15 Minimalist Tips to Help Simplify Your Life

1. Morning routine

In my morning routine, I make my mental and physical health my priority, which really sets the mood for the day. “Conquer your morning and you will conquer your day” - for me, this has proven absolutely true.

2. 80/20 rule

The concept is that you put in 20% of your effort to gain 80% of value. I used to just be frantic, spending far too much time on meaningless tasks. The 80/20 rule was a game-changer for me. Now I stay more focused on the tasks that actually have the best results for me, and align my priorities with my own value system.

3. An outfit formula 

An outfit formula is a simple formula of different clothes you have, that can be mixed and matched, and that go well with your lifestyle. The formula is only made up of the things that you love to wear. In my outfit formula, I usually have t-shirts, wide-leg pants or cotton skirts, and a cardigan. 

4. Reducing accessories

Just reducing all of my jewelry, purses, hats, and scarves really simplifies the choices I am making. I only keep around the jewelry that I really love, just a few pieces that I can wear most often. 

5. Mini breaks

Taking short breaks throughout the day is crucial. We can easily lose ourselves in our tasks throughout the day. I normally set a timer for 50 minutes, after which I treat myself to 10 minutes of quiet time, whether it is making some tea, watering flowers outside, or doing some gentle stretching.

This way, when I am going back to work, it is easier for me to stay focused on my task. It also keeps me positive throughout my workday. 

6. Time blocks 

Because I work from home, my work and personal life might sometimes blend together. I solve this problem by setting up designated time blocks for work, personal time, and family. This allows me to really be present in each of these areas of my life.

This has brought me so much joy, and when I use my time blocks wisely, I feel like I have more hours in my day, and I accomplish more.

7. Being present

In conjunction with the time blocks, I focus on being 100% present in whatever I am doing. I used to try to multitask and always be doing as much as possible. However, in reality, I was doing a lot, but not very well.

By just being more actively present in the moment and choosing to only do one thing at a time, I became calmer and less overwhelmed. This has also strengthened my relationships with my family and the people I care about. 

8. Simplify finances 

Simplifying our finances and creating a budget with my husband makes hitting our money goals so much easier. Knowing where our finances are going brings both of us a sense of security. We also closed out all the bank accounts that we were no longer using. 

9. Autopay bills

In line with simplifying our personal finances, going paperless on all of our bills really helped eliminate the waste that is coming into our home. It also saves us extra time to open and sort through the mail. Automating all of our bills was a big step in this direction, now it is one less thing to think about.

10. Weekly meal plan 

Sitting down once a week and doing my weekly meal plan, and then going grocery shopping, saves me time, money, and energy. I am not making little trips back and forth to the store every week, I am less tempted to eat out, and it is one less decision that I need to make throughout the week. 

11. Downsizing your purse 

Much like owning a large house, if there is space inside a large purse, it will get filled. I used to have the ultimate mom bag that had everything in it from bandaids to kids' snacks. Now I just have this tiny purse that only fits my wallet, my cell phone, and chapstick, and it has proven to be enough.

12. Schedule and batch cleaning

I used to clean everything on Saturday mornings, but I always felt like that was taking up my entire Saturday, which made me resentful. Now as I simplify my life, I choose two things to clean on specific days.

For example, that would be laundry and bathrooms on Saturday, and vacuuming and dusting on Wednesday. This way I am getting a little bit done throughout the week and it is far simpler than doing it all on one day on the weekend. 

13. Going for a walk 

There is nothing simpler or more peaceful than going for a walk. It helps me clear my mind, get grounded, work on my breath and just be present in the moment. I take about three walks a day. It is a simple pleasure that I truly cherish. 

14. Unsubscribing from emails

Cleaning up your email list saves a lot of time and energy: there are fewer things that you have to open, read or discard every time you open your email for the next few weeks. If it is something you do not like, take a moment and unsubscribe. 

15. Weekly fridge cleaning

After I make my weekly grocery list, before I go grocery shopping, I take a few minutes and clean out my fridge. I throw away all the old leftovers and anything expired, and I wipe it out.

There is something very satisfying to me about coming home with a bag full of groceries and putting them in a nice clean fridge. 

Minimalist tips to simplify your life

I hope that some of these minimalist lifestyle tips will work their way into your life and bring you as much joy as they did to me. What are some areas in your life that have really worked well for you to simplify? Please leave some comments below.