Slow Living - Live more slowly - By Native

Slow Living - Living and living more slowly

27/07/2022

Slow Living is a lifestyle, a philosophy and a state of being. It is a low impact way of life that takes care of itself and the environment by living in an organic, natural way.

The art of slow living sounds like a cliché, but it's true. You don't wake up one morning and decide that you want to "live slowly," but you have to figure out how to make it happen for you personally.

What are the ideas and values behind Slow Living and what do they do for you and your home? Find out here how you can live more slowly and furnish your house or apartment lovingly and consciously for yourself.

 

What is Slow Living?

Especially for those of us who live in cities, modern life can feel hectic, demanding, and sometimes relentless.
Thanks to all of our technological tools that allow us to get more and more done, the days seem to run away . The more we have to do, the less time we seem to have for ourselves. The ideal of "more and faster" is losing its luster.

But what happens to us when we slow down? Understandably, this is a pretty scary thought for many of us. We may think that we will no longer complete tasks or that we will miss something. 

The idea of slow living is not about literally moving in slow motion. Living more slowly means setting limits to the speed of our everyday lives, consciously taking our time and valuing it. 

When we slow down, we become more intensely engaged with what we're doing, and so we're forced to deal with what's going on inside of us. That's why that's one of the reasons we find it so hard to slow down. Speed can lead to a form of denial. Instead of facing essential, personal questions, everything becomes a superficial to-do list.

Slow Living stems from the need for a better, more balanced way of living and getting back to what really makes us happy. It encompasses ideas that have been around for centuries and are firmly rooted in many ancient cultures, yet it is a consequence of the overwhelming busyness of modern life.

Quality rather than quantity is a theme, diving into the important things, leaving out the unnecessary, doing things right rather than quickly, and enjoying them more. We need to slow down and appreciate the little things that otherwise pass us by.

If your current lifestyle is packed with activities and commitments, but you feel like you're missing out on time for yourself, your family, or whatever is important to you, then the slow lifestyle probably has a lot to offer you.

Slow Living starts at home

For many of us, the change of pace begins at home. In doing so, the Slow Living lifestyle brings objects, habits and values into our homes that bring us closer to our authentic selves. 

Time is perhaps our most precious commodity and the most difficult to acquire. In order to make time for the important things, we need to know what they are. Define what is really important to you so that you can develop a lifestyle that allows you to spend more time on these essential things. Saying no to things that are not important is just as important as saying yes to things that are important.

In the age of digitalization, we often forget how nice it was to simply be out in nature, not constantly available. Or to stay in bed longer on the weekend and make ourselves comfortable with a good book. Instead, we move from computer to smartphone, from screen to display, and from one commitment to the next. 

However, it is important to pause, slow down life and return to a more conscious and reflective existence. Give yourself breaks, allow yourself to not be constantly available, and take time for things that really make you happy. Whether you want to express your creativity through painting, exercise your green thumb in gardening, nurture your body and mind with yoga, or explore nature with hikes; get closer to yourself and consciously perceive your environment, because that's what the Slow Lifestyle is all about. 

 

Out in nature: gardening clears the mind (Photo Credit: Kruut)

 

Slow Living - Live and feel good

When we rid ourselves of the unimportant, we have more room for the simple pleasures of life and for the things that really matter to us. A cluttered home too often means a cluttered mind. Therefore, clean out your home and say goodbye to things that no longer have value for you. To live slowly, you don't necessarily have to get rid of everything. Slow living isn't about how few things you own, it's about taking time to enjoy the things you love. The rest is just ballast.

With Slow Interior, you design your furnishings so that each room not only has its own function, but also its own meaning for you. A clearly defined work area, for example, signals when you leave: Now it's time to relax, time to be with family or read a book on the sofa. A carefully furnished kitchen reveals: Here is a place to consciously enjoy food. 

So Slow Living allows you to organize your home and create rituals to feel good. A boundary between work and recreation and dining areas helps you to prioritize and notice: Enjoyable eating, conscious rest and relaxation are just as important in life as concentrated work.

Conscious furnishing with Slow Interior 

Slow Interior asks us to make choices that minimize the consumption of resources. Those who want to live more slowly and, above all, reduced to the essentials, cannot avoid natural materials such as wood, rattan, linen, wool, organic cotton or stone. Wood in particular succeeds like no other material to convey coziness and tranquility and yet radiate a simple and high-quality overall image.
What applies to the feel or the material also applies to the color world. Slow Living primarily uses subtle colors to give the body and mind the consistency it needs, also in terms of color psychology.
 
When choosing new furniture and accessories, be sure to select individual, high-quality pieces that have a purpose, truly enrich your living experience, and fill you with joy at the same time. 
Important here is on the one hand the quality and durability of the materials and on the other hand their sustainability. They must come from environmentally conscious production and be obtained and processed under fair working conditions. You can learn more about which natural materials and fabrics are sustainable in our blog articles "What does sustainable living mean for your home?" and "Sustainable materials.
But how do you actively design your living space exactly the way you like it and at the same time support you in Slow Living? We'll give you some tips on how you can design individual rooms:

 

Less is more: Slow in the bedroom

 

The bedroom as a place of retreat

To come to rest and relax after a long day, that's exactly what your bedroom should be for. Pay attention to minimalist furnishings, because crowded rooms cause restlessness; a condition that we want to avoid especially here. In addition to a wardrobe, chest of drawers and a warm and comfortable bed that prevents sleepless nights, perhaps find a place for a nightstand or a shelf for books and a good reading lamp. 
If you want to feel good all around and decelerate your own life, you need light and warmth - also in terms of furnishings. Since we often surround ourselves all day with cold light sources such as office lights, computer screens and cell phone displays, it is all the more important to surround ourselves in our own four walls with warm light sources that allow us to relax. You should avoid electronic devices such as TVs and smartphones in the bedroom, because staring at screens and displays often leads to sleep problems. It can also do us good to have a retreat without Netflix, social media and YouTube.

 

Wellness oasis bathroom

This room should also not be cluttered, but equipped with inviting and natural materials. A linen shower curtain can replace the plastic one, and natural cosmetics can be stored in beautiful woven baskets to avoid clutter. 

Occasionally take a moment just for yourself and enjoy an extensive bath with scented candles. This way you can release tension and ensure a calm, clear head. 

 

The kitchen for conscious enjoyment

Set up this space so that it encourages you to cook with pleasure & often! A dining table made of high-quality solid wood, quality kitchen appliances and fresh ingredients can inspire you to be creative and discover new dishes. Keep ingredients organized in glass containers so you can find them quickly and plant fresh herbs on your windowsill. Not only will they make cooking more fun, but the food will taste even better. 
Give the room a special role in your home by creating a positive atmosphere with your own cooking and eating rituals. For example, you can listen to music while preparing food, decorate the table with tablecloths and washable napkins made of natural fabrics, or introduce a smartphone ban while eating.
To live slowly, you don't necessarily have to part with everything. Slow living is not about how few things you own, but about taking time to enjoy the things you love.
By the way, Slow Living can be wonderfully combined with different styles or movements such as California Cool, the Tiny House Movement or even elements of Wabi-Sabi. You can learn more about them, their advantages and the values behind them in our blog article about different inspiring living styles and ideas.
Pausing for a moment, getting away from the sensory overload of a digitalized world of mass consumption: That's the idea behind Slow Living .
Slow Living is triggering a rethinking of what "home" means: More authentic, more sustainable, and more in tune with our surroundings. Find beauty in simplicity. Discover the joys of sharing and coming together. Be present in your own life and create memories you will cherish forever. 

 

Photo credit garden image: Kruut