Simplifying your home & life isn’t just about decluttering or throwing everything out & becoming a minimalist. It’s more a lifestyle change being mindful of what we say yes to, to ring about a sense of peace, clarity and freedom. Whether you want to downsize, minimize or create more ease & flow in your living spaces, simplifying your home & life can be a totally transformative experience.
In this blog, I’ll explore the benefits of simplifying, practical tips for decluttering & organizing your home & how you can incorporate more ease into your daily life.
The Benefits of Simplicity
When you simplify your home you create more space for the things that really matter. You’ll gain more time, energy & resources to focus on your dreams, relationships, personal growth & health. Simplifying also helps to reduce stress, anxiety & overwhelm that often comes with a cluttered & chaotic environment. By letting go of what’s no longer serving you, you’ll create room for new experiences, opportunities & perspectives. As well simplifying can save you money as you’ll be more mindful of hwat you buy & what you truly need. Less clutter also leads to less cleaning & tidying which is a huge time & energy saver. Overall simplifying & being more mindful in your home & life can bring about a greater sense of peace, purpose & fulfillment.
How to Declutter your Home
Decluttering your home can be a mammoth task, but it doesn’t need to be overwhelming. The first step is to break down the process into smaller bite size steps & focus on one area at a time; one room, a specific category of items or even a single drawer. – Divide items into 4 piles – stay, donate, sell or throw out. – Decide on a time frame such as 6 or 12 months, if you haven’t used something in that time ask yourself if you really need it anymore. – After an area is decluttered use the ‘one in, one out” rule for any new items, this stops you accumulating too much again. Remember, the goal of declutteirng isn’t about creating a minimalist home (unless that’s what you like) but more a space that reflects your values, priorities & personal style.
Organising your Home
After you’ve decluttered your space it’s time to organize what’s left. Organizing your home helps maximize your space, reduces visible clutter & creates a more functional & efficient living space. 5 tips for organizing your home are:- – Use the same style of storage containers with labels for a more pleasing look, group similar items together in a cupboard or on a shelf for easy access & visibility. – Simplify your clothes. Create zones in your closet/drawers so your clothes are easy to see & access. Find a style you like & feel comfortable in rather than following trends. – Create a simple filing system & area to deal with mail, bills & other paperwork. Shred or throw out anything you don’t need once a week so it doesn’t get out of hand. – Use furniture that serves multiple purposes such as a storage ottoman or a book shelf that doubles as a room divider. – Create ‘dump zones’ for things like keys, clothes (especially in a child’s/teenager’s room), bags, jackets etc. Is there a place these are regularly ‘dumped’? If so add some hooks or basket to the space and it instantly clears the visual clutter. Remember organizing isn’t about perfection instead it’s about discovering what works for you, your family & your lifestyle.
The Challenges of Simpligying
Although simplifying is a rewarding & life-changing experience it’s not always easy. There will be challenges along the way however, each one gives you the chance to find some clarity & healing in your life:- – Emotional attachments/memories to certain items/ways of doing things that can be hard to part with. – Resistance from family, friends or people you live with. They may be uncomfortable with the changes you are making and try to stop you. – Overwhelm or indecision about where or how to start. This generally comes from looking at the big picture rather than breaking it down. – Putting excess pressure on yourself to create a social media ready home & life rather than what you love and suits you. Remember we aren’t in a contest with others or trying to please everyone. Our homes are an outer expression of us and when it comes to creating change even small ones are better than none.
Environmental Benefits of Simplifying
The positive impact on the environment by simplifying your home & life shouldn’t be underestimated. Reducing your consumption & waste, contributes to a more sustainable & eco-friendly lifestyle. Why simply buy more things to store your things in rather than clearing out what you don’t need & re-using your storage containers? Why renovate to create more storage rather than deciding if you need all you have? By getting clear on what’s important to you will help you get clear on what you actually need & where you spend your money. Here are some ways simplifying will benefit the environment:- – Supporting local businesses that align with your values saves on pollution caused by long haul transportation. – Changing over to eco-friendly & non-toxic cleaning & personal care products stops harmful chemicals leaking into the earth & waterways. – Repurposing furniture/items allows more use out of them, saves you money & saves on landfill. – Stop following trends and spend your money on good quality, Australian made furniture, furnishings or clothing preferably eco-friendly makers. Remember it’s again not about throwing everything out and starting again with sustainable items but rather look at where you spend, where you purchase from and replacing things with non-toxic items as you need to.
The Social Benefits of Simplifying
Simplifying your home & life can also have a positive impact on your relationships. Creating a more peaceful & organized home allows you more time to connect better with the people in your life. Here are a few ways your relationships can benefit:- – You are more willing to host gatherings & events in your home. – When you all aren’t distracted by clutter & chaos around you, you can relax and spend quality time together. – Less clutter & things opens up space to be able to focus on the people & experiences that matter most to you. – Are you aware of how family members feel living amongst all the clutter & chaos? Less clutter creates less tension & anxiety for those who live with you creating more harmony.
Remember just as you aren’t your things, your things aren’t you. They don’t define your value or worth to this world. Isn’t it more important to be surrounded by people who love & care for you than inanimate objects that just really collect dust? Wouldn’t you rather collect memories & experiences rather than stuff? You often hear people saying things like ‘I want to provide for my kids and give them all the things I never had’ when really all children truely want is time with you.
Try simplifying your home and discover the true riches in life. Nikki Jeffries – A Beautiful Space