If I counted up all of my prized possessions, it would be a short list and generally available to all for less than $500. (Of course, I don’t count those things I love such as my little furry beings because they are my family, not possessions. Plus, they have turned out to be REALLY expensive and that would ruin the whole mojo of this post.)
First, there is my new phone case/wallet. Men won’t understand because they haven’t been tethered to two leather straps sliding off of their shoulders for at least 30 years. But, a case that holds my phone, money and a few cards? Darnit, I’m in heaven for the low-low price of $18.99 plus tax.
Then, there is the necklace I imagined I was buying for my niece that I was really buying for me and kept for myself. It’s a simple gold chain with a solid gold charm in the middle. Completely understated and likely overlooked by everyone else. For me? I bought it during that glorious month I was unemployed after leaving my job as a CEO and joining my job at the firm. This is my one semi-expensive item; it cost about $200 but it represents me investing in a new way of life. It’s the total symbolism that counts here.
There is the one pair of Gap shorts I put into my cart two years ago that I had major doubts about. I needed shorts, these weren’t quite what I was looking for but I was done shopping. Today, they are my favorite-ist ever pair of shorts. Grand total: about $20 on sale but they fit perfectly. And the color/texture of the fabric I was worried about? I just love it.
Finally, there is my clothesline. Initial installation was probably about $50-60 as we had to buy the wood, paint, and initial hanging supplies. Today’s maintenance costs? About $15 every other year when I have to replace the clothesline.
At my heart, I am a simple girl. I really enjoy staying home and if I do go out, hanging out with my sisters at the Lake or having dinner and a drink with my husband at a craft brewery are my two favorite things to do. I enjoy cooking simple meals and the pleasure of cooking is sometimes overshadowed by the necessity of cooking, when it becomes a chore. I love my furry things and spend likely too much time worrying about their well-being. And I adore my clothesline.
Hanging clothes for me is a Zen experience. First, I’m always in a hurry. Hanging clothes? Well, it only moves so fast. Secondly, hanging clothes is good for both my pocketbook and the environment. Each time I hang clothes I remind myself that I saved all of the cost of operating a dryer. Clothes hung on the line outside also smell incredible. I mean, there is no other smell like it. Especially when you crawl into bed with sheets that have been freshly dried outside? I could literally just lay there and sniff the sheets for hours if that wasn’t too weird. I also like that the wind blows wrinkles out of my clothes and the UV light from the sun sanitizes my clothes. I like that the sun also bleaches out sweat stains and keeps my whites super white. But what I love the most? Well, that’s personal.
My mom always hung out clothes. She had the setup off of our back porch to the corner of the garage where the clothesline was on a pully system. She could literally stand in one spot and hang a load of clothes. When taking them down, she stood in the same spot. It was the 70’s and lots of people hung out clothes, but my mom was usually the first in the neighborhood to get that load of laundry out there in spring (sometimes late winter) and the last in fall finally shutting down the line drying process for the winter. Even in winter, she hung clothes in our basement. She made lines in the basement and used a couple of racks for the small things. Rarely, did she ever use the dryer. We had a dryer fire once and mom was afraid of it. As teenagers who had a particular pair of jeans we NEEDED for whatever social event was happening, mom was a bit unsympathetic. If it was wet, it would have to line dry. So sorry for the inconvenience.
Today, when I hang clothes, it reminds me of my mom. More than ever, I can understand the simple pleasure she got from hanging clothes. There’s nothing like putting a load of laundry on my hip, trekking out to my clothesline and contemplating life as I hang out my clothes to dry. Every time I do it, I am reminded that I chose a more simple life and that this is one of the rewards. Every. Single. Time. Each load fills me with an appreciation that I can now take 15 minutes out of my day to carefully hang a load of laundry and let it dry in its own sweet, good time. If I don’t get back out there when it’s first dry, there’s no pressure. My clothes aren’t slowly gathering wrinkles sitting in the dryer. Instead, they’re patiently blowing in the breeze collecting all of those good scents that I’ve come to adore.
And hanging clothes does the one thing that few other activities can ever do: it slows me down. As I walk out the back door, reach the clothesline and drop the basket onto the ground to begin hanging clothes, I get the feeling that it’s my time. As I’m doing something productive, I’m also getting a short guilt-free breather. I smell the air, appreciate the warmth of the sunshine and enjoy the breeze all while calculating what this means for my task. Sunny, warm and breezy? These clothes could be dry in less than an hour (and about equal the time of the clothes dryer). A little overcast? No breeze? It may take a little more time.
And when I’m out there hanging clothes? Well, it seems like I’ve got all of the time in the world.
So, of all my so-called worthy possessions, it basically comes down to just four that feel like they are life-changing, either for what they are or what they represent. The new wallet/phone carrier? Simplicity and freedom from that clunky bag on my shoulder. The necklace? A new life. The shorts? Unexpected comfort and style – a rare win for someone who is awkwardly shaped. And the clothesline? A connection to powerful things – my mom, my childhood, my environment, my desired pace of life and my own deliberate attempt at simplicity.
I hang clothes. It’s just what I do.
The Yuppie Homesteader 