Life and living seems much simpler when we are on holiday. And good holidays do not necessarily depend on exotic locations and luxurious accommodation, although these certainly are pleasurable. Many people choose to take their breaks from work in considerably simpler surroundings than those in which they live at home. Indeed, one of the pleasures of being on holiday is the opportunity to enjoy basic meals, often eaten, and maybe prepared, in the open. Nothing tastes better or smells more appetising than fresh food, simply prepared and quickly cooked outdoors. It is easy enough, weather permitting, to enjoy the same experience at home.
When we stop to consider, easy living is what most people want from a holiday. Once, twice or even, if we are lucky, three times a year, we invest money in the quest for sunny weather, good food and beautiful surroundings to escape from all that makes life complicated and demanding. Two weeks later we are back at home, where the holiday spirit often wears off as fast as the suntan. But there is no reason why this should be so.
Easy living means the physical ease of simplicity, where practical tasks can be performed without frustration, fuss or muddle, where upkeep is straightforward and there is enough space and light to go around. However such living means getting the ‘basic framework’ right.
Easy living here also means the psychological freedom of coming through the front door of our home and experiencing the sensation of kicking off our shoes. This can happen when our home provides room for self-expression and pleasure, when it feels like ours, not anyone else’s and it enable us to stay in touch with what we enjoy.
Everything seems straightforward when we are on holiday. Daily tasks like cooking, cleaning, etc., get done even though we don’t have as many gadgets that we have at home and that are supposed to help us to make our life simpler. We may begin with a relatively clean slate but within a short time, we find ourselves sharing our home with clutter; gadgets we never use; instruction manuals for gadgets we no longer own; unwelcome gifts, clothes that neither fit nor suit us, books that don’t bear a second reading or worse still, books that, if we are honest with ourselves, are never going to be read at all. Clutter can be expensive, it is simply a waste of energy, where ordinary routines are unnecessarily complicated and there is a constant feeling of working in our own shadow.
It takes determination and ruthlessness to identify our redundant baggage and get rid of it. Sad but certainly wise. So if you want to keep the feeling and energy that you had while you were on holiday, I, as a designer, suggest the first thing you should do is make sure the basic frame of your home is right. The space, the lighting, the services, the structure, the surfaces and finishes are right. And then, and only then, can you think about bringing back your belongings indoors. Even then you must always keep in mind to keep only those things that contribute something positive to your life, whether aesthetically, emotionally or practically. Remember, Easy Living demands a home that works as well as it looks!
