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how to live simply in the city
June 12, 2022 Inspiration•Lifestyle•Planet•Self

How to live simply in the city + my favourite slow-living channels

Here are a few tips and takeaways from my favourite slow living channels on how to live simply in the city and craft a more sustainable, more fulfilling life.

If you’re like me then you aspire to live the romantic slow life surrounded by nature and creativity that people kindly share pieces of online.

I’m not under any illusions that it’s an easy life, but I’m still drawn to live more in tune with nature. While a cabin or tiny house in the country is not in my cards for the near future, I can always make the most of what I have now and live simply in the city.

Here are some tips I try to follow that most of us can incorporate into our lives 🙂

How to live simply in the city

Grow your own food

Growing your own food at home is surprisingly easy. While you probably won’t be self-sufficient in a bachelor apartment, the little things you can grow are so satisfying.

Start simply by growing from food scraps or buying seedlings. Feeling a little more adventurous? With a bright enough windowsill or a grow light, you can also grow plants from seeds in home-made pots!

If you’re lucky enough to have a backyard, it’s the perfect place to make a little garden bed, but a balcony with some sunlight will do just as well. I have a covered northwest facing balcony, so flowering veggies like peppers and tomatoes don’t do as well, but lettuce and herbs are happy and prolific. Some little peas even decided to make it!

homegrown vegetables

If you don’t have any outdoor space, you can still grow sprouts in your kitchen (just make sure they drain well between waterings), or small herbs and veggies on a bright windowsill.

Now that you have some fresh veggies, you can use them too…

Learn to cook from scratch

I know living in the city can be expensive and sometimes it takes long working hours just to make ends meet. Even if you only have one day a week though, try making a favourite meal from the whole ingredients. It will take some time, but I promise it will be tasty thanks to all your effort (and often even better than takeout!)

Found a new love for home-made? You can also…

Explore things you can make yourself

From knitting your own sweater, to dying your own clothes, or whittling your own spoon… the opportunities of things you can make from scratch are truly endless. If you’re totally new to the craft, there are tons of kits and tutorials out there to make your first try a little easier. I recently made my own candle from a kit and it was fun, easy, and so satisfying!

In the city, we’re lucky to have so many people available to teach us their unique skills too, so you can find classes for a lot of fun things. I recently made this cream and sugar set at a pottery throwing workshop 🙂

handmade pottery

Speaking of what’s available around you…

Find your local nature oasis and spend time there

There are often little pockets of greenery hidden throughout the city. Find your favourite spot and make it a habit to visit there and recharge.

If you’re lucky enough to have some land or a balcony, you can make it into your own little urban oasis as well.

Discover the joy of exploring your surroundings

Part of the charm of living rurally is taking walks through nature to find beautiful little hidden corners. You can do this in the city as well. Take a walk through a new neighbourhood and see what hidden gems you can find. Or if you want to get away from all the concrete, a little day-trip away from the city will likely bring you to some beautiful farms and nature get-aways.

Spend time with yourself

A big part of living simply is having more time for yourself. Is there some time in your day you could spend getting to know yourself better? Maybe you like to journal, meditate, or explore a hobby. Find some moments in your day or week where you can make time for yourself.

reading a book in nature

Fill your home with nature

Plants are a great way to instantly bring more life into your space. If you don’t have a green thumb though, you can always opt for fresh or dried flowers to brighten up your space and bring in that connection with nature.

If you love the rustic aspect of the simple life, maybe there are useful vintage items you can incorporate into your home.

Remember though, to try and…

Make due with what you have

Everything is so accessible in the city, but another part of simple living is problem-solving and seeing what you can do with the things you already own. You’d be surprised at your own ingenuity!

This is also a nice way to…

Take time to be grateful

With all the advertising we’re fed, it’s no wonder we’re always focused on the next new best thing that will magically make our lives better. Maybe all we’re missing to feel more fulfilled though, is to take a step back and enjoy what we already have around us.

Instead of focusing on the next new thing, try spend time with the people you love, or savouring unique experiences rather than filling your life with objects that only bring temporary joy.

What do you think? Excited about how to live simply in the city? Let me know your best-loved lifestyle tips in the comments below!

My favourite slow-living channels:

If you’re looking for even more inspiration on how to live simply in the city, here are some of my favourite channels to watch. I love the lifestyle and insights they share, which can really be applied wherever we are in the world.

Isabelle Paige

Isabelle lives in a tiny house in the mountains of western USA. She is working to grow a garden so that she and her family can sell the harvest at local markets. She’s not shy about sharing some of the struggles of her life, but equally the joy and beauty that surrounds her. And it truly is stunning!

Isabelle Paige - how to live simply in the city

Eugenia Diaz

Like Isabelle, Eugenia lives in a tiny house, but this time in rural Portugal. She has the most beautiful garden, with plans to grow an even bigger food forest on their land in the coming years. I love permaculture and am so excited to see her beautiful abundant haven come together.

Eugenia Diaz - how to live simply in the city

Her 86m2

If you’re interested in slow living, then you’ve probably come across this popular channel. After having having a child and putting her career as a destination wedding photographer on hold, this creative wonder crafted a beautiful life – first in her 86m2 apartment – and then in a beautiful country house in Germany. She shares stunning recipe and make-it-yourself videos, all with the intention of creating a connected, wholesome life for her family 🙂

Her 86m2 - how to live simply in the city

Thank you so much for reading. I hope you are feeling inspired, and found some actionable steps to live simply in the city and craft a life you love. Whether you aim for a more quiet life as well, or you’re all about the bustle, here’s to a beautiful and fulfilling life.

xoxo

Mariam

simple living

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Happy Earth Day! 🌎💚 I’ve noticed a lot of Happy Earth Day! 🌎💚 I’ve noticed a lot of “earth day sales” in my feed this year, which is fun and exciting, but I just wanted to put a reminder out there that we can’t shop ourselves out of a climate crisis 🌷 Of course choosing to support sustainable businesses is an important part of the picture, but it can sometimes distract us from other important things that quietly slip by.

Do you have a beautiful nature reserve that is getting sold off to land developers? (I know that’s a problem where I live). Is there are park you love that is littered in garbage? Are you missing a compost option in your town?

These things that are a little harder than clicking “buy now”, but are equally as important! This earth day, I’d like to encourage you to take a little time to see what is going on where you live and where your support might be appreciated. I know this is an area I need to improve in as well.

What are you doing this earth day that doesn’t require shopping? 💖

♡♡♡ 

#thekindestlife #thekindestlifeblog #earthday2023 #earthdayeveryday #loveearth #supportyourcommunity #kindliving #sustainable #sustainableliving #sustainablelifestyle #natureisbeautiful #natureisamazing #protectourplanet #protectouroceans #protectourcoast #thefutureisinourhands #youcanmakeadifference #earthday
💖 Trying to practice gratefulness, but having a 💖 Trying to practice gratefulness, but having a hard time finding things you are grateful for? Just think of what makes you happy! 😊

Start with one every day, and of course you can always add more ✨ Here are 5 things I’m grateful for lately. If you have any you’d like to share, please leave a comment below! We can get a little collection of happy, grateful moments going together too look back on ☺️

Hope you have a wonderful day 🤗

♡♡♡ 

#thekindestlife #thekindestlifeblog #gratefulness #gratefuleveryday #gratefulthankfulblessed #gratefulmindset #happymoment #happinesscomesfromwithin #cuteanimals #happinessiseverywhere #happinesseverywhere #littlemomentsofhappiness #littlemomentsofmylife #littlemomentsoflove #loveyourself #loveiseverywhere #itsthelittlethingsinlife #itsthelittlethingsthatmatter  #smallmoments #smallmomentsaregold #smallmomentsofjoy #practicegratitude
How many can you spot? 👀 Once in a while we ju How many can you spot? 👀

Once in a while we just need to do things a little different and shake up the routine 💫 It’s so easy to get used to the normal every day, but there is something really energizing about exploring a new place or activity.

What have you tried lately? 

Today we spent a nice afternoon looking at and learning about frogs @rbgcanada 🙂 They’re surprisingly interesting, and it was a fun challenge to try to spot all of them… frogs can be quite good at camouflaging! 🥸 

Did you find all three?

#thekindestlife #thekindestlifeblog #trysomethingnew #trysomethingneweveryday #trysomethingdifferent #naturechallenge #eyespy #froggies #frogs #royalbotanicalgardensburlington #canyoufindit #conservationmatters #protectwildlife #protectnature
A big hug from Coral! 🤗 This little cutie want A big hug from Coral! 🤗

This little cutie wants to wish you a wonderful day! I hope that everything goes smoothly, and even if you have those inevitable challenges, know that this little one is rooting for you! You will get through it! 💖

Also thank you so much for voting 😊 All the names were so cute it was really hard to decide! She is so sweet and loves to explore new places every chance she gets, which is what we did right after this little clip 😊 

#thekindestlife #thekindestlifeblog #hamsterlove #hamstercuddles #youwillgetthroughthis #encouraged #yougotthis #morningencouragement #youareloved #youaresoloved #ahugforyou #haveagoodday
Hello! 🐹 I am a new fluffy member of The Kindes Hello! 🐹
I am a new fluffy member of The Kindest Life family! So far, I really like exploring my new home 🏡 I don’t have an official name yet, so if have any ideas please leave them in the comments 💕 

♡♡♡ 

#thekindestlife #thekindestlifeblog #furryfriend #hamsterofinstagram #hamstersarethecutest #hamstergram #hamsterdaily #dwarfhamster #petsarethebest #ineedaname #petsbringjoy #lookingforideas
There’s nothing like a blanket of fresh snow ☃ There’s nothing like a blanket of fresh snow ☃️

It seems that we’ve been getting all our winter weather right at the end of the season 😅 but I’m happy to get to experience the magic of fluffy white snow!

I often feel conflicted stepping through an undisturbed field. They are just so peaceful and beautiful untouched! ❄️ At the same time, there’s something special about seeing exactly where you’ve been. It’s an interesting reminder that every step you take (or don’t take) has an impact on this planet and the lives on it, including your own.

Lately I’ve been liking making these footprints hearts when I have the chance 💚

What marks do you want to leave behind?

♡♡♡ 

#thekindestlife #thekindestlifeblog #snowsnowsnow #snowydays #footprintsinthesnow #thoughtoftheday #thoughtofthenight #thoughtoftheday💭 #snowyday❄️ #snowyweather #everystepcounts #everystepmatters #kindnessmatters #loveandwildhearts #heartsinthesnow #leaveloveeverywhere #loveiseverywhere
☀️Be in the moment☀️ This beautiful sunset ☀️Be in the moment☀️
This beautiful sunset light only lasted a few moments. If I hadn’t looked up from my phone, I would have missed it! So many special moments like this can be so fleeting, so take time to really experience them ✨Whether it’s time laughing loved ones, spring sun on your skin, that first morning sip of coffee ☕️ … those little moments that build a magical life.

What’s a meaningful moment you’ve experienced recently?

♡♡♡ 

#thekindestlife #thekindestlifeblog #stopandsmelltheflowers #stopandsmelltheroses #specialmoments❤️ #specialmomentsinlife #magicalmoment #magicalmoments #sunsetlight #sunsetvibes #itsthelittlethingsinlife #itsthelittlethingsthatmatter
✨💕 however you’re spending your valentines ✨💕 however you’re spending your valentines / galentines / palentines day, know that you are loved! 💕✨

♡♡♡ 

#thekindestlife #thekindestlifeblog #valentinesday #palentines #galentines #palentinesday #galentinesday #loveyourselffirst #youareloved #youareloved❤️ #youarenotalone❤️ #celebratelove #spreadloveandlovewillspread
We’re having a cold spell, so summer seems even We’re having a cold spell, so summer seems even more appealing today! These little snippets of last year are at least warming my heart ☀️🌸🐞🏖️
How are you staying warm (or cool for my friends down under) this season?

♡♡♡ 

#thekindestlife #thekindestlifeblog #isitsummeryet #stayingwarm #stayingwarmandcozy #dreamingofsummer
Fly ~ ✨ My sister found this pretty butterfly w Fly ~ ✨

My sister found this pretty butterfly when she was visiting last fall. 

It was a windy day and the poor thing was getting buffeted around 😢 so she helped it to the shelter of some bushes so it could rest.

Seeing this photo again made me think of all the hopes we often hold for the new year.

Dreams can feel big and powerful, but often I find they are delicate creatures like this butterfly… Throughout the year, we sometimes encounter windy days that batter them around, but here is your reminder to hold them gently and nurture them so that they can continue on their journey!

Let your dreams soar 🦋

♡♡♡ 

#thekindestlife #thekindestlifeblog #newyearsresolutions #hopesanddreams #newyearnewgoals #newyearnewdreams #2023goals #begentlewithyourself #nurtureyourself #butterflyphotography #butterflylove #monarchmigration #letyourdreamstakeflight #restandrecharge #bekindtoyourself #kindess #crushyourgoals #gentleliving #livekindly
Winter or summer? I’m more of a spring person, Winter or summer?

I’m more of a spring person, but I can’t deny how magical and peaceful a white snowy landscape can be! Especially when cozied up with a warm drink, a craft, good book, or loved one 😊

Though the days are colder and darker, there’s still plenty you can do to add some cheer into the day. I like baking something tasty, walking in the woods all bundled up, visiting a new cafe… or even (gasp) leaving the holiday lights up that little bit longer 🤭

How are you staying cozy this season?

♡♡♡ 

#thekindestlife #thekindestlifeblog #wintermood #winterseason #winterisbeautiful #snowyday #snowydays #cozydays #cozywinter #cozyseason #winteractivities #staycozy #staycozyclub #snowflakesfalling #fluffysnow
Hope you’re having a cozy day! ♡♡♡ #the Hope you’re having a cozy day!

♡♡♡ 

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Stepping into the unknown 🌫️✨ I like foggy Stepping into the unknown 🌫️✨

I like foggy mornings as a reminder to be present where I am, and to be comfortable with the unknown. 💖

Since I can’t see too far ahead, my surroundings seem that much closer and dearer. Meanwhile the fog somehow cradles me… a promise to hold me safe as I learn to trust.

Since I can’t see too far ahead, I have to have faith in myself; that I am good where I am, and that as I step forward I am going in the right direction for me.

What do you think of foggy days? Do they hold a special kind of magic for you? I’d love to hear 😊

♡♡♡ 

#thekindestlife #thekindestlifeblog #foggymorning #foggyday #fogisbeautiful #morningmusings #adventureanywhere #leapintotheunknown #exploreeverywhere #introspective #youarestrong #youareloved #youarelimitless #selfdiscovery #natureisthebestteacher #learningfromlife #youhaveeverythingyouneed #youaresupported #trustyourself #trustyourintuition #trustandbelieve #followyourheart #yourheartknows #yourheartknowstheway #naturelover #naturelife #lakeontario #foggylake #intotheunknown
Here’s your reminder to take some time to breath Here’s your reminder to take some time to breathe ☺️

☀️🌳💕

Spending time outside always makes me feel better… How do you like to recentrer and recharge?

Hope this weekend leaves you feeling peaceful and refreshed ✨

♡♡♡ 

#thekindestlife #thekindestlifeblog #selfcareday #selfcaretime #naturehealing #naturehealsthesoul #treelover #treemagic #getoutinnature #taketimeforyou #taketimeforyourself #remembertosmile #remembertolive #remembertobreathe
“Grow through what you go through” — literal “Grow through what you go through” — literally when you’re these cute flowers! 🌻 I always love passing by flowers growing in unexpected places 😊 

Work has been so busy lately that I haven’t been able to post as much as I’d like, but I’m trying to take inspiration from these pretty blooms and keeping my head up 🌱

How have you been doing lately? Wishing you all the best!

♡♡♡ 

#thekindestlife #thekindestlifeblog #growthroughwhatyougothrough #yougotthis #natureistherapy #natureisthebestteacher #flowersinunexpectedplaces #bloomlikeaflower #keepyourheadup #youarethebest
The answer you’ve been waiting for! ⬇️ In m The answer you’ve been waiting for! ⬇️

In my previous reel I did a 2 truths and 1 lie, and here are the answers!

🥁🥁🥁

I do have a bachelor of design in textiles, and I spent a month on a farm in Japan through the WWOOF exchange program 👩‍🌾, so option 3 was the lie 🤥 
Sadly I didn’t grow up with chickens, but it is my dream for the future to have a little piece of land with a steam running through it, some chickens for eggs, and a garden 😊

Did you guess correctly? What are your dreams for the future?

Let’s chat in the comments below 😊

♡♡♡ 

#thekindestlife #thekindestlifeblog #2truthsand1lie #gettoknowme #balconygardening #dreamsforthefuture #lifegoalsinprogress #lifeislove #wwoofing
2 truths and 1 lie! Can you guess the answer?✨ 2 truths and 1 lie! Can you guess the answer?✨

My friend @_naturallyzephyr recently did this on her page and I thought it would be such a fun way to introduce myself! Which do you think are the truths, and which one is the lie? Let me know in the comments 😊

1. 
I studied textiles in University, but have only done typical retail/office jobs 👗

2.
I spent a month living and working on a farm in Japan! 🏯

3.
I had a chicken growing up that had so much attitude  she scared the neighbourhood cats 🐣

What do you think?

See you next week with the answers!

♡♡♡ 

#thekindestlife #thekindestlifeblog #gettoknowme #2truths1lie #2truthsandalie #letsplayagame #risingcreativesclub
Sometimes life surprises you 🌸 Did you know th Sometimes life surprises you 🌸

Did you know that air plants could bloom? … I didn’t! 

It’s been a really busy last few weeks at work, and honestly I’ve felt a little overwhelmed, but this cute little flower popped up and really made my day. 😊

What fun thing have you discovered lately? Let me know in the comments!

Hope you’re all doing well 💕

♡♡♡ 

#thekindestlife #thekindestlifeblog #hopeinthedark #airplantsofinstagram #airplantlove #surpriseflowers #surpriseflowersarethebest #hanginthere #youvegotthis #everythingyouneedwillcome #plantshelfie #plantsandcrystals #airplantbloom
Leave a ☀️ below if you agree! Looking throug Leave a ☀️ below if you agree!

Looking through "the art of picnics" by
@alannaoneilphoto I saw this page and thought it was the perfect reminder to enjoy these special moments of summer 😊

How will you treasure this season?

(Also, I'm so excited to have a picnic now! Will you join me? 😄)

♡♡♡ 

#thekindestlife #thekindestlifeblog #lovesummer
#savoursummer #savorsummer #itsthelittlemoments
#everymomentcounts #slowliving #slowsummer
#summerlove #summerisfinallyhere #selfkindness
#bekindtoyourself #taketimeforyourself #iamworthy
#begentle #selfcareisntselfish #selfcareeveryday #summerquotes
New blog post! (link in bio) ✨ If you’re like New blog post! (link in bio) ✨
If you’re like me and aspire to that romantic slow life, but it’s not quite in your cards yet… you can still live a similar lifestyle even in the city or suburbs 🌱🌻

Read the post for some of my favourite ways to live slowly in urban settings, plus my favourite inspiring people to watch! 🌟

Do you have any favourite lifestyle tips or people? I’d love to hear them in the comments ☺️

♡♡♡ 

#thekindestlife #thekindestlifeblog #urbanhomestead #simplelivinglifestyle #sustainablelifestyles #sustainablelivingtips #ecofriendlylifestyle #ecolove #creativeselfcare #loveourplanet #livingsimply #quietlife #urbanrurallife #slowliving #slowlivingmovement #slowlivingtips #apartmentgardening #apartmentgardens #apartmentgardener #homemadeliving #handmadeceramicsdesign #makeityourself #handmadeliving #urbanoasis #selfcare #selfcaretime #readingcorner
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