Less Stuff, More Sanity: One Man’s Path to Simpler Living

It’s easy to despair in today’s world. You’re despairing right now, aren’t you? Come on, admit it, we’re all friends here. In fact, if you’re not currently despairing even a bit, frankly I think there’s something wrong with you. The person who can take even a glance at a newspaper and then go about their day with the belief that yup, everything’s swell and dandy, is just not paying attention.

My main squeeze-toy of despair is consumption. Stuff. The incredible amounts of useless crap we are filling our world, our lungs, our seas with. Crap that exists for the sole reason that someone, somewhere, paid an expensive marketing team to bullshit the rest of us into believing that we really needed it.

I’ve made a point of removing stuff from my life, trying to minimize my drop in humanity’s ocean of garbage. And there are two ways to go about this. You can simply stop buying a certain thing. A valid approach. But giving things up is just not very … sexy, is it? It hurts the soul. It’s also a hard sell. Yelling at people that they shouldn’t fly so much wins you few friends (believe me, I’ve tried). Telling them, on the other hand, that they too can experience an exclusive and unique train odyssey across Europe … now we’re talking.

So here are a few things I’ve cut from my life. Some I’ve just kicked into the street like an adult child who won’t move out, others I’ve replaced with more interesting, soul-nurturing versions. Decide for yourself if you want to join me on this magical journey into downscaling, finding those things that will spark joy and cover you in sweet zen. See how well that works…?

Shampoo - I am about to make you angry. Ready? You don’t need shampoo. Your hair regulates itself. See how you feel now? Bubbling annoyance? Itchy palms? You’re probably thinking “Wouldn’t work for my hair, it’s special!” and imagining a greasy bird’s nest atop your head, and no sex, and children pointing at you in the street, laughing. I get it. I was once there too. Then my partner announced she wasn’t going to shampoo her hair ever again. I was worried, for the reasons listed above, but once it was underway I saw her hair was, well, fine. A little heavier, maybe, and It never again gained that fluffy, floaty look of newly shampooed locks, but otherwise good. So I decided to try it too.

I did some research first. And the thing with shampoo is you are being sold one product to remove the natural oils from your hair, and then another - the conditioner - to return to your hair the feeling of having those natural oils. It is, like most things, a con. I also fell into a sea of weird complications. There are many articles out there with the title “I stopped shampooing my hair!” except, when you read the article, that’s not what they did. Some just shampooed less often. Some set out to not shampoo for, say, a month, then abandoned the experiment a week in but still thought they were entitled to write an article on the topic. And many came up with some bizarre witchcraft involving washing their hair in vinegar, or baking soda, or cider, as if using only water was some kind of satanic act to be avoided at all costs. But I did find a man on youtube who’d gone water-only and his hair looked (and according to him, felt) great.

So I got stuck in. My hair felt a bit floppy and annoying at first, but after a week, and a few water washes, it evened out. No greasiness. In fact, it now feels drier than normal when the time comes to wash it. I no longer have that cycle where my hair is good the first day, then annoying, then horrible. It’s always basically the same, maybe just with a bit more dust and grit. Less dandruff too.

So stop shampooing and let your hair find its balance. I have short hair, and I admit it might be different for longer. And I know shampooing is so deeply ingrained the habit will be hard to break. But try it. You’ll thank me. Maybe.

Drinks - It’s only when you stop carrying drinks around, which I did, that you notice everyone is cradling a bottle or can. The reason is sugar and caffeine, but mostly sugar. That stuff is brutally addictive, and artificial sweeteners, according to research, are barely better and possibly even worse. And energy drinks are just caffeine for lightweights who can’t deal with actual coffee. The truth is we don’t need constant fluids. We didn’t evolve that way. So put down your comically huge water container, or your vile energy concoction, and try going for an hour - a whole hour - without slurping on something. You can do it.

Soap - Just to clarify, I did not stop using soap, I just started making my own. It appealed to me in the saving-money aspect, but also because the articles I found on the topic warned me about soap-making being dangerous, and honestly that’s a great way to convince a man to try something.

The process is a little complex, sure. You need caustic soda, melted fats, a silicone mold, a handheld blender, a kitchen scale, protective glasses, and essential oils for the fragrance. Your first attempt may not turn out well. But once you get the hang of it, you’ll have access to high-quality soap that lasts for ages, and you have the freedom to put whatever you want into it. I’ve used coffee, acorns, herbs, powdered nettles … everything is up for grabs. 

And as a final and substantial bonus - with premade soap at hand, you’ll never be short of a Christmas or birthday gift ever again.

Fabric conditioner - For me, this was an easy quit. I hate the stuff and always have. That chemical stink, that awful soapy sensation it adds to your clothes … yuck. It also damages fabrics, making them more prone to holes. It can irritate the skin. And it’s produced from petroleum and is terrible for, well, everything. Honestly, all that effort just to vaguely smell of apples? Just eat a bloody apple. Or smear one all over your underwear, whatever floats your boat.

Shaving foam - Once you have your own home-made soap (see above) this one is a given. A good shaving brush will lather up your soap and let you smear it over your face (or whatever body part requires defoliation) in a very satisfying manner. And if you use disposable razors, here’s a further tip: you know that little lubricated strip on the razor that quickly wears out, causing you to throw it away? Just rub the razor across the soap a few times as you shave, reapplying that lubricant layer, and you’ve just extended their lives, saving both spray canisters and plastic razors fom hitting the garbage. A big win-win.

Deodorant - This one I was inspired to do when seeing all the roll-on deo containers that we all throw out. And I found quite a large number of homemade deo recipes. Some use coconut fat but I did not want oil stains on my clothes. Other recipes result in a cream that you need to scrape on with a spatula, in the manner of a roman soldier. That wasn’t for me. To re-use the deo containers I already had, I needed a deo of a similar consistency. I finally settled on witch-hazel, magnesium hydroxide, water and essential oils, with cornflour as a thickening agent. You’ll have to learn how to tease the little ball out of the disposable deo, but that’s not too hard. And you can experiment to make any fragrance you want: Vanilla, patchouli and sandalwood are a good combo. I have now bought no deo in two years and I plan to never do so again.

So that’s my list. And the problem with a removal mindset is that it never sleeps, meaning I already have my eye on other products. I’ve been hearing, for example, that horse chestnuts make a good dish soap. Toothpaste I’m also curious about. A search for “Should I make my own toothpaste?” takes me to the website of a company called Colgate who, oddly enough, says that I shouldn’t. Weird, eh? But according to other places, it’s not so difficult, and less sweet, and less abrasive for your teeth than shop-bought. So I’ll look into that soon.

There’s plenty more to replace so I won’t be bored any time soon. And remember, the despair can only reach us when we stop being busy. Unless your job is making fabric conditioner, in which case you are beyond saving.