Making Sense Of Cents

Learn how to make extra money, how to save money, how to start a blog, and more.

JOIN OVER 300,000
MONTHLY READERS!
  • HOME
  • BLOG
  • Make Money
    • best online jobs
    • passive income ideas
    • paid online surveys
    • How To Make $100 A Day
    • 80 side job ideas
    • More Extra Income Ideas
  • SAVE MONEY
    • Free Amazon Gift Cards
    • 16 Alternatives To Cable TV
    • best rewards credit cards
    • How I Paid Off My $40,000 Student Loans
    • More Money Tips
  • Categories
    • Income Reports
    • How To Save Money
    • Extra Income Ideas
    • Blogging Tips
    • Career Advice
    • College
    • Pay Off Debt
    • Retirement
    • Self-Employment Tips
    • Travel
  • BLOG COURSES
    • AFFILIATE MARKETING COURSE
    • MAKING SENSE OF SPONSORED POSTS
    • HOW TO START A BLOG
  • Contact
    • About
    • Contact
    • Advertise
    • Recommendations

18 Ways To Simplify Your Life In 2023

Last Updated: January 1, 2023 BY Michelle Schroeder-Gardner - 55 Comments

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you. Please read my disclosure for more info.

16808 shares
  • Facebook1796
  • Twitter
  • Reddit
  • LinkedIn
  • Email

Life can be hectic, which is a big reason for learning how to simplify your life.

Managing your life can become difficult while planning for retirement, paying bills, reaching your dreams, etc. So, wouldn’t it be nice to simplify things a bit?ways to simplify your life

It’s almost the new year, and what better time than now then to start thinking about how to simplify your life for the future? The New Year is always a good time to make goals, and it is the perfect year to focus on simplifying your life. You’ll be able to apply that knowledge and experience for years and years to come.

Related reading: How To Reach Your Goals

Simple living can make you happier, be in better control of your life, all while enjoying it a little more.

Simple living is different for everyone, but in general it means that you are getting rid of all the extra noise in your life, so that you can have more time for the things you love and enjoy.

You don’t need to do everything on the list below, instead think about what you love in life, and work towards getting rid of the things you dislike and those that are not important to you.

Related reads that will help you to simplify your life:

  • The $20 Savings Challenge That Will Help You Save Over $1,000!
  • 8 Things To Sell To Make Money
  • 12 Easy Ways To Earn Free Amazon Gift Cards

Here are my tips on how to simplify your life.

 

1. Think about what is important to you.

By making a list of your priorities and the things in life that are important to you, you’ll be able to simplify your life by eliminating the extra noise that is holding you back.

This is because you’ll know and see exactly what is important to you, and you’ll be able to better differentiate between things that are important and those that are not.

 

2. Slow down if you want to simplify your life.

I’m guilty of running through life too quickly and not stopping to really enjoy it.

By slowing down, you’ll do things correctly, you’ll enjoy things more, and you’ll have the ability to start living simply.

 

3. Automate your payments.

You can automate a lot in your life. You can have your paychecks direct deposited, you can auto pay your bills, you can even auto pay your monthly credit card payments.

Even though I check through all transactions and expenses, I still automate nearly all of my actual payments so that I never have to worry that something was forgotten about. Most of my expenses are similar from month to month, so I can usually just check the payment to see if everything is correct.

 

4. Organize your life.

Being unorganized can waste a significant amount of your time and leads to late fees, stress, lost items, and more.

Here are some surprising statistics I found from Simply Orderly about being unorganized:

  • The average person spends 12 days per year looking for things they can’t find.
  • Every day the average office worker spends 1.5 hours looking for things.
  • In a recent survey, 55% of consumers stated they would save anywhere from 16 to 60 minutes a day if they were organized.
  • 23% of people pay bills late and have to pay late fees because they are unable to find their bills.

5. Place reminders in your phone’s calendar (or any calendar) so you don’t forget.

If there is something coming up that I know I will not remember, I will create a reminder. This makes managing my life easier because I don’t have to worry about forgetting things, missing payments, etc.

I create reminders for things such as:

  • Business tasks and to-do lists.
  • When it’s time to pay estimated quarterly tax payments.
  • Renewing license plate tags for our cars.
  • Paying semiannual bills, such as car insurance.

 

6. Become debt free to simplify your life.

Whether you have student loan debt, credit card debt, car debt, or whatever else, paying it off will help you manage your finances easier as you will have less debt to stress about.

Debt can cause a crazy amount of stress, and by getting rid of it you’ll be able to live a much more simple life.

Side note: I highly recommend that you check out Personal Capital if you are interested in gaining control of your financial situation. Personal Capital is very similar to Mint.com, but 100 times better. Personal Capital allows you to aggregate your financial accounts so that you can easily see your financial situation. You can connect accounts, such as your mortgage, bank accounts, credit card accounts, investment accounts, retirement accounts, and more. Plus, it is FREE.

Related posts:

  • 30+ Ways To Save Money Each Month
  • 75+ Ways To Make Extra Money
  • How To Save Money

 

7. Spend less time on social media.

The average person spends many, many hours on social media each week. Between Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, and many others it can be quite easy to waste your entire day.

If you find that you are spending too much time on social media and that it is negatively impacting you, you may want to shut down the social media accounts that you are spending too much time on. You can even create a time block so you cannot access your accounts during certain periods of the day, and so on.

 

8. Opt for paying expenses annually or semiannually.

Instead of paying for bills like home insurance and car insurance monthly, you might want to look into paying them every six months or once a year. You will probably qualify for a discount if you do this as well.

If you switch from monthly payments, that’s two less bills to worry about each month!

 

9. Declutter and downsize your life.

Decluttering your life to simplify it can lead to many benefits, such as the ability:

  • To save money. In some cases, a bigger home can cost more due to higher utility bills, more clutter being bought, higher insurance, more maintenance and repairs needed, higher purchasing price, etc.
  • To have less clutter. The bigger your home, the more likely you’ll have empty rooms that you feel the need to put stuff in. Now that we live in an RV, we are much more mindful of what we buy. We think about every purchase in terms of weight, size, where we can store it, and more.
  • To spend less time on maintenance and repairs. If all other factors between two homes are the same (age, location, etc.), a bigger home is more likely to take up more of your time and money due to more things breaking.
  • To spend less time cleaning. A larger home is going to take a lot more time to clean than a smaller one.

 

10. Watch less TV.

I love a good TV show, but I can honestly say that I watch too much TV. The average person watches TV for over 35 hours per week!

Can you imagine what you could do by reclaiming just half of those hours each week?

By watching less TV, you’ll be able to simplify your life quite easily.

 

11. Get rid of cable.

On that note, how about we stop paying for cable?

The average cable bill is around $200 a month.

You can read more about cutting cable here and how to save money by doing this. I recommend getting a digital antenna so that you can receive local channels for free!

We don’t pay for any form of TV (not even Netflix!), and it definitely helps us to live simply.

 

12. Have less clothing options.

The average successful person has a very limited set of clothing options, as this way they have more time to focus on things that truly matter.

By finding items that already match one another and having a smaller wardrobe, you’ll have more time to focus on other things in life.

 

13. Don’t waste time on being negative.

You are wasting your time when you are being negative. Yes, it is really that simple.

Instead of dwelling on negatives, such as regret and/or gossiping, you can be more productive by using this time for things that actually matter.

By being more positive, you will be able to better simplify your life.

 

14. Be more confident.

I believe that gaining confidence can help you to live simply. Your confidence will allow you to improve your life rather than dwelling on things that scare you.

Confidence can lead to getting the job you want, making more money, reaching your dreams, public speaking, meeting new people, networking, managing a business or employees, traveling the world, and more. Gaining confidence can help a person in many, many different ways.

Read more at Be More Confident And Get What You Want In Life.

 

15. Find free forms of entertainment.

Someone recently told me how expensive it was to have fun. They were telling me about all of their debt and everything that goes along with it, and they also told me that their monthly “fun” budget was around $500.

Uhhh what?! $500? A month?!

If you are trying to get rid of high-interest rate debt, I can’t think of any reason for why you should be paying $500 a month to have fun.

There are many ways to have fun for cheap. Check out How To Have Frugal Fun for some of my ideas.

Side note: How To Start A Blog FREE Course: With this free email course, I show you exactly how to create a blog, from the technical side (it’s easy – trust me!) all the way to earning your first income and attracting followers. Each day for seven days, you will receive an email in your inbox that will help you create a successful and profitable blog, all from the very beginning. You can sign up here.

 

16. Start saying no more often.

If you say yes to everything, but you are ready to pull your hair out, then you may want to start saying no.

Saying no may allow you to have more time to focus on what you truly want, and it may simplify your life.

 

17. Think before you multi-task.

Some people can multitask successfully, but with the large amount of time it takes to refocus on a new task, many people cannot. So, if you are constantly switching back and forth, you will have to spend extra time refocusing each time you switch from one task to another.

Think about your strengths and weaknesses to understand whether or not multitasking actually helps you save time. For the most part, single-tasking will allow you to simplify your life and focus better.

 

18. Sit in peace and simplify your day.

When was the last time you just sat down in complete silence with no distractions? For the average person, this is probably a rare occurrence.

Sitting silently can help you reflect on your life and what’s going on in the world around you. It can also help you relax, destress, and clear your mind.

Are you interested in learning how to simplify your life? What else would you add to this list?

 

If you are new to my blog, I am all about finding ways to make and save more money (and learning about ways to simplify your life as well!). Here are some of my favorite sites and products that may help you out:

  • Start a blog. Blogging is how I make a living and just a few years ago I never thought it would be possible. I earn over $90,000 a month online through my blog and you can read more about this in my monthly online income reports. You can create your own blog here with my easy-to-use tutorial. You can start your blog for as low as $2.95 per month plus you get a free domain if you sign-up through my tutorial.
  • Sign up for a website like Rakuten where you can earn CASH BACK for just spending like how you normally would online. The service is free too! Plus, when you sign up through my link, you also receive a free $10 cash back bonus!
  • Answer surveys. Survey companies I recommend include Swagbucks, Survey Junkie, Clear Voice Surveys, VIP Voice, ProOpinion, Pinecone Research, and Harris Poll Online. They’re free to join and free to use! You get paid to answer surveys and to test products. It’s best to sign up for as many as you can as that way you can receive the most surveys and make the most money.
  • Save money on food. I recently joined $5 Meal Plan in order to help me eat at home more and cut my food spending. It’s only $5 a month (the first two weeks are free too) and you get meal plans sent straight to you along with the exact shopping list you need in order to create the meals. Each meal costs around $2 per person or less. This allows you to save time because you won’t have to meal plan anymore, and it will save you money as well!
  • Try InboxDollars. InboxDollars is an online rewards website I recommend. You can earn cash by taking surveys, playing games, shopping online, searching the web, redeeming grocery coupons, and more. Also, by signing up through my link, you will receive $5.00 for free just for signing up!
  • Find a part-time job. There are many part-time jobs that you may be able to find. You can find a job on sites such as Snagajob, Craigslist (yes, I’ve found a legitimate job through there before), Monster, and so on.

I hope you enjoyed today’s post on the many ways to simplify your life. Have a great day!

Related Posts

  • How To Reduce, Reuse, And Save More CashHow To Reduce, Reuse, And Save More Cash
  • 75+ Ways To Make Extra Money75+ Ways To Make Extra Money
  • Learn how to downsize your home, stress free!Learn how to downsize your home, stress free!
  • 9 Work From Home and Travel Careers9 Work From Home and Travel Careers
  • Smaller Can Be Better- Maximize Your Savings With A Small HouseSmaller Can Be Better- Maximize Your Savings With A Small House
  • My Favorite Personal Finance Blog Posts From Making Sense of CentsMy Favorite Personal Finance Blog Posts From Making Sense of Cents
16808 shares
  • Facebook1796
  • Twitter
  • Reddit
  • LinkedIn
  • Email

55 Comments
Filed Under: Budget, Life, Minimalist Tagged With: Budget, Minimalist

About Michelle Schroeder-Gardner

Michelle is the founder of Making Sense of Cents, a blog about personal finance and traveling. She discusses how her business has evolved in her side income series. She paid off $40,000 in student loans by the age of 24 mainly due to her freelancing side hustles. Click here to learn more about starting a blog!

Comments

  1. Kate @ Cashville Skyline says

    December 19, 2016 at 5:44 am

    Great topic, Michelle! I really want to spend less time on social media in 2017. It was tough when I was a full-time social media marketer, but I could totally swing it now. Less time on Facebook and more time outside, being creative, and spending quality time with friends.

    Reply
    • Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says

      December 19, 2016 at 9:09 am

      Yes, definitely! This is something I am going to work on in 2017 as well.

      Reply
    • Kelsey @ Tealmama says

      December 19, 2016 at 10:53 am

      I agree Kate! Less time on social media and unplugging in general. 🙂

      Reply
      • Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says

        December 19, 2016 at 2:10 pm

        Yes!

        Reply
  2. DJ @1000WaysToSave says

    December 19, 2016 at 6:58 am

    That first tip is so critical! In the whirl-wind of things that clutter our days, its all too easy to lose track of what the truly important things are and why we do what we do. Remembering what’s a priority and what isn’t can really help keep all of that in perspective.

    I also really like (and often use) #5. Using my phone calander to help remind me to do certain things is life-saver!

    Reply
    • Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says

      December 19, 2016 at 9:10 am

      I use my phone calendar for EVERYTHING. I would be lost without it.

      Reply
  3. Natalie @ NatalieBacon.com says

    December 19, 2016 at 8:00 am

    People definitely underestimate the power of organization and planning things out ahead of time. It’s how I’m able to work full time, blog, and still maintain amazing relationships.

    Reply
    • Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says

      December 19, 2016 at 9:10 am

      Yes, definitely!

      Reply
  4. Shannon // Style Emulator says

    December 19, 2016 at 9:44 am

    These are all great tips that my husband and I have worked toward incorporating into our lives–especially as we’ve gotten older. I think some of them do come with age (cutting out negativity, saying no, realizing how important it is to be reflective). I still have to remind myself of them every year (and, honestly, every day) though!

    Shannon

    Reply
    • Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says

      December 19, 2016 at 10:10 am

      Thanks Shannon!

      Reply
  5. Amanda @ centsiblyrich says

    December 19, 2016 at 10:57 am

    Great tips for simplifying life! I’ve never been much of a TV watcher, so that’s an easy one for me.

    Getting rid of the negativity is a really great tip. I always try to stop myself if I start to complain. This isn’t easy (I think we all complain more than we realize), but a great way to cut down on negativity.

    Reply
    • Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says

      December 19, 2016 at 2:10 pm

      Yes, definitely!

      Reply
  6. Little House says

    December 19, 2016 at 11:59 am

    Really great tips! I think being organized is so important; it allows you to think clearly and not waste time on looking for things. And I love my to-do list – without one I’d be lost!

    Reply
    • Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says

      December 19, 2016 at 2:10 pm

      Thanks!

      Reply
  7. Laura Ingalls says

    December 19, 2016 at 12:54 pm

    Nice post(-:

    Reply
    • Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says

      December 19, 2016 at 2:10 pm

      Thanks!

      Reply
  8. Ms. Montana says

    December 19, 2016 at 12:55 pm

    I really simplified my wardrobe in 2015, and swore off wearing color. (It just took too much time to coordinate.) I decided not to buy any new clothes in 2016. So going into 2017, I am going to be much more intentional about the things I buy. I hate spending 5+ minutes picking out an outfit. Fewer, but better options saves the time and mental energy!

    Reply
    • Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says

      December 19, 2016 at 2:11 pm

      Yes, same here! It’s funny – I used to really love clothing and spent all of my money on it. I’m such a different person now.

      Reply
  9. Mrs. Picky Pincher says

    December 19, 2016 at 3:17 pm

    Yes, yes, yes to everything here. I think simplification comes down to being more mindful in your day-to-day routine.

    Reply
    • Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says

      December 21, 2016 at 11:25 am

      Yes!

      Reply
  10. Lindsey says

    December 19, 2016 at 3:36 pm

    Simplifying has SOO many great benefits! Simple living should not be underestimated.

    Reply
    • Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says

      December 21, 2016 at 11:26 am

      Yes!

      Reply
  11. Misty says

    December 19, 2016 at 7:49 pm

    We’re working on getting out of all debt… major focus right now that will positively impact so many other areas of our lives! Always in pursuit of things to make life more simple because doing so makes time for people and things that matter the most. Great tips! Looking forward to simplifying even more in 2017:]

    Reply
    • Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says

      December 21, 2016 at 11:26 am

      Thanks!

      Reply
  12. Vicki@MakeSmarterDecisions says

    December 19, 2016 at 8:30 pm

    I love #12 and #17! I always used to be worried about having all different kinds of clothes. It’s so much easier to simplify clothing (and still look nice!) Don’t we always go for the same kind of outfit most of the time anyway! And multi-tasking doesn’t work for me. I always thought it did – until I started really focusing and I got SO much more done in a shorter time!

    Reply
    • Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says

      December 21, 2016 at 11:27 am

      Yes, same here!

      Reply
  13. Michelle says

    December 19, 2016 at 10:29 pm

    Great tips to take on board for 2017! X

    Reply
    • Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says

      December 21, 2016 at 11:27 am

      Thanks!

      Reply
  14. Sara says

    December 20, 2016 at 5:52 am

    Great post Michelle. We are working on becoming debt free and I plan to cut down my social media time so I can spend more time on my blog. I would love to cut cable but I haven’t been able to talk my husband into it.

    Reply
    • Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says

      December 21, 2016 at 11:27 am

      We don’t miss cable one bit 🙂

      Reply
  15. Kathryn says

    December 20, 2016 at 12:21 pm

    I’m determined to go paperless this year. This definitely goes with reducing clutter, but also its going to be so much easier to find the paperwork I need when it’s all scanned in and organized.
    Great suggestions!

    Reply
    • Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says

      December 21, 2016 at 11:28 am

      Thanks!

      Reply
  16. Mrs. COD says

    December 20, 2016 at 7:57 pm

    A lot of useful tips! I’m guilty of too much social media time for sure. Maybe will take a break of a month or more, then try to set limits on when I will check it (not on weekends, perhaps). I think saying no and not multitasking kind of go hand in hand, too. Simple living beats trying to keep up with everyone else, in my book!

    Reply
    • Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says

      December 21, 2016 at 11:28 am

      Yes, I agree!

      Reply
  17. Holly says

    December 21, 2016 at 8:02 am

    Great list Michelle. I wasn’t sure what I was going to read when I clicked on this. You came up with some really good suggestions!

    Reply
    • Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says

      December 21, 2016 at 11:28 am

      Thank you 🙂

      Reply
  18. Natasha says

    December 21, 2016 at 3:26 pm

    I’m definitely thinking hard on cutting cable. I’ve already seriously cut my TV-viewing time. I could be so much more productive, work my blog more effectively, read books, exercise, etc. I think I’m almost ready! Thanks Michelle for the inspiration! Keep repeating this and you’ll continue to save others from their unhealthy habits.

    Reply
    • Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says

      December 26, 2016 at 11:10 am

      You need to do it! 🙂

      Reply
  19. Avery Breyer says

    December 22, 2016 at 1:05 pm

    re: “single-tasking will allow you to simplify your life and focus better.”

    I totally agree with this! Multi-tasking seemed like such a popular buzz word/phrase and everyone jumped all over it as if was such an improvement. But as you say, it can also waste a lot of time as you try to refocus every time you switch tasks. Single-tasking for the win! 🙂

    Reply
    • Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says

      December 26, 2016 at 11:10 am

      Yes, exactly!

      Reply
  20. Sanjib Kumar Saha says

    December 26, 2016 at 10:27 am

    You have shared amazing tips for people who want to lead simple and happy life. I have some debts mate, and I have to get off my debt as soon as possible. I don’t watch TV a lot, but it is important to keep an eye on our surroundings. Time management is imperative as it can save time and money as well. I love placing reminders on my smartphone, and I use social media a lot, I have to work on that.

    Reply
    • Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says

      December 26, 2016 at 11:11 am

      Thanks! 🙂

      Reply
  21. Donna says

    January 2, 2017 at 10:16 pm

    I have paid off all my credit cards, my car, and cut out cable. I just moved into a much smaller, less expensive house (888 sq ft), so I have really simplified the last 2 yrs. I now need to work on organization and being positive, but it feels good to have less stress already.

    ,

    Reply
    • Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says

      January 3, 2017 at 9:03 am

      Great job!

      Reply
  22. Susan says

    January 4, 2017 at 1:46 pm

    I have been trying to “simplify” for some time now. Thank you for this great an informative article. Will make things a lot easier for me now

    Reply
  23. Lizzie @themindfulmedic.com says

    January 11, 2017 at 2:41 pm

    Really helpful just to be reminded of some of these things, thanks! I especially like the TV one – I watch 5-10 hours a week and I think it’s how I get a ton more stuff done than my peers sometimes!

    Reply
    • Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says

      January 11, 2017 at 3:53 pm

      Welcome! 🙂

      Reply
  24. Dagne Goodwin says

    January 12, 2017 at 8:03 am

    Life is pretty full for me right now, I have to admit. I am working full time and I’ve started putting a lot more time into my blog as well as started making food videos (I have ten posted now). Even though I make very good money at my regular job, I am still pretty frugal…it’s just something I learned long ago and have continued with. I think taking time for myself would be the one thing that I rarely do. I am always doing something, even when we sit to watch something on TV I am generally crocheting, writing down ideas for my blog, editing a food video or whatever. From Dagne Goodwin at the yankeefrugalist.com

    Reply
  25. Fallon {Southern Detour} says

    January 15, 2017 at 1:02 pm

    Loved this post! Every point was perfectly stated. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  26. Natalie says

    January 23, 2017 at 4:52 pm

    Don’t waste time being negative is a great tip! We only get one life so we need to live it to the fullest!

    Reply
    • Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says

      January 23, 2017 at 4:57 pm

      Thanks!

      Reply
  27. Virginia Bryant says

    January 27, 2017 at 4:38 pm

    All these suggestions are great. We have just started RVing a bit so I totally agree with only having what you really need and getting rid of all the excess clutter. We only have a small RV to begin our journey down this road but would love to hear some of your information on organizing smaller places from your prior experiences. How big is your RV?

    Reply
    • Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says

      January 27, 2017 at 6:44 pm

      Our RV is on the bigger side, it’s 38 feet long.

      Reply
  28. Desi Hisab says

    February 1, 2017 at 2:48 am

    All these suggestions are best to keep your budget in track. Money management skills are really important in a long run.

    Reply
  29. Grace says

    August 28, 2017 at 10:13 am

    Almost the last quarter of the year, and doing a lot of re-evaluating. I’ve managed to simplify some areas of my life. But, there’s so much left to do.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Making Sense of Cents welcome page photo
Hello and welcome!
My name is Michelle and I'm the author/owner of Making Sense of Cents. Learning how to save money and make more money changed my life. It allowed me to pay off $40,000 in student loans, start my own business, and I now travel full-time.

As Seen On

as seen on
How To Start A Blog
making sense of affiliate marketing for bloggers
My Monthly Online Income Reports
My Student Loans Are Gone - How I Paid Off $38,000 In Student Loans
How To Prevent Financial Fraud From Happening To You
Buying a House at 20 (How I did it)
How To Make Money Blogging Picture
How To Save 50% Or More Of Your Income Picture
How I Graduated From College In 2.5 Years With 2 Degrees AND Saved $37,500
75+ Ways To Make Extra Money

 

HOME
ABOUT
CONTACT
FREE FB GROUP

PRIVACY POLICY
TERMS OF USE
DISCLAIMER / EARNINGS DISCLAIMER
Copyright © 2011 - 2023. All Rights Reserved.

© 2023 Making Sense of Cents
Design by Swoon & Co. Creative