Simplicity

It's Monday, so it's time for another one of the 18 "Ities". This week it's the 5th one: simplicity.
Simple? Hm.

Simplicity : the quality of being easy to understand or use. But also the quality of being natural and plain.

Not to be mistaken for or confused with simplistic: making a problem, situation etc. seem less difficult or complicated than it really is.

Simplicity is a ity which attracts me. Plainness is a quality which is very near to my character. I like to speak plainly, feel comfortable in plain, simple surroundings (see the example above), and I like to explain things and have them explained to me in simple terms. No need to use big words or flowery or pompous language. Very Dutch, in fact!

"Doe maar  gewoon, dan doe je al gek genoeg" (act plainly , that is crazy enough). Calvinistic. Austere.

Why complicate things if you can keep it simple?

That's probably why Japanese interiors attract me, and why I like the old Roman houses and interior decorating which is unfussy, almost minimalistic. One of the styles I admire is that of the Shakers.

Once every so often I empty out my rooms, and throw away (or give away) most of the 'stuff' we have accumulated over time. And then, every so slowly, the knick-knacks creep back in. 

At the moment I am nearing the point where I will throw it out again; probably during the summer holidays, when I plan to do a major repainting of the walls.

One of the songs that comes to mind is by Supertramp, "A Simple Man". If it could only be so simple...Clean out your cupboards and attic and eh presto!

But life isn't simple, it is bloody complicated most of the time, isn't it?

Still, if you aim for simplicity, you can save yourself a hell of a lot of money. Do you really need that state of the art coffee maker with 20 functions? Or will you grind your own beans and pour on some boiling water?

Can't you live without that expensive 6 piece garden lounge set (or face your neighbours), or can you sit happily on an old wooden bench which you make a little more comfortable with a couple of pillows?

Do you pay your nail stylist for 10 elaborate artificial nails (which will chip and break) or do you make do with your own (which will chip and break as well, but are natural)?

So, tonight I'll keep it simple. Let's all UN-CLUTTER. And see what happens.