There's a new hash tag doing the rounds on Twitter and it's the buzzword of spring: self care.
A quick search for #selfcare on social media produces hundreds of hits, all reminding us why it's so important to look after number 1. That's you by the way. It's something most of us are guilty of neglecting. And, at the forefront is the need to simplify your life.
So, where better to start than the place you spend every evening and weekend? The place you wake up every morning, and put your feet up every night? We're talking of course about your home. With spring bringing us lighter evenings and essentially more hours in the day, there's no better time to give your life that long overdue simplicity it needs. And, the best news? It's so easy to do with little or no effort. Just follow these 10 ways to simplify your life right now and you'll be winning at #selfcare in a jiffy.
Trim your commitments
Do you ever look at your calendar and feel stressed at everything you have to do? Sometimes it can feel like we're being pulled in all directions at once. And, when Monday morning rolls back around, we're wondering why we feel so worn out when we just had two days "off".
That's the danger of making too many plans. So often we're more concerned with people pleasing than thinking about how we really want to spend our own time. You might feel guilty about saying no to something. But, don't be afraid to turn down invitations, or pull out of something that doesn't make you happy. The short-lived guilt will quickly pass and you'll be better off for it in the long run.
Go offline (just for a while)
Over the last decade, our mobile phones have become something we can't live without. Despite the fact we did perfectly well all those years before. In fact, stats have shown we spend over 4 hours per day on our phones in the UK. And, check them up to 10,000 times per year.
While most UK mobile users nowadays will have a Facebook and Instagram account, exposure to apps like these can actually make us feel bad - especially when we're bombarded with images of other people seemingly having more fun. So, do yourself a favour, and cut back on the time you spend online. Although it might seem hard at first, soon you'll realise how much better it makes you feel.
Ditch the deep clean
Nobody likes to clean. And yet, we spend so much of our down time doing it. Saturday mornings that could be spent breakfasting as a family or brunching with friends invariably give way to the household chores. But, changing the way you clean can actually save you time and energy.
Instead of putting it off until the weekend, tackle something small every day. In fact, if you could do at least one of your household chores every evening after work, you wouldn't need to waste any time on them at the weekend at all.
Divide the jobs up with your other half. Or better yet, tackle them together. And, get the kids involved too. With more hands on deck, that one big dreaded task becomes a series of manageable tiny ones that takes barely any time at all.
Be spontaneous
Although we hate to think of ourselves as so, the majority of us are creatures of habit. We eat at the same time every day, return to favourite cafes, bars and restaurants over and over and know the nightly TV schedule like the back of our hand. And, we even reach for the same pair of jeans ahead of everything else in our wardrobes.
It's the ingredients for a simplified life right? Actually no. Allowing a little room for spontaneity is hugely rewarding. Not only can it help you to discover something interesting and new, it can also fulfil you more than keeping to a strict routine. You may be a creature of habit without even realising it. So, leave a day in your diary free, even if only once a month and make no plans whatsoever. And, just see where the day takes you.
Organise that cupboard (or drawer)
For some of us it's the cupboard under the stairs. For others it's the kitchen cabinets. And, some just have a drawer. You know the one we mean, stuffed full of tattered take-away menus, unopened mail and old birthday cards.
Every household, no matter how big or small, seems to have one space where life's debris gets stuffed out of sight. Where you can hide the things that have no real place and give the impression that your life is beautifully organised. So, take the opportunity in spring to tackle this head on. Shred any sensitive (but no longer needed) documents and throw out or recycle anything else. You'll feel better for finally doing it - we promise you.
Do a charity drop
A wardrobe clear-out is a great way to make space for new clothes. Charity shops are the perfect place to recycle anything you no longer wear - all in the name of a good cause.
Once you start you'll find the experience kind of cathartic. Plus, the empty space you accumulate by streamlining is inexplicably satisfying. We hang on to old clothes for all different reasons. From sentimental value, to the hope that we'll one day wear them again. But, old clothes (especially ones that no longer fit) don't only create clutter, they also act as a constant reminder of "what used to be". So, don't let your wardrobe's contents taunt you every time you get dressed. Bag up anything unworn in the last year and take it to charity instead.
Empty your inbox
How many read emails are just sitting there in your inbox? And, how far back do they go? A month? A year? Longer? It's easy to clutter up our inboxes because they're a virtual space. But, just imagining every email printed out on paper and put in front of you is enough to make you realise how much unnecessary correspondence you're clinging onto.
We're sure you kept those emails in good faith to begin with. But three years on are they still justified being there? Moving to trash can be a scary concept. But, a clean inbox is like a fresh slate. So, set a cut off point you feel comfortable with and press delete on anything older. Extra brownie points if you can delete all.
Cook in batches
Some people love to cook. They get a real kick out of it. The process of turning raw ingredients into something tasty and filling - we get it completely. But for others, cooking is a chore and, a bore. One that haunts you as soon as you walk in from a day at the office, and another long commute.
So, cook in batches instead. Make double what you need and put some aside for another day. That way you claw back time in your evenings by simply reheating something you prepared in advance. Simplified cooking at its best.
Do a digital photo cull
The great thing about having a phone or tablet with 10 gigs of memory space is all the photos you can take and save down. It’s also the worse thing too. Where once upon a time we had 36 precious clicks of a film roll to fill up with memories, now we have an infinite amount. So, we click away furiously, letting those photographs build up over weeks, months and years, until we get the dreaded "memory full" message.
So, beat your phone at it's own game. And, have a good photo cull before you get prompted to do so. Not only does it feel good going over past moments (you no doubt forgot about) but it can also speed up your device too. For anything you do want to save, buy a back up and store them in nice, neatly organised folders.
Make more 'me time'
Once you've simplified other areas of your life finding more me time should come naturally. But, in case it doesn't, schedule some in instead. Even if it's just running a bath and sitting in it for 15 blissfully uninterrupted minutes. Or taking a cuppa to bed with a good book while the rest of the household watches TV.
Me time is so important for each and every one of us. It gets harder to achieve once partners, kids and pets enter the picture. So, remember what it is that makes you feel good and be sure to treat yourself to it at least once a week.
If clutter is your biggest obstacle in making life more simplified this spring, take a look at our blog on 5 easy ways to declutter your home. Or, for more info on self care have a quick read of How to make your home feel calmer. Alternatively, if you'd like more advice, or if you have any questions about our range of British handcrafted furniture, contact our friendly customer service team on 020 8939 3800 or use our contact-us form.
Kind regards,
The Willow & Hall team