The Simple Things

The Simple Things is a beautiful, useful, quirky and fun magazine about taking time to live well. We cover mindfulness and microadventures, eating and growing, forgotten wisdom, home life and slow moments. It's for people who love their lives but want to take the pressure off and remember what’s really important. We like tea & cake, learning stuff, being outside and the satisfaction of a job well done. Do you?

A could-do list January

Comfort and cheer • EMBRACE HYGGE WITH TRADITIONAL SCANDINAVIAN FOOD AND DRINKS FOR A WARM AND COSY GET-TOGETHER WITH FRIENDS

How to do winter well • DANCING IN YOUR PJS, HEALING HUGS AND OTHER JOYFUL WAYS TO HELP LIFT BODY AND SPIRITS

Tangerine dreams • WITH ITS SWEET TASTE AND FLASH OF COLOUR, CITRUS IS A SEASONAL TONIC. TAKE A PIECE AND SAVOUR THE MAGIC OF THIS MOMENT, SAYS JESSICA FURSETH

CAKE IN THE HOUSE • Celebrate seasonal citrus with this one bowl, gluten-free cake that tastes of sunshine and holidays.

Look on the rice side of life • FOR NUTRITIOUS, TASTY RICE THAT’S READY IN MINUTES, LOOK NO FURTHER THAN VEETEE - AND WE HAVE A MICROWAVE AND RICE BUNDLE UP FOR GRABS

My day in cups of tea • We pop into artist and printmaker Rebecca Torrance’s Oxford home to find out how she likes to spend her day in cuppas.

January Almanac • SEASONAL THOUGHTS TO HELP YOU ENJOY THE MONTH

A simple thing…

WEARING WELL • Stories of the clothes we love JUMPERS

CHRIST CHURCH • KATRINA TOO GUIDES US AROUND NEW ZEALAND’S GARDEN CITY SURROUNDED BY BEAUTIFUL LANDSCAPES, RESIDENTS LOVE THE GREAT OUTDOORS, AND HAVE A STRONG SENSE OF RESILIENCE

COULD-DO CHRISTCHURCH • Katrina’s favourite places in the city

PAUSE • Take a moment with some well-chosen words

TIPPLE OF THE MONTH • Make a woodsy variation on the classic Old Fashioned by adding smoky maple syrup for a warming fireside tipple.

"There is so much magic when you look for it, but it’s easily missed. It’s good practice to ask: ‘what’s beautiful about this moment?’" • Through her best-selling Almanac books, Lia Leendertz encourages us to tune into the rhythms of nature and forgotten traditions, to root ourselves in the wonder that can be found in every season

JUST LOOK UP • Lia’s lessons for life

WHAT I TREASURE • My crocheted blanket

Scene SETTING • HILLS AND HOLLOWS, CLIFFS AND CAVES, LOOK TO THE LANDSCAPE TO DISCOVER THE FOLK TALES THEY’VE INSPIRED FOR GENERATIONS

Small ways to live well • Looking for more ideas and inspiration? Join us each season for The Simple Things podcast

Magical creatures • AN APPRECIATION OF WAXWINGS

MORRIS MAJOR • WHETHER IT’S HIS PATTERNS ON OUR WALLS, OR THE REMINDER TO FILL OUR HOMES WITH ONLY WHAT’S BEAUTIFUL OR USEFUL, WILLIAM MORRIS CHANGED HOW WE THINK AND WHAT WE VALUE

AT HOME AND AWAY

A simple thing…

Good things • POSITIVE NEWS FROM AROUND THE WORLD

Fireside YARNS • SITTING COMFORTABLY? WITH A GOOD BOOK TO HAND YOU CAN SPEND THE DARKER MONTHS ON EPIC ADVENTURES, SOLVING DASTARDLY CRIMES OR PERHAPS TRAVELLING TO SOMEWHERE IN THE SUN - ALL WITHOUT HAVING TO LEAVE YOUR ARMCHAIR, OR MAYBE EVEN YOUR BED

THE BIG IDEA • THIS MONTH WE READ ‘MEDITATIONS FOR MORTALS’ BY OLIVER BURKEMAN

Please yourself • EATING SOLO CAN BE A TREAT WITH NO NEED TO ACCOMMODATE OTHERS’ TASTES. PREPARING, COOKING AND ENJOYING A MEAL MADE JUST FOR YOU IS TIME WELL SPENT, SAYS KATHY SLACK

HEAD IN THE CLOUDS • Ever looked up and seen… a face? A bird? Four grumpy cats? Chris Judge creates a doodle every day from photos he takes of the sky

Life lessons from the north • TIME SPENT IN THE ARCTIC TAUGHT NANCY CAMPBELL THE VALUE OF AGE-OLD CUSTOMS AND COMMUNITY IN...