Today I want to talk about some small changes that you can make to simplify your life. I am not a minimalist but am drawn to the minimal way of life. The thing that appeals to me about minimal living is the goal of making things simple. So you can save time, money, and energy from all the things that are not important. Allowing you to instead focus on the more valuable and fulfilling aspects of life.
Tips For How To Simplify Your Life
1. Make Your Bed
This will immediately give you a sense of achievement as well as make your bedroom look instantly tidier.
2. Simplify Your Wardrobe
Free up wardrobe space and get rid of those clothes that don’t bring you joy or no longer fit you. Because it can be so extraordinarily daunting to have a wardrobe full of clothes yet feel like you have nothing to wear!
3. Take Breaks
Taking breaks throughout the day is essential for your physical and mental well-being. We can all get so busy that it can be really easy to forget to take important breaks. A great way to remember is to set a timer. So that way you will still be productive but once that timer goes off then you can have a quick stretch, get some fresh air, or have a drink of water.
If you own a smartwatch one of the great features is that it will automatically remind you to stand up and take a break if you are sitting down for too long. A smartwatch can also prompt you to do some breathing exercises and practice mindfulness. So a smartwatch can be a very useful investment.
4. Layout Your Clothes The Night Before
Another great tip for how to simplify your life is to lay out the clothes that you want to wear the night before. This means that you will have one less thing to do as part of your usual morning routine.
5. Declutter Your Bag
Edit the contents of your bag so that you only carry essentials for the day. Having a bag full of ‘stuff’ can cause so much frustration when you can’t actually find the things that you need. Furthermore carrying around a bag full of unnecessary contents can be really bad for your back and neck.
6. Minimise Visual Clutter
Having too much visual clutter around you can be very distracting and make it so much harder to focus. If your workspace is clean and tidy then it will be so much easier to be productive and feel more relaxed.
7. Organise And Minimise Your Wardrobe
A fantastic way to save time getting ready in the morning is to create a simple capsule wardrobe. If you start with some essentials then it’s so easy to mix and match them to create totally new looks every day.
8. Edit The Photos On Your Phone
Try and get into the habit of deleting unnecessary photos on your phone. Keep the ones that you really love and get rid of the rest. This frees up the storage space on your phone. And it also means that you will spend less time scrolling through trying to find a particular photo that you really want.
9. Carry A Water Bottle Wherever You Go
It is so important for your health to stay hydrated. So it’s a good idea to get into the habit of carrying a water bottle whenever you are out and about. Furthermore carrying a water bottle is a great sustainable practice. As well as being cost-effective too!
10. Focus On One Thing At A Time
If you try to focus on too many things at once you will end up exhausted. Try and finish one task before you move on to the next. You will feel a real sense of achievement when you start and finish a task that you focus on well.
11. Breathe
Take a moment to stop and take deep breaths throughout the day. We all live busy lives and are on the go constantly. Before you even realise it, you might just be shallow breathing and that’s no good. We must breathe in oxygen so that we can think clearly and effectively.
12. Unsubscribe From Email Lists That You No Longer Need
Get rid of those spammy space consuming emails and unsubscribe asap!
13. Go For A Walk
Nothing clears your head better than a walk. Going for a daily walk will also give your body some exercise and can reset your mood.
14. Use Routines To Simplify Your Life
Create routines and habits to make your life simpler. You will feel more in control if you stick to routines that will help you complete daily tasks. An example of a simple routine to make your days easier is to make sure the kitchen is clean and tidy before you go to bed. You will thank yourself the next day when you walk into a fresh clean kitchen in the morning!
15. Write A To-Do List For The Next Day
Write down all the tasks that you want to complete the next day. It’s a great way to prioritise important jobs that need to be taken care of. Then as you cross off your to-do list you will feel like a champ seeing all that you have accomplished!
16. Plan Your Meals
Try and create a meal plan and stick to it! Life is just so much simpler when you meal plan. You will save money and time if you spend a few minutes deciding what nutritious meals you are going to serve your family the following week. Even if you are single, it’s still a good idea to plan your meals and avoid going down the expensive takeaway route.
17. Say No
You don’t need to say ‘yes’ to everything. Set important boundaries so that you don’t stress yourself out by over-committing your time and energy.
18. Eat Slowly
If you eat slowly and mindfully then you will enjoy your food and it will help your digestion. Try not to be on your phone or gobble up your food in a mad rush. Instead, take pleasure in the food that you are eating. After all food and eating are some of the simple pleasures of life that are meant to be enjoyed!
19. Declutter
Get rid of items that are cluttering your home. If you need some inspiration for where to start your decluttering journey to simplify your life. Then you might find this post 20 Things You Can Get Rid Of To Declutter Your Home helpful.
20. Buy Less
If you shop less you will save money and reduce clutter. Try to get into the habit of only buying things that you need or love. Live simpler with less stuff.
21. Simplify Your Housework
Having a good consistent cleaning routine will make life so much easier. Your home will be tidy and organised if you declutter and clean regularly. In addition, you will really enjoy your free time a whole lot more if you know that you don’t have a messy house to deal with. Here are some tips for How To Keep A Clean House.
22. Be Grateful
Declutter your mind of negative thinking and instead focus on being grateful. Your life will feel a whole lot simpler if you stop negative self-talk and destructive thinking habits. Instead, take a deep breath and remind yourself of all the things that you can be grateful for. If you are having trouble on a particularly challenging day. Why not listen to a guided meditation that focuses on gratitude?
23. Wake Up 15 Minutes Earlier
If you set your alarm to wake up just 15 minutes earlier than you need to. Then it will set the tone for the rest of your day. Waking up with only just enough time means that you are rushing and you won’t have time to take a moment where you can have some quiet time, check your calender or write down an important to-do list for the day.
24. Enjoy Being At Home
Social media can have us feeling that staying at home means that we are not living our best life. This is just not true. Being at home is a great way to enjoy simple things like spending time with our families. There is nothing better than enjoying time at home eating a delicious meal, playing board games, or watching a fun movie. You don’t need to be busy all the time.
25. Have A Place For Everything
That great advice “A Place For Everything And Everything In Its Place” is extremely important if you want to simplify your life. After you have decluttered then make sure everything has a designated spot. This way all your necessary belongings will always be accessible and you won’t waste time and energy looking for things.
Easy Ways To Simplify Your Life
I hope that this list gives you some inspiration to start simplifying your life. Living a simpler life will reduce stress, anxiety, and feelings of being overwhelmed. Instead, you will have more energy to do the things that you enjoy and more time to spend with those you love.
Photos courtesy of Unsplash
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Great! These are simple actions. Yet, they make life easier.
I love these ideas! I also lean toward the minimal life, so I feel like I am always going through things and organizing. I also really like for things to look pretty around the house (and on myself), so I am always figuring out a new way to change things in the house and learning how to feel like the best version of myself. For instance, I do wear makeup, but I no longer wear the amount I used to. I can be finished with it all in three minutes and most of that time is spent laying it all out and then putting it all away.
Thank you for sharing! I loved reading this.
Thanks so much, Jennifer!😊
I do many of these things, but I think it’s time to go through my wardrobe and declutter and downsize it. I still have clothes from 20 years ago that I never wear. Keeping things organized in my home has been challenging since my husband, and teenage boys all have ADHD. Lists are my friend!
Yes to so many of these. It’s a good reminder to take it easy on yourself.
This is a really great article. Some very helpful tips and insight on how to simplify things. Thanks for sharing!
I like the idea of setting out your clothes the night before. This is especially true if you want to add exercise into your life. If your clothes are already set out, you have one less thing to convince you not to go. And exercise is a great way to recharge YOU.
I do like the sound of minimal living.
I am so bad at making mine and my fellas bed. He’s always up before me so it’s my job and I don’t do it every day. Oops.
What great ideas. I need to do a few of these things to improve my life. x
Oh I am ruthless about deleting photos from my phone! I hardly have any on there as I tend to upload and develop them. Honestly, I do most of these but could not/would not want to get up 15 minutes earlier. I’m already up so early as it is… I can’t stand to leave my bed unmade though and even start my day by walking through the house putting away anything that’s not in it’s place.