5 Ways To Simplify Your Life
Hey friends! Are you doing the daily grind and always wondering how you can simplify things? These are 5 ways to simplify your life and yes, I do them all!
#1 – Meal plan. Yes, this takes a little upfront work but it pays off in a big way all week long. I usually meal plan and shop on Sundays but you could pick any day of the week that isn’t overscheduled and make it happen. So crack open those cookbooks or head to Pinterest and find some easy meals to incorporate into your weekly meal rotation. I have a whole board dedicated to easy meals + sides over on Pinterest. Check it out here. I recently gifted this book to my in-laws and they purchased a copy for my brother-in-law and his wife because they loved it so much. Personally, I am so excited for the Magnolia Table cookbook to come out in April.
#2 – Use a calendar. Pick the type that works best for your family. We have two in our house. My husband and I sync our iPhones so that we always have instant access to see what’s going on daily. He’s a firefighter and union president so there are always lots of odd things that he has scheduled. We also add appointments, etc. We have a paper calendar on our fridge but it doesn’t get updated as often as the phone calendars do. Did you see my recent post on using a command center to get organized? You can check it out here.
#3 – Automate your bills. Most banks allow this or you can go directly to the payee website and set it up. I can even pay my credit card via an app on my phone. We are so dialed with technology and what it allows us to do. USE IT!
#4 – Unsubscribe. This one is pretty major. Do it in your emails, social media, delete phone apps. Take away the extra stuff that just clutters your inbox/mind/feeds. Personally, I am subscribed to so many sites that I felt would feed me creatively but really, it just makes me feel so overwhelmed! So I have started to hide or unfollow things on my social media accounts. Friends, I am here to tell you that sometimes you have to let go of ‘friends’ as well because they can drag you down. And then are they really even friends? Fill your life {and inbox} with people that feed your soul! Anything that doesn’t serve you, doesn’t deserve your time.
#5 – Tackle your paper clutter. Yes, really! The biggest way to do this is to handle it as it comes in the door. Check the mail, open bills, pay them or set them up for auto-pay and then file or shred. Done. Junk mail? Recycle it. Recently I have had some extra paper stuff thanks to dentist appointments {big ones} and a minor car accident. Those things come with paperwork. I immediately file it away for future reference. I don’t allow it to sit on the counter and collect dust or take up space.
Do you have ways to that you make your own life easier? What’re your tips? I’d love to hear them!
“Let the things that are important take center stage.” – Peter Walsh
