenever possible. Freshly laundered clothing aired in the sun seems to give peace of mind all on its own. All of the ladies in my family used one almost daily, weather permitting. However, I’ve left sheets out during the rain a time or two. Additionally, it cuts expenses.
4. Write letters by hand. When my grandmother passed away, I was delighted to receive back my letters I wrote to both she and my granddaddy after I left home. It was touching to know she’d kept them all until she passed away. Jane Austen said once to never underestimate the power of a well written letter. Writing letters by hand makes your brain give pause to your subject matter more so than typing an email or shooting a text.
5. Herbs for illness. My granddaddy testified his grandmother cured his malaria with alder bark. Unfortunately, she died before giving away her knowledge but granddaddy shared some mysteries with me and I keep them tucked away for posterity. Whenever you can, simplify your life with natural remedies which are proven effective.
6. Keep your living quarters organized. My mother’s and grandmother’s homes are all well kept. The secret, they told me, to keeping your worries at bay is to have your work space organized. If you can keep clutter at bay, your productivity will increase. Plus, you’re always ready for a surprise guest.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Secrets from earlier generations