Could You Do It? Island Life-Part One

On Saturdays we focus on all things simple….and for the next few Saturdays I’m going to bring you my thoughts and observations from island life.  Not the tropical islands, but a small island off the Maine coast. The ferry ride takes about 1 hour and 15 minutes.  Life is different there.  And it’s better.

I’ve talked about the tiny house movement, living with less and the slow movement.  While we don’t need to go to extremes to change our lives, we can all make small and subtle adjustments to live simpler, calmer and less cluttered lives.  So why am I telling you all of this?

While we don't need to go to extremes to change our lives, we can all make small and subtle adjustments to live simpler, calmer and less cluttered lives. Click To Tweet

Well, in order to walk the walk as an organizer, I really take everything seriously that I say to you.  I consider each and every purchase I made.  I pay attention to what I recycle and what I  throw away.  I’m very aware of my environmental impact with electricity, water and my carbon footprint.

For the next month, I’ll be living on an island off the coast of Maine.  While this is something I do every summer, on and off, I’ll be here for a solid calendar month this year…

What does that mean?  Well I love it here, so don’t think this is a burden on me or I’m complaining.  This is my peaceful spot.  BUT it means that things are just a bit different than you are used to.

There are stores out here-some gift shops, small restaurants and a small grocery store.  However, hours are limited as is inventory and variety.  There are no chain stores…no Target, no McDonald’s, no coffee shops, and no specialty stores.

There is mail (I have a POBox) and UPS does deliver.  My love for Amazon Prime lives strong out here.

There is NO cell phone reception.  We have a land line.  We do have cable and wifi at the house.  However, without this, you cannot call or text while out and about.

The island is about 8 miles from top to bottom.  You take a ferry to get here and getting your car on and off requires a few days notice in most cases.

Throwing things away requires a paid sticker for every bag.  Recycling is done differently and you can recycle more.  People swap things, repair things and share things in ways they don’t in other towns.  Over the next month, I’m going to go into more detail on lots of these topics and tell you my observations, what I’ve noticed and what I learn.  There are lots of people who live here year round who could give you so much more insight than I, however, I’m bringing the perspective of someone who usually lives in a populated area….about 45 minutes outside of Manhattan.

What do you want to know about island life? Let me know in the comments below and I’ll answer your questions as the month goes on.