In our fast paced, busy lifestyles, it’s important to take a step back and begin to simplify your home and lifestyle. National Simplicity Day is observed on July 12th in honor of Henry David Thoreau an author, naturalist and philosopher among other things an advocate for living a life of simplicity. So, how can you make your home simpler?
Owning a home and maintaining it can be time consuming, especially if you run into complicated tasks that need your attention. Believe me, I’m an expert at living a simpler life after Superstorm Sandy destroyed the first floor of our home in October 2012. We were forced to slow down, tune into our wants and needs to rebuild and enjoy those simple things in life. Being simplistic doesn’t mean you have to give away all your possessions or move to the suburbs —try these five tips to keep a more balanced home that stays decluttered then you to can begin to enjoy the many stress-reducing pleasures and benefits of a simple lifestyle.
Keep to a schedule.
I’m always writing lists, marking up my calendar and try to stick to a daily routine that includes light cleaning tasks, like doing the dishes and vacuuming. It’s important to complete mindful tasks that connect with one another rather than hopping from one task to another because when you’re brain has to constantly switch gears you wind up getting side tracked and wasting time. Set aside some time on Fridays, Sundays or even Monday mornings to put together your thoughts on what needs to be accomplished that week, then schedule it.
Don’t procrastinate.
Immediately cleaning down the shower door after you take a shower. Doing the dishes after you finish dinner. Even putting your clothes away after you wash them. Do you know what all these tasks have in common once you do them? You avoid clutter from stacking up around your home in order to keep a neat and tidy home.If you take something out, put it away immediately. By mastering this one life-simplifying habit, you’ll have more time to complete fun activities with less clutter and cleaning to do.
Less is more.
Accumulating stuff — from clothes to toys to paperwork — is so easy to do in a home. If you can continue to collect items without purging your home not only gets messy and disorganized, but it usually becomes harder for that person to let go of their belongings. The more stuff you have the harder and time-consuming it is to go through. By bringing unnecessary stuff into your home and actively decluttering on a regular basis you’ll have less visual and mental clutter to deal with.
Have a home for everything.
Ask for help and delegate.
While you may feel you need to do everything on your own if you need help with something, ask for it. In our home my husband and I help each other clean up, cook and manage our animals. It shouldn’t be one person’s responsibility to do everything, so rally up your family or housemates to help out. Whatever help you need, ask for it. You deserve it, and it will make life simpler.
How do you plan on simplifying your life on July 12th? Let me know in the comment section below and remember to take a moment to do or stop doing things to simplify your day. Post a picture of your simplified day over on our Facebook Fan Page and don’t forget to use #NationalSimplicityDay to encourage others to join in paying it forward.
Happy Simplifying,
