35 Tiny Helpful Tips That Simplify My Day
In the pursuit of a simpler and more organised life, I have embarked on a journey to declutter my home, mind, and daily routines. Throughout this process, I have discovered various small yet impactful habits that have significantly simplified my day. In our modern world, life can be hectic, so finding ways to streamline tasks, reduce stress, and increase productivity can make a huge difference. I will share with you a collection of these tiny helpful tips that have helped me in my daily life, all with the goal of simplifying my day. I hope you find them useful. Let’s get started.
General
1. Avoid trends
Be yourself in all areas of your life. This not only reduces mental fatigue but also means there is a lot less that you feel you need to keep up with. Instead, a helpful tip is to go for a classic style that always represents who you are.
2. Lose the guilt
Accept that if you haven’t used an item, it’s best to get rid of it. Over the years, I have purchased many items with the belief that they would make my life easier. For example, I bought a sewing machine with the intention of saving money by making items, fixing things, and altering clothes. However, I never took the time to learn those skills or use the machine. It sat unused for years, and every time I looked at it, I felt guilty. Guilty for the money spent on it, for the skills I hadn’t acquired, and for the fact that I still took items to the alteration shop instead. The best course of action was to sell or donate the sewing machine, so that’s what I did.
Home
3. Give everything a home and put it back when you’re done using it
One of the important principles of making my day easier is to make sure that everything has a home where it belongs, and to always put it back there after using it. This simple helpful tip helps me maintain a clean and organised environment, ultimately saving me time and minimising stress.
4. Organise items where they will be used
Keeping things close to where they will be used creates a flow when using anything in my home. For example, keep the kettle close to the sink (as it needs water to be used) and keep the cups close to the kettle.
5. Rechargeable candles
I love candles, but with a 3-year-old running around, I never light them anymore. Then I discovered rechargeable candles. With one button, I can switch them all on or off. Now, I use the candles daily. I love how easy they are to use, how long the battery lasts, and that I don’t have to worry about naked flames.
6. Limited plants
Limiting the number of live plants in my home has greatly simplified my life. I seem to struggle with keeping plants alive and well, so by limiting their quantity, I can focus on the few that I have. However, I still love the look of plants, so I use artificial ones to create a homely atmosphere without spending a lot of time on maintenance.
7. Create a charging station
Creating a charging station is another helpful tip to simplify your day. You will always know where your charging cable is and, when charging, you will always know where your devices are. In our office area, we have created a small charging station with chargers for anything that we regularly charge. If we need to charge an item during the day, this is what we use.
8. Slow cooker day
I have started designating Wednesday as “Slow Cooker Meal Day”. This not only helps with meal planning, but also simplifies my Wednesdays. With these meals, I can chop the ingredients, put them in the slow cooker, add some liquid, and have a delicious meal ready for dinner.
9. Create a meal plan
Creating a meal plan once a week not only saves me time, and money, but also helps me make healthier food choices and reduces decision fatigue. Now, I no longer have to wonder what’s for dinner because I always know.
10. Meal rotation
To aid in meal planning, I loosely follow a rotation of meals to keep our meals interesting. I have a 4-week plan of meals that I use on a rotational basis. This simplifies the meal planning process and ensures that we have some variety.
11. Wash dishes after meals
I used to waste so much time on cleaning up dishes in the morning from the night before. It was not the nicest way to start the day, having to finish jobs from the previous day before I could get started with my day. Now, dishes are always done as soon as a meal is finished.
12. Remove shoes when entering house
Removing our shoes when we enter our home has been great. We now feel much more relaxed, always know where our shoes are, and the floor doesn’t get as dirty (saving scrubbing later).
13. Clean only once a week
I used to get pulled from task to task in our home whenever I would see something that needed doing. Now, I schedule a dedicated cleaning day. Since our house is small and streamlined, it doesn’t take long. Using time blocking, I allocate the morning for cleaning and the afternoon for any additional household tasks, such as deep cleaning, decluttering or DIY projects. This allows me to focus on cleaning/house tasks only on that day, while on other days, I now find it easier to focus on something else.
14. Get the kids involved
In our home, we believe in the power of shared responsibility. We encourage our 3-year-old daughter to participate in simplifying our daily lives and maintaining a neat and tidy living space. By assigning tasks and responsibilities that are appropriate for her age, we not only teach her valuable life skills but also instill a sense of ownership and foster teamwork within our household.
Her current tasks include picking up her toys, putting away dishes, and emptying the washing machine. As children grow older, they can take on more responsibilities such as making their bed, keeping their room organised, and assisting with meal preparation. By involving our children in simplifying our day-to-day routines, we nurture their sense of responsibility, promote independence, and create a positive atmosphere within our family.
15. Only specific boundary areas for toys
We use boundaries in our home to reduce clutter. Since we don’t have a playroom, we keep some toys in our living room and others in our daughter’s bedroom. We also have a cupboard that serves as a toy library for toy rotations. This allows us to switch out toys that haven’t been used much during the week. All toys need to fit neatly and comfortably in these areas, without spilling over. If that happens it is time to declutter.
16. Have a donate bin
Keep a donation box somewhere in your home. This helpful tip follows the “everything has a home” principle. By assigning a specific place for items that need to be removed from your home, the decluttering process becomes easier. When you come across items that are no longer useful, you’ll know exactly where to put them. When we first started decluttering, we had a large bag in our shed that we would take to the local charity shop at least once a month. Now that we have fewer items leaving our home, we use a smaller box that gets donated once every quarter. This approach also makes it easier to decide which items to remove, because if you accidentally put something in the donation box that you still need, you can easily retrieve it.
17. An evening reset
Taking a few minutes to tidy up my home before going to bed creates a sense of order and reduces visual clutter. This allows me to start the next day with a clean slate.
Digital
18. Try pen and paper
I used to rely on apps for everything, but I found that I needed multiple apps to create a productive system. However, I noticed that whenever I checked my to-do list on my phone, I would often get distracted by the phone itself. Managing my life across different apps also became challenging. After trying this approach for years, I switched back to using pen and paper. This change has made me more intentional with my to-do list, allows for easy reflection on my days, weeks, and months, and lets me customise my notebook to fit my exact needs – it grows with me. I have adopted my own version of the bullet journal method, which I highly recommend searching for if you haven’t heard of it. Removing apps as my primary productivity system has significantly reduced the number of times I touch my phone throughout the day, potentially cutting it in half.
19. But also use technology to your advantage
This may seem contradictory to what I said before, but what I actually mean is that you should only use what is helpful to your life. While I have switched to an analogue system for managing my life, I still rely on apps to simplify certain aspects. However, I don’t believe that having more apps is necessarily better. For example, coordinating calendars with my husband is much easier with a digital calendar. We also use a notetaking app for our shopping list, which allows either of us to go to the shop if needed. Anything else that I consider a time-waster has been removed, but can still be accessed from our laptop if necessary. It may seem extreme, but it has saved me a significant amount of time. I encourage you to give it a try!
20. Delete apps not using
Going through your phone and analysing your apps can be similar to decluttering your home. It’s important to figure out which apps you actually use and which ones waste your time.
For example, I’ve set a limit to only purchase from Amazon once a month, so I’ve removed the app from my phone. Instead, I access the website version. Although it may be a bit more challenging, it helps me reduce my browsing and impulse buying, saving time, money, and preventing unnecessary purchases.
It’s also helpful to delete apps that you’ve only used once and don’t plan to use again in the near future. For instance, when we bought our house, we downloaded an app that showed all the available houses in the area. Now that we own a home and aren’t planning to move, this app is just taking up space and should be removed. Similarly, I used the Ziffit app to sell some books, but I won’t be needing it again anytime soon, so I can go ahead and delete it.
If, for any reason, you need these apps again in the future, you can easily reinstall them within a few minutes.
21. Cancel email subscriptions
If you’re not finding any useful information from the emails you’ve signed up for, it’s a good idea to unsubscribe. If your inbox is full of newsletters that you never read, it’s best to unsubscribe. Having a cluttered inbox can make it hard to find important emails, which can cause extra stress and waste your time.
22. Limit phone contacts
In our modern world, it can sometimes be difficult to find moments of quiet. It seems like everyone is always available at any given time. However, there is a solution to this challenge. We can simply put our phones on do not disturb and allow only important contacts such as family members, partners, or schools to reach us immediately. By doing this, we can set aside dedicated periods of time to concentrate without any distractions. This practice can be incorporated throughout the day, with specific intervals allocated for checking other forms of communication.
Productivity
23. Use templates
Create checklist templates for tasks that you regularly perform. You can use a digital platform like Google Docs, Excel, or Notion, or you can choose a manual approach. Personally, I find that a manual checklist works better for me. Some of these may include tasks such as a cleaning checklist, packing checklist, Christmas countdown, and performing a weekly reset. Use any lists that are helpful in your own life. Remember to update this template as needed. This method helps free up mental space as you no longer need to remember these tasks; you simply refer to your checklist.
24. Physical reminders
A helpful tip I have found really useful for simplifying my day is to use little reminders around my home to signal something in my life that I would like to work on. I tend to use small post-its, but this can also be done with stickers or other items.
For example, right now I am trying to reduce my caffeine intake. So there is a small post-it on my tea jar that says “decaf after 4pm”. Next week, I will change it to 2pm, then 12pm, and so on, until I am only drinking decaf. This method can be used for any habit you are trying to incorporate or break. It adds a reminder but doesn’t clutter, as I only allow myself to work on one thing at a time.
25. Get your clothes ready for tomorrow
This easy routine helps me save time and removes the hassle of choosing what to wear in the morning, making it easier for me to start the day smoothly.
26. Preparing a to-do list for the day
The night before, I like to reflect and create tomorrows to-do list. By jotting down my tasks and priorities, it helps me stay organised and focused throughout the day, making sure that I don’t miss anything important. This is the only list I pay attention to for the day. If something new comes up during the day, unless it’s urgent or can be completed within 2 minutes, I add it to a notes section at the bottom of my list. This serves as a reminder to schedule it for another time.
27. Single task only
I used to multitask, but I found that it not only made me do multiple things poorly, but also caused me to approach tasks half-heartedly. Despite the intention of getting more done, I wasn’t actually more productive and it made tasks more stressful. I don’t want a stressful life; I want to enjoy life, which includes enjoying the tasks I need to do. By focusing on one thing at a time, I can work more efficiently and avoid feeling overwhelmed.
28. Implementing a morning and evening routines
Having consistent routines at the beginning and end of the day helps me establish a sense of structure and sets the tone for a productive day. By incorporating routines into my life, I eliminate the stress of deciding whether or not to do something, as it becomes a habit that I simply follow. The more I practice my morning and evening routines, the more natural they become.
What I have discovered is that these routines have greatly simplified my day and provided dedicated time for self-care. In the morning, I prioritise my health, hygiene, and personal growth. I express gratitude, engage in physical exercise, meditate, journal, and take care of myself before the rest of the household is awake. In the evening, I take the opportunity to reflect, reset, and relax.
29. Setting a specific theme for each day
I have found it very helpful to break up my week by assigning a theme to certain days. For example, my week looks like this:
- Monday: Blog
- Tuesday: Blog
- Wednesday: House and Garden
- Thursday: Food Prep and Baking
- Friday: Blog
- Saturday: Family Fun Day
- Sunday: Day of Rest
By setting up these themes, you’ll have a clear idea of the specific areas in your life that you’ll be dedicating your attention to each day. This way, you can organise your tasks accordingly. Keep in mind that everyone’s approach may vary, but having a theme serves as a helpful reminder. For instance, it helps me stay on track by reminding me not to get side-tracked by gardening tasks on Mondays. Instead, I can fully focus on my blog, knowing that Wednesday is dedicated to gardening.
Clothing
30. Create a capsule wardrobe
One of the best ways to simplify your day is by creating a capsule wardrobe. A capsule wardrobe consists of a small number of pieces that all work well together, fit perfectly, and make you feel comfortable. This approach makes getting dressed and shopping much simpler.
31. Only buy clothes with the seasons
At the start of the season, we like to do a seasonal inventory to figure out what items we need. By shopping seasonally, I only buy things that I know I’ll actually wear. For example, I steer clear of buying something in a summer sale for the next year, since there’s a chance it might not fit or I might not even like it anymore by then. This way, I save time by only searching for items once per season and only focusing on the things that are on my list. As a result, my wardrobe only consists of clothing suitable for the current season.
32. Hang all your clothing items
I used to store jumpers, jeans, and tops in drawers, but I found that I would often forget about items that were tucked away at the back or simply not check the drawers at all. However, since adopting a more minimalist lifestyle, I now have a smaller wardrobe. As a result, I hang all of my clothing items. This way, when I choose my clothes in the evening for the following day, I can easily see all the options available to me.
33. Don’t wash clothes every time you wear them
Although we often don’t like to be seen wearing the same clothes days in a row, the truth is, I’m not sure anyone notices. And if they do, does it really matter? By wearing clothes more than once before washing them, we can extend their life, which means less shopping, saving time and money, and also reduces the amount of laundry.
34. Set up a special spot for clothes that have been worn but don’t need washing yet.
To add more to the suggestion above, having a designated area for clothes that have been worn but aren’t ready for washing yet has several benefits. It helps you find them easily, reduces clutter, and prevents the urge to wash them right away. This dedicated spot can be a basket, a hanger, or a hook – just somewhere you know where they are, so you can wear them again before laundering.
35. Repair clothes
We have adopted a “make do and mend” attitude in our home, but it wasn’t always the case. By repairing items whenever possible, we can, at the very least, postpone buying new ones, saving time and money.
By incorporating these helpful tips into your daily life, you can greatly simplify your day. Tidying up your home, organising your belongings, adopting efficient routines, and making intentional choices can streamline your tasks, alleviate stress, and boost productivity. Remember, even small changes can make a big difference. Start implementing these tips today and enjoy the benefits of a more organised and simplified life.
What are some helpful tips you practice to simplify your day? Share them in the comments below 🤍
