a slower pace: thoughts on line-drying laundry

It's no great mystery that our life has been slowing down over the last year. If you're wondering how that can be with three toddlers and one on the way I will tell you: it's all God. It started probably long ago but for this story's sake it started last November when I started to question the importance of the sponsor-driven blogging I was doing, as well as the time I was spending using social media - Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest - even my iPhone was in question. I felt a strong urge (and pleading from my husband) to simplify life and live in a quieter time, more able to hear what God has in store for us. I am sure there are plenty of people who find their life calling through social media and the like, I am just equally certain I'm not one of them. Easily distracted and do-it-now-while-you're-thinking-about-it-before-the-moment-passes is usually more my style. 

For me a slower and quieter life has looked like this: giving up my iPhone in favor of a more old school type that simply calls and texts. It has the ability to take pictures and "browse the Internet" but those features were so clearly unimportant to the cell designers when this particular phone was made that it's really more of a hassle than anything. I just don't bother. It's also meant blogging less, which gives me more time with my family and quality time as a human to enjoy life instead of constantly trying to "capture it". And doing without Facebook, Twitter and Instagram almost completely. I say almost because I have followed a Facebook link on more than one occasion for a company phone number, etc., and I did stalk a friend's recent delivery of her baby on Instagram via the computer, just to scope sweet baby cheeks :) Guilty + guilty.

Another way I've slowed down is by reading more actual books. I've gone through so many since giving up Facebook that I feel like a newly educated woman again. Bob and I have more to talk about than we have in quite some time, and it's deep topics, not just what so-and-so did on his vacation via social media. (Who cares?)

Another 'nother way I've slowed down is the diminished use of the dryer in our home. Actually it'd be more accurately described as the joyful doing of more of the household duties in general, but for this post's intents and purposes... the dryer. I am fairly certain that I owe my renewed vigor for line-drying clothes in part to two recent reads: All You Need is Less by Madeleine Somerville, and Almost Amish by Nancy Sleeth. Both women write, in their own ways, about the simple joys that can come from line-drying clothes, as well as the positive environmental and financial impacts, too.

"All in all, it had taken about only ten minutes longer than hurriedly throwing everything into the dryer and pressing "Start," and I'd been able to get outside and enjoy some sun and fresh air too. I was hooked. Laundry, usually one of my most hated chores, suddenly became enjoyable." -Madeline, All You Need is Less, p.93

Any old line between two posts will work for drying laundry, here are some of my own personal nuggets of wisdom for first-timers:

1. Before you fold and bring in dried laundry, give it a good shake. More times than I prefer (that would be anything over zero, for the record) I've found a critter in a line-dried garment either before or, the less desirable, after I've brought it inside. Also on that note: you might want to clear cobwebs from the lines before you hang clothes, too. Just a suggestion from a spider-a-phobe whose "been there."

2. Double up on safety pins to save. Here's my tried-and-true method: let's pretend we're hanging a basket of washcloths. I would clip one side of one washcloth, and clip up the other side with a second pin. When I bring up the second washcloth to pin I would overlap the last place I clipped. Make sense? (See photos for examples) That way you're saving space + pins (and therefore money, too!).

3. Take note of the weather. Especially windy days are good for drying loads quickly (got somewhere to be? not sure the rain will hold off?) and extra sunshiny days are great for "bleaching" whiter items. If this is your desire consider adding a 1/8 cup of lemon juice to the wash, too - aids in the all natural "bleaching" of whites.

4. The benefits far outweigh the drawbacks. Most often when I'm hanging clothes my kids are outside playing; benefit number one: they get to see me work, benefit number two: I get to be near them while they play. Also, if they're not around me I can use the quiet moment with beautiful bright colored clothes, fresh air + sunshine to clear my head, or even say a quick prayer. I remember reading about a man who loved to do the dishes because it was his time in prayer with the Lord, that always stuck with me as a great reason to love chores. And finally, the sense of doing something worthwhile with my time - caring for my family, extending the life of our clothes by treating them with care, saving our Earthly and financial resources - is worth the few extra minutes it takes to hang.

So there you have it, my thoughts on line-drying clothes. Have you ever "gone there" with your garments? What was your experience? If you haven't - what's holding you back? I'd love to hear from all sides! Leave your comments below and be sure to check back, I'm a firm believer in every comment deserving a response :) 

EDIBLE // FALL LEAF PIZZA

 

 

This fall leaf pizza recipe is inspired by something I saw recently on Pinterest. The original was a bit more involved with vegetable variety and dough selection. In the spirit of keeping things simple I've dumbed it down a bit. No disrespect to the originating chef, hers was beautiful, too! Anyway, this pizza takes only 3 ingredients and about 20 minutes to make, which is perfect for me since I'm always doing something with at least one of my three tots.

 

Not only does this pizza look fantastic at a Harvest/Thanksgiving/Fall party, it tastes amazing, too! The proof: my dear friend is preggo to the max. Can't eat a thing. Sick. Sick. Sick. Well, she + baby LOVED this pizza! She told me so both in person and in a super sweet thank you card, so you know it must be true! Try it for yourself and watch your guests and your belly smile contently.

 

Ingredients:

 

1 roll pillsbury whole wheat pizza crust

1 container garden vegetable cream cheese

2 C. diced bell peppers

 

How To:

 

- Roll out the pizza dough on a cookie sheet and cut a leaf shape with a pizza cutter. Bake as directed checking often.

- Allow to cool then spread with cream cheese

- Top with LOTS of bell peppers

- Eat it happily!

 

At the par-tay!

 

Tay, Day + Ay loved this pizza for lunch, when they had it again that night at a party, and the next day as leftovers. They'd love for you to click this link (below) and vote for us, too. Thanks, friends!

 

SIMPLE // MEET DENA

I've had the pleasure over the past few weeks of getting to know Dena, who writes the Blog Live. Love. Simple. I fell in love with her Blog title first, if I'm being honest, but my admiration for Dena + her wise ways soon grew. Take a peek at her deep and intelligent writing, and adorable fam dam... you'll soon be star-struck, too. I'm so glad to have found her! I asked her to share with me how she manages to keep her life simple. Because, duh, that's something I struggle with daily! This is what she said:

HOW TO KEEP LIFE SIMPLE AS A MAMA (AKA How to Accomplish the Impossible)

 

Four years ago, I embarked on a journey toward minimalism. I got rid of a lot. You can read all about that here, but today I want to write about minimalism -- or simple living -- and motherhood.

 

It may seem like the two things are impossible to put together, but it can be done... sometimes! We live in a small house and don't have many possessions as compared with the average American family. We've always felt that stuff not only clutters your space, but it also clutters your soul. Plus, if I'm being honest, it's hard enough for me to keep our little house and our little stuff clean as it is. Because simplicity is such an integral part of our lives/happiness/sanity, we talked a lot about simplicity + parenthood before we decided to start a family.

 

I am a big fan of conscious living. I think it's important to evaluate my life and decisions often. One way that I do this is to write down my values once in awhile and reflect on how I am doing in terms of living them. Every time I write down my values, simplicity ends up in my top five. My values usually look something like this: 1. Family / 2. Creativity / 3. Simplicity / 4. Health / 5. Kindness. I have found that the easiest way to keep life simple is to constantly evaluate my decisions (purchases, actions, and so on) against my values. Before I bring anything into our home I ask myself: Does this align with my values? This holds true for things, people, and even ideas. I constantly ask myself: Is this serving me (and my family) well? If the answer is no, I just get rid of it.

 

I have ended "friendships;" quit jobs, and purged many possessions through this method. It's simple but it's also incredibly effective. Motherhood definitely adds a challenging element to the mix. I thought that my husband was going to keel over after my baby shower when I arrived home with a Ford F150 truck bed full of baby stuff. Literally. He said, I don't understand. It's just one, little baby. He was genuinely confused.

 

The fact is that, yes, babies and children need a lot of stuff. But really they don't need as much as the big baby/kid stores would have you believe. We received more little clothing and blankets than we could have used if we'd had triplets. A lot of the stuff ended up going back to the store and got exchanged for other practical necessities like baby food and diapers. It may be tempting to have fifty different adorable onesies, but it's not necessary. Excessive-ness like that will only cause you more headaches and more laundry.

 

Roman is just five-months-old but we plan to maintain our family value of simplicity throughout his life and to, hopefully, pass it along to him. I am happier and healthier since I've started living simply. It doesn't always work. I would be lying if I didn't admit that Roman has three adorable pairs of shoes and he can't even crawl yet, let alone walk. But, at the end of the day, it's all about balance. Like I always say, "Give a little. Take a little. Donate A LOT.

 

 

Thanks for reading. You can check out more about my little family over at my blog, Live, Love, Simple and you can connect with us at Live, Love, Simple on Facebook, too. xo    -Dena

 

Let's keep the positivity + simplicity going! How do you keep life from getting out-of-hand?

Is it a priority for you? What have you found that works and what have you found that doesn't? Please comment below.

 

and as always, please: