It’s Really Not That Crazy
October 22, 2012 in Minimalist Tips
Back when we decided to start adopting minimalism and really cleaning out the house I felt crazy. When I started homeschooling I felt crazy. When we take off on camping road trips for weeks I feel crazy. It isn’t just me, I get the crazy look from lots of people who I tell about these things as we go along. For the most part the ‘crazy look‘ isn’t a negative thing (I think), it is just different… a different they maybe hadn’t thought of.
I thought all these things were crazy when I first started but now I have met so many other like minded people, and I have lived these ideas for a while. I can now say that none of these things are near as crazy as they might seem. None of them are that big of a deal to do. It isn’t near the HUGE undertaking it initially looks like. In fact it seems so common and un-exciting that sometimes I have a hard time blogging about it at all.
Minimalism
Our minimalism looks crazy or extreme when I compare it to the way I grew up thinking, people I know and live around, advertising, and even a large majority of the population. But now that I have met so many more minimalists it seems like a pretty normal way of life.
Homeschooling
The homeschooling was something I never really considered until my kids started learning so much on their own and I couldn’t find a good school solution for them when it came time to start. Don’t get me wrong, there were good school options, but none that matched or fit them. Now that I have been homeschooling for several years, met many other homeschoolers, read books, met people on line, learned of so many methods, it doesn’t seem crazy or different at all. There might be a minimalist community, but the homeschool community is huge now. In almost any populated area you can find others homeschooling already.
Road Trips
As far as road trips? Their aren’t many people doing them now for long distances or without the big campers, but heading out on one is the way to find them. We camped in Washington DC by an older couple (not old, but probably with grown kids) that were from Washington state, also traveling with a tent and a Prius. We find someone in almost every campsite we stay at of different ages, from different places, all wandering kinda like us.
What is your ‘crazy’ way of life that you are wanting to adopt?
There is a good chance it isn’t all that crazy either, and there are probably lots of other people who have beat you too it and figured it out. There is also a good chance that taking the huge leap, when looking back, won’t seem like a huge leap after all.
Timely post, currently struggling with mine!! What’s my crazy way of life?? Being one of the first people in my country to build a tiny house, without any construction experience whatsoever!! This is a complete house on a flat bed trailer that totals 130 sq feet. My family thinks I’m nuts!
sounds awesome! What country are you building in?
Australia!! Building a tumbleweed fencl (http://www.tumbleweedhouses.com/products/fencl/) if you are interested. Not for everyone but a christian single gal with no kids or husband in the future it’s perfect. Your blog was the catalyst, especially your posts on minimalism and decluttering that started this crazy music teacher on her journey so a bg thank you from me!!
So cute! My husband saw it and he said he want’s one too. It looks like Tammy Strobel’s house from rowdykittens.com. They interviewed her for ‘I’m Fine Thanks’ (great movie) and it showed the house a bit. Would love to know how it goes. Keep me posted
Same plans I think!! Blogging my way through, if you are interested. http://tinyhouseinoz.wordpress.com/
excited for you
Thanks for sharing!
It may not really be that crazy, but goodness people make you feel like it is sometimes! I think that my friends and family think I am crazy for wanting to build a small house, for wanting to have chickens and maybe some goats someday, for wanting to get rid of technology as much as possible. For just slowing down. And these are only the really obvious ones. The ones about feeling the desire to be a part of a house church instead of a large church that meets in a building once/week, the fact that we are a one car family…and are happy about it. Eating our crazy veggie based meals instead of having a roast in the oven every Sunday…yeah…we are those crazy ones
But, I kind of like being crazy 
much rather be myself and crazy than pretend to be someone else
There is a bigger army of crazies than we think initially. One of the benefits of the internet.
Getting rid of all my stuff and moving to a tiny house – people think that is way crazy. The only person that doesn’t think its crazy is my 22 year old daughter, who thinks living small is cool. Other things I have already done which people INSISTED were crazy: having a baby when I was 40 (done!); giving away all my furniture (done!) and trying to give up my otherwise well-paying corporate job to “work at home” (still working on that one)… people still think it’s crazy. So, what, you guys LIKE commuting? Cubicles? The Rat Race? Kinda makes me wonder who the crazy ones are!
I hate cubicles!
I agree! Cubicles rot the spirit. I love my work (Massage Therapy, and a network marketing Health and Wellness company) from home where I don’t commute or work around a boss’ schedule and my pay increases rather than plateaus. Not “going to work” every day is great. My kids get their mom, and that trumps anyone’s sarcastic opinions about anything. I like what you said, Lorilee, better being crazy than to try to be someone else. Peace of mind, flow of life, and true happiness during our life’s journey doesn’t fit in the box of those (“normal” or “weird”) type of words. It’s simply indescribable. And like I say to my kids at the dinner table, “you can’t know what you think if you won’t even taste it.”
yep
Crazy…yeah probably lots of people think our family is crazy. College educated/decided to stay at home,living on one income, natural childbirth, breastfeeding until natural weaning, have 4 kids, homeschooling, and now working toward minimalist living. Yeah pretty much most people think we are nuts.
sounds like a good nuts
Yes, that “are you crazy!” look. I know it all too well. But I like how you interpreted the look as maybe they just haven’t thought about living life this way. That makes me feel much less defensive when I think of it like that.
Right now I’m in the midst of figuring out how to fit everything I own (other than my few pieces of furniture) into one large suitcase, one carry-on, and purse. My clothes, shoes, toiletries have to all fit. It’s been hard, and I’m not quite there yet, but my ultimate goal is to be very mobile so I can be ready for any adventure.
that is pretty small and mobile
I live without a television and people do a double-take every time they find that out. I read a lot, so I don’t miss the entertainment. If I do want to watch a movie, which is rare, I use my computer to do so.
I am in the process of cleaning out the clutter. My dream is to live life as if there is rationing. I know that sounds weird, but that is my way of keeping in mind that the resources that are used for all the material things that are made are limited. Especially when not harvested sustainably.
there isn’t unlimited resources so I understand the rationing idea
We don’t have a TV either and the kids get crazy looks from other kids when they tell them that. (I think they kind of like the reaction they get).
Your not crazy your awesome!! I am continually trying to Declutter my home despite my hubby’s need to hold on to things-poor guy
. Also I’m homeschooling this year now!! And you were part of that inspiration, so thank you!! And the traveling is awesome. We love to camp, and it would be loads of fun to do what you are doing. How awesome is your family!! Thank you for dreams and knowing that they are possible with your example!!
Thank you