Reduction Rebels, Unite! Living Simple, Free & Happy
Is there anyone out there who doesn’t want to reduce stress, debt, and waste? Cristin Frank has decluttered and upcycled her way to paying off her 30-year mortgage in under 7 years, and her first book, Living Simple, Free & Happy shares her secrets on how to clear your home, life, and schedule of things that weigh you down.
Frank is the champion of the Reduction Rebel lifestyle— using your talents and common sense to get out of the cycle of mass-production, as well as being able to saying no to things you don’t want and saying yes to things you do.
Instead of buying a showroom of furniture after she and her husband bought their home, Frank scouted curbside freebies and freshened them up with everything from Mod Podge to duct tape. Things she had and didn’t need, she sold to make money and make room for new opportunities.
Having started 2013 with the January Cure, reading Living Simple, Free & Happy was a refresher course in removing clutter, but an eye-opener in reducing waste altogether. I never thought to turn a laundry detergent bottle into a watering can or a paper towel roll into a flexible vacuum attachment.
But beyond clearing clutter from your home, Frank advocates clearing clutter from your head. The Reduction Rebel lifestyle is not just about bypassing mass-produced products, but opting out of things that suck up your joy. Having hobbies and learning new skills is something to talk about when a friend asks what you’ve been up to. Finding projects that excite you means you’ll never have to answer, “nothing much.”
Living Simple, Free & Happy: How to Simplify, Declutter Your Home, and Reduce Stress, Debt & Waste is available in paperback or e-book.
Story: Copyright 2013, Shoestring LLC.
Images: Courtesy Cristin Frank