5 Great Ways to Start Living Simply

In our society, there is a push for us to overcomplicate our lives.  Advertisers try to get us to buy more stuff than we really need.  We then have to live in overly large houses with extra closets and pantries to store all our excess stuff.  Even at work, employers want to overcomplicate things by requiring employees commute to the office for jobs that could easily be done at home.  The world fights against the idea of just living simply.

People like to overcomplicate their lives because it keeps them busy.  If our lives are overly complicated, then we are too busy to deal with those messy feelings, like sadness, inadequacy, or frustration.  Busyness is a distraction from all those unpleasant thoughts.

But living a complicated, busy life isn’t a recipe for happiness.  Rather, it is a recipe for becoming overwhelmed and exhausted. 

Instead, the key to a happy life is living simply.   Below are ways that you can take a simpler approach to life.  Try following them and see how much happier and relaxed you can be!

Create a More Peaceful Home with Fewer Belongings

One way to simplify your life is to simplify your belongings. Realize that there is nothing peaceful about a home full of knickknacks and clutter.  In fact, when you walk into a house that is overloaded with stuff, you immediately feel on edge.  So, the key to creating a relaxing home is to reduce your belongings to the bare minimum.

Now, realize that you don’t have to live like a monk to have a peaceful home.  Instead, you have to do three things. First, you have to reduce your belongings to just the essentials – the things that you love (those that are either sentimental or beautiful to you), and the things that are necessary (practical items).  Everything else should be tossed.

Second, you have to store your belongings in an orderly manner.  Shelves, wicker baskets and plastic storage containers are your best friends when it comes to organizing your belongings.  You then need to organize your shelves and closets so that they are both functional and yet pleasing to the eye.  One approach is to scour decorating magazines and Pinterest to get ideas for how to arrange your belongings to that they are well-placed.

Third, you need to have plenty of what I refer to as “white space” in your home.  There need to be empty spaces on your walls and floor, so that the eye gets a break.  If there are no white spaces in your home, you will begin to feel claustrophobic.

The good news is that you can accomplish all of that largely by simplifying your belongings.  Get rid of what is either not functional or not aesthetically pleasing.  Once you do, you will be surprised by how much better and lighter you feel. (To read more about creating a serene home, click here.)

Have A Healthier Bank Account by Buying Less Stuff

An important part of simplifying our lives is simplifying our spending.  Think long and hard before you buy anything! 

A good rule of thumb is this: Unless you are absolutely sure that you are going to use something, don’t buy it right away.  Wait a couple of days.  Leave it in your online “basket.”  When you return, you then can give the item a second look and decide whether you really need it.  You’ll be surprised how much less you spend when you don’t buy things on impulse.

When you simplify your spending habits, and only buy the things that you truly need or love, you not only have a tidier looking house, but you have a healthier bank account.  Try giving up impulse spending for merely a month.  I promise that you will be surprised by how much money you save. And having extra money in the bank always feels good!

Have A Calmer Lifestyle by Reducing Your Extra-Curricular Activities

Pre-pandemic, I fell into the habit of doing too many of what I refer to as “extracurricular activities.”  I volunteered extensively for my church.  I chauffeured my daughter to all sorts of activities.  And I did all that in addition to a full-time job, and housework.  As a result, I had almost no time for myself.

Then in 2020, the pandemic came along, and all that running around came to a dead halt.  And while the rest of the world bemoaned being quarantined in their homes, I, instead, felt a profound sense of relief.  I was relieved to not be busy all the time. 

Even now that we are no longer quarantined, and my life has more or less returned to normal, I still have kept my schedule very simple.  I’ve decided that I no longer will run myself ragged.  Instead, I am choosing a calmer, more peaceful, simpler lifestyle.

When you choose a simpler lifestyle, that means that you can spend time each day doing what you enjoy, whether it be quietly sipping a cup of tea, reading a good book or going for a long walk.  When life slows down, you have time to think and reflect.  And believe it or not, once you adopt a quiet, simple lifestyle, you won’t want to go back!

Working Out at Home for A Healthier You

There are many ways to simplify our lives, but one important way is to simplify your exercise regime. And a great way to do that is to exercise at home. 

Of course, in my younger years, I enjoyed belonging to a gym.  It was great to go to a gym and use professional equipment and attend fitness classes.  And if you have abundant amounts of free time, an afternoon at the gym is a great way to spend some of that time.

But if your free time is limited, consider simplifying your exercise routine by working out at home.  Realize that there are all kinds of ways that you can work out from home, whether it be going for a walk your neighborhood, working out with an exercise video, or riding a stationary bike. 

By having a home exercise regime, you can simplify your life by taking the “commute” to the gym out of your day.  In addition, you no longer have that monthly gym fee (which can be sizable!). 

In addition, if you work out from home, you are more likely to exercise.  For example, I have a stationary bike in my house.  So, at any time during the day or night, it is easy for me to hop on the bike for 30 minutes to get a quick workout.  After all, I don’t have to go anywhere! 

In short, by simplifying how you exercise, you effectively can add dollars in your bank account while taking inches off your waist!

Working from Home Means More Personal Time

There is a lot of controversy these days about whether folks should be allowed to work from home.  Employers tend to scoff at the idea.  However, unless your job requires you to interact directly with people (think of nurses, cashiers, hairdressers, etc.), there really isn’t a good reason why you need to do your job in an office. 

For example, I’ve been working from home for years, and I’ve never thought that I could do my job better in an office.  The truth is that I am much more productive at home than I ever have been in an office.  Offices are distracting places.  People come in and out of your office regularly and interrupt your work.

Moreover, the commute to the office is a massive waste of time.  I’ve had jobs in which my commute took two hours out of my day.  I tried to make those commuting hours productive by listening to NPR or listening to foreign language CDs.  But the commute was still exhausting, and going to an office did not make me any more productive.

So, if you are able, simplify your work life by finding a job that allows you to work from home.  The benefits of working from home are numerous.  You no longer have to spend time commuting, and you save money on the wear and tear on your car (or on the costs of public transportation).  Moreover, you can spend less money on clothing when you don’t need to have a work wardrobe in addition to your home wardrobe. 

By working from home, you also will feel calmer and get more done.  There is just no downside. (To read about how to successfully work from home, click here.)

Consider making the above changes to your life and see how living simply can benefit you.  You’ll be surprised by how simplifying your belongings and your schedule can create a more relaxed and happier YOU! (To read more about creating a peaceful life, click here.)