Inside: After experiencing the benefits of simplifying in your own life you may want to encourage your loved ones to simplify as well. Here are some tips to help you on that journey.
A guest post by Rose Morrison
There always seems to be a reason to buy more things. Whether it’s an upcoming holiday, birthday, anniversary, or flash sale, it leads to an expensive habit of never being satisfied and constantly trying to amass more stuff.
Simplifying helps you find more fulfillment in what you already have.
As you make these meaningful changes in your own life, you’re likely to want to encourage your loved ones to join you on the journey of living with less.
What Does It Mean to Simplify?
Simplifying is a lifestyle where you dedicate yourself to a life without clutter. Living with less physical and mental clutter naturally leads to more peace, joy, and deeper connections with the people closest to you.
Imagine a family that doesn’t look forward to spending all their free time with the latest gadgets. They likely spend more time hanging out together, chatting over board games, or exploring the latest events happening in their hometown because there are no distractions.
You can declutter your life and experience more too. And once you have done that, you’re likely to want to share that with your friends and family members.
How to Gently Encourage Your Loved Ones to Begin to Simplify
Use these steps to simplify your own life and then encourage others to start the journey as well.
1. Set an Example
The first step to helping your loved ones to live with less is to set an example. This is the most important way to gently encourage your loved ones to simplify.
Your friends and family seeing the differences in your life may encourage them to join you and begin to simplify their own lives. Be willing to share about your journey and how simplifying has helped you.
Finally, if your loved ones are interested in simplifying, gently encourage them to take these next five steps to begin the simplifying process in their own lives. You can do many of these steps right along with them!
2. Remove Any Physical Clutter
Simplicity and minimalism share many foundational principles, starting with removing physical clutter.
Going through the belongings hiding in your closets, attic, and basement is a significant first step when simplifying your life.
Offer to help them begin the process. While everyone’s going through belongings from your shared history, you’ll all sort through the emotional clutter causing you to hang onto those things.
It feels good to let go of the past and your unwanted items by donating what you can or throwing out the things that are in unusable condition. Your loved ones will have that positive experience and embrace simplicity because it’s a healing lifestyle.
3. Spend More Time in Nature
Another aspect of simplicity is appreciating the world around you. Spending more time in nature with your family and friends is an excellent way to do that.
While on nature walks, biking or hiking together, point out new things your kids haven’t seen before. Learning about novel outdoor concepts improves a child’s attention span by encouraging curiosity and creativity.
Kids are naturally curious. Spending more time in nature helps them to learn as well as use their imagination.
It’s amazing how little they need to entertain themselves when they’re given more opportunities to stretch their creative muscles.
There are many benefits to spending time outdoors for kids and grown-ups alike. Inviting your loved ones along on outdoor outings is a great way to encourage simplicity.
4. Schedule Recurring Decluttering Appointments
It’s easy to deep clean a room and celebrate crossing the “finish line”, but the mess will accumulate again. It’s an inevitable part of life — especially with multiple people living in the same house.
Part of learning to declutter is scheduling reminders to do it again and building decluttering habits.
Regularly doing some light decluttering will help you to keep your space in shape. Encourage loved ones to simplify by demonstrating how to regularly clear the excess from your space.
If they want accountability, be willing to check in with them seasonally as a helpful reminder.
5. Live in the Moment
Clutter gathers around the house and your mind when you’re living for the future. If you spent more time thinking about what was around you in that second, you’d likely have a cleaner house.
Encourage your friends and family members to live more simply by showing them how to live in the moment.
Communicate that you want to spend time with them and be more present. Say no to schedule commitments that keep everyone apart and aren’t necessary. You could even agree to limit time on social media to create space for bonding time.
Having these conversations and being intentional with your time can simplify your life and improve your relationships.
6. Create Resourceful Activities
It’s much easier to avoid materialism when everyone knows how to make what they have last longer. Consider teaching your kids to live with less by recycling materials into crafts that serve purposes around your home.
You could turn old books into pen holders or newspaper bead decorations hanging from doorways. Everyone will start looking at things differently and feel less inclined to buy what they don’t need.
Frugal decluttering embraces upcycling and making do with what you have. As you learn to do this yourself, you can share your experiences with your loved ones and even do projects together.
Benefits of Simplifying
These benefits of living simply can help motivate you to continue on your simplifying journey. Share these outcomes with your loved ones to help gently encourage them to simplify too.
1. You’ll Save More Money
When you, your family, and your friends simplify, you’ll immediately start saving money. That’s extra cash you could use to save for traveling, education, or for donating to causes you care about.
Even if you let the money sit in a savings account for a rainy day, the breath of fresh air that comes with financial freedom is revolutionary.
2. You’ll Spend Less Time Stressing
Materialism and staying busy create stress in numerous ways. You’ll get financial relief by not spending as much money and more mental peace by not believing you have to jump on flash sales.
Your kids won’t argue when they pass the toy section in a store or see an ad for new tech online. Everyone becomes happier and more at peace by living in the moment with a more appreciative mindset.
3. You’ll Set a Good Example
Parents always want to set a good example for their children so they grow into independent, thriving adults. Simplifying does just that.
They’ll learn how to be in the moment with their loved ones, manage money wisely and appreciate what they have by learning through your family’s lifestyle. Those helpful habits will improve their future relationships and mental health when they fly the nest.
Start Simplifying Today
Everyone can benefit from simplifying their home and life.
When you live more simply it allows you to be more in the moment with a greater appreciation for the relationships that you have.
It’s a valuable skill that even helps kids during adulthood, so taking these steps with your loved ones can be transformative in everyone’s lives.
It is important to remember that simplifying is not something to force on anyone. Not all of your loved ones may be interested or ready to simplify just yet. And that is ok too.
Every person’s journey is different and uniquely their own. Experience the benefits of simplifying in your own life and gently encourage your loved ones who are willing and ready to join you.
How do you encourage your loved ones to simplify? Let us know in the comments section.
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