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There’s something beautifully grounding about embracing simple living hobbies that quiet the mind and nourish the soul. In today’s fast-paced, ultra-digital world, I’ve found solace in unplugging, slowing down, and working with my hands. The magic isn’t just in the finished product, it’s in the process.
Have you ever felt that craving for quiet? Not silence exactly, but that deep, calm space inside you where time slows and your brain stops spinning like a hamster wheel. I used to reach for my phone or binge a show when I was overwhelmed. But it didn’t help. I still felt frazzled. Eventually, I started turning to slow hobbies. Real, tactile, soul-feeding hobbies. Screen free. And everything changed.
Let me share 10 of my favorite screen-free hobbies that have brought me peace, joy, and even a little confidence along the way.
1. Canning Seasonal Produce
There’s a rhythm to canning that feels meditative. The chopping, simmering, pouring, sealing, it all slows me down and makes me feel connected.
I started canning after my neighbor dropped off a huge bag of tomatoes from her garden. I couldn’t bear to let them go to waste. One or two YouTube videos later, I was sterilizing jars and boiling tomato sauce. Now it’s become an annual tradition: tomato basil sauce in late summer, pickled carrots in the fall, strawberry jam in spring.
Canning teaches patience. It makes you think ahead. It’s about savoring what’s fresh now and enjoying it later.
Why I love it:
- It keeps me present.
- It reduces food waste.
- It fills my pantry with handmade goodness.
Check out this canning starter kit.
2. Fermenting Foods
I was totally intimidated at first when I started fermenting. What if I got it wrong? Moldy? Gross? But once I made my first batch of sauerkraut, I was hooked.
There’s something deeply satisfying about fermenting. You start to see food not just as fuel, but as alive. It slows you down and teaches you to wait.
You don’t need very much for supplies (can just use a mason jar), but the best way to ferment is to use a water seal fermenting crock to easily prevent mold and oxidation. If you’re new to fermenting, start with kraut. One small cabbage makes about a pint and takes less than 15 minutes to prep.
3. Tending to a Garden
Even if it’s just a few pots on a windowsill, gardening is therapy. Digging in the dirt, pruning, watering, it gets you out of your head and into your senses.
When I first moved into my home, I had no idea what I was doing. I killed a rosemary plant in two weeks. But I kept trying. These days, my little raised beds are overflowing with kale, zinnias, and cherry tomatoes. And every morning starts with a slow walk through the garden, coffee in hand. It’s my moment of stillness before the chaos begins.
Benefits of gardening for the soul:
- Touching soil boosts serotonin levels.
- Watching something grow is deeply fulfilling.
- It teaches you to care, notice, and be patient.
Get this cute gardening kit with all the tools you need to get started:
4. Starting a Tea Garden
If you love tea like I do, growing your own herbs is pure joy. I started small, just peppermint and lemon balm. Now I’ve got chamomile, lavender, thyme, and holy basil too.
There’s something sacred about stepping outside, snipping a few fresh herbs, and brewing a warm mug of tea. No packaging, no plastic, no store trip. Just sunshine and soil and water.
My favorite homegrown blends:
- Peppermint + lemon balm = calming and uplifting
- Chamomile + lavender = bedtime bliss
- Tulsi + thyme = immune-boosting hug in a cup
Don’t have a yard? A sunny windowsill works just fine. This indoor tea herb garden starter kit has everything you need for you windowsill tea garden.
5. Knitting or Crocheting
I learned to knit during a rough winter in my twenties. My anxiety was through the roof, and my mom handed me some needles and yarn and said, “Try this.”
The repetitive motion, the focus on each stitch, it quieted my racing thoughts. I wasn’t making masterpieces. My first scarf looked more like a wonky potholder. But I kept going.
Knitting has become a kind of moving meditation. I’ve made baby blankets for friends, dishcloths for my kitchen, and cozy hats for myself.
What knitting gives me:
- A calm, steady rhythm
- A sense of accomplishment
- The perfect excuse to slow down
And yes, I’ve totally brought it to the DMV, on road trips, even camping. Get started with this easy beginners knitting kit.
6. Making Homemade Bread or Pasta
There’s no better therapy than flour, water, and your hands. Whether it’s a rustic sourdough loaf or silky sheets of homemade pasta, making dough is grounding.
I bake bread every Sunday morning now. It’s become a ritual. The house smells incredible, and slicing into that crusty loaf feels like a reward for showing up, waiting, and nurturing something.
And pasta? Get the kids or friends involved. Rolling dough, cutting noodles, this is slow food at its finest.
Why I love it:
- The tactile process is incredibly satisfying.
- It teaches patience and presence.
- It connects me to tradition and family.
Tip: Don’t worry about perfection. Start with a simple no-knead bread or egg pasta or get this easy DIY pasta kit with all the tools you need. Prefer to try sourdough first? Check out this sourdough starter kit.
7. Candle Making
This one surprised me. I started making candles one winter when I needed a hobby that didn’t involve screens or noise. I ordered a basic kit online, and within hours, I had homemade lavender soy candles lining my windowsill.
Now, candle-making is my favorite rainy day activity. I blend my own scents (eucalyptus + vanilla is a favorite), and gift them to friends and family. It’s a creative, peaceful process, and it makes your home smell like heaven.
Get started with this easy to use beginner friendly soy way candle making kit.
Candle making nourishes because:
- It uses all your senses, touch, smell, sight.
- It creates something useful and beautiful.
- It feels like self-care in the form of flickering light.
10. Embroidery: Stitching Calm into Every Thread
Embroidery surprised me. I picked it up on a whim during a slow winter weekend, thinking it would be fiddly or frustrating. Instead, it became one of the most soothing parts of my simple living routine. There’s something deeply meditative about the rhythm of needle and thread, up, down, pull, breathe.
I started with basic floral patterns using a simple hoop and inexpensive cotton thread. Now, I find myself stitching while listening to soft music or sipping herbal tea. It’s creative without being overwhelming, quiet without being boring. Mistakes? They blend right in. That’s part of the charm.
Why I love embroidery:
- It forces me to slow down, there’s no rushing a stitch.
- It’s tactile and screen-free, something my hands crave.
- I can create keepsakes with meaning: baby names, quotes, flowers from my garden.
You don’t need to be an expert to begin. Just fabric, thread, and a willingness to take it one stitch at a time. Embroidery has become my way of weaving calm into my days, one tiny loop at a time.
Get started with an easy beginner embroidery starter kit.
9. Painting for Peace, Not Perfection
I used to think painting was only for “artists.” You know, the kind with a gallery wall or an MFA. But one rainy afternoon, I pulled out a cheap watercolor set from the back of my closet, sat by the window, and just started blending colors. That’s all it took. I was hooked.
Painting has become one of the most meditative parts of my week. I’m not trying to create masterpieces. I’m chasing stillness, not perfection. Some days I paint soft abstract shapes. Other days, I try to capture the curves of a tomato vine or the play of light on my tea mug.
The magic is in the act itself. The brush moving across paper. The quiet. The moment of noticing things I normally rush past.
Why painting soothes the soul:
- It gets me out of my head and into my hands.
- It helps me observe beauty, not just consume it.
- There’s no pressure, just process.
Sometimes I paint while music plays softly in the background. Sometimes in silence. Every time, I feel more grounded when I finish, even if my paper is a bit wrinkly or my colors bled too much.
Not an artist? Check out this paint by numbers kit, perfect to help you get started.
It’s about showing up, letting go, and letting color speak where words fall short.
10. Drying Herbs and Flowers
This is one of the simplest hobbies I’ve picked up, and it brings so much joy. Drying herbs like thyme, oregano, or sage makes cooking more satisfying. Drying flowers adds a gentle beauty to your space.
Every summer I hang bundles from hooks in my kitchen or tuck them into brown paper bags. The smell is incredible, and the visuals? Pure cottagecore.
Ideas for dried herbs/flowers:
- Infuse into oil for homemade salves or massage oils
- Add to bath soaks
- Use in teas or cooking
- Craft into wreaths or sachets
You can dry herbs with some twine or bands and hang them upside down. If you want to get extra fancy you can invest in some herb drying racks.
A Slower Life is a Richer Life
I didn’t pick up all these hobbies at once. Some came to me during stressful seasons. Others, out of curiosity. Each one has helped me come home to myself in a different way.
If you feel the world pulling you in a thousand directions, maybe it’s time to step away from your screen and pick up a jar, a journal, or a skein of yarn. Let your hands do the work. Let your mind rest.
Simple living hobbies that quiet the mind and nourish the soul aren’t about productivity. They’re about presence. They’re about finding joy in the ordinary.
So tell me, which one are you going to try first?
P.S. Want more inspiration? Check out our other simple living posts:
Why Choosing Less Can Actually Mean Living More
How to Start Living Simply: 7 Small Changes That Make a Big Difference
How to Create a Minimalist Morning Routine That Reduces Stress
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