I am excited to see my friend and fellow blogger Tammy Strobel featured in the New York Times today. Inspired by books and blog entries about living simply, Tammy and her husband, Logan Smith, both 31, began donating some of their belongings to charity. Eventually giving up their car and using only bicycles for transportation and than leaving her day job and relocating to Portland, Oregon, Tammy and Logan have made some major changes in their lives.
Read the complete article called But Will It Make You Happy? at the New York Times website and visit Tammy’s website Rowdy Kittens and follow her journey there.
Photo Credit: New York Times
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Nice to see the movement get more exposure! I like her blog–added it to my feed reader.
I’ve followed Rowdy Kittens for most of their journey now and they truly are happy… Like many who have ditched the old way of thinking, the new has truly given them a new lease on life. The simplicity movement is past due.
well from her blog it looks she is making a simpler living by selling e-books to people on how to do the same thing…I am dying to see someone be more creative than that…. everyone seems to be doing that…or is it just me? My husband and I live a simple life teaching languages over the web.
What languages?
English and Spanish
That’s admirable!
Congrats Tammy! Well deserved….perhaps I can interview you for my follow-up book down the road.
-Deek
relaxshacks.com
Congratulations Tammy! Big milestone!
The first step is changing the habit of runaway consumption, destroy your Costco Card, reduce CC’s to no more than two, cook at home, plant a garden even if it’s in a box and support farmers markets, shop local and think locally.
My wife lived in a tree house before we met and I lived in a 120 sq ft cabin. This was 30 years ago and people are just finding out less is more!
True happiness was hi-jacked after WW2 by a false sense of contentment in materialism. You can lead a horse to costco but you can’t make purchase a case of water…
Well said, Arlos… From your mouth to the general public’s ear 😉
Eight years ago I was a producer and promotions manager for FOX TV, until I came home one day and realized I was working my tail off to support the mortgage bankers and credit card companies.
After half a dozen or so yard sales, lots of trips to Goodwill and Salvation Army, and inviting friends over to “please, take my stuff!”, I paired down enough to sell my house and move into a 250 sq ft 1955 “vintage” trailer that I refurbished. Also unloaded the luxury SUV, ride my Trek, and have a car sharing arrangement.
Now I work at home building my own website and blogs, social networking, Youtubeing et.al. My place is on a creek in Oregon and I have a garden. Am I happy? Yeah, most of the time -except when I take a closer look at the bigger planetary issues going on right now. Would I recommend this lifestyle. Absolutely – but don’t all move to Oregon, please! 😀
Living small is nothing new. But the attention and general media support is.
“Give it away? But I’ll need it once a year for [some specific situation]!”
I live in Oregon as well, and not to sound disrespectful but why are people relocating to Oregon, more specifically Portland, when doing these types of things?
I’m not complaining, just curious if I’m the only one who’s noticed this or not?
i’ve always wondered why Oregonians always, always say to other Americans, welcome to visit us but please don’t stay!!! That just kind of urks me. Isn’t Oregon in the United States of America? I have been to and through Oregon many times over the last 45 years (I’m 69) and to be truthful, I don’t see anything that would make me want to move to Oregon.
Oregon is attractive because so many people embrace and live the sustainable eco friendly lifestyle. It’s funny that they do not encourage people to move there. I think that similar to Seattle (though they hate being compared ) many people move there and complain about the rain and clouds. I have lived in both places. Great people and it is beautiful.. However not enough sun for me.. I will say people are very nice and even though Portland is what I would call a large city they don’t have that pushy big city mentality ..it is A little spendy to live there.. Not like CHI or NY or LA..
That’s my two cents.. Love seeing and hearing about living simply. I just gave away my 5 QT crock pot.. That should count!