Simplicity Habits

I think we all crave simplicity.   In our life, finances, email in box…. But no where do we crave it more than in our homes.   We want simple routines to keep our homes clean.   We want simple décor so our homes look uncluttered.   Did you know that clutter actually affects the cortisol levels in women?   Our cluttered homes are actually making us fat!   Imagine what a simplified home could do for us!   Would we eat better?  Sleep better?   Have more time for our kids, job, hobbies?   How can we add simplicity into our everyday lives so that it becomes the rule and not the exception?  
 
Here are a few simplicity habits to try in your home.   They run the gambit from cleaning to decluttering to just general life suggestions.  But what they all do is make your home run smoothly…simply.
 
1.Do your dishes every night.   I have an entire cleaning routine that I do every night after dinner.   It’s not simple but its effective.   To start with something simple though – do your dishes.   Don’t let them pile up.  You’ll wake up to a clean kitchen and that guarantees a lovely stress-free morning.  Until the kids get up that is!  

2.Deal with your mail every day.   Better yet – deal with your mail as soon as you bring it into the house.   Better yet – don’t even bring junk mail into the house!    Have a small bin in the garage for you to pitch that junk before you even cross the threshold.   Mail shouldn’t pile up on the kitchen counter or worse the couch.   I had a client that hadn’t looked at her mail in months.   We literally put into 3 grocery bags to sort through while she was watching tv after I left.  What a task!    Imagine the simplicity of just a few items everyday rather than a mammoth pile after a few months.

3.Take your shoes off in the house.   You won’t track mud and dirt into your home and you’ll have to vacuum less.  Hello cleaner house!   Simply have a bin near the most used entrance for shoes and have a no shoe policy.    Fewer allergies.  Less dirt.   What’s not to love?

4.Keep your countertops clear.  Kitchen countertops in particular are magnets for piles of mail, kitchen gadgets and everything else your family can think of.  Horizontal surfaces are not for storage.  Once you declutter your countertops, you’ll be able to cleaner them better and faster – no moving things to wipe!   Bonus … you’ll love the visual simplicity of your kitchen every time you walk in!

5.Put your purse in the same place when you come in the house every time.   Make sure your purse has a home and put it there.  Then you’ll never have to waste time looking for it …or your keys.  Marie Kondo recommends you unpack your purse every time you come in the house and put everything away.   Then repack your purse before you leave.   I love me some Marie Kondo but respectfully…ain’t nobody got time for that.   I have one purse that I use per season.  It stays packed and hung on a hook by the door.  Simple. 

6.Make a meal plan and a shopping list.   Making a meal plan has been key for my family since I now work second shift.  No more calls from home about what to eat at 6pm.   They know.  It’s in the fridge because I made it earlier in the day.   Am I superwoman?   Maybe…but really, I just make a plan and stick to it.   Shopping lists are just as important for planning purposes and getting everyone on the same page.   I up the simplicity even more on the grocery shopping and order my groceries on Sunday night for delivery.    I actually hate grocery shopping so ordering has been amazing.   But whichever way you do it – make a list and stick to it.   No more wasted food.   Less eating out.   All good things. 

7.Drink a lot of water.   You are supposed to drink half your weight in ounces throughout the day.  Simplify this by getting a water bottle that holds what you need and filling it once at the beginning of the day.   Sip throughout the day and viola, you are hydrated!    You feel fuller and your skin will glow and Chris Evans will take you out to dinner.   Ok I made that last part up. 

8.Turn off your social media alerts on your phone.   Want to really simplify your life?   Unplug…even for a few hours.   You decide when you want to plug back in.   By turning off the alerts you aren’t bombarded all day with dings and bells and Lols.   Take it a step further and turn off your email alerts if you can.  We spend enough time on our phones and in front of screens.   My phone is on Do Not Disturb most of the day… the only people who can get through are my husband and kids.   And I have teenagers so I never hear from them unless they are hungry.

9.Declutter.   This is a big one but will lead to so much simplicity.   Make it is a habit.   Be constantly decluttering.   Constantly assess if you want to keep that item on your coffee table or mantle or closet.   Keep a bin by the door and fill it with things you want to donate.   Then take it a step further and actually donate it.   Make the drive to Goodwill.  Living with less - living with the things you actually love – will lead to so much simplicity in your life.

10.Get some help.  Simplify your life by sourcing it out.  Like I said – I get my groceries delivered.   But you could hire a babysitter.   Or a professional organizer (ahem).  You don’t have to go it alone or do it yourself.   Get help – it’s so simple.  
 
Hope you are inspired to simplify your life with habits that will make your life easier and your home more organized.   Because we all crave simplicity habits – and they are within your reach!  Bliss This House is here to help.  Book a discovery call today to see how we can start a project in your home.