Blog August 13, 2019

75 Ideas To Simplify Your Life

I enjoy a simple and streamlined life. And there is nothing passive about creating the type of life that you want. It takes thought, intention, and most importantly self-awareness. These are my ideas for living a simple lifestyle. Ideas you can use to create a happy and peaceful life design.

Now some of these ideas may not appeal to you, however, the goal is to help you think differently and perhaps change your perspective.

Hopefully, this will inspire you to come up with your own ideas that you can apply to your life.

Among other things, a simple life design helps to reduce stress, increases happiness, and can offer a general sense of well-being.

So grab a cup of coffee and let’s get started with 75 ideas to simplify your life.

Note — This is a long article. Take your time and go through it slowly. Also, feel free to bookmark it and save it for later.

75 Ideas to Simplify Your Life

Learn To Say No — Saying no to commitments and projects not only frees up time but increases mental bandwidth. The human race is simply too busy these days and there is not enough downtime.
Drink Water — This is an obvious one but a simple glass of water versus sugary soda and juice will not only save you money but can improve your health. I’ve learned to love water and haven’t had a soda in a few years.
Simplify Your Meals — Samantha loves to cook and I love to eat, however, the extra dishes, leftovers, expenses, and so forth can cause a headache. Lately, we’ve been planning our meals with simplicity in mind and it’s offered quite a few benefits.
Think Fewer People — I’ve recently cut some friends out of my life. Not because I don’t like people but because I no longer found value in those relationships. People come and go in our lives and it’s important to edit our circle of friends on a regular basis. People either lift us up or drag us down. There is no in-between. Time is precious and should be spent with the best people possible.
Become A One-Car Family — Samantha and I recently did an experiment where we parked our second vehicle for a couple of months to see if we could sustain being a one-car family. For us, this has worked out well, mainly because we work together and spend little time apart. Owning one car may be difficult for some families however it’s an idea to simplify. Having one car reduces the costs associated with vehicle ownership not to mention spending time with loved ones.
Shut Off The TV — Along with experimenting as a one-car family, we shut our cable off for the summer. The benefits of going without television have been good as a family. We spend more time together doing other things. We’re not spending money on cable bills, and we no longer get the news which cuts out a lot of noise.
Reduce Cellphone Apps — Eliminate smartphone distractions by getting rid of some of the apps on your phone. Fewer apps mean fewer distractions and notifications. A quiet phone is a quiet mind.
Clear Out Your Inbox — Try to get to inbox zero each day. Use folders for storage and emails that must be kept.
Unsubscribe — Take the time to unsubscribe from email lists you no longer find value in. This will help reduce inbox clutter and save you the trouble of having to delete unwanted emails.
Check Email Once A Day — This is a tough one for some, myself included, but in simpler times we didn’t get mail from the Postal Service 24 hours a day. Try to reduce the number of times per day you check your email.
Don’t Answer The Phone — We don’t have to answer every phone call that comes in. Some calls simply aren’t important. Others distract us when we’re doing important work. Voicemail was invented for a reason and if you’re like me, half of your phone calls are telemarketers anyways.
Simplify Your Wardrobe — I don’t do the capsule wardrobe thing, however, I basically wear the same outfit every day. Find an outfit you love and duplicate it. This takes the decision-making out of deciding what to wear and can help you save money. No longer will you find yourself purchasing clothes you thought you would enjoy only to find they don’t quite fit right or don’t feel good.
Reduce Digital Clutter — It’s too easy to save 1254 pictures on your PC and have a screen full of shortcuts. Reduce your digital clutter and make your computer a peaceful device to work on.
Minimize Belongings — Stuff and clutter takes up space and requires maintenance. Fewer things mean less to clean, organize, and reduces our footprint. Keeping the essentials and tossing the rest can help you simplify and gain mental clarity.
Reduce Paper Clutter — Use email and the print to PDF feature on your computer.
Paperless Billing — Receiving a bill in the mail is a thing of the past if you choose to use paperless billing. Paperless billing puts most of your bills in one spot, on your PC, right where you need them without all of the paper clutter.
Minimize Your Finances — Reducing your finances and the number of bank accounts, credit cards, and loans you have can help you simplify your life.
Get Rid Of Guilt — Feeling guilty is something we manifest and is often unnecessary. Give yourself a much-needed break and stop feeling guilty.
Judgment — There is too much judgment of others in this world. Too many times we judge others without having the proper context of the situation. When we stop judging others we become stronger and more open to new thoughts and ideas.
Stop Caring What Others Think — When we stop caring what others think of our actions or the manner in which we live our lives we become free. I stopped caring years ago and started living my best life. I’ve become a much happier person.
Get A Smaller Home — A big expensive home means a big house to clean and maintain. It also means less free time and more work to keep up with the financial responsibilities of that home. Consider downsizing into a smaller, more affordable home.
Work Less — Consider reducing the hours you work during the week or switching to a less demanding job.
Clean Your Car — Give the inside and the outside of your car a thorough cleaning. Clean out the clutter on the inside for a more peaceful environment when driving.
Consider The Climate — The climate we live in can have a major effect on our happiness and can also complicate our lives. Living in a temperate climate can save time and money versus a climate with more extremes. Fewer extremes mean less winter and summer clothing, heating and cooling bills, etc. Temperate climates are simpler and who doesn’t love warm sunshine?
Clear Flat Surfaces — Flat surfaces in the home are usually the first place to collect clutter. Keep flat surfaces clear and or reduce the number of flat surfaces you own.
Exercise — Exercise without all of the fancy equipment. There are plenty of ways to exercise without owning a treadmill or weights. Think outside of the box on this one and imagine how you could exercise without a bunch of equipment.
Household Chores — Create a weekly and daily schedule of what household chores need to be accomplished. Stick to the schedule for a clean and inviting home.
Rent — Consider renting things instead of owning them. Things like tools that are only needed for one project. Perhaps even your home could be rented instead of owned. Renting allows flexibility and in some cases is considerably cheaper than owning.
Borrow — Items that aren’t needed or are a ‘one-time use thing’ can be borrowed. Borrow books from the library or from friends instead of buying. Borrow movies, tools, or anything else you won’t need long-term.
Pack Lightly — Pack lightly when traveling bringing only what’s necessary. Leave the just-in-case items at home.
Just In Case items — Throw out just-in-case items. Just in case never really happens. Just in case is born out of fear and a scarcity mindset. Just in case complicates things instead of simplifying them.
Own fewer Pets — This is going to be unpopular but do you really need 2 dogs, 4 cats, the fish tank, and that parakeet? I love pets however they do come with the price of complication.
Think Dual-Purpose — Dual-purpose items save space and time. Whenever we eliminate 2 items for 1, we simplify.
Re-Purpose — One of the legs on our oven recently broke. The poor thing sat there in the kitchen all crooked and wobbly like it had 6 too many cocktails. I quickly found a book that I was getting ready to donate and made a makeshift leg for the oven. Cheesy? Yea, but it works, and besides, it’s in the back corner where no one can see it so who cares. The book got re-purposed.
Fix Things — When something breaks, our instant reaction is to throw the item away and purchase new. However, many items can be fixed or repaired to live a longer life. Get creative and fix some things instead of going out to buy new.
Reduce Decorative Belongings — Decorative pillows, knick-knacks, pictures, car keys with 15 keychains hanging off of them, and so on, complicate our lives. Less is more.
Alcohol And Tobacco — This is another unpopular one but smoking is unhealthy and drinking can be. Plus they can be expensive. Kick the smoke sticks and cut down on the booze. Save some money and your health.
Get Quiet — Get quiet in your mind and be self-aware. Do some deep thinking and take the time to figure out what you want out of life. There is a huge lack of self-awareness in today’s society. It’s important to figure out what we value and what makes us happy. Choose happiness.
Ignore The Noise — Peer pressure, judgmental people, the media, advertisers, your parents, the Joneses. Ignore it all and do what you do.
Simplify Your Routine — Whatever your routine is, think about the steps involved. Is everything that you’re doing to leave the house in the morning or when you get home at night really essential? Examine your daily routine and cut out the non-essential.
Establish Routines If You Don’t Have Them — A simple and thoughtful routine to start and end the day is important for peace of mind. Start a routine and make it your religion.
Have Fewer Children — Kids are great and I am a fortunate parent. However, there is nothing simple about being one. Like, it’s hard as shit. Figure out what you want out of life before deciding to have children. If you decide you want to have children, plan on them complicating your life. Just saying.
Leave Some Slack — Simplify your time by leaving slack or space in your daily schedule. Get to your appointments 15 minutes early and plan on tasks taking longer than they normally would. Creating slack in our schedules reduces a lot of stress.
Do One Thing At A Time — Multitasking is for people who don’t like to get things done. And to be more productive we should do one task at a time and finish it.
Learn From One Teacher At A Time — The internet is full of information on any subject one could be trying to learn about. The problem is, that information can be conflicting and confusing. Learn from one teacher at a time and implement what you’ve learned. Take what works for you and discard the rest. If you’ve learned all you can from one person move on to another.
Be Frugal — Want less, consume less, and spend less.
Live Debt Free — Debt is enslavement and should be avoided when possible.
Carry Less — Carry fewer personal items around with you on a daily basis. Trim down the keyring and the items in your wallet or purse. Empty your pockets and you will feel lighter.
Drink A Cup Of Coffee — Rant: What the hell happened to coffee? It used to be black with creme, and or sugar. When did we decide we needed an eight-dollar latte to start our day? Who can even afford an eight-dollar cup of coffee? Black coffee is as simple as it gets. Just my opinion.
Spend Time Alone — Spending time alone has many benefits and can simplify your routine.
Ditch Electronics — I’m not talking about your smartphone or computer but the stupid stuff. Ditch the electric can opener for a hand-operated one or get a wind-up alarm clock. Items like these often take up less space, break less, and save electricity.
Make Stuff — Make your own household items. Start a garden, make your own blanket, or make your own cleaners and detergents. Frugal and simple all at the same time.
Reduce Commitments — Reduce the number of social commitments you have. Don’t go to everything and attend fewer events. Take on fewer projects.
Reduce Social Media — Try reducing the number of social media accounts you have. Stick with one or two and get rid of the rest.
Stay Home
Eat-In — Skip the restaurant or the take-out and make a simple meal at home.
Strive For Less — Simplify your ambitions and dreams. Pick one or two achievable goals and go with them. Oftentimes we get caught up striving for more than we could ever achieve. Pick something that’s really important and forget the rest.
Breathe — Take the time to breathe. Stop and actually enjoy the process of breathing. Meditation isn’t really my thing but simply breathing reduces a lot of stress.
Digitize — Digitize anything that can be digitized, currently taking up physical space. Think books, CDs, movies, pictures, etc.
Toxic People — We already talked about fewer people but it’s important to highlight the fact that some people are just plain nasty. People who are full of drama, judgment, and baseless opinions, who are toxic to our mood and well-being should be removed from our lives.
Medications — It seems like every ache and pain we have these days calls for some medication. It doesn’t seem to matter what affliction we have at any given moment and ‘there’s a pill for that.’ Think about skipping the Tylenol or Asprin and letting the headache pass. Take a nap or relax in some peace and quiet.
Vanity Items — Colognes, perfumes, eyeliner, and designer shampoos. You’re pretty good-looking with that cheap bottle of Suave and you smell nice too. Maybe we could skip some of these things.
Health Products — Health is big business these days and if you’re not taking the right supplements and eating avocado’s you’re going to die. Well, guess what? You’re going to die no matter what. Simplify, by skipping some of the trending health products and stay fit the old-fashioned way. Eat healthily and get some exercise. It’s that simple.
Weekends And Vacations — We as humans have this strange problem with packing our free time with as much activity as possible. Weekends are full of things we need to do and vacations are packed with endless activities. Shouldn’t the weekend be a time to relax and recharge? Do we really have to stop and see every sight on our vacation? Optimizing our time off should be a priority.
Stress — A while ago I faked a heart attack. Now I really didn’t fake it because I thought I was having an actual heart attack. Fake is just a term I use to joke about it now. I refer to it as “that day I faked a heart attack to get out of work”. Anyways, in the emergency room, after the hospital staff was finished with their protocol, the cardiologist came in and said something to me. She said: “I don’t think you had a heart attack, however, if you keep living the way you’re living the next time you will.” My friends who are reading this, let stress go. Don’t put up with it. Eliminate and ignore it. I’m a much happier person ever since I faked my heart attack.
Family Squabbles — This is a huge one for a lot of people. Families argue. My in-laws are a great example of this. And it’s complicated. Families are like an onion with a lot of layers. I think the best bet is to stay uninvolved yet empathetic. Stay away from the drama but be kind when you’re dragged into the dirt.
Walk — We don’t need to drive everywhere we’re going. Simply walk to the store.
Be Basic — It’s okay to be basic. Not everyone was born to be an entrepreneur, a sports legend, or an Instagram model. Just do you and be happy. That’s how you keep things simple.
Take It Slow — Patience is something we all need more of. Take things slow and believe you will get there. Enjoy the process of being and doing.
Negative Thoughts — Stop the negative thoughts and quit judging yourself. Recognize when ‘the judge’ comes out of your mind or the ‘poor me monster’. This one comes back to self-awareness but is super important. If we can recognize the behavior we can force it out of our minds.
Scarcity Thinking — I’m never going to have enough or others got there first so the market is saturated. There is always enough of something to go around. You will always have enough money and someone will always love you for who you are. Think abundance and simplify those thoughts.
Bathing — Be mindful when bathing. Are you in the shower just to clean yourself, or are you in the shower to relax? It doesn’t matter either way, however, be mindful of the purpose of a shower or bath and optimize for both scenarios. I love the peace of a nice hot shower.
Do The Dishes — Skip the expensive dishwasher and do the dishes by hand. Samantha hates doing dishes so she went and purchased a dishwasher. Long story short, pre-rinsing, loading, running, unloading, etc. was actually more work than just doing the damn dishes. The wretched thing finally died and we recycled it. Now we do the dishes by hand. Much simpler.
Follow The Rules — This one is tough, especially for me, but follow the rules. Put your seatbelt on and drive slowly. Don’t drink and drive. Park only where you are allowed to. Don’t cheat on your spouse, etc. Simply follow the rules and eliminate the headache of getting caught doing something you weren’t supposed to be doing. Life is much easier when we don’t make waves.
Eliminate — I saved this one for last as it’s the most important. Eliminate waste. Wasted time, wasted words, wasted tasks. Continuously eliminate anything considered waste and be mindful of what is essential and what is not.

Thanks for reading. For thoughts and comments @ me on Twitter.

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