Sunday afternoon we decided to visit the state museum. Randy and I had not been in several years (Emily has never been) and it was so stinking hot outside that we needed something to keep us entertained inside. We got admission to the main exhibit AND to the special King Tut exhibit for $20 less than what it would have cost us! Why? Because the AC wasn't working well. Ah, South Carolina! You get us every dang time.
It was a touch warm, but not unbearable inside. And there was just so much to see! Emily loved the King Tut exhibit and she squealed when she saw a dog statue artifact. Whoops. Sorry, startled museum go-ers. She just really loves dogs.
We ventured into the section of the museum full of the state's history. SC gets a bad wrap sometimes (ok, most times) but it really is a fascinating place, both then and now. I loved the exhibits that depicted what it would look like living in the state on an old plantation and was fascinated by the kitchen gadgets people owned just as electricity was becoming a household commodity. I remember seeing a lot of those items in my grandmothers house and it brought back some good childhood memories. I can vaguely remember the small garden at my grandparents house, the laundry line out back and I even have her mixing bowl that I still use to this day.
It's such a stark comparison to life today. I have at least 4 different mixing bowls in our kitchen cupboard and we are constantly running out of room to put things in our house. We are surrounded by excess and it's at times annoying, yet we constantly seek more. I can remember a time not that long ago (less than a year ago) that I wanted a bigger house, a newer car, nicer clothes and more things. But my mindset has significantly shifted. Partly I know because, let's be honest, I have a baby that demands more of my money! I don't have extra money that I can spend on stuff but rather I spend what I do have on things we need. And it's exhausting, the constant searching for and buying the latest thing. Sure, it's fun to find a good deal but do we really need another $5 DVD?
So, we are beginning to think seriously about decluttering our household and our lives. For starters, we have canceled the cable. And we have survived without it (although it is not yet college football seasons, so TBD if we will). Once this sweltering heatwave has passed, we will begin tackling (dum, dum, DUM) our garage and giving away or yard selling most (if not all) of what's in there.
I'm curious. What are ways you have simplified your life? How has it changed you?
*M