Simple Sustainability: Family essentials system for simplicity

by Sky Trombly –

I am about to let you in on a little simplifying secret that no one is really talking about. I’m calling it the “family essentials system” and it has simplified our home life and our budget in useful ways.

I have spent a lot of time deciding what is essential to my day-to-day life. I’ve factored in things like laundry habits and regional climate and our family activities. While many of these factors will vary from family to family, within the family, the factors remain mostly the same. So why reinvent the wheel?

Here’s an example: everyone in my family has two coats. We each have a lightweight rain jacket and a winter coat. These can be layered together or with other parts of our wardrobes to create a complete, 4-season system. We hang them by the door so we always know where they are and what needs replacing or repairing (or washing!).

We apply this essentials system throughout our home. We have two bath towels and four washcloths per person, two sets of bedding each, everyone has a backpack, a toothbrush, and we share a family shampoo bottle. This simplifies our home and the decision-making that goes into it. It puts a convenient cap on our spending habits. Everyone gets their essential needs met as part of the family budget.

You might think that it also quells individuality, but we have an answer to that! For example, while I decided that the 2 coat system really met my needs, I wanted something a little fancier for occasion wear. So, I bought myself a long wool-like blazer style coat which suits dresses, skirts, office wear or can be used to dress up jeans. I used my personal funds to buy this coat.

 

I imagine that as my kids grow older, they will want things beyond the essentials too. You know, what  the cool kids will be wearing, or whatever new hobby they’d like to try. These are things that they could earn through chores, jobs or be gifted at birthdays.

Going through this process will serve to underscore the difference between needs and wants. It will also help them to determine the value of work and money in relation to satisfying their desires and help them build a gauge that is only fine-tuned with practice and reflection. It is a tricky skill we’re all in the process of perfecting.

I hope that the “family essentials system” will serve you in coming up with your own family’s simple, sustainable lifestyle.