The Guide to Simplifying Your Life |
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1. DIGITIZE YOUR MEDIA
What do CDs, music, books, documents, watching televsion and reading newspaper articles have in common?
They can all be read, watched or stored digitally, of course!
This is (for me), a more eco-friendly option because there aren’t any new items being manufactured, and other than the emissions from our laptops, and the sheer amount of electricity it takes to run our laptops & the servers accessing the internet, it’s a pretty green option.
(That is, unless you already own the items and now have to get rid of them 
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2. TAKE BACK YOUR LIFE
Turn off the TV, or go the drastic route (like me) and get rid of it.
I watch the shows I want online, and for those I cannot find online, I get the DVD boxset of the season when it’s done and keep the DVDs to play on my laptop.
Bonus? I don’t have to sit through commercials. I think I hate watching television the most, because of advertising.
This has made me want to have less things in general (turning off the temptation tube really works).
I also cut back on hobbies and time sucks. I love blogging, but 2 blogs really sucks up my free time. If I were to tack on another hobby on top of that, I’d feel frazzled, so I just stick to what I love.
3. GET RID OF THE BIG THINGS
I’ve lived with a lot, some and no furniture and decoration at all, and in the end, I much prefer very little furniture without any decorations.
This is not only because I don’t like clutter, it’s because I keep bumping my shins on everything!
When I stay in hotels or hotel apartments, I always end up bruising myself at least once a week, being a clumsy person.
I keep knocking into coffee tables, couches, side tables, dinner tables, chairs… it is a serious (and kind of funny) problem I have with stuff.
So the less, the better. I also don’t have to clean as much, nor move as much around to get into the nooks and crannies.
4. CLEAN UP & PILE UP AS YOU GO
Put things away after you use them. Wash your dishes as you use them (unless of course, you are making a mess in the kitchen and are too hungry to clean up before eating).
The only exception to this rule for me, is laundry.
If I am by myself, I do one big load every two weeks (I have more than enough clothes to last 2 weeks).
With BF, I do a load every week, because there’s 2 of us generating dirty laundry.
I do the towels and sheets once every two weeks, in an extra load.
Update: BF has since pared down his wardrobe and now I have to do laundry every week if he is working. *sigh*
5. DE-CLUTTER SLOWLY
You’ve heard all of these before:
One-In, One-Out rule: Get rid of something old if you buy something new
Limit your collections: A collection is not cool if you can’t display or enjoy it. Be picky.
Get rid of one item a day: Set up a large box with a lid in the corner, and toss one item in each day. At the end of each week or month, donate it.
