"the point of simple living: a soft place to land,
a wide margin of error, room to breathe."
leo babauta
the new year is almost upon us, which means now is the best time to start thinking about areas of your life to clean up, declutter, and simplify! we only get to celebrate a new year every 365 days, so let's make it worth it.
personal
1. clothing
after a while, it can become easy to let clothes and accessories that you don't *absolutely* love collect dust in the closet. from the change in seasons, growing out of old clothes, fit, styles, or simply forgetting what's there, it is time to sift, sort, and organize. one thing that helps me when simplifying is to put my clothing into categories (workout, loungewear, outerwear, casual, business) and then go through each item i have in those categories, only keeping what i absolutely love/need.
after a while, it can become easy to let clothes and accessories that you don't *absolutely* love collect dust in the closet. from the change in seasons, growing out of old clothes, fit, styles, or simply forgetting what's there, it is time to sift, sort, and organize. one thing that helps me when simplifying is to put my clothing into categories (workout, loungewear, outerwear, casual, business) and then go through each item i have in those categories, only keeping what i absolutely love/need.
something i've always wanted to try is a capsule wardrobe, mostly because having very few items of clothing allows for more money, energy and time to be spent in areas of life with more importance and of higher priority, rather than endless/mindless shopping for unnecessary clothing.
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things to simplify:
1. clothing (including workout, loungewear, outerwear...)
2. shoes (from boots to slip ons and everything in-between)
3. accessories (scarves, hats, jewelry—all the things)
tip: focus on the season you are currently in when simplifying. for example: if it's currently summertime, focus on minimizing just your summer wardrobe. that way, you 1. won't be overwhelmed with bucket loads of clothes and get discouraged/quit. and 2. so you won't throw out a winter coat that you might regret later when the cold temperatures come.
2. beauty
now is the perfect time to go through all of those old/unused products you no longer use.
now is the perfect time to go through all of those old/unused products you no longer use.
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things to simplify:
1. old/unwanted/empty/expired makeup, balms, chapsticks
2. old/unwanted/empty/expired lotions, perfumes
3. old/unwanted/empty/expired shampoos, conditioners, soaps
4. old/unwanted/empty/expired razors, luffas, brushes, combs, styling appliances
life
3. financial
this area of life can be a bit more tedious than others, but still just as important—if not one of the most important. it will give you peace of mind to know your important paperwork, passcodes, and receipts are all up-to-date and in their specified places, for whenever you might need them.
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things to simplify:
1. receipts (throw away the old, file the new in a labeled folder)
2. organize usernames/passcodes in a safe, secure, secret spreadsheet (online and/or printed out)
3. paperwork (file or throw away instead of mindlessly tossing aside for later)
4. update/re-purpose existing items (instead of buying new)
5. discontinue unused services (magazines, newspapers, home phone, netflix...)
6. if you haven't already, create a realistic budget/emergency savings (for peace of mind + frugal spending)
4. update/re-purpose existing items (instead of buying new)
5. discontinue unused services (magazines, newspapers, home phone, netflix...)
6. if you haven't already, create a realistic budget/emergency savings (for peace of mind + frugal spending)
4. spaces
the places + rooms we live in most tend to get pretty full, pretty fast. find a place for everything in your house. if you can't, it might mean you don't need it. it always feels sooo much better when everything is organized and cleaned up, not to mention helping those in need by donating unwanted/unneeded items.
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things to simplify:
1. tables, counters, junk drawers, bulletin boards (clear 'em off + organize)
2. basement/attic/closets (sort through, organize, give away, throw out, recycle)
3. old magazines, newspapers, books (sort through, organize, give away, throw out, recycle)
5. meals
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things to simplify:
1. tables, counters, junk drawers, bulletin boards (clear 'em off + organize)
2. basement/attic/closets (sort through, organize, give away, throw out, recycle)
3. old magazines, newspapers, books (sort through, organize, give away, throw out, recycle)
5. meals
when simplifying areas of our lives, i think this also pertains to the food we put in our bodies. if you plan ahead and set aside some time devoted to your eating habits, it can end up saving you SO much money, time, and energy in the long run (and what could be better than that?!)
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things to remember:
1. buy from your local farmers market (it'll be cheaper + healthier, guaranteed)
2. only buy what you need (aka stick to the list)
3. plan what meals to eat weekly/biweekly (to save time + energy)
4. meal prep your planned meals for the week (to save time + energy)
5. make a recipe book or box of your favorite/go-to meals (for easy access)
6. drink more water (it's good for ya)
7. use reusable bags when buying groceries
tip: don't go grocery shopping when you are hungry, or you'll most likely buy waaay more than what you need.
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things to remember:
1. buy from your local farmers market (it'll be cheaper + healthier, guaranteed)
2. only buy what you need (aka stick to the list)
3. plan what meals to eat weekly/biweekly (to save time + energy)
4. meal prep your planned meals for the week (to save time + energy)
5. make a recipe book or box of your favorite/go-to meals (for easy access)
6. drink more water (it's good for ya)
7. use reusable bags when buying groceries
tip: don't go grocery shopping when you are hungry, or you'll most likely buy waaay more than what you need.
technology
6. digital/online
do you have little space on your computer? big files taking up too much room? hoarded pictures from years past? unnecessary documents + files? too many bookmarks saved? it's time to simplify. i have (mostly) all my files/folders saved on an external hard drive which saves so much space on my laptop, also allowing it to run faster and more efficiently.
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things to simplify:
1. photos (save + organize or delete)
2. documents (save + organize or delete)
3. unnecessary files (delete, repeat)
4. save files to the cloud or an external hard drive
5. delete unwanted bookmarks/saved pages
6. organize wanted bookmarks/saved pages
7. delete unwanted emails (and unsubscribe from them while you're at it)
8. delete, update, + organize music playlists
7. social
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things to simplify:
1. photos (save + organize or delete)
2. documents (save + organize or delete)
3. unnecessary files (delete, repeat)
4. save files to the cloud or an external hard drive
5. delete unwanted bookmarks/saved pages
6. organize wanted bookmarks/saved pages
7. delete unwanted emails (and unsubscribe from them while you're at it)
8. delete, update, + organize music playlists
7. social
social media can be a great place of inspiration and community, and it should stay that way! unsubscribe to any person or organization who is not a positive influence for your feed/life. REMEMBER: no one is defined by the number of followers of their account. if you are following accounts that are causing jealousy, covetous, comparison, or negativity, now is the time to rid yourself of them.
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things to simplify:
1. unfollow/unfriend (it's not personal, don't overthink it!)
2. delete apps (those that are unnecessary or taking up space)
3. set aside time to stay off the media (to keep a clear mind + refocus on the present)
4. delete old text messages (that are taking up space)
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things to simplify:
1. unfollow/unfriend (it's not personal, don't overthink it!)
2. delete apps (those that are unnecessary or taking up space)
3. set aside time to stay off the media (to keep a clear mind + refocus on the present)
4. delete old text messages (that are taking up space)
self
8. reflect
each year has its ups and downs, things we have accomplished, and lessons we have learned. reflect back on the good and bad of this past year. make some mental notes of things you want to continue, let go of, or start new.
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things to do:
1. write down 5 accomplishments of the year (and the steps it took you to succeed them)
2. write down 5 lessons learned or areas of growth of the year (and your takeaways from them)
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things to do:
1. write down 5 accomplishments of the year (and the steps it took you to succeed them)
2. write down 5 lessons learned or areas of growth of the year (and your takeaways from them)
3. post said lists on a vision board or any visible place as frequent reminders as you start a new year
9. plan
any goal that does not have a plan behind itprobably won't get accomplished. prioritize your time to accomplish smaller goals to reach the bigger goal. follow through with your promises, to yourself and others.
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things to do:
1. buy/make a planner, schedule, or calendar
2. plan coffee dates to connect with friends (write down actual dates!)
3. write down upcoming events/appointments/meetings
4. set phone alerts/reminders for said upcoming events/appointments/meetings
any goal that does not have a plan behind it
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things to do:
1. buy/make a planner, schedule, or calendar
2. plan coffee dates to connect with friends (write down actual dates!)
3. write down upcoming events/appointments/meetings
4. set phone alerts/reminders for said upcoming events/appointments/meetings
10. set *realistic* goals for the new year
strive to take small steps to complete a bigger goal. it will take time to do all of these things. learn from your mistakes, stay focused on the present, give yourself grace when plans change, and take each day as it comes.
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things to do:
1. write your goals down! (and put the list somewhere visible)
2. share your goals with others (get them excited about it too)
3. have accountability partners (who can help you stay on track)
4. give yourself grace (it's not about perfection, but progression)
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things to do:
1. write your goals down! (and put the list somewhere visible)
2. share your goals with others (get them excited about it too)
3. have accountability partners (who can help you stay on track)
4. give yourself grace (it's not about perfection, but progression)
"there is beauty in simplicity."
a few of my new year goals:
1. eat more greens; eat less refined sugar
2. drink half my weight in ounces, daily
3. spend less time purposeless scrolling on my phone
4. meal plan for the week on sunday afternoons
5. slowly create a capsule wardrobe for each season
6. get coffee with friends, often
do you set goals for the new year? how are you wanting to simplify your life?
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