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In a world of busy weeks, long commutes, continuous screen stimulation, and non-stop information, it’s easy for life to get a bit chaotic and overwhelming. I’ve started to realize just how appealing a minimalistic lifestyle is, but if that’s not your thing there’s a few things you can do to easily simplify your life.

A simple life can reduce your stress, open your eyes to the things that really matter, save you time, and save you money!

1. Get out of debt

Imagine a life without having to schedule your credit card payments each month. Imagine not losing more than half of your pay check each time you get direct deposit. I’m currently on a debt free journey which you can read about in my Monthly Debt and Spending Reports! I can’t wait to not have to pay hundreds of dollars toward debt and interest. Think of what you can do with that money instead!

2. Stop buying so much stuff

Have you ever tried to clean out your closet or underneath your bathroom sink but you get so overwhelmed you don’t know where to start? Or you start but then everything is in one big ‘I don’t know where to put this’ pile? There are many, many items that I own and I think to myself why I even bought it or still have it. It’s taking up space and causing excess clutter which also tends to clutter our mental space! We live in a society that loves to accumulate materialistic items even though those things probably aren’t bringing value to your life.

Next time you go shopping really think about whether or not you actually need that item.

3. Wake up earlier

If you’re anything like me, waking up late/sleeping in makes you feel really guilty. If that’s how you are you probably don’t sleep in very often but waking up earlier is probably one of the best things you can do for yourself. First of all it prevents the guilt. Second, you can get SO much more done that you probably wouldn’t get done even if you stay up until 2 am otherwise. You can even start off your morning with a routine/ritual for added benefits. Once you get into the habit of waking up early and conquering your tasks early in the day, it will become easier and life won’t feel so rushed.

4. Plan your meals and meal prep

Whenever I go to the grocery store without a list I end up spending more, spending way more time there, and walking back and forth from one side of the store to the other. I also don’t understand how some people go grocery shopping daily or multiple times per week. That’s more driving, more time in line, parking, etc. Make a list each week to make your trip a lot easier!

Also, I’m a HUGE advocate for meal prepping. If you’re familiar with my blog at all you know I meal prep every single week. It saves me tons of time every day. I have several posts with meal prep ideas and I even have a meal prep guide that you can get for free!

-Sign up for a meal plan: Another option is to get someone to plan meals for you. Services like $5 Meal Plan make it super easy for anyone to prepare some healthy meals!

-Get meals delivered to you: You could even go as far as having already cooked meals sent straight to your house! Vegin’ Out and Veestro are services that will ship prepped food to you every week and all you do is just pop it in the microwave. This is great for those really busy weeks like finals week or when you pick up extra shifts at your job!

5. Say no more often

Are you a people pleaser? Sometimes it can be difficult to say no to someone, but it’s important to avoid biting off more than you can chew. Whether it be an extra task at work, going out for the weekend, or lending someone money, think about your decision before responding right away. You can avoid a lot of stress and worry by saying no. Oh and people don’t need an explanation.

6. Live a healthier lifestyle

This goes without much say but eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, and caring for your mental health has a drastic impact on your life. A healthy body inside and out decreases stress on your bones and your brain. Typically if you live an unhealthy lifestyle you’re inviting more complex issues into your life (diseases, pain, stress, etc.).

Read my tips to simplify healthy living to get started!

7. Tidy up regularly

Cluttered space causes a cluttered mind. If you don’t keep up with the clutter it eventually becomes a great big mess that’s going to take hours to clean. Fold laundry right away, throw away junk mail, make your bed, and put shoes back where they belong. This brings me to my next tip…

8. Stay organized

I consider myself a pretty organized person but honestly I don’t know how people can manage NOT being organized! You lose more stuff and waste more time. Maybe it’s my Type A personality but planners, paper files, and to-do lists give me life! I try to keep everything where I know they should be so I can find it easily later. Writing down your schedule and due dates are also extremely important to avoid last minute panics.

9. Drop arguments

This is something I still continue to work on, especially in my relationship. Is what you’re arguing about really worth it? Will it matter in 5 years? Maybe, but probably not. I hate arguing. I can feel the tension, it gets awkward, and easily ruins my mood. I’m not the person to just go from angry to happy in 2 seconds but I’ve been starting to realize the importance of just letting shit go. It’s not worth it, because chances are the person that you are arguing with is probably someone you love. Imagine if that was your last moment with them ever, would that sit well with you?

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Which of these can you start on today?