One of the main things all people seem to say is that we wish life was more simple: less stress, less to do and more time, more energy.
Now, I consider myself an organized person, but I still have the urge to simplify things even further.
So, I’ve decided to put together a list of ways to simplify life.
Use it to get inspiration from, start by picking one and giving it a try.
You’ll be amazed at the difference it will make to your life. After all, it’s about taking those little steps – and you’ll get there in the end.
10 ways to simplify life
1. Declutter
It’s key to making life easier – it really is! Here why:
• You have less to clean and maintain
• You’re more content with your home because it’s not such a mess
• You know what you have so you buy less
2. 5-minute rule
Do you leave things until the weekend to get done in one go?
Use the 5-minute rule! The basic idea is that if a task takes 5 minutes to do simply get it done there and then!
3. Create a meal plan
Meal planning does simplify life at home, think how much time you spend dashing to the shops because you need something.
If you create a simple meal plan for a week then you can shop in one go, use less food, and think less each day about what to cook.
Here’s my meal planner that I would start with if you’re new to meal planning.
4. Create routines for the housework
Having habits for all those jobs you do daily is a lifesaver.
Start by creating a cleaning schedule, then set up a laundry schedule and look at creating a home maintenance schedule too.
5. 1 thing at a time
If you tried to change too much in one go, your brain wasn’t coping with all the new thinking.
You will only change one thing at a time going forward as that really will make things more simple. So you can concentrate on that and make that a habit, then move on to the next thing.
6. Update your diary weekly and check it daily
The next step to making your diary truly work for you is to put everything you need to do/remember etc… in it.
If you get into the habits of updating your diary each time something needs adding, making sure each week that you’ve checked what’s coming up as an overview, and then checking it each evening for the following day.
7. Have a home meeting
It is a fancy name for getting everyone in the house to sit together and chat through how things are going.
It helps to ensure that everyone’s on the same page, there are no problems with schedules, everyone knows what’s coming up over the next few weeks – and there are no surprises.
8. Unscribe
Whether it be too many emails, too much mail through your door, endless catalogs or sales calls, it can take ages just to sort things so you can see what you actually need from it all.
Spend a few minutes each day unsubscribing from things you really don’t need anymore.
9. Appreciate what you have
If you’re not happy in your life, then you’re always going to be looking for the next thing to do, the next thing to buy, the next goal to achieve…
If you are always feeling you need more, it makes life more complicated as you never stop and see what you’ve already achieved.
Take a step back and learn to acknowledge what you’ve already got. You may be surprised at how much more satisfied you are with your life, and things will naturally simplify as a result.
10. Don’t waste your time
Wasting time through habit by watching TV, using Facebook etc… means that you automatically have less time to get the important stuff done.
Be realistic about what time you have, and use it well.
If you can set schedules and create good habits, then you really will make your life easier!
None of the 10 ways to simplify life above are that complicated to do, so pick one and give it a try, see what works for you and what a difference it can make.
xoxo,
Arianna