Is living a simple life something you crave?
What does living a simple life mean to you?
For me I felt I needed to take back my life and embrace voluntary simplicity to regain the satisfaction that I was missing.
Living a simple life is not about doing without.
Many people know how to live simply surround by their most precious belongings.
A simple lifestyle helps you take back your life and create it in exactly the way you want it without outside influences.
Without the pressure from others about what you should be doing or should have.
There was a time when I felt deprived and unsatisfied. I enjoy being frugal but I got money saving mixed up with deprivation.
Other people around me felt our goal of retiring early meant we were depriving ourselves of things we really wanted and this had rubbed off on me.
I suddenly realized that I didn’t want the things I wasn’t buying, what I really wanted was to embrace a simple lifestyle.
But what is involved in living a simple life? What are the steps that can take you down the path of voluntary simplicity?
My journey in learning how to live simply has been over a few years but now if anyone asks me I would say, give me the simple life, any day!
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Living A Simple Life – Simple Inspirations For You
Create A Simple Wardrobe
Create your own work uniform, one where you do not have to make decisions every day will free up your mind and your time.
Stick to 2 base colors and rotate on a weekly basis.
Add a variety of blouses that will work with all of your jackets/trousers/skirts.
The only decision you have to make each morning is which blouse to wear. Can’t get much simpler than that!
Take The Same Lunch To Work
I hear colleagues complaining that they don’t know what to have for lunch, an hour before they plan on eating.
They then have to go to the shop, make a decision and come back a few pounds poorer.
It wasn’t a conscious decision to eat the same lunch every day but that is what I do and I enjoy it every day.
My basic lunch is usually a salad although in winter I may switch it up to home made soup.
Lunch is fuel for work, it doesn’t need to be fancy or require deep thinking.
Keeping your lunch more simple will give you back time in the morning and brain space. No decisions needed!
Say No To Make Up
I used to have bad skin and so I wore full make up every day.
But doing your make up every morning takes time, costs money and it never stays on for a full day.
Why not gradually cut down on using make up and stop when your current products run out?
Life is more simple when you don’t have to worry about putting on your make up, matching it with what you are wearing or finding the time to do it.
Come and follow me on Pinterest for more money saving hints and frugal tips!
Define Your Top Priorities
Spend a little time identifying what your top priorities are for this week and this month.
Then ensure that what you do each week is aligned with one of your priorities.
If it isn’t then you need to look at why you are doing it. Perhaps you need to stop and concentrate on something that does fit your priorities?
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Stop Shopping As A Leisure Activity
Shopping can take up so much time.
You might not buy many things but you are surrounded by others shopping madly and seeing all the latest shiny new products.
None of us are completely immune to the marketing strategies of the big companies so the less you shop the less you are exposed to them.
Be more deliberate with your shopping and gain some simplicity in life. And space on your shelves!
Buy Only What You Need
It’s difficult to stop shopping altogether and often unnecessary. A key ingredient of living a simple life is buying only what you truly need.
Separating your needs from your wants will help you save money and reduce the amount of stuff that you bring into your life.
Whenever you go shopping ask yourself this question: Do I really need this?
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Want Less
The more you want, the more you need, the more it will cost you and the more you will have.
But living a simple life isn’t necessarily about more. Maybe it’s more about less?
If you want less then you need less.
Wanting less helps you to create a simple lifestyle where you have everything you want without being overwhelmed with stuff.
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Take A Walk
Getting outside and getting some fresh air provide you with exercise and time to relax your brain.
Walking is a great way to stop multitasking especially when you mute your phone and your social media notifications.
Take the time to look around you, listen to the noises of nature and feel the simplicity in life around you.
Enjoy A Simple Treat
Living a simple life isn’t about giving up treats.
We all need treats to keep us going. Simple treats such as a slice of cake with your morning cuppa.
The occasional slice won’t damage your bank balance or your waistline.
A treat does wonders for your sense of wellness and I think it is one of the easiest tips to help you enjoy a simple life.
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Plan What To Wear Tomorrow
If you haven’t already taken the time to create your own work uniform then a simple tip to help you on your journey to living a simple life is to plan your clothes for the morning the night before.
Making decisions when you first wake up can be a little harder than when you’ve been up and and about all day.
Get your simple life off to a great start by always knowing what you’ll be wearing when you wake up.
Automate It
It’s so easy to automate almost all our finances these days. If you haven’t done so already then why not do so now?
Set up automatic payments for all your bills, yearly and monthly and your credit cards.
This way when the paper bill comes in you can immediately file it as no action is needed.
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Know What Enough Looks Like
Knowing your enough is really key to knowing what you want out of life. More is not necessarily better – it doesn’t always fit in with living a simple life.
If you have enough for you, then you won’t desire more and being satisfied with what you have helps you create simplicity in your life.
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Invest In A Slow Cooker
You can’t go wrong with a slow cooker. Perfect for when you are working.
Throw everything in first thing, turn it on and come home to a home cooked meal.
Plan what you’ll cook the night before so when you get up in the morning you know what needs to be included in your slow cooker.
Quick Morning Routine
Create a morning routine that gets everything that needs doing, done without taking too long.
Planning what you’ll wear the night before and wearing no make-up can be part of your quick morning routine.
Don’t add in chores that can and perhaps should be done the night before. Keep your routine simple and short.
Simplify Meal Planning
Meal planning is often touted as being central to frugal living but it also applies to living a simple life.
Simplifying your meal planning so that you are not spending hours every day cooking complex meals will help you take back your life and save time.
Plan simple meals with a few ingredients or ones that you could do with your eyes shut. Have a rolling weekly or bi-weekly menu.
Plan meals that don’t require endless preparation, keep things simple.
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Last Updated on 14th July 2020 by Emma
This is a wonderful list of tips, Tuppenny! I really enjoyed the read. 🙂 Like you, I also stopped shopping as a leisure activity (I’m currently on a 1-year shopping ban!), I bought only what I needed, and I spent more time taking walks. I find that to embrace the simple life, immersing yourself in nature is a fantastic activity.
Thanks also for the slow cooker tip! I’ve never thought of that and I certainly can use that in my life 🙂
Hi Liz! I’ve not tried a shopping ban although I have got to the point where I rarely buy anyway so perhaps don’t need one. I could have done with one when I was a bit younger though. You are absolutely right about nature – I definitely find it helps to nurture the simple things in life and brings a calmness to my life. I am currently trying to get out every day and definitely feel better for it both physically and mentally. I love my slow cooker, especially in the colder months, nothing like a hearty casserole to welcome you home from a long day at work.
Thanks for stopping by!
You’re getting good at these, Tup! I have a slow cooker, no make-up, and definitely enjoy simple treats. Hmm…how do i enjoy life more?
How’s about becoming a TV extra as a hobby or side gig? That might be fun given you love a good TV series?
Great post! I totally agree with the sentiment that simple living is better, I’ve recently gotten into minimalism to simplify my life and it’s had a great impact on my finances and my mental health too. And thank you for the slow cooker tip, I’m going to have to invest in one of these because they save a fortune.
Hi Grainne, it’s great to hear that your finances have been positively impacted by minimalism and even more so your mental health. Those are some really positive messages that I think more people need to hear. Definitely get a slow cooker if you don’t have one. We have a 6l one which can fit a whole chicken and other meat joints in. Makes Sunday roast chicken a breeze and the resulting stock making afterwards!
Lots of great tips. Simple living is so much more relaxing:)
I totally agree Caroline! It took me a long time to realise why I was more relaxed and less stressed – I can be a bit slow on the uptake sometimes 🙂
check , check, and check. this is for newbies. bahahah that does remind me i’ve been planning to get some new recipes for my slow cooker. i have one for an asian pot roast but so many ingredients to hunt down… may have to get some sort of pre-made sauce kit… i know, i know… but what’s a single girl to do…
Better to use a sauce kit and your slow cooker than have takeout! And too many ingredients = not simple or frugal or sensible if there is just one of you and you cook intermittently.
Love your posts. I read them all the time. I too am trying to get to the simple life. Trying to sell a lot of the things I accumulated over the years. I live alone, so I have adopted and love my insta post which I received as a gift. I often make a meal that leaves me a lot of leftovers. Keep up the great posts, I always look forward to the next one.
Hi Monika! Thanks you so much for reading and coming back, I truly appreciate it! I love batch cooking, cook once but make plenty of meals. I do the same with my slow cooker (UK similar to insta pot?). We’ve slowly been getting rid of excess stuff as we prepare to move house. It feels so calming to have clear surfaces and cupboards that aren’t crammed full doesn’t it?