My mantra this year is “simplify.” Maybe it’s something you have thought about doing, too.
Instead of feeling deprived and living in gray, simplifying actually feels more like freedom, energy, and room to breath. I’d say its color is yellow (or pink, if you like pink).
Simplifying Means Less Stuff, Less Work
Simplifying your surroundings may not jibe with the trendy decorating magazines, books, and blogs you’ve been seeing lately. A lot of them are focused on shabby chic, or brass, glass, white, and patterns (I think of that style as “California Shabby”).
It’s really hard to dust around all of that stuff. And, by the way, it won’t look like the magazine vignette, because your spouse and kids will still leave all of their junk around your carefully crafted displays.
Even if you have domestic help, don’t expect things to look clean and tidy. Most cleaning services do not promise to move a boat load of knickknacks as part of their general cleaning services.
Simplify Your Routines, Too
Do you drive around the universe to save fifty cents? Maybe you should use some “sense,” and just buy those paper towels at the market when you are stopping for groceries. You’ll actually be saving time and money.
How much is your sanity worth to you, anyway?
Oh, and the next time you skip the gym because you forgot your gym bag, or you don’t have the right footwear, or you don’t have the extra two hours, how about just putting on your coat and heading outside for a brisk walk?
You can walk in almost any weather.
Simplifying Will Keep You, and Others, Healthy
Just say “sorry, we can’t make it,” when you receive your thirteenth holiday get-together invitation. People with young kids are the absolute worst at managing these invites. Many times, you are too exhausted to have fun, your kids are cranky and misbehaving, and all of you end up sick before vacation has even ended.
I am an elementary school teacher. I know of what I speak.
Also, grandma and grandpa will thank you for not bringing the flu over with you.
Inspired
I hope these thoughts will help you make the transition from busy chic to streamlined chic. Let other people load up their shopping carts at HomeGoods. Let them tell you they need to “check the calendar.”
You and I will revel in the atmosphere of a tidy home and open schedule.
It’s all chic to me!
? -Jo
See more thoughts on the prompt “Simplify”
© 2018 auntjoannblog.com. All rights reserved. See Legalese tab for permissions.
