Four Ways to Simplify
Everyone I run into lately has brought up their desire to slow things down. The always on, always connected, always sharing what’s new, what’s next, where I am right this second seems to be weighing on people. I think we’re hitting a tipping point to change our collective approach to the rat race and I’m all for it. Anything that makes the day’s pace slow is alright by me.
Luckily, there are pretty easy ways to bring some semblance of sanity into daily life. I’ve decided to try four things to add an air of calm to my world this year.
CLEAR THE CLUTTER
The art of tidying was all the rage in 2019 and it’s certainly not going anywhere soon. The concepts are pretty straight forward. Set a bar for what you surround yourself with. Keep things that bring you joy, that are useful or are just extra special. Things that don’t make the cut? Anything that’s sat in a drawer for a year, stuff that needs to be fixed, something you’re saving “just in case,” or anything you’re just sick of looking at….ditch it.
I’m definitely taking an “out with the old” approach to decorating in 2020. Notice there was no “in with the new” at the end of that cliché. I’ve been having a ball getting rid of stuff and firmly believe if you purge the physical things clogging up your life, it will spill over to your mental and emotional life as well. You quite literally have space to breathe. Design books that I haven’t revisited in the last year? Buh-bye. The magazines I keep thinking I’ll reread? Oh no.
My coffee table is now a blissfully open expanse, punctuated by a tray to set my daily cup of bliss coffee – but nothing more. Thankfully, having a little one moving around the house means the need to keep things out of arm's reach even more.. Here’s how I try to tackle it: take one hour per week to address a specific area in your house that feels stuck, but won’t overwhelm you. That might be the junk drawers, under the bathroom sink, the box of unsorted paperwork. Then you can block out an afternoon for major projects like the closet clean out. I promise, you’ll slowly but surely chip away at the overflow.
REFRESH YOUR ARRANGEMENTS
With all those things that do bring you joy – display them! Put them within arm’s reach. Set them out in high trafficked areas that you’ll see daily. I’m a big fan of using picture rails to not only display art or personal photos, but also books, magazines and even a candle or air plant for some texture. They add a ton of interest without taking up a lot of real estate. They’re perfect for small spaces or a hallway. Any time you need a mood booster – rearrange. It’s my form of meditation and I swear by it.
TAKE A TIMEOUT
All too often I grab a coffee on the go, chugging it while I’m racing from point A, hitting point B, then jumping over to point C. Some days, I just can't help it. That's the life of not only an entrepreneur, but a wife and a mother, too. This year I’m committing myself to sitting down and fully enjoying a cup of fresh coffee and a little time to myself everyday. Having the coffee maker on a timer makes taking a few minutes to myself really easy. A little prep the night before and I have a beautiful cup of coffee and a good ten minutes of sanity-returning quiet time.
SET AN INTENTION (OR 2!)
There are just too many things coming at us all the time to remember them all. And we can all agree there aren’t enough hours in the day to get through your entire to-do list, so this year I’m committing myself to serious prioritization. Launching my first furniture line would never of happened if I didn’t make it my front and center goal - my purposeful intention that I was laser-focused on getting just a little bit closer to each and every day.
And to hold myself accountable, I’m a big advocate of writing it all down. There’s something about putting pen to paper that adds a whole new level of gravitas to a goal. This is something you can do while enjoying said cup of coffee and revel in your tidy minimalized space.
There you have it. Just a handful of simple changes to your daily routine and updates to your environment will help you find your space to breathe, and with that, a bit more joy.