20 Ways to Simplify Your Life Starting NOW!

Simplifying is such a buzz word these days, and for me, it is about SO much more than just getting rid of “stuff.” It is about understating the heart behind why we have so much clutter, and why we think we need so much. It is about focusing on the fact that God is all we need, and nothing else can fill that void.

Yet as a society, we have bought into the lie, that more stuff equals more happiness. And the more we toil and attain, the more unhappy we become. Our houses are full, and our hearts are empty.

We also have more information than ever and are completely overwhelmed as to what to do with it all.

So in order to even begin simplifying, we need to start by knowing our Creator, and our purpose- which is to know Him and make Him known. The closer we are to Him, the less we will desire to fill up on stuff.

So while many things on this list will help you to practically simplify, many of them will also help you get to the heart of the issue. Enjoy! And may you simply live…for Him…

1. Get outside. Right now, put away the computer, the book, the phone, or whatever is taking up your time, and get outside. Take deep breath. Notice the sounds outdoors, and feel the air on your skin. Notice the things that we often take for granted. How the birds interact around you, the squirrels, the bugs…notice the details of a flower. Connect with your Creator. Realize there is so much more to this life than just ourselves! After just 20 minutes of truly noticing the beauty around you, the simplicity of it will fill you up.

2. Choose to meditate on a verse. Just pick one and truly focus on it. Close your eyes and focus on His Word. Fill your mind with His thoughts, to replace the worldly ones. (Philippians 4:8)

3. Look around the room and notice how much of your “stuff” you will take with you to eternity. None. Remember to have an eternal perspective and not an earthly one.

4. Go to your closet and decide to keep only the things you will wear this year. Giving is always a blessing. So give away what you don’t wear, or will not wear.

5. Go through your children’s toys and work with them to give away what they don’t play with anymore. Better yet, just put most of it away, and see if they even notice. 😉 Then give those things away.

6. De clutter a room. Just start with one room. Don’t get sidetracked and go to another room. Choose just one room a day, and do it well.

7. Turn off the noise. Choose to “fast” from the Internet for a day. You may even decide to do it for more than a day, when you see how much more clearly you can think. Mental overload weighs you down. Then when your fast is over, set strict internet times and stick to them. No excuses.

8. Do a kind deed. Anonymously. Not because you want to be noticed, but because of the act of kindness itself. When you do that, it will take your focus off of your own needs or desires, and the feeling of giving will fill you with more joy than any material item can bring. Try it!

9. Make a recipe from scratch. Slowly. This may sound counteractive to simplifying, but sometimes the act of slowing down and not rushing through something helps us to appreciate simplicity. Make a recipe without rushing through it, just to “get it done.” Appreciate the steps, and the work and time it takes. Slowing down, helps us realize how much a fast paced world complicates things. Just enjoy the act and the work of the task. Then invite a friend over to enjoy the fruit of your labor!

10. Keep a journal. Write down the things that you are thinking…slowly and beautifully. It will help slow your mind down, so you can focus.

11. Invite a friend over for good old fashioned tea. Don’t worry about making a fancy spread. Forget Pinterest even exists. Go the old fashioned route of enjoying each other’s company, and not the fluff of the perfect spread or fancy tableware. God wants us to focus on relationships, not outside appearances.

12. Write a letter. No, don’t type, email, or text. Write a letter. With a pen, and paper. Take time to appreciate someone else and tell them so.

13. Don’t let junk mail come in the house. Head straight to the recycling bin from the mailbox and throw away any junk that comes in, before it can clutter up your desk.

14. Plan your meals. Take just 30-60 min per month to pick out meals for the next month. This has simplified my life in so many ways. I can enjoy my afternoons without worrying about what to make for dinner. (Free printable here) And remember, your family doesn’t need a Pinterest perfect meal- they just want to eat. Do it together 🙂

15. Go through your children’s closets and pick out a few good outfits for Sundays, a few play outfits, and a few extras. Put the rest aside to give away or to save for later. This makes for much less stress in choosing outfits and such. Don’t foster the attitude in kids that outfits are so important. When they grow up, they will already know the value of a simple closet.

16. Volunteer. I promise that when you take the focus of off yourself and your needs, life becomes simpler. Fill any voids you feel, with things that matter. Not stuff.

17. Read your Bible. Every morning, before any other thoughts have a chance to creep in. When you seek Him first, everything else falls into place. And His Word is transforming. It will transform your life.

18. Choose to have less {stuff}, and do more {things}. Today instead of shopping for things that provide instant gratification( that will wear off), use your time to do something with eternal value. Visit an elderly friend, serve at a local mission, spend time in prayer. Try a “no spend” challenge for a month. I bet you will see just how much you don’t really need.

19.  Keep at least one day on your calendar open with no commitments. Choose for that day to be a day to catch up on things at home, and spend quality time without rushing around.

20. Pray. Ask God to help you simplify. Ask Him to help you focus on the things that matter to Him, and not to the world.

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