live simply

How to Romjul – Guide to the Week between Christmas and New Years

December 26, 2023 by Amy Slenker-Smith Leave a Comment

Every year, we look forward to winter break, especially the week after Christmas (a.k.a. Romjul). We often spend it at the beach with friends. After nearly 20 years, they are the kind of people who feel like family. And together, we have raised our kids.On one of those trips, we stumbled over the term, Romjul. Romjul accurately describes our experience between Christmas and New Year's Day. And now, we have a word for it.Romjul is a Norwegian holiday that refers to the week as a tranquil time to spend at home with friends and family undisturbed by the outside world. And a great time to rest, recharge and reset for the new year. The British equivalent is Boxing Week and I love the Danish term, "Yule Vacation."According to several articles, Romjul is more than a week on the calendar, it’s a mindset, a time to cozy up with loved ones, take long restorative walks, slow down and reflect on the past year. It gives us a reason to snuggle up on the couch and watch Hallmark. Awesome! I'm in!Our …

How to Organize Your Pantry

April 15, 2023 by Amy Slenker-Smith Leave a Comment

I often hear that the pantry is the most disorganized spaces in your home. Am I right? Well, you can tackle it one shelf at a time! Since we simplified, I can empty and reset my pantry in 2 hours or less, including cleaning the shelves and updating labels. My pantry is a cabinet, not a walk-in space. I think that is a blessing. It might take you longer and you may need to tackle one shelf at a time. My Step-by-Step Approach for how to organize the pantry can be used over and over again until you've taken care of all the pantry food and contents. Give it a try this week! Remove everything from the cabinet or shelf Clean canisters, shelves, and containers Declutter expired items and poor quality ingredients Group items by category Vinegar/Oil Flour/Sugar Canned goods Snacks Pasta and Rice Repurpose extra food storage containers for organization Remove items from multi-pack plastic or trim boxes for easy access Granola bars …

How to Organize Family Board Games

January 21, 2022 by Amy Slenker-Smith Leave a Comment

Board Games and Playing Cards We routinely hold a family game night. Our favorite board games come in the smallest boxes or no box at all. We travel with three decks of cards (Monopoly Deal, standard playing cards, and a Pinochle deck.) While the Fish Bowl Game requires only a pen and paper. And after many years, these games remain our favorites. To keep it organized, I designated a small cabinet for our collection. Games cycle in and out. The key to organizing board games is setting boundaries and being realistic about which games are played. How to Organize Board Games Collect all the games and cards Designate a cabinet or shelf to store them Check each box for missing pieces and instructions Fix or reinforce boxes with tape. Secure with rubber bands Donate games your family has outgrown Throw away damaged or incomplete games Confirm playing cards are complete decks Keep 1-2 high-quality decks of cards Limit your collection to what you use …

5 Helpful Ways to Simplify Your Jewelry Collection

July 20, 2021 by Amy Slenker-Smith 4 Comments

Since becoming a minimalist, I wear the same jewelry 95% of the time. This necklace and earrings match everything. Once a week or so, I change it up to wear jewelry that uniquely complements my outfit. But most often, it's about getting ready easily and without much thought. Decision fatigue is real. Decision fatigue is when you tire from the need to make so many decisions on a given day. On average, we make 35,000 decisions a day from what earrings to wear to which road to take. It especially affects people when a large project is present in their life, such as a home remodel, moving, or job change. But when we reduce or eliminate simple decisions then we're better equipped to handle the big ones. Many successful people wear a "uniform" to make head-space for the most important decisions which improved the quality of their work. My jewelry is nearing uniform-level. But simplifying my collection is an ongoing process because many pieces are laced with sentimental value. …

Not Enough Hangers Or Too Many Clothes

June 28, 2021 by Amy Slenker-Smith 14 Comments

You have enough hangers. However, I'm guessing they do not match and this alone can make a closet look disorganized. But by now you know I am not an organizer who encourages you to buy stuff. I will always suggest that you declutter first to figure out what you really need. It's always less than you think. But when it’s time to replace broken hangers, I like these. In the meantime, try these decluttering and organizing tips for your closet. How to Reduce Hangers and Clothing Remove Empty Hangers - Return metal ones to the dry cleaner. Recycle plastic store hangers. Sort Clothes by Season - If possible, move current season clothing to the front. Or utilize a spare closet to store offseason clothing while you downsize. Sort Clothes by Color - Create a visually appealing space by grouping colors. Shoes - Use the 1-In/1-Out Rule. Or 1-In/5-Out Rule. :) Turn Hangers - To face the back of the closet. When you re-hang clean clothes, turn them in the …

How Uncluttered Will Change Your Life

September 17, 2020 by Amy Slenker-Smith 2 Comments

I am passionate about living simply and owning less. My journey began when stress was high and I burned the candle at both ends. I'm here to tell you there is a better way. Uncluttered Course One key component of my journey was Joshua Becker's Uncluttered course. He's a husband and dad with great advice for families. He gets it. Joshua's story started on a beautiful spring Saturday with a garage full of stuff and his son playing in the backyard alone. He was too busy to play with him. Joshua's family felt burdened by all the stuff in their house. It was stealing their time, energy, and money. That was the moment when he knew something had to change. And he certainly followed through. My Moment My moment came in the hospital with an out-of-control, two-week-long migraine. The pain had escalated to where I could not open my eyes. When I tried to lay down, the pressure was unbearable. I sat curled up in a ball on the floor. My husband …

« Previous Page

live simply

Footer