How to Simplify Your Life
Decide what stuff is unnecessary., Do quick cleans., Do big cleans every season., Shrink your wardrobe., Stop buying new things you do not really need., Downsize., Create white space., Make your bed every day.
Step-by-Step Guide
-
Step 1: Decide what stuff is unnecessary.
Simplifying doesn't need to be complicated:
Identify what's most important to you and eliminate everything else.
Imagine you had to pack everything you owned in an hour to move across the country for ten years, or for the rest of your life.
What would you take? What would be essential? Cut your possessions down to the bare essentials and get rid of everything that’s merely taking up space.
If you tend toward hoarding for nostalgic or emotional reasons, try to evaluate your attachment to stuff.
Start a "get rid of" pile of things and take them immediately to the thrift store to donate.
Old candlesticks that haven't seen a candle since Reagan was in office? Toss them.
Stack of Billboard Magazine from the mid-70s? Toss it.
In general, if you have not used an object in 18 months, you are likely not going to.
Is it something that actually makes your happy? Some objects may be valuable, but does not really make you happy to use or have.
This includes gifts.
Your great-aunt may have meant well giving you her old china cabinet, but you have neither china nor does it fit in your life. -
Step 2: Do quick cleans.
Walk through your house with a big basket.
Fill it with necessaries.
Crank up something good on the stereo and give yourself 15 minutes to de-clutter and see how much you can get done.
Throw away garbage, gather clothes and put them in the laundry.
Be judicious.
If it's not necessary, throw it in the garbage.
Focus on the high-traffic areas, like the living room and the kitchen.
If dishes are piled up in the sink, you'll feel stressed out and messy, even if the rest of the house is clean-looking and tidy.
If you've only got a little bit of time, focus on the most important spaces.
Don't worry about getting the dirt out of every corner and "cleaning" every surface.
Just focus on tidying.
Put things away, straighten things up, make the place look right. , A couple times every year, you should do a more thorough cleaning to get rid of accumulated stuff and simplify your living space, as well as cleaning the house of dirt and grime.
Pet hair, dust, and other debris can accumulate in even the tidiest spaces, making it important to do thorough cleaning:
Vacuum, shampoo the carpet, clean the toilets, scrub the walls, wash the windows.
Get the dirt out! Go through desks and clear out the paper archives, too.
Clean out drawers to get rid of that hidden clutter.
Move toward eliminating paper waste and digitizing important documents.
This will simplify your living space.
Go paperless. , Find your favorite, most versatile clothing items and donate the rest.
If it's worn out, get rid of it.
If it doesn't fit anymore, get it to someone who can wear it.
If you've always meant to wear it but just never seem to find the occasion, give it up.
Pare down what is in your closet.
If you’ve got a big war-chest of clothes that you're attached to, consider simplifying by season.
There’s no reason you should be digging through sweaters in the middle of summer, so pack up all your seasonal clothes in separate tubs and put them away until that season rolls around.
Out of sight, out of mind.
Throw "Naked Lady" parties or other get-togethers in which you can all throw old or ill-fitting clothes into a pile with a bunch of friends and trade.
Maybe that pair of jeans doesn't work for you anymore but would look great on someone else.
Anything that's left at the end of the night, donate. , Just because you found a good deal on something does not make it necessary to buy.
Simplify by stopping the additional accumulation of junk in your life.
Before you buy anything new, ask yourself:"Do I really need this?" "Is there a sustainable alternative?" "Do I have a family member or friend who already provides this service or product?" Avoid buying new books.
If you read a book, and will re-read it, by all means buy that book.
But most books people read once, and that is it.
Instead, go to the library.
You will have more space for things you actually use.
Avoid buying new housewares
- make do with what you have.
If you need a new microwave, that is one thing.
But instead of a pastry cutter, simply using two knives you already have will save space.
Alton Brown famously promotes that the only "uni-tasker" in the kitchen should be the fire extinguisher.
Research rental options in your town.
Consider renting a leaf blower that you use only once in fall, rather than buying one.
Tool-libraries are increasingly common, allowing you to use what you need for a short time, then return it.
The flip side of this is to share what you have with your friends, family, and neighbors.
If you start this practice, you may reduce the need to buy, store, and organize so many tools and "conveniences."
Have a small but comfortable home and learn to live with less.
Buy less, savor quality more, and put the spare money in the savings account for a rainy day or a reward vacation.
Consider renting rather than buy a home or items you need to use.
Then the repairs, rates, and dry rot are someone else's problem, not yours.
Own fewer items but make sure that what you do own has greater versatility.
Objects able to do double or even triple duty are the most desirable.
Remember that working to pay for objects is not an ideal approach to living happily; review your priorities. , Having empty space in your home, your room, or your office can help to relax you and create a feeling of simplicity.
Don't clutter your walls with entertaining stuff, let the emptiness be calming and elegant.
Let simplicity trump adornment.
White space doesn't need to be "white." If you don't like the feeling of a sterile, super-clean living space, then natural wood, exposed brick, or other patterns are perfectly simple and effective at relaxing you.
White space doesn't have to actually be white, just free of clutter.
No shelving, movie posters, or hanging frames.
Simple lines and clean empty spaces on the walls. , It only takes five minutes and it can do wonders to change your mood.
Your bedroom looks much more elegant, simple and tidy with the bed made and cleaned up.
Taking little steps like making the bed can help to de-stress you and simplify your life.
If it's simpler for you to leave your sheets in a pile, so be it.
The point is taking little steps to simplify your experience of the day.
Maybe instead you spend meditative time making your coffee every morning, grinding the beans, heating the water, and pouring it into the press pot.
Maybe you start the day by tidying the kitchen and listening to the radio.
Have a routine. -
Step 3: Do big cleans every season.
-
Step 4: Shrink your wardrobe.
-
Step 5: Stop buying new things you do not really need.
-
Step 6: Downsize.
-
Step 7: Create white space.
-
Step 8: Make your bed every day.
Detailed Guide
Simplifying doesn't need to be complicated:
Identify what's most important to you and eliminate everything else.
Imagine you had to pack everything you owned in an hour to move across the country for ten years, or for the rest of your life.
What would you take? What would be essential? Cut your possessions down to the bare essentials and get rid of everything that’s merely taking up space.
If you tend toward hoarding for nostalgic or emotional reasons, try to evaluate your attachment to stuff.
Start a "get rid of" pile of things and take them immediately to the thrift store to donate.
Old candlesticks that haven't seen a candle since Reagan was in office? Toss them.
Stack of Billboard Magazine from the mid-70s? Toss it.
In general, if you have not used an object in 18 months, you are likely not going to.
Is it something that actually makes your happy? Some objects may be valuable, but does not really make you happy to use or have.
This includes gifts.
Your great-aunt may have meant well giving you her old china cabinet, but you have neither china nor does it fit in your life.
Walk through your house with a big basket.
Fill it with necessaries.
Crank up something good on the stereo and give yourself 15 minutes to de-clutter and see how much you can get done.
Throw away garbage, gather clothes and put them in the laundry.
Be judicious.
If it's not necessary, throw it in the garbage.
Focus on the high-traffic areas, like the living room and the kitchen.
If dishes are piled up in the sink, you'll feel stressed out and messy, even if the rest of the house is clean-looking and tidy.
If you've only got a little bit of time, focus on the most important spaces.
Don't worry about getting the dirt out of every corner and "cleaning" every surface.
Just focus on tidying.
Put things away, straighten things up, make the place look right. , A couple times every year, you should do a more thorough cleaning to get rid of accumulated stuff and simplify your living space, as well as cleaning the house of dirt and grime.
Pet hair, dust, and other debris can accumulate in even the tidiest spaces, making it important to do thorough cleaning:
Vacuum, shampoo the carpet, clean the toilets, scrub the walls, wash the windows.
Get the dirt out! Go through desks and clear out the paper archives, too.
Clean out drawers to get rid of that hidden clutter.
Move toward eliminating paper waste and digitizing important documents.
This will simplify your living space.
Go paperless. , Find your favorite, most versatile clothing items and donate the rest.
If it's worn out, get rid of it.
If it doesn't fit anymore, get it to someone who can wear it.
If you've always meant to wear it but just never seem to find the occasion, give it up.
Pare down what is in your closet.
If you’ve got a big war-chest of clothes that you're attached to, consider simplifying by season.
There’s no reason you should be digging through sweaters in the middle of summer, so pack up all your seasonal clothes in separate tubs and put them away until that season rolls around.
Out of sight, out of mind.
Throw "Naked Lady" parties or other get-togethers in which you can all throw old or ill-fitting clothes into a pile with a bunch of friends and trade.
Maybe that pair of jeans doesn't work for you anymore but would look great on someone else.
Anything that's left at the end of the night, donate. , Just because you found a good deal on something does not make it necessary to buy.
Simplify by stopping the additional accumulation of junk in your life.
Before you buy anything new, ask yourself:"Do I really need this?" "Is there a sustainable alternative?" "Do I have a family member or friend who already provides this service or product?" Avoid buying new books.
If you read a book, and will re-read it, by all means buy that book.
But most books people read once, and that is it.
Instead, go to the library.
You will have more space for things you actually use.
Avoid buying new housewares
- make do with what you have.
If you need a new microwave, that is one thing.
But instead of a pastry cutter, simply using two knives you already have will save space.
Alton Brown famously promotes that the only "uni-tasker" in the kitchen should be the fire extinguisher.
Research rental options in your town.
Consider renting a leaf blower that you use only once in fall, rather than buying one.
Tool-libraries are increasingly common, allowing you to use what you need for a short time, then return it.
The flip side of this is to share what you have with your friends, family, and neighbors.
If you start this practice, you may reduce the need to buy, store, and organize so many tools and "conveniences."
Have a small but comfortable home and learn to live with less.
Buy less, savor quality more, and put the spare money in the savings account for a rainy day or a reward vacation.
Consider renting rather than buy a home or items you need to use.
Then the repairs, rates, and dry rot are someone else's problem, not yours.
Own fewer items but make sure that what you do own has greater versatility.
Objects able to do double or even triple duty are the most desirable.
Remember that working to pay for objects is not an ideal approach to living happily; review your priorities. , Having empty space in your home, your room, or your office can help to relax you and create a feeling of simplicity.
Don't clutter your walls with entertaining stuff, let the emptiness be calming and elegant.
Let simplicity trump adornment.
White space doesn't need to be "white." If you don't like the feeling of a sterile, super-clean living space, then natural wood, exposed brick, or other patterns are perfectly simple and effective at relaxing you.
White space doesn't have to actually be white, just free of clutter.
No shelving, movie posters, or hanging frames.
Simple lines and clean empty spaces on the walls. , It only takes five minutes and it can do wonders to change your mood.
Your bedroom looks much more elegant, simple and tidy with the bed made and cleaned up.
Taking little steps like making the bed can help to de-stress you and simplify your life.
If it's simpler for you to leave your sheets in a pile, so be it.
The point is taking little steps to simplify your experience of the day.
Maybe instead you spend meditative time making your coffee every morning, grinding the beans, heating the water, and pouring it into the press pot.
Maybe you start the day by tidying the kitchen and listening to the radio.
Have a routine.
About the Author
Kayla Kennedy
Experienced content creator specializing in practical skills guides and tutorials.
Rate This Guide
How helpful was this guide? Click to rate: