19 Comments
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Annie Allen's avatar

Thank you for taking a stand. Small actions taken by each of us might save us.

Thank you also for finding ways to reuse as you decorate. I love the environmental positive impacts of living small and I hate the idea of just throwing away or replacing old things for something new.

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Laura Fenton's avatar

I believe they could too, Annie. Thanks for chiming in. ❤️

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Lizzie Sandercock's avatar

I would love to see a post about applying a small living lens to personal finance! I know a big motivator for me to stop accumulating "stuff" and to try to live smaller is to get myself out of (credit card and student loan) debt and to make more progress saving for the future.

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Laura Fenton's avatar

It's all connected! Saving is probably my number one reason for living in a small apartment.

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Jenna Helwig's avatar

"If it sits out, it's a decoration." What a lightbulb moment! I love how achievable (all of these) small actions are. Thank you!

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Laura Fenton's avatar

I love it when something just clicks like this advice did.

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Brooke Craig's avatar

As usual, I am reading your post at the end of my Substack time today in an effort to save my sanity.

I’m on a tour bus with teens as we are reaching the last two days of our Portugal and Spain 12-day tour. Disappointed I won’t be able to stand in peaceful solidarity tomorrow but wishing you all a safe day in whatever way you may be participating in exercising our 1st amendment rights.

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Laura Fenton's avatar

Thank you , Brooke ❤️

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Allison's avatar

Much to appreciate here! The phrasing "If it's out, it's a decoration" is incredibly clarifying, making me look at things differently, as well as realizing that my daughter naturally does this and it's a big part of how put-together her house looks, even with two kids and another on the way, two cats, two dogs (6 weeks old and 1 year old!) and of course a husband. (She's amazing.) The examples you chose in your house were extremely helpful!

I enjoyed both garden articles. I adore rocks of all sizes-- one of the reasons I love the Arizona desert, all the rocks, the bones of the earth, exposed everywhere! We will be using them in our landscaping. (And my favorite instagram account is Pebble of the Day :-) The hedges are delightful-- as an Anglophile I am very familiar with hedgehogs and the benefits to wildlife-- so glad to see them in landscaping, even though it can't be done where I live.

While I personally would never want to live and work in one space, I love seeing the creativity in making it work-- inspiring for other situations too.

While I would hate to live and wo

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Laura Fenton's avatar

Now you have me wondering if there's some kind of desert equivalent of a hedgerow!

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Jen Baxter ✒️'s avatar

Hey Laura!

This is great advice. And - I've subscribed to Money with Katie for a couple of years & her advice has been so helpful.

I vote for you writing about it! And I'll get the book - so thank you! I didn't know about it.

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Laura Fenton's avatar

It’s just out this week! I think personal finance could make for a juicy post—or even a few posts. Thanks for the encouragement

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Jen Baxter ✒️'s avatar

Yep! 👍🏻 I'd love to read it.

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Lissa's avatar

Yes, I'd love to read about how to apply a "small living" lens to personal finance!

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Laura Fenton's avatar

It's happening! Gotta figure out a format!

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Lissa's avatar

This suggestion might seem strange, but similar to how some decluttering/minimizing guides will go "room by room," perhaps you could turn the small living/personal finance info into a series (e.g., food expenses/the kitchen, transportation/the garage, and so on).

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Laura Fenton's avatar

That's an interesting idea--thanks!

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Emily's avatar

Love your activism style, Laura. I appreciate how you invite people in; it’s political organizing 101 that I often forget or neglect when I get ragey. And I’d love a piece on living small and finances.

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Laura Fenton's avatar

Thanks, Emily. Trying to welcome as many people to the table as I can. The personal finance story is a go--just need to figure out what it'll look like. Stay tuned.

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