Talk to me about simplicity. Where do you most want help?
When you all took my survey a few weeks ago, many, many, many of you said you could really use some more blog posts about simplicity.
Simplicity is a super big topic, though, so today I want to open up the floor and ask you all exactly where you feel your life could use simplification. Do you need simpler meals? Simpler schedules? A simpler wardrobe? A simple budget? Something else entirely?
Basically, where is your life feeling out of control, or where are you feeling the greatest need to simplify?
Tell me in the comments, and I'll do my best to share posts on the simplicity topics you most want to hear about.
Actually, all of the above. Thanks, Kristen.
Yes, all of the above!
Stuff! I don't know how much/many of anything I should have and after I buy something, I hate to get rid of it even if I kind of think I don't need it. For example, how many bath towels or sets of sheets is "enough?" I've tried working on the "something in, something out" practice but if I buy a new shirt or pair of jeans, I don't always know how to choose what to pitch/donate. I'm hardly a packrat but I still struggle with too much stuff!
I agree with this one also. We probably have too many towels as a family, but how many is "enough"? And, part of me feels wrong/ conflicted about getting rid of perfectly good towels just because we probably have enough. But, we do, overall, just have too much stuff.
Nothing to do with simplicity, LOL, but are those wood-slat blinds in the picture? If so, do you mind sharing where you got them? Thanks!
They're actually faux wood blinds from Home Depot. We LOVE them! The faux wood grain ones look super cheesy, but the white ones are great. You just buy them off the shelf and they cut them to size for you.
Thanks!
Simpler meals and routines to achieve less time in the kitchen
x2. I can only stand for a few minutes at a time so I need really quick ideas or ideas of things that can be made in stages so I can sit in between the stages.
Simplifying holidays.
Simplifying cleaning.
I would be helped by comments about running a bigger family, especially when they were younger. I have a lot of trouble keeping my youngest (2) from wreaking havoc with me trying to homeschool and cook, I can't spend one on one time with him all the time and with the activities the kids want to do, I also can't let him help all the time too as it slows things down too much. Alternatively doing everything once the kids are in bed leaves no time for me! And I am not a happy mommy. So yeah, that issue 🙂
Children's toys, books, etc. How much is enough versus how much is too much?
Holidays, Birthdays, toys, clothing, all the Things.... 🙂
On birthdays... if you have kids who have been to a birthday party, no doubt they've come home with the obligatory "gift bag." Usually this consists of various plastic items that get broken and tossed aside in a matter of minutes, if not seconds. Not to sound ungrateful, but I've always hated the gift bad concept. This is not something that was done when I was coming up. When my kids were young, I decided to forgo the gift bag and give the kids a roll of pennies on their way out the door. They loved it, and so did the parents! It got to be a bit of a tradition. Even now that my kids are getting older (11 and 15) their friends still look forward to their roll of pennies every year!
IMHO: Simplicity isn't simple and simple isn't always easy. I like simple elegance. Like homemade bread, yogurt and simple meals.
Like! (Meaning I agree with Jonathan 🙂
I love that comment about simple elegance! I just redecorated my living dining space in a Swedish Modern style using what I have or with found items. I was going for a more refined simple look and think I achieved it. I'm 71 and this is the first time in my adult life that I feel my small space reflects me.
Research. Even about very good and useful things. I can spend hours and hours looking things up -- hunting for the best possible recipes to help my family transition away from meat, or comparing directions for fixing the garbage disposal -- and it ends up taking over my life. It's not physical stuff, but enough is enough intellectually too, and I have real trouble with knowing when to call it quits and get back into the real world. I enjoy the research for its own sake, but it gets entirely out of hand in exactly the same way that, say, shopping can, and I sometimes can't stop it.
Definitely this. I have to examine All The Choices.
For me, it's more mindset. It's something people ask me about too as I live in Jhb, the City of Gold (and big cars, big houses, lots of money) How do you stay true to your values and create (and be content with) a simplicity mindset when all around people are saying BIGGER and BETTER is best 🙂
I had to google Jhb! I've never heard it abbreviated that way before.
Johannesburg?
We also abbreviate it as Jo'burg.
What instantly came to mind for me was memory keeping. I have so many pictures on our computers and I'd love some tips about how to simplify the process of getting those pics off the computer and organized. How do you stay on top of your memory keeping without being overwhelmed? How do you stay caught up? What do you do with greeting cards? I'm so sentimental that I tend to save most of them. I'm drowning in photos and memorabilia! So...How do you simplify memory keeping?
I agree. Ideas on how to store photos. I pulled out all my albums and boxes of photos - now what? Should I get everything scanned? How expensive is that? I also have photos from my Grandmother that are black and white and rolled up since they weren't stored right. Not sure how to save them. This doesn't even include all the electronic photos on computers, hardrives and phones.
I'd like help with knowing when any of it is enough. How do you feel happy and content with less when having and being MORE seems like the good and appropriate and desirable thing to have/do/be but in the end make me feel overwhelmed and heartsick?
If that is all too complicated for you to tackle, simple meals and wardrobe ideas would be very helpful!
Simple meals and daily routines.
Thank you for asking!
Simpler FOOD! We have such a hard time with meal planning, grocery shopping, meal prep, and avoiding food waste... it seems like there is never enough time/energy to use everything we bought, or to buy everything we need... such a disappointing cycle!
I suppose that goes hand in hand with a simpler schedule, but somehow, the solutions elude me.
Simple wardrobe and simple meals, yes please!
Holidays and clothing. I could always use more examples of people who do not feel the need to buy tons of clothing year-round. You post a lot of mending stuff already, which I love. And more information about travel. How you stay within budget for day trips or longer trips. Thanks! Loved the recipes post this morning!
How often to purge "stuff" and de-clutter. I love the posts in which you explain your train of thought and justifications for what to keep and why. And as a first time mother with a freshly turned 2 year old, I also thoroughly enjoy (and learn a lot!) when you write about how you include your children in your simplfying!
everything you mentioned would be great to get your perspective on making things a little simpler.
Actually, how to simplify social things. I am an introvert, and I get a lot out of just being at home, taking care of me/hubby/animals.
But I like my friends, too, and they need me.
How do I balance that? Right now, the best I can do is one social thing/week, but sometimes that means I put off friends for a while. And it's not that I don't like them, it's that I need so much more quiet time with my dog and my hubby than they do.
I can totally relate to this one. I'm thankful that the majority of my closest friends are also introverts, because they get it!
Honestly, I will take any insight on simplicity that you offer. My husband and I both work and have a 1.5 y/o. Sometimes I feel like things are fairly simple, and other times I feel like our schedules, and kid toys, and hobby stuff, is overwhelming our life. Maybe something about the simplicity mindset and establishing that lifestyle of contentment?
How to figure out what you need and what you don't need and how to balance that for "sometimes." i.e. You mentioned once having a smaller set of dishes and that you know when you have the right amount when you've gone through them all in a day (or...something like that).
I really struggle with the desire to have extra dishes on hand to help with hosting guests, but not have so much clutter during the other times of the year. Four months out of the year, we are regularly hosting larger group dinners in our 1800sq ft home as part of our ministry work and our church fellowship. Take our family of 5 then add anywhere from 4 to 23 additional people for a meal 1-3 times a week. So we own 26 dinner plates, 32 forks (counting salad and regular), 4 dining tables (one outdoor, three indoor -- one collapses, one is our main table, and one masquerades as a desk in our guest room), and lots of chairs (some folding). We use plastic Solo cups that get washed after every meal. I love that we can host so many people and just tell everyone to toss their dishes in the dishwasher after they finish eating and our extra trash waste is virtually zero!
So I love to be able to bless, but the other 7 months of the year, I get annoyed trying to figure out where to store my 3 extra drink pitchers. And other stuff like chairs.
Or even things like a wedding gift which I was THRILLED about which is a cake platter/punch bowl/serving tray all-in-one. When I was growing up, we used these things constantly for graduation receptions and baby showers and such. But I actually haven't used it once in 5 years! I'm contemplating getting rid of it, but struggle with "what if."
So those things are things I would like to hear more about. 🙂
Would you have room for a storage cabinet, in your garage maybe, to store the extra dishes, etc? I have one that is plastic, comes with shelves, and is very sturdy. I think it's Rubbermaid!
I can so relate to this comment! Yes, I have three sets of dishes plus extra clear glass plates, two sets of flatware, tons of servingware and my table is ELEVEN feet long with no leaves! If you told me I'd be serving dinner to twenty people tomorrow, I could do it with ease and without disposable anything. Depending on the crowd, I might even be able to pull that meal off with only ingredients on hand.
Almost everything I own has been collected from garage and estate sales. The table, plus ten matching chairs and a bench came from a consignment store. And I can't pass up a gently used folding wooden chair anywhere.
My approach is that I am grateful that I have been given these things and the abilities to put them to good use to bless others, as Kristen would say. Some day I will want to downsize my life, but for now, I believe this is a fine use of my God-given talents and resources.
So, what to do with all this stuff between occasions? I consider this an easy "problem" since my house is decent-sized, but no McMansion, and alas, has no basement. I store as much as I can within plain sight and easy reach. My folding tables are tucked in on an inside garage wall. The folding wooden chairs (14 at last count) are hung on L-brackets above them. Extra chair pads live in a basket that doubles as an end table in my living room. Table linens are in a hall cupboard, dishes, flatware and glasses are in my kitchen cupboards. (I use "real" stuff, but nothing is fancy and a broken anything would cause no tears.) The serving ware is anywhere I can find to stash it, including under the bed in the guest room and in a (second-hand) file cabinet in the garage.
Miranda, so many people would get the heebie-jeebies at the thought of entertaining a crowd. I don't hear that from you at all. As my brother says, "Some people are just born with the hospitality gene." It sounds like you're in that club, so my advice is to embrace the gift you possess and don't worry about having too much gear. It's just what you need to do the work that you've been called to do. My best advice is to relax and enjoy this time in your life. This experience is something to be savored, not solved.
True story: I had a drink dispenser still new in the box that I'd never used. I finally gave it to my neighbor. Now I borrow it from her on a regular basis. Next time I see another one at a garage sale, I'll add it to my hospitality bag of tricks.
Sorry for the slight hijack, Kristen. To answer your question, if you write it, I'm planning on reading it, so write about anything your heart desires and have as much fun as you can in the process. Thanks for letting me tag along for the ride.
I need more help/reminders regarding having a simple mindset rather than how-tos. For example, we just did a massive household purge in preparation for moving overseas, and I was surprised to discover how attached I'd become to my stuff. Or I'll find myself stuck in the trap of perfect vs. good and unable to move forward.
I find that our grocery bill (including personal care, paper, and personal care products) is the highest bill every month. We spend around $250 to $300/ week. We are a family of 4 ( 2 teenagers, my husband and I). I really spend way too much time couponing, planning, and shopping, and I still spend that much. I go to 3 to 4 different stores to get the best deals, and feel very overwhelmed. Shopping at the local grocery store is very expensive for a family of 4 to eat healthy. Need to simplify and save money, if that's even possible. Any comments or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you,
Marie. Orlando
I would love suggestions on a simpler cleaning schedule/process. Also, suggestions on simplifying the holidays, especially when you have several large families to consider. I also always appreciate tips for organizing.
I need to simpify my budget, meals, clothing and get rid of the need to spend all the time. I love shopping (be it Malls or thrift stores) My family of three doesn't really need anything. Ecept to save money. Any ideas?
I dislike shopping, but my sister enjoys it. She gets her "fix" by doing extreme couponing at CVS and Target. It lets her shop, but it is for things they need and the goal is to pay as absolute little as possible.
Different ways to look at "good simplicity," particularly in terms of doing what's best for your family life. For instance, making inexpensive, fresh ingredient, simple meals is one way to do well by your family and a simple home. But being a stressed out snappy wife at dinner time because you have to get all these raw ingredients into a meal "on time" is not good simplicity. So maybe spaghetti with sauce from a jar and spinach from a bag, along with an enjoyable wind-down conversation during dinner prep time, is the "better simplicity" some times.
So, I guess also related to guilt. Which I feel under either scenario.
Hi there!
I would say I need simplicity in..
Organization and
Meals
Thanks
Elaine
I'd love more information on simplifying meals and simple ways to reduce food waste. I'm always looking for quick and easy (and FAST) ways to reduce waste, etc since I work 40-50 hours a week.
These comments are great, you guys! Super helpful, so keep 'em coming.
the person who mentioned keepsakes and cards and hard copy letters really resonated with me. What do you do with those things? You want to keep then but then after awhile you're drowning in them. Also, I'm drowning with stuff, and I don't even have children to excuse the stuff! I live in a one bedroom apartment and I can't stop "stocking up" on stuff, whether it's 2 cases of TP from amazon or 6 bottles of laundry detergent. Plus stuff I need to sell on ebay, I've had this stuff for years (It was from when I went crazy buying online 9 years ago after my husband passed away. I literally went CRAZY! I've sold some on ebay but what I have left isn't really big "name" stuff although it's nice stuff, medium level, shoes and handbags. I'm drowning. I can't seem to muster up the energy for ebay anymore and am about ready to donate to the women's shelter. It would be a huge loss financially, I can't take a tax break as I'm on social security disability, so no taxes, but it would be a good thing to do. But I can't make the decisions. My living room looks like a storage locker. I can't keep living like this. I know this is too much for a place like this forum, sorry. I'm almost a hoarder. not with newspapers, etc, but books from the thrift store near me, etc. I know this is too much for this space, sorry. How do you get help for issues like this? Thanks
You should read the book, It's all too much, by Peter Walsh. I'm actually not quite finished with it, but I believe his perspective might help you to start conquering all this stuff. He also has a great way of dealing with the emotions of too much stuff and perhaps why this has become such a problem. It sounds like since you lost your husband, you've maybe tried to fill his place with stuff. Letting go of your stuff might also include some additional grieving for you of this loss.
Hope it helps, and hope you can get the help you need. Best of luck!
@ akbj - I agree with Kayla, and also recommend http://www.365lessthings.com for a helpful approach to decluttering if you are feeling overwhelmed. Start with her earliest posts.Worked for me (and is still working!). Good luck. You can do this.
Uggghh...I just don't know where to start. I need to simplify everything in a big way, and am having trouble finding balance. I work from home which is very flexible, but I have 6 kids (really five because one is away at college), a husband, 2 dogs, errands, cleaning, shopping, and activities. I have reduced what the kids do to one activity for each - but that still takes up my whole week with 5 of them, and my college boy needs help and has stuff that comes up as well. everything is a mess all of the time, even with chore schedules and meal schedules, and lists, and budgets. when I plan, something always comes up to interrupt that plan, like with meals, or organizing, or finances. It just feels hopeless.....and I am exhausted.....like....all of the time! Okay, I am done whining!! Anyone else in this boat?
Oh....and thank you, Kristen for all that you do.....I have really learned a lot from your blog, and think I would have already drowned had it not been for some of your suggestions and ideas that you post!!! (:
Well, you've got WAY more to deal with than I do - no kids here, just a pile of rescue cats - but I also work from home and I find that it can be a real double edged sword. It's like, any time of the night or day, there's some little nagging part of me that's always saying "you should be working."
But at the same time, I don't want to set up a tight schedule for myself, because that pretty much defeats the purpose of getting to enjoy the flexibility of being able to work from home! Plus, I just totally suck at sticking to any sort of routine - like you said, as soon as you plan something out, the universe conspires to make it impossible to stick to the plan! So most of the time I just try to embrace the chaos.
While Kristen doesn't have this exact situation, I imagine that home schooling presents similar sorts of challenges to working from home, and I'd love to know how she handles it!
Simplicity in homeschool, please. 🙂
I agree! I would love ideas!
Where I love to read about simplicity is in things like:
- wardrobe (in the past, I tended to buy lots of things but since having kids, I really would like to pare down and just have a nice simple wardrobe of mix and match things that I LOVE instead of lots of things I "sort of like")
- kitchen (same as wardrobe really... there is just SO.MUCH.STUFF. Where do I start to pare down?)
- decluttering/organizing help
- I think you are the blogger who talks about buying "heirloom quality" so that when you choose something, it may not be cheap, but it can still be frugal because it will be something of lasting quality that gets used for a long time rather than cheap plastic items that have to be replaced all the time... sort of long-run frugal thinking
- simple meals certainly yes... I'm making lunches for kids for school now and already going crazy trying to spice it up and not be so boring all the time... but I don't have time to cut sandwiches into pinterest artwork either. Le sigh. 😉
P.S. I just read all the earlier comments and just have to say that I really LOVE your readers! All of their ideas and suggestions resonate with me in some way, shape or form. This is obviously a topic that touches and affects a lot of people. Kudos to you for taking it on for us. I'm guessing any help would be appreciated. 🙂
I need help and helpful hints in how to view life through a simplicity lens. I find myself losing perspective in the face of societal pressures and advertising. Computer usage comes into it. How does one develop a sense of a simple life that works for each person?
And sometimes I lose perspective when I think about having a clean house (key to a simple life), healthy meals, and a green lifestyle.
Thanks, Kristen.
I think that simplicity lies in developing a lifestyle that reflects your values -- if you're living authentically, that cuts back on stuff & commitments that otherwise cause clutter.
Wardrobe especially. How about simple stuff like the "junk" drawers of the house or dvd/book collections? I tend to have an obsession with bed linens too....
I have the most trouble with things like that and would love to see how others deal with it.
I want to know how you organize your time. You (and judging by the comments, most of your readers too) have WAY more on your plate than I do - yet I still feel overwhelmed just dealing with the day to day stuff. Do you keep a tight schedule? How do you keep from going crazy? You've made some veiled references to things like switching out wardrobes as the seasons change (novel concept) - do you have other systems like that? How do you deal with junk mail? bills?laundry? dishes? cleaning? shopping? Never mind fitting in home schooling and countless DIY projects around all that! Anyhow, I'm guessing you do have some systems for dealing with things, or else you'd be a complete nutcase. And while our lives might look very different, I'm sure there are things I could learn from seeing how you organize your time and stuff.
Ideas for simpler work wardrobe as well as "going out" clothes or "church clothes" without having to put on my work clothes again. We don't go "out" that often, but I tend to wear the same things over and over and usually it's something that doubles for work. I like to dress comfortably and not be too out of style, but SIMPLE. I get frustrated shopping; I'm not a shopper anyway, so that doubles my frustration. I like re-sale shops and Goodwill.
I'd like ideas for an uncomplicated budget. I work full-time and don't have time to keep complicated records. But I also want to keep better records and track our money, as well.
House cleaning without being obsessed. I want my house clean and neat, but don't always have the time to keep it that way.
Would appreciate any posts in any of the mentioned areas. You always seem to come up with something that I hadn't thought of.
Thank you, Kristin.
I loved the comment about research - that, please! I REALLY value when you have brought your frugal, quality-oriented mindset to ____ (phones, floors, painting furniture) whatever... You carefully research and analyze and share your lessons with us so generously. (Or, you just try something and share what works... Doesn't have to be in-depth research; just life lessons shared.) And you do have great readers: thank you to all the people who chime in on comments and share their lessons too - few places online have comments that are so positive and constructive - this blog stands out!
I know, right? I have such a great group of readers!
Simplify stuff.
And simplify holidays. Thanksgiving and Christmas.
I second the simplifying the holiday ideas, simple gift ideas & meals. I am always so overwhelmed when the holidays come around. I need an easy button and I need it to work! At work we exchange a $5 gift; it is always the highlight of the holidays. They come up with the funniest and most creative stuff. With my husband’s family side they do the same but for $50. What a waste of money, it always ends up that someone is disappointed at what they get. There has to be a better way!
Definitely regarding MEALS.....something tasty, but healthy and not a lot of prep (yes, I want it all!!). Make ahead and refrig or freeze is good, too!!
Also, regarding trying to "relax" in short moments segments of time...with two teenagers and their schedule plus mine and my husbands, I really have been feeling pulled this school year....but, not any chucks of time to relax.
I just read a blog post about the 200 Item Challenge...basically, a woman who whittled her possessions down to 200 items. My first thought was, "Oh, that sounds so good, I want to do that!" And my second thought was, "Oh, I could never do that, I'm too materialistic/owned by my possessions/etc." and I was wracked by guilt. And my third thought was, "Wait a minute. She's a single woman who lives in a 1-room dwelling. I'm a mom of 4, who thinks nothing of having my extended family over for dinner."
So what I'm getting at with that story that took place yesterday morning was, there are lots of "simple living" blogs/books out there that just don't apply to busy family life. (thinking of the Marie Kondo Japanese lady, for instance) I have possessions, lots of them. My life is busy. I don't necessarily want to change my life, but I would like to re-evaluate my attitude about possessions and about how I'm spending my life. I don't want to hear that we should plant a garden and get chickens and live more simply (we DO have a garden and chickens, and they do NOT simplify one's life!). I guess I'm looking for a "below the surface" approach to simplicity...the attitudes and thoughts that need to be in place before the outward actions can happen.
I know that's jumbled...I hope you can make sense of it!
I'm with you. You can plant and coddle and transplant and water and blanch and peel and chop and know that all that's in the freezer bag is simply tomatoes, but that whole process was not simple at all.
No chickens here, though. 😉
That is entirely true. Homesteading is theoretically a return to the simple life, but homesteading is ANYTHING but simple!
Time and scheduling-everyone's big tip always seems to be "say no", but to what? Homeschooling? Clean laundry? Church work? Homemade meals? My problem is that once I am overwhelmed I just shut down, and that's not working! Unfortunately, right now, I can't eliminate activities so I'd love to hear about how you manage-from what I read you have about the same level of commitments (plus two extra kids!) and yet you still find time for from-scratch baking and blogging. I'd love to hear your secrets!:)
Reading through these comments a couple of things came to mind:
1. Limit the number of toys your child has available to them at any given time to the number of their age. i.e. a 2 year old can manage 2 items; pick them up and put them away. (rotate the toys every so often) You will find your child has better play quality AND learns to put things away when finished. Also limit the number of children invited to their parties to the number of years. this is the number of people they are able to socialize with.
2. Learn to say NO. No to too many holiday obligations. No to requests for your time. No to "keeping up with anyone else." No to keeping too many of anything. No to too many events.
Being overwhelmed.....how/where to start to untangle and not be overwhelmed.....I'm so bad at taking on too much.
Saying no - as this helps to lead to simplicity - no to volunteer commitments, no to extra stuff, no to presents which don't fit values, no to doing something when I'm exhausted.....etc.
Simplicity sim·plic·i·ty
simˈplisədē/
noun
the quality or condition of being easy to understand or do.
the verb -- simplify -- means letting go of confusing, confounding people places and things. 🙂
The trick is always letting go!
I would like how to simplify meals, easy recipes. I have been doing lot of research and reading about other areas the past years. Wardrobe: I got rid (gave to friends, sold, donated) of clothes I didn't wore for a year, don't fit or don't like anymore. Simplify my choices wearing basics colors (black, white,gray), creating my own style ( simple, classy, solid colors), everything matches with everything, that way I don't spend tons of time getting dress every morning to work while I chase my toddler.
Got rid to dishes (do I really need 20 tea cups?), towels (3 each person is enough for me, I do laundry weekly), DVDs (if I didn't watch bit the last year, I got rid it. Library is always there). Toys: I rotate them, hide them for my daughter, that way she always has "new toys". I am not afraid of throwing things away if we don't need/use them.
We live in a society which tells us we need stuff, new stuff every month.
Simpler life in general. How do you prioritize and choose what to say yes to and what to say no to? How do you keep from being a goal-oriented slave to the to-do list and enjoy life? These are the things I struggle with.
Where do I need simplicity??? That's a good question, even I don't truly know the answer to that. I guess a good place to start is with material things. We've recently combined 2 households because of retiring and moving to a warmer climate. I had pretty much two of every necessity especially when it came to kitchen items. I've never thought of myself as a hoarder in any way, shape or form but when it came to getting rid of extras I've been finding it difficult. I have parted with so much already and given it to churches, shelters, nieces, nephews and neighbors but I still have so many things that I just can't part with. Some things for sentimental reasons and some just because I feel very wasteful giving all these household items, furnishings, clothing, shoes, seasonal items, garage & outdoor furnishings away. I have no use anymore for winter items but I've still clung to several - my justification for it is if I have to go back to visit or take a trip somewhere cold, I'll have some shoes, jackets and clothing to wear. My new home which was so open and clutter-free now has stuffed cabinets, closets and garage - all neat, orderly and organized but still containing more than necessary. Every week I still take a box or two to a church-run thrift store that takes the sale of all proceeds to clothe and feed needy and homeless. Even so, I still have more that I could part with but can't just yet. It's amazing what we accumulate over the years and how attached we become to things just because we're used to them or they belonged to someone we loved who's no longer here. Enough said, I think you get the idea. Thank you for considering comments and suggestions so earnestly and taking everything your readers say to heart. It shows what a truly considerate and caring individual you are. Your sincerity and genuineness (is that a word??) came through the very first time I found your website and why I kept coming back to read it again and again.
Thank you so much for your encouraging words!
I'd really like to hear about simplifying stuff, but also how you organize your time. My biggest area of crazy is getting it all done--I'd like to hear how you get everyone to pitch in to make the household run smoothly, especially since you are home mostly all day like me. My kids are younger, though, so chore lists are something I'm interested in hearing about. I am not good at motivating my kids or husband to pitch in. Also, not sure if you want to tackle it, but how to do you prioritize time with friends and family? I need to get better at making room for the "want-to-do's" along with the "must-do's," as I have several elderly family members that are needing more attention recently. Maybe this is not so simple...Tee hee.
Ideas for simpler meals would be great, simpler wardrobe too please!
Thank you for picking this topic!
I would be interested in
- simpler wardrobe
- how to let go of children's creations and artwork
- how to help a busy teenager embrace simplicity in their life
Declutter? Simplify? Gentle guidance, Try baby steps with Flylady.net
Fly meaning Finally Loving Yourself, and " You are not behind! I don't want you to try to catch up; I just want you to jump in where we are. O.K.? "
She says it way better than I can, I like her approach. Persistence and Consistence, a home a place of peacefulness and tranquility. Don't get stuck in your perfectionism!
I like reading what everyone has written, I nod my head with you, thank you Frugal Girl Kristen.
Re keeping kids' artwork etc...
My Mom bought a second-hand filing cabinet with one drawer for each child and a bunch of hanging files. Each drawer had twelve 'monthly' folders and then one folder for each completed year. During the year, everything she wanted to keep went into the monthly files, and at the end of the year, we went through the monthly files together and decided what should stay forever in the file for the year and what we could let go of.
Now that we're all adults, there are a couple of dozen folders for each of us, each filled with great memories of a particular year.
My Mom thought it worked so well that she set them up retroactively for her and my dad as well - hugely useful when the time came for us to plan their 30th wedding anniversary!
Less stuff.
We moved recently to a smaller home and we had to get rid of so much stuff. I couldn't believe how much we had accumulated over the years. Two years on and I don't miss anything we got rid of.
Simplicity in having just what you need and no more. That's my vote!
I'm probably the one person on here who doesn't want a minimal wardrobe (my main hobby is making clothes, and learned while pregnant that fewer options bore me), but I'd be all for help on simplifying household routines, cleaning, scheduling, etc. And letting go of guilt when I'm not able to do All The Things. Or any of them, which seems to be the case since becoming a mom. Sigh.
I have such a hard time staying focused and managing my time. I have a hard time deciding what to spend my time on. How do you organize your day and minimize distractions like email and social media? How do you manage pressure to volunteer at church and in community? You seem like you have the "kid activity" part figured out too... we are still working on managing that! Sports can overtake your life!
I am seeking simplicity in my home; trying to get rid of clutter, organize and downsize items.
It's overwhelming! Any suggestions are welcome! I belong to an online organization group and have a "clutter buddy". We try to check in once a week.
Things are moving waaay too slowly as far as getting things donated, etc.
Thanks!
Cindy
Encouraging other household members to get on board with simplification.
Wow! Timely! I am just downsizing from a three bedroom house to a small studio and am finding it hard, but not as hard as I expected. I think its easier as I am older so don't have that urge to keep up with the Joneses any more. Hey! If I don't have enough dishes for visitors I'll just get disposable ones! My friends are friends with me for who I am, not what I have. That took a long time to learn!
I have however found it hard to let go of items that are of no value to anyone else, but hold such strong memories of when my kids were young (35 year old cross country skis! I still hear the laughter, squeals of delight and shrieks of terror so many years later. Sigh!) But I know that even though I may hold emotional attachments to items, they will never hold an emotional attachment to me! So take a photo of them, then let them go! I have to admit I shed a tear as I tossed them into the dumpster! But I will always have the memories - no one can take them from me. I have found this attitude really helpful in decluttering. 🙂
KatieD,
I can relate! So difficult!
Cindy
It would be nice to hear your perspective on how you simplify your homeschooling especially given you were homeschooled. Also, most anything kid or household related would be great to hear about especially if you are personally inspired toward simplicity in that area.
I'd like to see simplicity posts ranging from the general (exploring simplicity from a mindset of abundance and generosity) to the specific (meals, healthy living, investing, saving). Also, I'd enjoy posts about cultivating a simplicity mindset in a culture that values possessions and status over free time and creative thinking.
A simple cleaning schedule, simple meals, decluttering
Thanks!
As with a lot of the Other's comments .... I Need Help in Simple Meals too. But FAST Simple Meals as I work 50+ hours a week I'm mentally & physically tired at the End if the day. This would be a Great help to me Health & Sanity wise
I tend to get stuck in a Rut with same Boring meals. So it's always Fun to see what others come up with.
& I too Thank you Kristen for All you do for All of us here.
I Greatly Appreciate how you are serving others & sharing your Gift.
Thank u,
~Dorthey
I really like when you talk about your home, like when you paint the kids' rooms or organize a room, things like that.
Stuff and schedule
Simplicity when it comes to stuff, for sure. Getting rid of stuff is one thing. How do you keep from just accumulating it right back? Reading another person's thoughts on the subject and how they go about it with every day examples is inspiring.
Paperwork/filing!
And I echo everyone else who has said thank you for all you do!
My question would be in general what did simplicity look like back when your kids were toddlers/newborns. My kids are 1 yo and 3 1/2 yo. The 1 yo still doesn't sleep through the night, and when I'm sleep deprived I fall behind on doing many things like good meals, cleaning, staying organized etc,.
Paper! I feel like I always have so much paper. Between kids' artwork, mail, bills, owner's manuals, etc. it is never ending.
Also, your schedule. How do you fit it all in? Are you up at 4am?!? Do you have a routine for when you clean, do laundry, grocery shop?
I have so much guilt for having lived in a very cluttered and dirty house when my kids were little. I just felt so overwhelmed at the time. The house is cleaner now following a major house renovation several years ago. I have used many of your suggestions in prior posts for decluttering. I have gotten much better at letting things go, but I am still filled with guilt for the years that my house prevented me and my children from having friends visit. I still have many hours of purging to go. Any suggestions for helping me get pass the guilt would be appreciated, and thank you so much for you blog.
Who knew? Ikea into simplicity!!! A wonderful sight!
richard zorniak
cooking and cleaning...