Simple Living Ideas That Work To Enhance Everyday Life
Simple Living Ideas that work comes a dime a dozen but these ideas work well for me and I hope you will give them a try. These ideas allow me to live a slow less stressful, more enjoyable, and productive life.
Simple Living Ideas to me mean taking control of your life and environment to eliminate unnecessary noise. To function in the quiet focus of being in the zone. Events happen smoothly, deliberately, and automatically, almost without thinking.
You can achieve this by slowing things down and eliminating as many unnecessary moving parts as possible and being left with the essentials. There are only a few things that really count and can affect your life, joy, and happiness. Focus on them.
With these Living Simple Ideas, I hope you can become more empowered to control the truly important things in your life and put the not-so-important on the back burner. By having a Simple Living Ideas template you can make it easier to achieve. Tell me what you think.
Simplify Your Finances With 12 Simple Living Ideas That Work
This is one of the simple living ideas that should be simple. Avoid consumerism and credit cards. Who did not know that? This can be easily done. Try this. Only buy what you need and not what you want. Closely look at bank account charges (banks can be sneaky). Do what you can to avoid them. Also, simplify your investments.
Try to invest in vehicles that invest in the Total Stock Market like Index funds. The stock market never loses in the long run and why should you? Keeping it simple also will help you to avoid fees and unnecessary risks.
This will help you keep more of your money in your pocket for you and your family. I really like the no-load Vanguard Total Stock Market Fund. I chose to let the stock market do the work for me without fees. This keeps it simple. Simple Living’ Reaps Health and Financial Benefits
Spend Money and Time On Experiences Not Things


Avoid consumer culture and keep up with the Joneses’ way of life. Do whatever you have to do to create experiences and not fill your closet and garage with junk.
Buying the must-have junk for the moment will most likely only give you joy in the short term. Experiences will give you joy for a lifetime and will not end up collecting dust in your closet.
Some may believe that they can not afford to take time off from work or afford vacations. I say bull! Change a few behaviors in your life and save money to make it happen.
Get rid of that new car, bring your own lunch to work, brew your own coffee, and so on, and so on. You know how to make it happen.
Creating those memories will be worth it in the long run. You can’t put a price on less stress and more happiness. Trust me your friends and family will enjoy the benefits also.
Use this technique to get out of debt.
Really Think About What You Buy


Only buy what you love and will get used to. We all have purchased things in the heat of the moment without much thought. We either end up storing them, giving them away, or not giving them much thought after a short period of time.
This won’t happen with things that you really love or really need. Go through simple living ideas that work checklist before you buy anything. Ask yourself questions like, do I really need it? Can I borrow it? Do I have something similar that can do the job? Ask do I need it now? Do I love it?
Even if the items pass the question test hold off a few days to see if you still feel the same way. Then purchase the item and I am sure you will love it and it will never end up collecting dust.
De-clutter Your World
These are simple living ideas that work with principal 101. You hear it a lot and it still must be said. De-clutter everything in your life, relationships, home, office, desktop, closets, and every space you regularly occupy.
Why not have the same great feeling you have after you have thoroughly cleaned your home or car for the rest of your life? You feel GREAT after that! You stand there admiring your work breathing freely, feeling more relaxed and happier than normal. There is less stress and more calm in the air.
Make de-cluttering a routine in your life to acquire that same great feeling and experience in all aspects of your life. The added benefit is, you will have more time and enjoy those spaces more. Other accompanying benefits will prove to be enormous.
30 Day Guide To A Clean and Organized Home.
Buy Used


I must admit until a few years ago, other than a car, buying a used one gave me the creeps. Back then I never gave it much thought. I would go to thrift shops and buy trendy things but that was the extent of my buying used.
Then for the first time in my life, I had what I thought was going to be financially hard times. To my surprise changing a few behaviors in my life, it was not bad at all. I learned to save money and spend my money more responsibly.
Also went crazy and learned how to be more fiscally responsible in many ways. I even became a freegan believe it or not. I found the Salvation Army and Goodwill are great places to find terrific items. Really. I now shop there as if I were at the mall. They have everything there. Sometimes I feel guilty that I may be taking from the poor but I also donate whenever possible.
Spend Time Outdoors


Get outside as much as you can. Preferably in the dirt, grass, and wooded areas. Take your shoes off and allow your feet to touch the earth. There is a concept called “Earthing” or “Grounding” that is said to yield great health benefits. If all you have to do is walk barefoot on the naked earth to gain health benefits, why not give it a try?
The book Earthing: The Most Important Health Discovery Ever? explains the amazing concepts of “Earthing” or “Grounding”. I know I feel better the more I am outside and believe you will too. I enjoy my area’s open spaces but the Forrest works best for me.
Get outside and get fresh air as much as possible. When inside open windows and let the outside in, weather permitting. Hopefully, you can hear the birds singing and feel a fresh air breeze and not get truck fumes and sirens. Get out and about anyway, take public transportation and experience your surroundings and enjoy your day outside.
Ditch The Television


I know this sounds hard but it’s not. Television can be a big distraction and you can waste many hours in the day watching it before you know it. If that is Ok with you by all means continue. Remember our goal is happiness.
I avoid television but I cheat with Netflix and Hulu. The advantage here is a can quickly watch what I want when I want on my own schedule. I find this allows me to be more productive when I don’t binge-watch and have the ability to watch on my phone when I have a little free time.
The only side effect here is when I am around a television I don’t pay attention but am subconsciously watching and thinking I can stop and go back 30 seconds or so to catch what I miss.
I enjoy not having a television but this is one of the simple living ideas that work can seem extreme to many. The real point is to make good use of your time and focus on people and things that are really important in your life.
10 Day Training, Learn To Create a Freedom Lifestyle
Simplify Your Personal Care
Do you really need all of those expensive creams and lotions that advertisers say you must have or you are uncivilized? Basic soap and water work well. Out of all of the simple living ideas, this one could be a deal-breaker.
I am not saying live like an animal. I am just saying to take inventory of your products. See if you can consolidate and get rid of some of them. Check to see if those expensive products are performing as advertised. If not try a cheaper more basic product.
Cut costs and simplify your routine as much as possible. As usual, avoid harsh chemicals as they do damage to you and more damage after they go down the drain.
Simplify Your Eating Habits


This is one of the living simple ideas that work may not be what you think. It is more about what and why and not about nutrition.
I think your eating habits should be simple and consist of 4 or 5 quick and easy meals. Nothing fancy but nutritious.
You should be able to make these meals quick and easy. Mason Jar Meals are a good example of quick and easy. Something like that can be incorporated. Meals should really be about sustenance and not dining pleasure most of the time.
You should eat enough during your meals so that snacking will not be a problem for them. What is snacking? You should get enough nutritious food during your meals so that snacking is not used as an excuse to eat garbage between meals.
Don’t go out and eat packaged food, fast food or eat just because (pick an excuse). Eat when you are scheduled to eat and eat what you planned and stay on a healthy diet (whatever that may be). This should save you time and money as mealtime will become a quick necessity and not a time-consuming performance.
Now there are times when you would like meal time to be more enjoyable and even performance and you are always entitled to that. Enjoy that nice restaurant with friends and family on occasion.
Go out for lunch and order that meal you have been thinking about for days. Go to the fast-food joint and eat it in the park, reading a book if you like.
We all deserve to live a little and have fun. Especially if we have been doing the right thing over a long period of time. Taking this time feels sweeter when you have been regularly living simply.
Simplify Health Care
The best healthcare is preventative healthcare. Eating a healthy diet will go a long way in preventing health problems. That goes without saying but I said it.
Let’s look at having our amazing bodies heal themselves. You can say that all of the simple living ideas center around enhancing health and happiness. Spiritual, physical, and mental. Getting rid of stress is a very important component of good health and most of what we have been talking about will help in that regard.
Having a good exercise routine is always good. I like Yoga and meditation also. Both have been proven to have beneficial properties for the mind, body, and soul over the millennium.
Health Grinder suggests these 123 Proven Ways To Reduce Stress and Relax. Please give them a try.
Carry Yourself Simple


Don’t weigh yourself down. Don’t start your day by carrying a Doomsday Preppers bag. Travel light and only carry what you need. Women, do you really need all of that junk in your bag?
Really? Guys do you really need that giant wallet and the other bag? You can now store all of those loyalty shopping cards in your phone and things like that to lighten your load.
Drop the extra pounds and be free. I must admit I had to work on this one myself. Well, I need my computer, water, Leatherman Tool, and a bunch of other junk. Not really. That just made me a target for extra scrutiny at the occasional subway police checkpoints in New York and New Jersey.
I now know the benefits of traveling light. Have a small bag and if it does not fit in there I don’t need to take it along. I am now light, nibble, and carefree. I am down for whatever during the day.
Dressing Simple
I love the clothing I own and wear regularly. Why have clothing in storage that you don’t wear? I have talked about the Uniform Wardrobe before and follow that principle to this day.
Women may like to experiment with the Capsule Wardrobe method. I like to keep it simple and own things that mix, match and serve multiple purposes.
Because of this, I own much less clothing than most people. This lessens thought fatigue in the morning. I have a basic uniform that all of my clothing of choice morphs into. Like Steve Jobs and many other successful people do.
You may think that this will be difficult for you to do but you probably do it subconsciously anyway. If you walk into you’re packed to the gills closet and storage unit but constantly only wear a small group of favorite items you are just like me.
The only difference is that I don’t have closets full of junk, take up less space, and waste less time sorting through junk every morning.
This is one of the Simple Living Ideas that will save you time. Take My Challenge! Please allow me to Empower you and share how I Create A Freedom Lifestyle.
Simplifying is the name of the game right!!
Buying used is a great comment. For example I bought a set of brand new golf clubs for a third of the price purely because they had been used once and returned the the shop!
I’m always out for a bargain.
Thank you for validating something I was slightly embarrassed about!
Great post. I am working on de-cluttering myself and will see if I can incorporate some of these other strategies.
Thank you for your ideas! I’m already doing a few – trying to de-clutter, buying a few used things,making my own creams and stuff. I have successfuly ditched the TV a few years back, I now only use it to hook up my Xboxes. 🙂 I’m gonna definitely try out more of these ideas, thanks!
Wow! Dana you ditched the TV? Great! I was a Service Technician with Comcast for many years and got hooked on the service. I got rid of it when I left the company. I did not realize how expensive cable was after getting it free for all of those years. Now a have a little problem with Hulu and Netflix at times. Nothing a little shock therapy or rehab could not correct. LOL
Hey Tony
You have some very inspiring and thought provoking suggestions. We live in such a busy and fast paced world. All of us would be better off by infusing these tips into our daily lives.
Thanks
Yes. You will never regret slowing down and taking the time to prioritize what is really important from time to time.
Tony,
Inspiring message! You certainly show how to focus on the essentials for a more enjoyable life!
I loved your suggestion of choosing experiences over material things. I have done that throughout my life. Especially when I was young (and single!). I traveled throughout the US and even visited London, England and Scotland for six months. Friends would say, “I wish I could travel like you do, Roger.” I’d insist they could (I was living well below the poverty line!). But they had cars, TVs, lots of clothes, etc. They chose things over adventure! A friend tried to GIVE me his old car, and was puzzled when I said I couldn’t afford it. I couldn’t afford the gas, oil, repairs, insurance, registration, and so forth. What I COULD afford was a bus ride anywhere in the country, equipped with my sleeping bag and some clothes.
Now I do have lots of stuff. But taking your advice, I am decluttering. I had well over $1,000 of fly tying equipment, but I haven’t tied a fly in 15 years. So when one of my young coworkers was talking about having to use his father’s fly tying vise, the same type I had (a very good one), I decided to give him all my fly tying equipment. He’s just starting college next year, so he has an entire lifetime to enjoy the feathers and fluff and hooks and tools that I just had gathering dust in my home.
My wife is very frugal and manages our budget perfectly. So we don’t buy much of what we don’t need, and only after we can pay for it. Most of my spending is for my fishing hobby, and I earn a few dollars on the side which funds those needs (though if I had more I’d find a way to spend it!). When I was younger I lived in St. Vincent De Paul clothing, since I had very little money to spend on clothes.
TV has been a challenge for me. But since I started writing about fishing, very much less so. As you say, it can really eat up your time. My wife and I do record our favorite programs, to watch on our schedule, AND to skip the commercials!
Thanks for the sound advice, and you inspire me to dig deeper, clear more, simplify, and enjoy what I have and what makes me happiest.
My best to you!
Roger
Roger;
I am sorry to admit I was no where as wise as you when I was younger and was more like your friends. I am only doing now what your cherished in your young age. Better late than never. Allowing a young man to create a life time of great memories with family and friends that may rival yours, by giving him your fly tying equipment is a great example of down size, reduce, re-use, re-cycle and restore. You put a warm feeling in my heart just thinking about it. Sounds like you and your wife have created a great stress free life. Enjoy those TV shows when you find the time. I won’t tell on you.
What great tips! I am already doing a few of them and working to simplify my life much more. I am already starting a home garden to save money on both grocery store and resaurant expenses. I really loved the Mason Jar meals idea too. I think that will fit well with what I am already starting.
Great start Sue. Don’t be like me and plant way too many tomatoes. You will be making many Many Mason Jar Meals and giving them to friends and family. LOL
Cool! I can honestly tell that if one can stay true to your tips here, life would definitely become a slightly better experience. Your post brings me good feels 😀
Thanks 😉
Great post! I agree with you 100%. You should simplify your life to enjoy more of it. In this day and age everyone is so caught up in work and consumerism that they forget the finer things in life that a lot of people overlook.
I’ve already done a few of these myself and my life has changed for the better because of it. I encourage everyone else to try some of the things in the list above and see if they can improve your life as well. Good work Tony!
Yes Andy, Over work and consumerism can be draining. Good friends and family should not be neglected.