Choosing a lifestyle of simplicity is often a very personal, life changing decision. People choose to live more simplistically for a lot of different reasons. Some may do it simply to save money, while others do it to feel a deeper connection with life. You may choose to simplify your life to reduce stress, to reduce the environmental impact that you have on the earth, or simply because it is hard to manage the space that you have to live in. No matter your reasons, you can use these guidelines and affirmations to help you manage a simpler life.
1) Living simply gives us more time to enjoy life. Just imagine how much less time you could spend cleaning, organizing, shopping, and worrying if your life was streamlined into a wistful, predictable bliss. Of course, things will come up. But, having a commitment to making your life more livable and less stressful will give you the outlook that you need to make it through the rough patches.
2) Start by reducing your possessions. Ask yourself if you really need it or if it really makes you happy. Why did you buy the item in the first place? Did it make you happy when you bought it? Does it still retain its value to you? Getting rid of things that clutter your home will help you to free your mind. It is a very powerful feeling to have control over the number of possessions that you have. Many people are so happy with the control that they feel that they don't miss the things that they got rid of, at all.
3) Go through your home and find piles of junk. Everybody has some clutter that could be reduced. Focus on one section of your home at a time and try to keep only what you really use. If you have a lot of dishes, keep only your favorite ones. If you only have one frying pan, you'll have to clean it every time you use it. No more dishes piling up in the sink. If you don't have back-ups for putting things off, then they'll have to be done in small doses. No more weekend days that consist of only cleaning. You can't procrastinate doing the laundry or housework if it has to be done for the next meal or day of work to happen. You'll be so happy never having clutter pile up that you'll revel in your small daily routines of making it work.
4) You will need to optimize your storage space to get some things in order. Take your closet for example. If you're serious, you may want to get rid of bedroom furniture. Many folks love only having a bed in their bedroom. It's a great way to enjoy space. You will still need somewhere to keep the possessions that you need. Get a good closet system that has spaces for little things, like ties, socks, jewelry, and gloves. Use space saving hangers to make your clothing that you keep fit into a smaller space. Velvet hangers are great for this, because they're slim, strong, and can save you more space than you may have imagined. Once you get your closets done and your home clutter-free, you can relax in the space that you have created.
