Simplifying Our Lives Part 1--repair

I have been thinking alot lately about simplifying my life. I read a blog called Frugal Granola and often will follow her blog to other blogs about people who are living a simple life. I am fascinated by it but also feel overwhelmed by it. I love the idea but don't foresee John and I selling our house, completely changing our lives and becoming different people. However, I have been thinking about how we can simplify our lives within the confines of who we are and what our goals are for our life and our family.

Today's thought centers around fixing things. I feel it is a lost art. We still think of fixing a few things, we fix our cars when they have minor issues rather than replacing them and we fix the homes we live in when they have things wrong but we just might buy a new car if we need a new transmission or completely remodel the kitchen when the counter tops get a scratch on them. We definitely don't put patches on our clothes, darn socks, re-wire a broken lamp or have handy the number for a repair man anymore. We don't fix things, we replace them. Once upon a time our grandparents fixed things. They bought something and expected to use it forever.

John was chatting with his dad recently who was telling him he found a great welder for aluminum if we ever needed one. Apparently, his office chair broke and he needed the base re-welded. Hello? The chair is old, ancient. Get a new chair, it is obviously time. Yet, for I am sure a fraction of the cost, he fixed the chair he already had which was working perfectly fine. Why don't we do that anymore?

Well John and I are starting. A couple weeks ago I did something to our blender. I think the problem is I didn't connect the blender on to the motor properly and I wrecked the thing on the motor part that spins (sorry to be so technical here). Well my first thought is, great, we need a new blender. It is a nice blender and since they make even nicer ones now we probably would be shelling out about $200 for a new blender. But I thought, maybe we can fix it. I went online and immediately found the part for $8, $12 with shipping. I bet when it comes I will even be able to figure out how to put it in myself. :) Then on Saturday we came home from a family outing, John went to open the storm door and the doorknob came off in his hands. Sort of like it does in tv shows at some funny moment. Of course when all your money is going to Africa a broken doorknob doesn't seem quite as funny. Actually we really had been wanting to replace both the knob and the door since we moved in. So I was a little excited and could tell John was too. Finally an excuse to spend money on this part of our home. Yet I found myself grudgingly asking if he could fix it and he reluctantly admitted he could. So we will continue on with a perfectly functional door and door knob without needlessly spending a fortune to get ourselves a new, trendier but totally unnecessary door and knob. (note the repair has not actually happened yet.)


I can't wait to see what we will fix next. The Gazebo? The siding? The computers? The loose buttons on our clothes? What will you fix?