5 Simple Ways to Tame the Chaos in Your Life

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Not a morning person?

I get it- neither am I.  

I know many lists tell you to get up an hour early to tackle your day. For me, there is no-WAYYY that will ever happen.  I’m a night owl and can barely pry myself out of bed as it is.  

Sound familiar?

To ensure I succeed, I tackle a few things the night before. Structure always helps reduce some stress, right?  

 

Building a few simple habits helps your productivity and saves you from

 

overwhelm

 

These habits are simple and great for evenings when you are exhausted from your long day.

 

1. Like we learned as kids-lay out your clothes!

Lay out your clothes for the next day or the week. Yep-just like our parents taught us when we were kids in school- it still holds true now.  

Have you ever run around the house in the morning when it is barely light out (or in some cases still dark actually) trying to get your outfit together? And where is that other shoe, for goodness sakes!

Just me?

This also includes steaming or ironing out the wrinkles, so it’s ready to go.  (I love my steamer. It’s so much easier to use than an iron- and nothing can get burned).

It’s much easier to prepare your clothes for the week when you do it on your day off or during a quiet evening, versus that morning when you are already running late to work. 

 

Plus, you only have to do it once a week instead of each night. Even better!

 

If you struggle with this at first, ask Alexa/Home Assistant to remind you at a specific time to do it. I have her remind me of so many things, and they really do become habits.

They say it takes three weeks to make a new habit-so keep going! 

I use a wall hanger that can hold all of your outfits for the week. When not in use, it flattens up against the wall like a ruler and takes up no space at all.  It’s awesome!

 

2. Make a simple weekly schedule

 

Once a week, set up your schedule either in a journal/calendar/Trello/app. (I like to make mine Sunday evenings).

This will help you accomplish so much more- and the stresses of the day won’t cause you to completely forget about something since you will be checking your schedule ahead of time.  

It doesn’t have to be fancy– it can just be a list of your errands or things you want to do for the week.  It can even be chores around the house for certain days- like “Wednesday Wash Your Clothes.”

Just scheduling helps get it done.

When you write it down- it becomes your plan of action instead of a thought that goes away amidst the issues that can come up every day.  

I make my weekly schedule in Canva (super easy to use, and they have a FREE version). That way, my schedule is nice to look at and I’m motivated to fill it out each Sunday. 

I use Alexa to remind me regularly of so many things. You can read the article here for more schedule/routine ideas.

 

3. Review your schedule each night

Each night while you are relaxing on the couch (you know you do!)- take 5 minutes (Alexa reminds me) to look at your schedule for the day and see if you got everything done.

 If you didn’t get to complete everything, don’t panic!  Write it into tomorrow’s agenda, so it does get done.  

Then- review what you have to do tomorrow. This way, you know what is ahead of you, and you can scratch off items that you were able to complete. That gives you some sense of accomplishment. 

 

4. Make a list and bring it with you!

Make a grocery list and take it with you when you go!  Whether you write it down or use Alexa (she can create lists) or an app-just make a list. 

You’ll save time and money by knowing exactly what you went there for and not wandering aisle to aisle, just buying things. It will also prevent you from forgetting something you need and having to go back again. That just causes you to spend more time and money.

I know I’m not the only one that came home only to realize I forgot the coffee- the main reason I went in the first place!  Arrgh!

 

5. Give each item in your home their own home

Every item belongs somewhere. Each time you leave the room, take something that doesn’t belong. 

Is there an empty cup (or wine glass, maybe? Hey, I’m not judging) on your coffee table from earlier? 

Did you seal up a box to return in the mail?  When you leave the room, take the tape and scissors out with you and put them back in their home.

Doing this each time keeps the clutter and mess at bay.  It takes no time at all and makes such a difference in the stress of clutter creeping up on you.  

 

 

Build These Steps Into Chaos -Taming Habits

By taking a few minutes and planning for your week ahead, you won’t have to rush all the time because you will be prepared.

These baby steps make a significant impact once you make them habits, and can really help reduce the chaos you feel. 

Give them a try —I hope these ideas help you as much as they helped me get my unstructured life in better shape.

 

You may also enjoy:  

Start Decluttering With These Baby Steps

5 Ways Alexa Helps Simplify Our Lives