5 tips to simplify your life

Every once in a while we all feel as if our lives are extremely cluttered.
One way to deal with that clutter is to simplify your life and begin to focus your attention on those things that are really important in order to have a balanced life. Here are some techniques that I have used in order to simplify my own crazy life:

1. Clean your closet!

It may seem insignificant, but having a clean closet can really make a difference in your life. Not only will you be able to function easier in the morning when you are trying to decide what to wear, but when you are out shopping having a clean closet helps you not to spend money on those clothing items that you already have an abundance of. I love going through my closet at least once every two months and removing from it clothes that I can no longer fit or that I simply don't wear. I don't just stop there however; I also remove shoes, belts, and accessories that are no longer any use to me and I place all of these items in a bag so that they can be donated. Cleaning out my closet has become a source of relaxation for me and as I mentioned before, I don't spend money anymore on pointless clothing items that I know I already have because I am aware of what is in my closet.

2. Throw away the past!

I am the worst at this. I love to hold onto things forever and ever because I love to remind myself of great moments that happened in the past. There comes a point when you just don't have room to store every single piece of sacred history anymore. What I have done is taken a large shoe box and placed significant things such as birthday cards or old notes from friends into it. When I see the box is beginning to overflow, I either get rid of some of the things in the box that I could do without, or I clean out other parts of my closet and give away other items so that I can fit another shoe box filled with memories into the closet. I don't throw away pictures because they will always be memorable, but other items such as your collection of baby teeth (Only God knows why people hold on to those) you may have to say adios to. Giving up pieces of the past makes room for more of the present.

3. Clean your room!
(and your house for that matter)

Having a clean room and a clean house can help you function better throughout the week. Also, having a clean room will help you to feel more relaxed when you are enjoying time spent alone in your bedroom. Who can relax in clutter? If your whole house is a mess, then perhaps it is time to make the effort to give away certain furniture that just takes up space or to designate areas for specific items to go such as shoes, books or even car keys (so that they won't get lost!) Having a clean house makes the rest of your stressful day seem like a thing of the past because as soon as you step into your clean house at the end of the day you will rejoice and be glad to relax in your house that lacks clutter. Try redecorating your house from time to time as well!

4. Only give your energy to those things that matter!

Learn to stop giving your attention to things that don't matter. (That includes social networking sites unless you are using them with a true purpose; not just to waste time) I read a great book once that said the greatest gift that we are given is time. Learn to divide your time amongst those things that truly matter and your energy won't be wasted. Not only will this technique simplify your life, but you will also feel less drained because you have only given your energy to those things that are important. Another great tip that I have heard is to write down your top 4 priorities for the day and focus your energy on those 4 things. Once those things are accomplished, you can either decide to use the rest of your energy on less important tasks or you can keep that energy in your reserve!

5. Do what you say you are going to do!

If you wake up in the morning and resolve to go get your car's oil changed that day then don't spend the next hour and a half coming up with excuses for why you can't- get to work on getting that one thing done! Don't put things off for another day and don't trick yourself by feeding yourself excuses for why you can't accomplish something. If you put something off for tomorrow, it will just be added to tomorrow's clutter. And tomorrow has enough trouble of its own...