The things I listed there were things I have to do on a regular basis to keep my life simplified. However, I often wonder if those of us seeking after simpler lives are truly serious about simplifying things?
Living simply isn't some easy thing you just wake up one day and do. It is a culmination of many, many choices made each and every day. Most of those choices are anything but easy.
Sure we feel serious. We stomp our feet, raise our fist to the wind, and vow to change everything by Friday.
Rid Your Home of (or at lease keep a tight rein on) Distractions
Now, let's think hard for a second. Are we really willing to get rid of things in our home that distracts us? Or do we kind of like the distraction they create? Is there any distraction we *think* we have a handle on, but we know in the back of our minds we really don't? Are we hanging on to something that is crowding for our attention because we're not sure we can (or want to) do without it?
So, let me ask you this...
Does living simply require sacrifice?
I believe it does. The simple life is the self controlled life.
While simple living is not a God-mandated thing, self control is. I do not believe you can have a simplified life that is not characterized by self-control. Excesses are reined in, distractions are held back, and the important things in life are clear and in focus.
So, take a moment to ask yourself if you really do want a simpler life. Are you willing to sacrifice and practice self-control the over the things that are hindering you from that simple life?
It's not easy and it's not something that happens over night. It's baby steps toward the things that matter and away from the things that don't.
Here's what I'm doing this week to lead a simpler life...
Reading to the children outside in the fresh air. and Changing my computer habits.
What are you doing to simplify?
{ps-don't forget to join us for the Creative Writing Crash Course. We'll be taking it at a slow and simplified pace so you can enjoy the ride.}
I feel as though I am forever on a quest to simplify my life. I will simplify for a time and then life will get cluttered until I hit a crisis point and simplify once again. Those who know me best, know my favorite pastime is dreaming up ways to simplify life, so here is a post on some of the ways I've found to trim the excess from my life and streamline my household.
1. Find the problems areas. What areas in your life cause the most stress? The itsy-bitsy kitchen? The cluttered school room? The too-full schedule? Start there. You can't think in generalities or else it will be like conquering the forest, rather than dealing with the individual trees.
2. Think outside the box. Take a no-holds-barred approach to rethinking the problem area. Always be thinking how could this space/schedule/method be better handled. Recently, I found something as simple as moving the spice rack freed up a huge amount of precious counter space in my tiny kitchen. Sometimes it's the little things that make all the difference.
3. Never be too old, young, strong-willed, pig-headed {fill in the blank} to learn. Blogs, forums, front porch and back patio chit chats, and conversations at the park are just a few of the places where we ladies can learn something new. Don't be too shy to ask or too stubborn to accept a new concept from another mom (even if she's younger than you!) Simplifying your life is often a matter of finding efficient solutions to everyday problems and there is almost always someone out there with a workable solution for you.
4. Just do it. Close your eyes and pitch, reorganize, regroup, give away, or whatever it is you have to do change things. Don't be afraid of things not working out quite right. If you don't try it, you'll never know. If it doesn't work, start over. No harm, no foul.
5. Learn to let go. Toys, books (ack! did I just say books?), clothing, papers, grudges, irritations...let them go. Things are just things and festering feelings eventually eat you alive. You can Paperback Swap the books and garage sale or Craigslist the things if you have time and energy; otherwise, give it away! In fact, many thrift stores are happy to come get your stuff if you call them. As for the emotions, go to the Scriptures. What does God have to say about what you are feeling? Work through the emotions and let them go.
6. Pray about purchases. Even the small ones! Recently, I decided I would like to have a bell to ring to call the children to me when they are scattered about the house. I saw how wonderfully it worked in another homeschool mom-of-many's home and was eager to get my own. So eager, in fact, I nearly purchased one that was much too heavy for me and made a less-than-pleasant ring. I was being impatient and almost brought into my home one more thing that was going to end up unused and taking up precious space. However, I practiced self-control and began to pray for the perfect bell. As we went from antique mall to antique mall, I prayed that if the Lord had my bell there I would find it and know it was perfect. Sure enough, at the last antique mall we visited I heard a bell ringing! Next thing I knew my daughter was at my side with the perfect old school bell! MY BELL!
The Lord is faithful to provide and if we are prayerful about our purchases, we will be more in tune with what it is the Lord wants to provide us rather than just buying and hording useless, meaningless junk that only serves to complicate our lives.
7. Be on the lookout for ideas. Annie has a gorgeous school room, Beth's kitchen is always spotless, Lois never forgets a birthday...what are their secrets? Perhaps Annie has a great organizational tip for your school supplies. Maybe Beth has an awesome cleaning schedule and Lois has a to-die-for household journal. You ask the questions and I guarantee they'll have answers. Not all of it will be something workable for you household, but something they say may trigger something else or help you to rethink things for yourself.
8. Rid your home of (or at least learn to keep a tight reign on) distractions. All too often what makes life complicated is the clutter of things that distract us. What constitutes a distraction?
dis·tract
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tr.v.dis·tract·ed, dis·tract·ing, dis·tracts
1. To cause to turn away from the original focus of attention or interest; divert.
2. To pull in conflicting emotional directions; unsettle.
To know your distractions you need to know what your focus is and then pinpoint the things that divert you from that purpose and/or cause you to feel unsettled.
Ultimately our focus is Christ. The things that distract us from a closer relationship with Him and the focus of doing His will and following after Him are things that should be kept at a distance. This is truly a personal thing, but you have to be honest with yourself. People naturally think distractions come in the form of technology like computers and television, but distractions can also come in the form of taking on too many projects, having unrealistic expectations, or spending too much time in personal pursuits. All of these things have the potential to cause us to lose our focus and feel unsettled. Once you identify what your distractions are, you can begin erasing them from your life.
9. Become a minimalist and work from there. Sometimes you just need to start over. For us, a trip to our rustic lake cabin is a good starting over point. There we must make do with only the bare bones. We come away from our time spent there knowing all the extras we have in our "real life" are truly just extras and not needed. In fact, they do more to clutter our day (see #8) than help at times. So, box a few things up (your kitchen is an easy place to start) and "get by" on less stuff. You'll be amazed at how very little you need and how much simpler everything seems.
10. Smile more. My husband recently read that Americans are setting their jaws more than ever. We are tense and we are not enjoying life abundantly. Something as simple as smiling more often (even if it feels fake at first) can bring such joy and peace to our lives.
Really that's what we're really looking for, isn't it? Our quest for a simpler life is really a quest for peace and joy. If we become peaceful and joyful right where we are at, we won't find ourselves so discontent when we can't start our own homestead, or when daddy can't work from home, or when getting out of debt feels impossible. Attitude is important.
So that's my list of things of I do to simplify. It is not a list of specifics because no two households are the same and my specifics could end up complicating your life rather than simplifying it. But the general idea is the same and absolutely doable.
Photographer at DiverseReflections.com and writer at TheGodlyPhotographer.blogspot.com. TeenPacter, Christian, musician, writer, Instagrammer, INFJ, Aspie, fashionista.
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