Lessons From a 16-Year-Old Austrian Exchange Student

Stories in Small Moments: Essays and Simple Living

By Margaret Arnold • October 11, 2025

After nearly 30 blog posts about simple living, I continue to find enjoyment in downsizing and being intentional. This summer reinforced my commitment to simplicity in two ways: first, letting things move on—including my 55-year collection of Laura Ingalls Wilder books to my son's fiancée, a teacher, with whom I discovered a shared love of the series; and secondly, using groceries wisely, experimenting with what's on hand and increasing freezing techniques rather than waste (more on that later). This intentional approach extends to reading, one of life's simplest pleasures. Some of my best memories and connections to people are through reading. Laura Ingalls Wilder's books read in the early 1970s remind me of home upstairs in the girls’ “dormitory” bedroom. The Sound of Music on a family road trip in a GMC motorhome in 1976 gave me moments of escape alongside five siblings. Kate DiCamillo, Gary Paulsen and the Harry Potter series remind me of my children as emerging readers and their well-worn books. Dancing at the Rascal Fair by Ivan Doig and Angle of Repose by Wallace Stegner connect me to an early book club of serious readers and friends I still cherish today. This intentional approach extends to reading ...

Downsizing Without Losing Memories

By Margaret Arnold • August 23, 2025

With the State Fair and the new school year here, memories flood back — once captured on a paper calendar pinned to the bulletin board, then in spiral-bound weekly calendar (still my favorite, pencil only!), and later on desktop electronic calendar. When we decided to downsize while preserving memories, I organized nearly 35 years of family dates into a single Google Sheet called "Family Important and Fun Dates from Margaret’s Calendars." This simple digital chronicle of our family’s journey, from our children's milestones to the activities and adventures my husband and I now enjoy as empty nesters. tODAY, THERE IS JUST ONE GOOGLE SHEET ...

Saying Goodbye to Boxes, Keeping the Memories

By Margaret Arnold • July 26, 2025

Thirteen years, seven rental properties, and countless storage boxes later, my oldest daughter finally has a home of her own. Through college, medical school, and residency, we continued to store belongings that didn't fit or belong in the cramped spaces of her temporary living situations. Passing along her belongings felt like closing one chapter and opening another—most of all, it represented the end of her grueling training years and the beginning of truly settling down in a lovely home and neighborhood. Her move got me reflecting on my own relationship with storage and my journey toward "Silverish Simplicity." In our former family home, we had one large storage area and two guest bedroom closets filled with plastic totes and banker boxes (see picture below). I even stored empty totes—a sure indication I was planning to accumulate more rather than less. With our move nearly four years ago and the natural process of downsizing while launching our children into their first homes, the number of boxes and totes has dramatically decreased. More importantly, I have no reason to purchase new totes, and I celebrate each time I empty a box or bin and it moves on to family members who need them. ... THE NUMBER OF BOXES AND TOTES HAS DRAMATICALLY DECREASED ...

Flower container pot with a bag of tools

Next Needed Thing: Grandpa's Summer Visits

By Margaret Arnold • June 28, 2025

My spring and summer to-do lists fondly remind me of my father. When my husband and I started caring for our long-time family home and 30 acres, spring's excitement came with overwhelming feelings. Early there with four young children ages six months to five years, I found myself in tears facing all that needed to be done, including a large pasture that needed mowing. My dad — a master gardener and hobby farmer — saw my tears and what was needed and stepped in. This began a 15-year summer routine to help with pasture mowing. Our family fondly remembers those early summer mornings when Grandpa arrived in his little tan truck, sometimes before 7 a.m. We'd chat over coffee at my kitchen table (youngest daughter remembering him sitting in "my chair"), then off he'd go to mow his adopted pasture. He loved to mow and, like everything our energetic father did, approached it as if he were running out of time. Oldest son recalls: "I'd bring him lemonade, and he'd drink most of it quickly. Then, without stopping, he'd throw the almost empty cup back at me and keep mowing." Oldest daughter added: "He was so focused that when we delivered lemonade, I was scared he might run me over." ... SPRING'S EXCITEMENT CAME WITH AN OVERWHELMING FEELING ...

A tote bag is sitting on a counter next to bottles of cleaning supplies.

A Happy Cleaner: Four Decades of Family Moves & Experiences

By Margaret Arnold • May 17, 2025

When my four children were in elementary and middle school, an annual Christmas card and letter that arrived each year gave me a glimpse of the life stage that awaited our family. I recall the usual family news but what struck me about this particular holiday update was the amount of moves her four children made in those college and post-college years and the loving assistance she provided. Little did she know she was modeling how I wanted to be, and have been, for my children these past 13 years and 18+ moves (counting three for my husband and me). From college dorm room to first apartments and now to first homes, I have had the joy of helping my kids settle into their spaces. What an exciting time it is for them! A key role I’ve played during these move-ins and occasional move-outs has been that of a cleaner. I like to clean – I mean I really like it. Not only do I enjoy the physical work I especially like the mental and organizational challenge and doing this domestic task better, deeper and, in the last three years, more sustainable. A KEY ROLE I'VE PLAYED DURING THESE MOVE-INS ... HAS BEEN THAT OF CLEANER.

An Earth Day Project to Last a Decade

By Margaret Arnold • April 26, 2025

Earth Day has significant meaning for me. Beyond falling during my wedding anniversary week (4.23), this global day has involved cleaning ditches with my children and outdoor spring projects. It's ideal for honoring Earth's wonders as nature awakens in Minnesota. For a third year, my gift to Earth is a forest management project first shared last year on LinkedIn . My husband and I have tackled buckthorn eradication , transforming our woods to reveal 300-year-old oaks, black cherry, cedar trees and the land's natural contour. While I attempt to embrace simplicity, this conservation project isn't simple! Eradicating this invasive shrub (and larger old trees) from our forest will take a decade or more. It demands physical work and resources, but the rewards extend beyond restoring native habitats in my corner of the world. my gift to the earth is a forest management project ...

Miles, Enduring Friendships and Loose Change

By Margaret Arnold • April 13, 2025

Last Sunday, three friends and I celebrated spring birthdays with a long walk and brunch. Though still brisk walkers as former "runner girls," we paused to appreciate the beautiful spring morning as we wound through streets, a wooded trail with frozen ground, and finally a shared-use path. Greeting passing runners reminded me of my younger self, but I've grown content with my natural walking habit. Four years ago, I retired from decades of running for a consistent walking routine. I no longer feel compelled to justify my walking routine against running and have fully embraced this new habit and discovered unexpected treasures beyond the well-known health benefits. EACH WALK OFFERS BRILLANT SUNRISES, UNIQUE CLOUD FORMATIONS, CHATTERING BIRDSONGS ...

Warranty Wisdom: A Mother’s Lesson

By Margaret Arnold • March 30, 2025

While I'm not an expert on warranties, I am the daughter of a mother who took advantage of them for small home products. With three daughters in the house, she purchased a few blow dryers especially when her three teenagers cared enough to wake up early and style our hair. I remember our mother packaging up a non-operating Conair blow dryer and shipping it to take advantage of the product warranty at the time (today it’s three years). Decades before the internet, there is no doubt she kept the product literature to reference the important warranty and shipping information. In her last months of life, she once instructed me to look up warranty and replacement information on her favorite Ottlite sewing lamp she had in her office that wasn’t working. She loved this lamp and was determined to have it in use again. I remember lovely conversations with the customer service person explaining the issue, what we should do next and even a friendly follow-up email! In that spirit, and with the ease of the internet, I have taken advantage of a few product warranties. My research and approach are based on my love of the product itself and doing a quick cost-benefit analysis, including product quality, time and shipping costs. However, I have found the first step is to create a simple warranty tracking system for my favorite products – whether through browser bookmarks, email folders or paper files – just as I’m sure our mother did with her product literature as there wasn’t a piece of paper she won’t hold on to “just in case.” "A Customer is never out of warranty, even if his product is." Seth Godin

Repairing Gear is Cool (even for a boomer)

By Margaret Arnold • March 22, 2025

On a downhill ski trip this winter, I skied with three fellow boomers. One of the skiers was sporting the same lightweight puffer jacket I’ve worn and treasured for years. As we compared notes, we realized all three of us had the exact jacke t (color, style) circa early 2000s. We laughed about our shared attachment to our well-worn piece, each telling stories on why we wear the jacket today – a warm layer with a shell, a light work jacket, etc. While all of our trusty puffers had seen better days (a total of 70 years of use or more), we weren’t giving up on them. Back at home, I sent these women a picture of my own jacket with it's repairs. Using patches, I’ve given my puffer a new life and a new look – and have created a few stares. The shapes, representing the outdoors, perfectly adhere to the tears to prevent the jacket from further disrepair. ... outdoor enthusiasts were keeping, repairing, and proudly wearing their well-worn gear ...

Baggies to Batch Cooking: One Mom's Simple Living Secrets

By Margaret Arnold • March 8, 2025

While texting back and forth about The Silver Thread , I invited my friend Rita Meyer to write a guest post. Rita and I met when our children were classmates at Saint John's Preparatory School, but I knew of her life before then through her monthly column in our Catholic newspaper. Her approachable writing about home life, daily running routine, and adventurous spirit had always resonated with me. Before we met, I also learned about Rita and her husband Marv's impressive feat of hiking the entire Appalachian Trail. After we became friends, I watched in admiration as their family of six embarked on a summer adventure, living in a motorhome in Alaska from the end of one school year to the start of the next. Leaving behind her home, gardens, and routine to capture precious time with her family exemplified living intentionally and simply. Rita is a baker and cook extraordinaire for family, fundraisers, and events, a dedicated volunteer, and a kindred spirit. I'm delighted to share her perspective with you today. Dear Silver Thread Readers, I can so relate to trying to live a simpler life. A more sustainable life. A life of less stuff and more peace. Margaret has come to embrace what her mother taught by both word and action. I think our moms could have been besties, such similar values. The more I read Margaret’s posts, the more I realize that I too have adopted a lot of my Mom’s ways and I am proud of this simpler lifestyle. Oh sure, my kids sometimes get on my case for reusing Baggies (for lunch pail packing, they definitely can be used more than once depending on the contents) or Ziplocks (didn’t know about the cool-looking wooden stand Margaret featured last week; I just put mine over water bottles sitting on the countertop) or even perfectly good containers (I buy the Quaker Oats at Sam’s Club and then pour it from the bags into the saved round containers from earlier days). Know what though? I think my kids get it and are replicating what they have seen and heard as they start flying out of the coop. Our moms could have been besties ...

Stories in Small Moments: Essays and Simple Living

Downsizing Without Losing Memories

Saying Goodbye to Boxes, Keeping the Memories

Next Needed Thing: Grandpa's Summer Visits

A Happy Cleaner: Four Decades of Family Moves & Experiences

An Earth Day Project to Last a Decade

Miles, Enduring Friendships and Loose Change

Warranty Wisdom: A Mother’s Lesson

Repairing Gear is Cool (even for a boomer)

Baggies to Batch Cooking: One Mom's Simple Living Secrets

her perspective on sustainable living ... has influenced my daily habits ...

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Stories in Small Moments: Essays and Simple Living

Downsizing Without Losing Memories

Saying Goodbye to Boxes, Keeping the Memories

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