How To Create A Simple Life

This blog is about how to create a simple life

Starting this blog has made me reevaluate who I am. Or really, figure out who the adult version of me is. After moving away from my family and graduating college I began to feel a little lost. There were no longer stressors filling up my days and keeping me busy.

Honestly, it was weird. I spent hours crying over the fact I felt bored. Which was when I decided to create a blog to keep me busy. But part of having a blog is sharing who you are, and frankly, I don’t know how to answer that.

Slowly I am realizing I enjoy not having so much stress and a long list of things to do. And over time, I started simplifying other parts of my life. It has made a big difference in my mental health. I feel calmer and less overwhelmed with the choices I have to make.

So here is how to create a simple life for yourself

First, what is considered a simple life?

Really, the definition is up to you. The goal is that you simplify things in your life to create a calmer environment.

You get to decide what areas of your feel chaotic and simplify it.

For me, my environment felt chaotic. I grew up in a large family, so decisions were almost always made as a group. But once I moved out I struggled to make decisions for myself. I began suffering from decision fatigue and it was greatly affecting my mental health.

To help my mental health, I started simplifying parts of my life so I wouldn’t need to make as many decisions. This has helped me feel calmer in my daily life.

Determine your priorities

The first step is to determine what feels important to you. Once you do this step, you can then start to simplify processes that aren’t as important.

This is still a process I am going through. And that might be true for you too. I spend a lot of time determining if something is important to get done or if I can simply just ‘deal with it’.

One example is my laundry. My roommate and I always discuss how my laundry isn’t put away. To me, as long as it is washed I do not care. It is low on the importance scale for me so I found a way to simplify it using the bin method.

Make a list of your priorities then determine which ones you care to get done ‘correctly’ or which ones you can simplify to mark it off.

Get rid of anything you don’t need

Most of us like to collect things. And social media has led to the overconsumption of things. Your house is probably full of things you don’t remember you have or even use.

This was a hard task for me. I love clothes, and I mean LOVE. I had tons of clothes but it was overwhelming me. Determining what I should wear each day or where to store my clothes was too much. So I got rid of the ones I don’t need.

I got rid of bags of clothes. It was hard but I felt so much lighter.

And honestly, it is an adjustment. I still struggle with feeling like I don’t have anything to wear. I want to buy more, but does one person need 10 different work shirts when they only work 2 days a week in the office?

Ask yourself what is realistic for you to have. If it is something you do not use often, do you need it at all? Or do you have too many of one item? Things are replaceable, don’t be afraid to let go of them. Chances are you won’t even remember you had it to begin with.

Try and keep things clean

Try is the keyword here. It is unrealistic to expect your house to be clean all the time. but having things straightened will help your mental health. You won’t look around and view a long to-do list of things you still need to do.

Have a daily, weekly, and monthly cleaning list. Save big cleaning tasks for spring cleaning.

There are also so many methods for making things feel clean without doing a big clean.

• Throw things in bins and clean them out once a week
• Vacuuming a room and wiping down a table makes a big difference
• Fluff your pillows on the couch to make it look untouched
• Let natural light in to brighten the space

Choose a color scheme

A color scheme is also a part of creating an aesthetic. It helps you feel put together, makes it easier to decorate your home, and is easier on the eye.

My bedroom feels chaotic even though I follow the above advice. Then I realized, I have three different types of woods, several different shades of brown, and random other colors. This gives a slightly chaotic feeling.

Don’t feel like your home needs to be a bright white with no color. There are so many examples on Pinterest of simple homes with color. Your goal is to have a theme that matches.

The same goes for what you wear. If you have a few colors that you know look good on you, stick to those colors. It will make it easier to shop and you will have an easier time getting ready.

Learn to say no

Sometimes we just can’t do everything. Saying no to things you don’t prioritize will help you save energy for other things. It will also help you stay out of drama, spend less money, and have more time for things you love.

But it is hard to say no. I struggle a lot with it, especially when it comes to people I am close with. I am a natural people pleaser so I want to make sure everyone is happy. And then begins to hurt my own mental health.

There are several ways to set boundaries without directly saying no. Have a few go to sentences for when people ask you to do something. Don’t lie, but be honest. Phrases such as “I don’t have time for that” or “that isn’t something I feel is important for me to do” are great.

People might be upset, and that is okay. If they truly are your friend or someone who cares about you they will understand. Your mental health comes first.

Spend time out in nature

Sometimes we need to ground ourselves in nature. This is easily done by just sitting outside for 5 minutes. Have your morning coffee on the porch, take a 20 minute walk, or just go stand outside for a few minutes.

Vitamin D is great for your mental health. Whenever I feel sad or overwhelmed, I sit outside for a few minutes and feel better. Even on cloudy days I notice a difference when I do this.

Think of yourself like a plant. When you water it or put it in sunshine it begins to perk up. You can see the difference in how it stands. The same is true for yourself.

Now you know the basics to create a simple life for yourself

Creating a simple life is a great way to begin to enjoy life more. You spend less time worrying about things and more time in the moment. If you are overwhelmed or just feel down about things, try these tips and see if they make a difference.