Feeling cluttered, overwhelmed, stressed out, and ready for a change? Between life’s responsibilities, relationships, finances, and your dreams and goals, life can feel really crazy. At times, it might even feel like things are spiraling out of control! You’ve come to the right place if you’re ready to start fresh, and leave all the messiness, disorganization, and clutter behind for good!

Simplicity to me, is like a breath of fresh air. When things feel chaotic, stressful, and disorganized, simplicity centers me. It grounds me, reminds me what’s truly important, and helps me find my calm, even when life feels like a storm. Discovering ways to simplify your life can make each day feel more manageable, healthy, and even fun.

How would it feel to be able to let go of all that, and start fresh?

Every once in a while, it can be super helpful for us all to declutter and simplify our lives. That way, we can refocus on the things that are truly matter and let go of everything that doesn’t. For you, maybe that’s being able to focus more on your family. Or maybe it’s spending more time doing something you feel passionate about.

I know that when I feel overwhelmed, I’m not able to focus on myself and my goals and my dreams. Those things take a back seat as I struggle to manage everything else in front of me. When you’re getting pulled in a million directions, you can lose sight of what’s important to you and feel totally trapped within the chaos.

If any of this sounds relatable to you, then I’d love to share with you my top tips to declutter, organize, and simplify my entire life. Think of it like spring cleaning your entire life! This challenge has been broken down into 7 days, so you can focus on a different aspect of your life each day.

Plus, in this article I include 10 additional ideas to simplify your life!

7 Day Challenge to Simplify Your Life

Day 1: Bring Awareness to What’s Causing You Stress

Grab a journal and write down every single thing in your life that feels complicated, stressful, or overwhelming in any way. Maybe it’s your house, your job, your relationships, debt, or your bad habits. Doing this brainstorm can be really helpful in discovering exactly what’s holding you back.

Day 2: Discover your WHY & Make a Plan

Next, ask yourself why you want to simplify your life. Is it because you’re feeling overwhelmed and stressed? Is it because you feel like you focus on a lot of unnecessary things each day? Out of everything bringing you stress, what stands out to you the most? Being self reflective and narrowing down you why can be really helpful so you know what steps to take next.

Day 3: Declutter and organize your space

Go through the different rooms in your home and decide which area you’d like to tackle. Maybe it’s the drawer that’s full of papers, or your closet full of clothes you hardly ever wear. Maybe it’s the kitchen pantry. Whatever it is, make a point to go through each item and throw away the excess stuff. Doesn’t it feel so refreshing to get rid of old stuff?

Day 4: Do a social media cleanse

Social media is great, but it can also be really toxic. Maybe you have a Facebook friend whose constantly posting negativity. I definitely have those friends who only complain and end up bringing me down! Bring awareness to who you surround yourself with on social media, and consider clearing out your friends list, or staying off social media for the day altogether.

Day 5: Reevaluate your Relationships

What kind of people do you surround yourself with on a daily basis? Are they people who are supportive, encouraging, and loving towards you? Are they people who want to better themselves and live life the fullest? Finding people like that and holding them close are so important. Today might be a good day to reach out to an old friend, strengthen a current relationship, or let go of a toxic one.

Day 6: Reevaluate all of your daily habits

Commit to starting a new healthy habit today. Maybe hit the gym, take a fitness class, start a healthy meal plan, set a bed time, or try meditation. It doesn’t need to be anything drastic, but committing to a small healthy habit can make a huge difference.

Day 7: Write down your dreams and goals

On day 7, grab a journal and write down 1 goal you have for the day, 2 goals you have for the week, 3 goals you have for the month, and 5 goals you have for the year. These goals should be specific, measurable, and actionable. How do you want your life to look, and how are you going to make it happen?

10 Additional Ideas to Simplify Your Life

Looking to go beyond the 7 day challenge? Here are several more ideas to simplify and declutter your life. These small acts, although simple, may be exactly what you need to declutter your brain and refocus. Try them out for yourself, and let me know in the comments what simple acts you’re going to start doing more in your life!

Clean out your closet

How many items do you have in your closet that you don’t actually wear? Consider going through your closet and examining each item one by one. What can you donate, sell, or reuse? Simplify your closet and your one step closer to a simpler life.

Meal prep your meals

Prepping your meals can save you time during the week, save you money, and help you eat healthier. It’s one of my favorite ways to feel organize and simplify my week ahead. I’ve used these meal prep containers for over a year and love them!

Say no more often

Chances are, if your life is feeling complicated, you’re saying “yes” to a lot right now. Saying no isn’t always easy or realistic, but sometimes it’s necessary for your mental health. Whether it’s being asked to take on more shifts at work or your friends inviting you to go out to dinner, if it feels like too much, say no. Take that extra time to relax and do something nice for yourself.

Make a to-do list

To-do lists can be so helpful when you need to organize and simplify your life. Write down your daily or weekly goals, tasks, and schedule. The simple act of getting stuff from your brain and onto paper can be so satisfying and calming.

Clean out your kitchen

How many things do you have in your cupboards or fridge that have been sitting there a little too long? If it’s expired or no one in your house is ever going to eat it, it’s probably time to throw it out. When your kitchen is cleaned out organized, prepping meals is so much easier and simple.

Meditate and practice mindfulness

Slow down a little and spend time each day letting your mind rest. Like anything, meditation takes practice. Finding a guided meditation video or podcast can help you get started if you aren’t sure where to start. I also recommend trying some easy and simple mindfulness exercises, like body scans, mindful eating, and deep breathing.

Move your body

Whether it’s going to the gym, doing yoga, going for a jog, doing some stretches, or even just dancing alone in your home, moving your body is so important and can help us feel less overwhelmed.  

Spend time in nature

There’s nothing like standing on the top of a mountain or looking across the vast ocean. Getting in touch with nature, breathing in the fresh air, and feeling the sun on our skin can really do wonders.

Evaluate your finances

While finances can be a source of stress, it can also feel really great to get them in order. Evaluating your monthly expenses can help you get organized and help you decide if your money is actually going towards things you value.

Learn more about minimalism

Adopting a minimalist mindset may help you simplify your life. Minimalists believe there is such a thing as having enough material possessions. Sometimes less is more! 

When life feels crazy, declutter your mind with a little simplicity. It can really help you relax, refocus, and find more joy in every day life. Which simple idea is your favorite? Are you going to try the one week challenge? I’d love to know! Let me know in the comments below!

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