HOW I SIMPLIFIED MY LIFE

Sometimes life can be very overwhelming! As a wife, mother and a business owner I have to deal with a lot of things all at the same time.Over the years I've gathered a few tricks and tips I'd like to share with you, these are simple ways on how I feel I simplified my life.

 A simple life has a different meaning and a different value for every person. For me a simple life is all about getting rid of the many useless things I do so I can spend more time with the people I love and do the things I cherish the most. Here it goes:

1. I had a towel rack installed inside our shower cubicle. This made fresh and dry towels available for anyone taking a bath. I no longer had to deal with a messy wet bathroom floor! Every time we stepped out of the shower we are already at least halfway dry.

A towel rack installed inside  our shower cubicle made my life so much simpler! :)

2. Invest in a fireproof vault or safe and have it installed by someone you trust. All important documents and valuables are kept inside the safe at all times. Make sure the vault is anchored or mounted to either concrete or wood floors and walls. Never let anyone know the combination. This gives me peace of mind when I am away from home. Really valuable items are still better off kept in the bank.

Having your own vault inside your home will give you peace of mind! Mount it on a concrete wall and never share the combination! :)

3. For home cooked meals we sometimes use the turbo broiler, pressure cooker and electric grill. This saves time and gives us a chance to try different dishes instead of just always cooking from the stove.

Excuse our tiny spring chicken hehe!! But really the turbo broiler, electric grill and pressure cooker made meal planning simpler for me!

4. Ask your household help to maintain a rolling grocery list and put it somewhere everybody can see. Ask them to write down whatever it is they need from the grocery. I bring this list with me when I am at the supermarket and it helps me know what I need to buy first. This list cuts my shopping time in half and helps me know which items we still have on hand.

Our TO BUY: list is always posted at the door of our refrigerator!

5. Backup your phone directory and save all important pictures and videos in one hard drive. If ever you lose your camera or phone at least you know you have a copy of all the important files, pictures and videos. This will save you a lot of heartache especially if the baby pictures of your kids are involved.

This external hard drive contains all our important files and memories!! :)

6. ONLINE BANKING!! This helped me save a lot of time and effort! Imagine having to go to the bank just to check if a buyer already paid or not. Online banking made things so much simpler for me. I can pay our bills, transfer money and pay for our credit card statement anytime online.

Online banking made life so much simpler for me as a mother and a business owner! I can check each transaction made online anytime, anywhere!

7. De-clutter at least twice a year. We may not notice it but we accumulate a lot of things over the years. If we don't learn to let go, keeping a lot of things we don't need can be very overwhelming! Weigh your options: you can donate; have a garage sale, or simply give away some of your things to people who really need them.


 

8. Learn to shop wisely! I am still working on this myself. I am a shopaholic! These days I really try my best to think about certain purchases and not always give in! I’d always ask myself, “Do I really NEED this or do I just WANT it now and then regret buying it later on.” It's definitely a struggle but it is something I am really trying to correct.

9. If you travel a lot or spend a few nights away from home a lot, it is best to have travel-sized toiletries packed in their own case and placed permanently in your suitcase. This will help you save time from packing and unpacking every time you need to travel.

10. DELEGATE, DELEGATE! Everybody needs help you cannot do everything all at the same time. Sometimes as mothers we feel we can do everything, if you have people around you maximize them and know their strengths and weaknesses and then use them to your advantage.

We are lucky to be surrounded by people who help us above and beyond their call of duty! That's Sam my assistant of ten years!! With Sonny the best "salesgirl" of all time! :)

11. Have a duplicate copy of all-important keys for emergency purposes. This will eliminate stress at times where you can't seem to find your regular keys.

Duplicate copies of all the important keys we need for the office and the house.

12. Deal with minor problems before they become full-blown disasters! Have that minor faucet leak repaired before it floods your kitchen. Have that weird sound on your car checked before the whole engine gives up on you. Putting off remedy to minor problems only gives them a chance to become complicated matters.

13. Keep track of your credit card charges! Debt complicate things so spend what you know you can afford. This will result to less stress and worry.

14. Learn to Multi-task and combine errand runs. I set aside one day a week to just do errands; pay bills and buy everything we need for the house and the workshop. When you are already out of the house try to string together errands and then accomplish them in one go.

15. Clean as you go! Whether in the kitchen or in your own room, picking up after yourself can help make housecleaning simpler and faster. At the same time it is never too early to teach your kids to pack away their own toys and to clean up after themselves too!

We teach the kids to "pack away" every time they are done playing.

16. Invest in "classic" clothing pieces you can easily mix and match. These classic essentials will help you build a wardrobe that’s always in style. These key pieces will help you save spending thousands on needless "trendy" clothing. If I feel the need to buy in on trends I just get a few pieces and try to incorporate them into my classic pieces for an updated look.

Invest in essential clothing you can wear for years to come! :) 

17. Think before you talk and avoid arguments as much as you can. Politics, religion, money issues and how to raise kids are always hot topics. Steer clear of these subjects unless you are in the mood to argue. What you don't say can't complicate your life.

18. Keep all important documents, bills, medical records and receipts in one place. Throw away or shred bills and receipts that are more than three years old. Have a place for everything so you know where things are.

19. Use utensil trays or cutlery trays to organize drawers.This will help you organize your drawers and maximize the space available. It makes finding what I need so easy, no more digging through the drawer!

Drawer organizers are great at maximizing available space, you can pile them up too!

20. Keep a jar filled with "working" pens and pencils, a good pair of scissors, cutter, stapler, marker and a ruler. I tell everyone in the household to return whatever they get from my stash so I always know I have what I need and where I can get it.

I recycled an old salsa Jar and made it my pen holder!! All pens and pencils in here are working and ready to use! :)

21. If your budget permits, it’s always best to buy in bulk! Keep in mind that not all bulk shopping deals are created equal. You will want to buy things you'll actually use, and won't go to waste. There is no point in buying a gallon of mayonnaise or ketchup! What we usually buy in bulk are: toilet paper, detergent, cooking oil, diapers, canned goods, soap and shampoo.

This is the best toilet paper brand for me! At around P20+ per roll it's affordable yet thick and big enough. I don't need to keep refilling our tissue holders :)

22. Determine the best time of the day when you are most productive and then maximize it! I am a night person, I can think better at night. The best time for me to design and plan is around 10pm to 3am. I am more efficient and most productive at night. I guess it's because I can think better since the kids are fast asleep. We are all wired differently, discover what works for you :)

23. Visit thrift shops! My husband and I love Daiso, Saizen and Japan Home. In these stores P88 can go a long way! Be careful though, you can find and then buy things in there you don't actually need.

I got these acrylic organizers at just P88 each! Now I can see all my makeup and know where to get anything and everything!

24. Make lists! I enjoy making lists and then crossing out things I've accomplished. It makes me feel efficient and organized. Gadgets are great but writing down and holding actual lists still make accomplishing things feel wonderful!

MY endless LISTS!! :)

25. Buy Christmas gifts and birthday gifts all year round! Sometimes when you are not exactly looking for something that's when you find the perfect gifts for friends and family. So buy gifts all year round and wrap them and label them when you have the time. This will mean less stress when December rolls in.

26. In a world where everything is "ALL in ONE" it’seasy to discover products that can simplify your life. In the beauty department, I love using BB creams since they contain all you'll ever need for your skin to be in great shape. Explore and discover "ALL in ONE "products that work for you.

BB Creams helped cut my makeup time in half!! These are beauty miracles in bottles! :)

27. I try my best to keep my promises and avoid lies. I have a very poor memory and lying makes it worse for me. I've learned that if I keep my promises I don't have to deal with regret and guilt. Thus I have peace ofmind!

28. Live in the present and learn from the past. Don't carry around emotional baggage and grudges. Learn as much as you can to forgive and then forget. In line with this I always tell myself to eliminate the NEGATIVE. I try my best to stay away from negative people with negative thoughts, words and ideas. I'm sure you know people who always dwell on the negative things. They are often full of envy, hate and have nothing good to say. STAY AWAY FROM THEM they can be contagious!

29. Invest in a smart phone! I tried my best to not be oneof those people who depended so much on their smart phones. BUT I have to admit; it did make my life so much simpler! All the information I needed was made available to me anytime, anywhere. I can access and check on anything using my smart phone. No need to hurry home just to check something online. These gadgets have become my "virtual assistants."

It took awhile for me to warm up to my gadgets but now I am hooked!!

30. Whatever you do, give it your best shot. Pray as hard as you can and then leave it all up to God. This is my mantra! Working hard, prayer and my faith has been my secret weapons! So far so good...

That's it a SIMPLER and less COMPLICATED life for me means I have more time to spend and be with my sons and my husband! I hope I was able to help! :)