Living in a rural setting gives me plenty of challenges. Without a doubt, the benefits of living a rural life definitely outweigh the extra work it brings. A city life may be about efficiency and ease of use, but a country life brings the slower pace needed to get things done. You really can’t beat an open fire on a cold winter’s evening. Although, keeping the fireplace clean is quite a lot of hard work!
The smoke from the fire also seems to cling to everything. I find I have to wash the curtains more often to keep them smelling fresh. Some people living in city centres or along the main road have the same problem. For me, I have the smell of wood smoke to contend with. For them, it’s dust and dirt particles from traffic fumes. I know which I would prefer!
Flickr is the source of this image
I’ve learned that fabric sofas do kind of soak up the smell of the smoke a little, but that can all be part of the charm of country living. I wouldn’t give up a roaring open fire for anything because of how cheap and how practical they are. I can choose to have the wood seasoned and delivered, or I can get an axe to a log. Choices for heating in a city are definitely restricted.
Cleaning the fire out takes a few minutes each time. Yes, it’s a little messy, but it needs doing to ensure the fireplace is safe and effective. It does mean the carpets need to be cleaned a little more often of course. Fortunately, there are plenty of professional carpet cleaners out there who can do a very good job.
I don’t have the same amount of work cleaning up after my pets as those in the city might have. With so much outdoor space, I definitely don’t need to worry about cat litter trays! I love going out for walks with the dog, but they are running around outside most of the time. Of course, there are plenty of animals that I do have to take care of. I just wouldn’t have that opportunity in the city. I love that I can have them in my life.
My home is larger than a city centre apartment. I guess that means I have more dusting to do! To have all the extra space, and no neighbour or traffic noise is worth it though. It probably doesn’t need doing as much as some city places either thanks to the lack of traffic. I’ll have more decorating to do but my decor choices aren’t nearly as fussy or involved here as they might have been in a trendy city pad.
Cooking is such a pleasure out here in the country. I have more space and storage in the kitchen, and the choices of fresh food available are better too. This is one of the parts of running my home that I love the best. And there’s rarely a rush to get a meal prepared and eaten either. No indigestion here! So there you have it. I’m not saying life is harder here at all, but it is a completely different home to run, and I love it.