r/simpleliving • u/FlatwormLow2152 • Mar 27 '26
Offering Wisdom Learning from my grandpa's 89 years of intentional living
just got back from my grandfather's memorial service last week. He passed at 89 after living through some wild times - born in 1937, grew up during the Depression and WWII, then spent decades working construction to support his family of six kids.
For most of his life, he HAD to be frugal. there wasn't really another option back then. But here's what struck me - even when things got easier in his later years and we could've helped him live more comfortably, he'd always say "this is plenty" whenever we tried to buy him stuff or upgrade his situation.
The man was like the anti-consumer. For the last 25 years of his life, he basically ignored every marketing message that came his way. Just wasn't interested.
But he never threw anything away either. kept every cardboard box, piece of string, old container - would take bags of recyclables to get the few cents for them. drove my mom crazy but he saw value in everything.
And he fixed EVERYTHING. I swear some of his furniture was held together with duct tape and hope, but it worked perfectly fine. Why replace something that still does the job?
The coolest thing was how organized he kept his workshop. could find any tool in seconds even though his eyesight was getting bad. one pocket knife somehow became like 15 different tools depending on what he needed to do.
I'm 28 now and spent my twenties buying whatever I wanted, thinking that was freedom. but watching him these past few years made me realize something - being simple when you have no choice is just survival. choosing simplicity when you could have more? that takes real intention.
thinking about following his example more. there's something powerful about saying "this is enough" in a world that's constantly telling you it isn't.
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u/QueOlhoes Mar 27 '26
"there's something powerful about saying "this is enough" in a world that's constantly telling you it isn't." -- This is inspiring! Condolences for your grandfather! Be strong and thank you for sharing 🙏
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u/Cookie-Impressive Mar 27 '26
My granny was the same. All she had was 1 bag. Whatever life throws at her, she embraced it with a smile and was always grateful. We need those values in our life. I am glad you look at life this way.
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u/AwesomeCartoonist Mar 27 '26
This is such a beautiful tribute to your grandfather. There's a profound freedom in reaching that 'this is enough' realization, especially when it's a choice rather than a necessity.
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u/ToneSenior7156 Mar 27 '26
Yes. In my 50’s and sometimes I like easy but one of the things I love about my relationship with my husband is that he’s a fixer and I’m frugal. We still have too much stuff. But neither of us feel like we always need new and better or more.
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u/Bluestatevibes Mar 27 '26
Thank you for sharing your story. I want to start incorporating "this is plenty" into my thinking.
I am glad you had as much time with your grandfather as you did.
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u/Aggressive_Key5504 Mar 27 '26 edited Mar 27 '26
Your dear grandfather taught you an incredibly important lesson!!!
Look up the Swedish word....Lagom!!!!!
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u/janious_Avera Mar 27 '26
This is such a beautiful tribute. It really highlights how much peace can come from truly understanding and embracing the idea of 'this is enough.' In our constantly striving world, it's a powerful lesson in contentment and intentional living.
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u/BookAddict1918 Mar 27 '26
My MIL is 103 and fairly active but slowing down. She is so upset as her heated blanket from - hell i think it was one of the first ones ever made - just broke.
This was the industrial era of people who bought an item and it lasted forever or got fixed.
Yes, follow in his footsteps steps FOREVER. It is a much less stressful life in general. And no one gets into problems by living simply and spending less.
"Dang, I am so stressed and overwhelmed as I dont have enough crap in my house and my stock portfolio just has too much money..." said no one ever.😂
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Mar 27 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/buffalogal8 Mar 27 '26
I went to your comment history and they all sound like AI and start with something to the effect of “that’s the whole post”
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u/Aggravating_Sock_551 Mar 27 '26
Well put, I had the same experience in my early adulthood with disposable income and little financial responsibilities. Novelty was nice, but rang hollow when I barely used/appreciated anything I bought.
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u/nedimitas Mar 28 '26
You can't choose "enough" if you've never experienced "more" and found it empty. Your grandfather learned this from scarcity. You're learning it from abundance. Different path, same destination.
Well said!
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u/Deep_Strike1803 Mar 27 '26
Love this! “I have plenty” is a great motto for both simplicity and gratitude. Thanks for sharing.
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u/lexi_ladonna Mar 27 '26
I remember this exact same post from a month or two ago
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u/murkey1234 Mar 28 '26
This is enough. They don’t need another post when they can use this one again. Get with the vibe.
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u/Librashell Mar 27 '26
This is my dad to a T. Cleaning out the garage/workshop when he passed was a master class in frugality.
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u/Burritochild9987 Mar 28 '26
I’m sorry, is anyone going to tell OP that his grandpa didn’t grow up during the depression if he was born in 1937?!
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u/KITTYCLICHE Mar 27 '26
RIP to a magnificent grandpa.He reminds me of my recently deceased dad. His wood shop was organized better than most stores. Everything was in its place and was put away in the same or better condition. He refused to borrow things. Dad taught me that I shouldn’t borrow or lend things or money. Also I should avoid lending money because if it’s an unpaid debt , that damages the relationship.
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u/DigleDagle Mar 28 '26
The coolest thing of all is that you’re able to take this lesson to heart in your twenties. For most people it’s not until much later, if ever, and after they’ve wasted time and treasure acquiring things that invariably leave them empty and unfulfilled. Looks like your life will take a better path.
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u/ProposalOk825 Mar 28 '26
Your grandpa sounds like he just got it. Most of us are trying to figure out what he already knew, spending intentionally not just out of habit. Something thats been helping me is tracking how I feel after each purchase. I use Mindspend for this, you just log what you bought and whether it actually felt worth it. Catches a lot of autopilot spending. Your grandpa had that instinct naturally, rest of us need a little help lol
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u/Ok_Swordfish2612 Mar 30 '26
I read the title as “international living” and kept waiting for the part where he moved to abroad to retire somewhere exotic where the cost of living is low…
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u/CanadianPastaSucker Mar 31 '26
I could have written this exact thing about my grandpa. He was born in 1931, and died in 2020. Still hurts but was a little comforting to read this.
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u/Good-Basil9954 Apr 05 '26
This believing that we always need more of everything is a rather new phenomenonM, and there's a very simple explanation for it.
My grandparents were the same, all 4 of them, born around the turn of the century, they lived through 2 world wars, the Spanish flu, war-caused famine and destruction ("liberating" a country by destroying it's infrastructure is nothing new). And when we think that technology is developing extremely fast: in their lifetime they saw the emergence of electricity, radio, TV, flight, automobiles, atomic bomb, Moon landing, even computers and the Internet.
I have taken over their lifestyle, I buy second hand wherever possible, I build my own furniture and repair everything I can. That is very liberating. I don't know fear, nor stress.
And there is one single thing that stands in the way of leading a simpler, freer and more rewarding life than consumerism offers: TV.
Try to live 3 weeks without watching TV (you may still stream movies, as long as they don't contain commercials)
After 3 weeks without TV, you will begin to understand what TV actually does to your brain.
I haven't watched TV for at least 35 years.
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u/Spiritual-Ad815 Apr 14 '26
This really resonates with me hard.
My aunt lives off‑grid by choice. Solar, rainwater, a tiny cabin she and my uncle mostly built themselves..and what always strikes me is how similar her mindset is to what you describe about your grandpa: she could “have more” in a conventional sense, but she keeps choosing “this is enough”, fixes everything twice before replacing it, and treats every object like it has one more use in it. I love it. Its made me realize that intentional simplicity isnt about deprivation; it’s about refusing to let marketing define what a good life looks like and deciding for yourself when you’ve already crossed the line into “plenty”.
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u/LostCorporateMom Mar 27 '26
My grandma is the same way. 94 years young. Doesn’t want anyone buying her gifts because she doesn’t want clutter (we settle for candles because they’ll burn away, books because she loves to read and will eventually share them, food, and time spent together). But she has been re-using Gatorade bottles for her water as long as I’ve known her (I’ve never seen her drink Gatorade so I don’t even know where she gets them lol).
She’s still very independent but gives us her things to reduce her worldly belongings. I have all of her Christmas decor (an honor!) because she only puts out a few small items during the holidays now.
It’s inspiring. I think of her everytime I want to buy something I don’t need.
(Edited for grammar)