How to Organize Your Life (for Peaceful and Simple Living)

As any mom can testify, life can easily become chaotic and cluttered. Here are some tips to organize your life to facilitate peace and simplicity:

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There are times in life that are Ah Ha moments.

The kind where life seems to stop and everything gets cloudy… like in a movie. And you have scales fall off your eyes. Maybe, you start to see life more clearly. And you realize… things cannot go on this way.

Honestly, these moments are golden.

So, if you find yourself knowing life’s a bit out of control, use my tips below to help create a peaceful and organized life.

Think about your values (is it family togetherness, etc.) and use that to plan your activities.

One of the easiest ways to “live in the lane” on the opposite side of the highway from peaceful and simple is to continually participate in activity that don’t line up with your values.

The crazy thing is that many people actually do this their entire lives.

I recently read a book about a young couple who thought their life was supposed to be lived in the fast lane. They were high society LA figures. On a search to fulfill their true entry, they stepped totally away from that scene and became sheep farmers in a rural town on the other side of the continental US.

It totally worked for them. Thirty years later, they still live in peace and simplicity. It’s what they needed and it’s what works for them.

I’m not at all suggesting that everyone should quit their fast paced jobs and become sheep farmers. I’m also not saying that it’s impossible to be happy in the fast lane.

What I am saying is this- what you do on a day-to-day basis needs to line up with what you value.

Read: Mindsets All Minimalist Moms Have That Make Life Easier

If not, you will find yourself anxious and unhappy.

• Check in with you. How are you feeling about certain things on your schedule? If something you’re doing regularly brings you stress, consider dumping it.
• The right to change. You have the right to change your mind. In other words, you don’t have to stick with something for the rest of the foreseeable future because you made the decision to start it.
• Make a list. Write down the things that you absolutely love and don’t want to push aside. Maybe it’s a bedtime story with your kids, or maybe it’s family dinner at the table? Whatever is on that list of valuable things to you… move out the other activities.
• Give yourself time. Sometimes we have to do things we don’t like. It’s a part of time. That being said, it can take a while to get your daily activity schedule just right. Give yourself some time and grace to work it out. Usually making hasty changes isn’t a great idea.
• You matter. Take time each day for some self-care routines that make you feel valuable.

Determine how much you can handle and don’t go outside it.

Show me a mother who is able to say “NO” to accepting unwanted invitations and extra obligations, and I’ll show you someone who has figured it out.

Firstly, she has figured out her limitations and knows that sticking to them bring her peace.

In addition, she has learned that taking care of herself helps her better serve her family.

As moms, we tend to heap on the obligations. In short, we don’t know how to say “NO.” We love to serve and always have more to give. You may want to organize your life, but have too many things going on to accomplish this.

There is a breaking point.

For your peace of mind, determine how much you can handle and don’t go outside it. For some, this is a very difficult thing to do. It’s tough to let people down. However, it’s more important to create a place of peace for you and not let your family down.

Focus on your surroundings – is it all chaotic and/or ugly?

If you’re always feeling like life is crazy, things are spiraling out of control, and you want to run and hide… it could be environmental.

Having a safe and organized living space can make life more simple, and bring you a sense of peace.

By safe I mean – a place that your mind/body/soul feels comfort and protection.

I’m more of a minimalist than a maximalist. Creating living spaces where the family feels comfortable, but can still live and function is what I love to do.

There are some simple habits that tidy moms can keep to make your surrounding more peaceful and inviting.

Plan your family’s year (appointments, non-negotiables, etc.) in one hour or two sitting.

Organizing your life doesn’t happen by living day-to-day, not knowing what next week or next month’s obligations are.

Family gatherings, vacations, doctor appointments, and other absolute essentials can be planned for the entire year. Honestly, there’s no need to rush around last minute trying to get appointments made.

• Find a year planner/organizer that works well for you.
• Sync calendars (or display one in a high traffic area) so all adults are on board.
• Block out your family’s non-negotiables.
• Take an hour or two to call appointments and write them in.

Organize your life by choosing a day of the week to brain dump.

Having a designated brain dump time each week has done wonders for creating simplicity and peace in my life. I use my Sunday evenings (before bed) to brain dump my week’s plan.

Preparing for the week ahead gives me a peace of mind and takes the chaos out of meals, scheduling, special events, or extra obligations. I believe it will help you organize your life as well.

Here are some things that can be accomplished during this weekly organization time:

• meal planning
• scheduling grocery pick-up
• kid’s schedules (games, extra-curricular activities, trips, etc.)
• social event planning (what to bring, foods, gifts, etc.)
• outfit planning for kids for the week
• highlight any longstanding appointments on your calendar
• sync your husbands calendar for the week

Think aerially, and be ruthless

When thinking about various day to day decisions, try not to focus on the trees and not the forest. By having a more well-rounded view of life, you’ll make better decisions. Sometimes, revisit that overall life motto and plan and make sure your days fit into it.