As I write this, we are just days away from January, which has me thinking about what I might like to do differently in the new year.
Many people are thinking about what New Year’s resolutions they will make. Some people are thoughtfully selecting their “word” for the year that will be their focus or intention.
Me? I’m thinking about what I can do to make things SIMPLER!
You can view my video about 7 Ways to Simplify in the new year here:
Since 2019, I have been on a path to simplify our possessions and the way that my husband and I live. I cannot call myself a minimalist, but I AM taking baby steps toward a more minimalist lifestyle.
The term Minimalism is sometimes misconstrued. I see Minimalism as identifying what is most important to us – our purpose – and removing all of the things that distract us from that purpose. Simplifying different areas of my life is my way of removing distractions.
I know that Simplifying is a goal that I will never fully achieve – as it takes continuous effort – and it always will. And I’m OK with that. After all, Simplify is a verb… and it’s an action that I am committed to.
Clutter and unnecessary possessions will always find their way into our homes and our lives. It is just a natural progression, but learning to see the clutter, and doing something about it, can be a very freeing experience! To learn more about why we all have clutter, watch this video or read this post.
Here are 7 things that I am going to simplify in the new year, and I am challenging you to join me!
1. Simplify your Wardrobe
Getting dressed and ready for work each morning is SO much easier since I began decluttering my closet a few years ago.
Go through your closet and identify your favorite pieces – the ones you feel good in – that fit you well – colors that you love to wear…. Remove the things that you hardly ever wear, or you are keeping just because you spent a pretty penny on them.
If you feel that it is just too hard to actually let go or donate things, put them in a tote for a season and see if you really miss them. That is the beauty of Project 333. You can learn more about this concept, and my attempt at Project 333 here.
2. Simplify Email
This is something that I continue to struggle with, so I’m hoping that I can really make some progress on this next year.
Set a time limit to check email. When you are juggling personal email and work email – it can get overwhelming REALLY quick! Try setting boundaries on when and how much time you will devote to email when you are at home. Depending on the volume of your inbox, you could set an auto-responder to let recipients know that you may not checking email every day and that you will respond when time allows. Family members can always call you if their email is urgent.
Unsubscribe to email lists. This makes a huge difference in your inbox! Just because a company sends you an email does not mean it is worthy of your time. You can always visit someone’s website to see what’s new when the time is right for YOU. You are not bound to their delivery schedule! And remember that the Spam button is your friend! (If you have never unsubscribed to an email list, just look at the very end of an email, and you should find the unsubscribe link. Some companies offer a lesser frequency option as well.)
Work on conquering FOMO (fear of missing out). This is a real problem for me! Sometimes I’m afraid I’m going to miss out on something important from a store or company if I don’t read their email. Challenge yourself sometimes to just hit Delete instead of being curious. You have the power!
Harness that curiosity and use it in a more intentional way. Think about the “missing out” you are experiencing with your spouse, or your kids. Talk with them and find out what is happening with them right now – they may be sitting right there!
3. Simplify Work/Life Balance
This is a tough balancing act for sure! I’m truly looking forward to retirement in a few years, but until then I need to make some improvements in this area. Here are some ideas for you:
Make the most of your commute time. Listen to your favorite music or a podcast, or call a family member. I call my mother every morning on my 15 minute drive and we love this daily check-in time.
Leave your workstation for lunch. Many of us are guilty of eating at our desks since we have so much to do. Try to take a break and go outdoors. Enjoy some quiet alone time to practice gratitude. Send a text message to a good friend. Take a short walk.
Inquire about flexible work hours. Perhaps you could come in an hour later one day a week. You’ll never know unless you ask 🙂
Make your home a haven. Light a candle in the evening, fix a cup of coffee or tea and do nothing except enjoy it. Take a nap. Don’t swap your busy office time for busy time at home!
Schedule something fun one evening during the middle of the week. Make time for a hobby, or perhaps go to the movie. Don’t fall into the trap of working for the weekend.
4. Simplify Dinner Time and Meal Planning
I am not a believer in having different meals everyday of the month. You may disagree, and that is OK. You do you! Cooking is not something that I am passionate about (just ask my husband!)
Eating the same meal often may sound boring to some people, but to me it makes life much simpler! And if it is a dish you and your family all like – that is a big win! I call these meals – that are quick, easy and satisfying – my Go-To Meals.
Plan your meals for the week before you go grocery shopping. You can do this in just 15 minutes! Write out your weekly meal plan on a dry erase board. Pick at least one of your Go-To Meals. I like to do theme nights: Tuesday is pasta night, Wednesday night is Mexican, etc. I add a dinner-out every now-and-then, too 🙂 I promise your grocery bill will be lower if you plan your meals and only buy what you need for that week.
Check out my video or read my blog post on Simplifying Meal Planning and Grocery Shopping for my bonus tip for keeping track of foods in the freezer. You can also download my grocery shopping list here.
5. Simplify Shopping and Spending
Do you find yourself going shopping… just because? I used to do this – go to Marshall’s just to look for a bargain, go to Target because it’s Saturday and I’m through with my errands…. I’m sure you can add your own reasons.
Do you really NEED that top? Just because it’s on sale does not mean it is a good decision to purchase something you do not need. Save that money for an experience: an upcoming trip, or a special dinner out with friends. Or add it to a special savings account, or to your next charitable donation.
Think what you could be doing with your time and money if you weren’t shopping for things that you don’t even need! You could be spending that time visiting with a loved one, or playing a game with your kids, or going for a walk to enjoy the outdoors – you know – those things that we say we tell ourselves that we just don’t have enough time to do.
6. Simplify your Thoughts and your Schedule
Busy seems to have become the new normal. Let’s try to change that this year! Who’s with me?
Make time to be less busy. Don’t let busyness define your real priorities in life. You don’t have to say yes to every invitation. Listen to your body when it is telling you it is tired. Make time to sit and be still – even if it means you have to put it on your schedule. Try a little Fireplace Therapy here. I love getting lost in thoughts by simply watching a beautiful fire 🙂
Declutter Your Mind – Do a Brain Dump. Use a notebook to write down all the thoughts and to-do’s swarming around in your head. There is something magical about putting a pen to paper and writing down your thoughts. No need to organize at this point, just jot everything down to free up your mind.
Choose only 3 things each day as your priority to-do’s. You know you’d love to cross 10 things off your brain dump list, but be realistic about the time it will take to do these things AND the energy it will drain from you.
7. Simplify Household Inventory
This is the big one that makes such a huge impact! When you consider items in your home as inventory – it paints a much clearer picture of what it means to manage your household. Would you rather manage 500 things, or 5,000 things? The decision is simple!
Focus on Kitchen Inventory. The kitchen is one of the main areas where inventory can get overwhelming. Pots, pans, small appliances, utensils, dishes, cookbooks, canned goods, boxed foods, baking supplies, bottled drinks, storage containers…. the list goes on and on. Keeping the food in your pantry at a manageable level is a great place to start! These are things you can declutter when it is Kitchen week on your cleaning routine.
Managing food inventory in my house is a constant battle as my husband and I have opposite views on this subject. I prefer to manage fewer pantry items, but when he goes to the store he buys extra things for the future. Sometimes the canned goods expire before we use them! This drives me nuts!!! This is a topic for a separate post in the future 🙂
Declutter Health and Beauty items. I have simplified my cosmetics over the years, but I can always improve on removing unnecessary or expired items in bathroom drawers and cabinets. I bet you can do the same.
There are so many more areas to declutter inventory, but this post has ended up lots longer than I intended! You can check out 10 Easy Things to Declutter Today here.
Whether you are reading this in January or July – it’s always a good time to begin new habits to simplify! I hope you enjoy the process – I know you will reap the benefits!
Remember to keep it simple, friends – we know that simple pleasures really are the best!
xoxo
Angie
P.S. Take the 7 Simple Steps A Week Challenge to start off the new year. It’s free!
