The Next Chapter of anderson+grant
Getting back to what matters most at home.
A lot has changed in the past few years.
If you can’t say that you agree, I’m a little jealous. A small part of me would do anything to go back to the carefree days of 2019. But a larger part is grateful to now be more aware of the world around us.
2020 led to a slow down, and in subsequent years, provided the opportunity to pay more attention to:
The ingredients in food and products I’m using at home.
Where the things I purchase are coming from.
Who I am supporting by spending money with a business.
How I’m spending my time.
The amount of stuff I’m bringing into my life verses what leaves.
A steady push from influencers to buy more and do more.
And most importantly, how completely overwhelming life has become.
As all these observations swirled around in my head, I became more unsure of my blog and the business I had been trying to create. In order to do things “right” and the way “everyone else is doing it,” I was going to have to sacrifice the mindset growth I experienced in my heart and soul.
How do I promote all the new decor a person should buy when I was personally trying to cut back?
How do I run a business selling furniture and home goods with the majority of the inventory coming China while I’m aiming to buy made in the USA?
How do I post a recipe that includes ingredients I’m now trying to avoid?
Over and over these thoughts would roll in my mind attempting to make sense of how it could all work. I guess you could say I’ve spent a few years wandering…feeling rather than doing. Even now, I can’t says as I have all the answers.
Thankfully, there is a shift taking place and it isn’t just with me.
A growing number of people are feeling the way I am. Discontented with the world and wanting to do something about it. Abandoning a fast paced, convenience loving, consumer driven society for a simpler, more back-to-the-basics lifestyle.
A lot of us have become more aware of the ingredients we are putting in and around our bodies and have started paying attention to how and where we spend our dollars. We are more conscious about what we waste and have found new ways to spend our time. Ultimately, we have slowed down and gotten back to what matters most…..a worthwhile pursuit to a better life.
The underlying theme of anderson+grant has always been “Learning to Make a Home,” but the time is now right to follow what feels pressing and gently guide my business onto a deeper, more meaningful path of homemaking. I dream of sharing how it is possible to slow down and live simply without having to sacrifice style or convenience.
My blog will remain relatively unchanged, aside from a greater focus on whole foods and making do with what you have. I plan on digging deep into useful information for confidently redecorating your home, feeding your family, and crafting your own decor. Part of successfully living a more simple life involves being informed about the tasks you’re performing so that you aren’t wasting time or money needlessly.
But I’m excited to expand the vision here where I can write from the heart about how living well doesn’t have to be so hard. Insights into topics like simplicity, uncovering what really matters at home, decluttering, making (and growing) things yourself, and more.
This is the ideal platform for returning to a little bit of what has been lost on blogs in recent years…..a less polished, more personal connection.
My hope is that we can all regain the control over our homes that we’ve given up in the name of speed, convenience, low prices and fitting in with the crowd, and instead embrace a home that is slow, intentional, more hands-on, and ultimately, more fulfilling.
At anderson+grant, I am dedicated to guiding you along on a more thoughtful approach to homemaking in today’s modern world. Join me as I take a step back to slow down, simplify, and rediscover the joy of making a house a home.
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Until next time,
FOLLOW ALONG ON THE JOURNEY
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"Dilbert" once said, "Change is hard. You go first."
Dear Jamie -- I applaud you for stepping back and taking a close look at the anomalies in your life, and especially for going more plant-based in your eating. Having been a vegetarian, bordering on vegan, for over 25 years, I have nonetheless been experiencing some serious heart health issues that have caused me to reassess the way I've been eating -- too much "junk" food, even though it was technically vegetarian, too much sugar, and still consuming dairy cheese. Since learning that a component in dairy cheese can cause atrial fibrillation, I've given up cheese forever. Now I'm reading Dr Joel Fuhrman's book, "Eat to Live," which has provided me with a new impetus to get rid of the "toxic" foods in my cupboards and commit to a healthy lifestyle. There is SO MUCH eye-opening information in that book!! Nobody who reads it can say it isn't extremely well-researched. The hard part for me is living in an area where I've yet to meet any vegetarians, let alone vegans, so I'm traveling this road alone. I have to reset my compass every morning (and sometimes during the day!) to make sure I keep on course. Setting clear goals for any change makes all the difference! With a clear goal of improving my heart health, I trust this new path will be worthwhile.
I wish you all the best on your new path, and look forward to reading your posts.
gm
I've missed seeing the progress/stages of your home 'make-over".