"Simple living is about a powerful change in attitude and how you apply that change to the way you live"
Introduction
This book is a manual or self help book designed to show a clear way to take control of what you do each day.
Topics include:
- Saving and Spending
- Home
- Housework
- Organisation
- Sustainable garden
- Nutrition and cooking
- Recipes
There are detailed sections on each topic.
The author also shares personal experiences and provides practical steps.
Book Details
Title: Down to Earth
Author: Rhonda Hetzel
Published: First published by Penguin Group Australia 2012
Republished as a paper back by Viking 2020
Genre: Self-help, Sustainable living
Audience: Young adults who need help becoming independent. Also anyone who is toying with the idea of living with intent to achieve a fulfilling life. Also parents who want to be good role models for their children.
Page count: 324
A Summary
The first two sections called Living Simply and Ages and Stages give an introduction to living a simple life and how it can be achieved at different times of your life.
The section on saving and spending is a comprehensive study of your finances with over 30 pages describing practical steps on how save and pay off debt.
The next section on housework describes exactly how to do the housework including recipes for home made cleaning solutions for clothes and surfaces. There are even recipes for personal hygiene like soap and face cream.
The section on organising your life has tips and practical steps for organising and decluttering all your belongings. No matter if you are a housework queen or a complete newbie these sections are full of great ideas.
The final sections are all about gardening and cooking.
"You have never really tasted a potato until you taste a new potato, dug that afternoon and steamed with butter and parsley."
The section on home-grown self-reliance has sections on why bother to garden then how to enrich your soil, how to choose what you grow then how to grow it and harvest it and also how to save seeds.
There is also a chapter on growing in containers. You are never left wondering what to do.
The next section follows on with with more outdoor activities like controlling pests, keeping chickens, how to compost and show to look after your gardening tools.
The final sections cover food storage, preserving your harvest, shopping, cooking from scratch and some basic recipes.
My Impressions
I feel like nothing is left to chance. Everything you need to know is laid out in a logical and easy to read step by step fashion.
If you're an old timer like me you may not need all the instructions but I found the homemade cleaning product recipes something worth keeping. I also enjoyed the introductory chapters of each section explaining why simple living is worthwhile.
There are lots of nice photos including beautiful full age images. I found it a lovely book to browse through picking out parts to read.
It's set out like a beautiful text book and would make a perfect gift for anyone starting out on their own.
Everyone needs to know how to create a budget, how to do housework and how to organise and plan.
It is not just aimed at people who want to simplify their life. It's also a great guide for anyone who wants to build a great life.
Does the author achieve what she set out to achieve?
"We are encouraged to work out entire lives so that big business remains healthy, the country prospers and we skill ourselves in how to earn a living rather than how to live a life."
Throughout the book the author is throwing out challenges. She clearly explains what to do and why it matters then leaves the decision up to the reader.
"Be bold, step up and take back what is yours."
Each section lays out the skills you need. The overall message is one of taking back your independence.
Becoming capable, productive and independent is simple, not easy, but also essential if you want to lead a fulfilling life.
I try to live my life without being wasteful and I agree with the sentiment in the book.
I have a budget and I keep track of my spending. I can knit and sew and crochet and mend and I have passed those skills onto my children.
However, I am not interested in making my own yoghurt or butter. I'm not interested in growing my own zucchinis and tomatoes. I'm not interested in home made washing powder.
I've tried all theses things in the past and I'm happy that I don't need to do things things, but I could if I needed to. I have skills I can call on.
If you or your family or friends don't have these basic skills of self-sufficiency and you would like to know where to start this book is a perfect resource to get you going.
If you have an idea that you want a simpler life this book will show you how to achieve that step by step.
Is the layout logical?
The book is well organised and it is easy to follow section to section or you can jump from one section to another without getting lost.
There are lots of sub-sections or chapters that are logically laid out in the contents pages.
The introduction for each section explains why the author thinks the topic is important or useful. Her attitude of giving advice while saying that you have to work out what suits you is very encouraging and friendly.
Is this a good self-help book?
This book is not a self-sufficiency manual. It is more a combination of the topics that you often find in separate books like housekeeping or homemaking or gardening or how to organise your life.
You might think that by fitting all those topics into one book that it couldn't possibly contain enough information on each topic. I think that by including the basics on a range of related life skills the book comes across as a convenient resource that makes it all seem very doable.
You don't have to live on acreage and kill your own sheep to lead a simple and organised life. I think it puts a more sustainable and rewarding life within the reach of ordinary people with big dreams.
This book doesn't just provide opinion and information, it provides hope, and that is such a positive message.
Conclusion
I have to say that I really enjoyed looking closely at this book. As I have indicated throughout, this book is a great manual for life. I loved reading it and yes it is very readable. It is not just tips and instructions.
Rhonda's passion for a simple and organised life comes through on every page.
I found the layout with a main section then sub-sections or chapters very easy to follow. It was easy to find a particular topic of interest. I think this would be a great book for anyone starting out on their journey to independence.
Happy reading,
Val
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