How Do You Simplify Your Life?

“Three Rules of Work: Out of clutter find simplicity. From discord find harmony. In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.” —Albert Einstein

There is good reason why we equate the word “genius” with the name Einstein. When Albert Einstein developed the theory of relativity, an equation that explains the behavior of space, time, and matter, he had also figured out how to live a simple, yet happy life.

His Three Rules of Work, are a wonderful guide for how to simplify the stress and chaos of our modern lives. Follow along as we dive into how you can apply Einstein’s theory in your daily life with decluttering, practicing mindfulness and how to choose happiness.

Tangible things you can do to clean up your space and live a more peaceful, happy lifestyle.

Get rid of the big items.

If you have a lot of junk and clutter lying around, it can weigh on your mind and slow you down. Don’t panic thinking you have to start getting rid of all your material possessions, just focus on removing the large items first, it can make an impact on your de-cluttering project.

For help getting rid of the big stuff (or boxes and bags of the little stuff), LoadUp provides on-demand junk removal with fair and honest pricing.

Purge your stuff.

Try devoting a day (maybe National Declutter Day?) to going through your things and getting rid of all the stuff you rarely use. Once you finish, you’ll feel much lighter and free.

🤔 Need ideas on what to purge?: From reusable bags, to growing your own produce and much more. There are plenty of ways to reduce and simplify this busy life we all have. Here are 41 things you can get rid of right now!

Box up the things that can be donated, and put the trash in contractor bags. If you don’t have time to find where you can take all the old junk, you can book a pickup with LoadUp in just a few minutes, and they will take care of the rest for you.

Freshen up your desk.

Having a desk full of clutter can make it hard to get any work done. It can be extremely hard to find the things you need to in order to complete tasks, virtually halting any productivity.

Once you clean everything out and get organized, get in the habit of putting everything back where it belongs after using it in the future.

Get rid of any broken office furniture or electronics and replace them. LoadUp can make this step easier by taking the old office items to be recycled. If you have boxes of paper files and books to throw away, LoadUp can take those to be shredded and recycled too.

Pro Tip: Create a home office that encourages productivity and inspires you to do your best work! View our top tips for setting up and organizing your home office here ❯

Hit “Delete.”

Running out of hard drive space? Have trouble finding the right files when you look for them? Go through and delete anything on your computer that you never use. Photos with sentimental value, financial documents from the last 3 years, and copies of important contracts or legal documents can be uploaded to cloud storage for safekeeping.

Also, make some time to create an electronic filing system that makes sense to you, and stick to it. Taking the time to do this now means you’ll end up saving yourself a lot of time and headache in the long run.

Free your schedule.

Get a journal or blank notebook and keep a record of how you spend your time each day. Try to be as specific and to-the-minute as possible. Do this every day for at least a week, preferably a month, in order to create an accurate “time inventory.”

Once you’ve gathered enough data, take a step back and look at how the majority of your time is spent. Do you notice any patterns? Pinpoint where your time-wasters are and come up with a plan to get rid of them.

If you don’t already, start making a daily to-do list before going to bed each evening. When tackling your list the next day, complete the biggest task first.

This will leave you with a sense of accomplishment that will give you the energy and momentum needed to complete the rest of your list. Without that big chore hanging over your head, knocking out the smaller tasks will be easy, and the rest of your day will fly by.

Be sure you schedule time for rest and relaxation, as well as any activities that you enjoy or find fulfilling. We rarely do the things that make us happy because we feel like we don’t have time to do them. But, with less decluttering and organizing to do later, you can free up time!

Also, remember to breathe. Being mindful and living in each moment reduces stress and anxious thoughts that tend to clutter our minds when we’re in a hurry. Trust that everything that absolutely has to get done, will. More on that a little later. . .

Eat well.

Think about cutting out the junk food clutter of unhealthy fats and added sugars. Science has proven to us time and again that a well-balanced diet (along with an active lifestyle) keeps our bodies and minds running like a well-oiled machine. When you eat foods that are both healthy and delicious, you’ll feel happier, get sick less, and have the energy to do more.

Clean out your closet.

Take the time to go through all of your clothing piece by piece and take what you have to create a capsule wardrobe. Decluttering your closet this way not only opens up a lot of space in your home but will also save you a ton of time in the long run.

You’ll notice a huge cut in the time it takes to get dressed for work or a special event when you aren’t overwhelmed with so many options and all of your pieces are interchangeable.

Set aside gently used items for donation to a local charity. Any items that are stained or torn will have to be thrown away. Remember that LoadUp accepts bulk clothing and can take the items still in good condition to be donated to a local charity.

Articles on How to Declutter Your Closet on the Trash Talk Blog:

• How to Clean Out & Declutter Your Closet
• How to Organize Your Bedroom Closet
• Where to Sell, Recycle or Donate Your Old Clothes

From Discord Find Harmony

It’s so easy in today’s world to become distracted, lose our sense of groundedness, constantly be in a hurry, and not pay a bit of attention to what’s going on around us.

This way of living tends to leave us in a state of stress and anxiety. While this addiction to hustle is hard to break, we can invite harmony back into our lives by practicing mindfulness.

When we are present and attentive in each moment, we can gracefully accept the circumstances and people around us, allowing us to approach them with kindness and authenticity.

Practicing mindfulness means that instead of being preoccupied with that meeting you have next week or that weird look the barista gave you this morning, your mind and body are here and now. You become aware of the actions you perform automatically, take yourself off of auto-pilot, and experience each moment exactly as it is.

You won’t have to schedule a time or sign up for a class to practice mindfulness. You can start right now. Take a long, slow, easy, deep breath. Notice how your body is feeling. Don’t force your mind to stop its constant chatter, but simply be an observer of your thoughts.

Mindfulness and meditation aren’t about trying to “shut your brain up” or “make your mind be quiet.” Instead, you are working to connect with the part of you that can sit in the present moment and simply observe your brain chattering on without you.

You are tuning in to the Self that is able to “be here now” and in doing so are better able to feel and to give acceptance, kindness, and peace.

For example, if you are washing the dishes, notice that you are washing the dishes. Notice how the soapy water and sponge feel in your hands. Notice how your body is positioned and feel your feet on the floor.

When you go for a snack, focus on the taste and texture of the food in your mouth as you chew it. Completely finish eating one bite before even reaching for the next one.

When you have a conversation with your spouse or coworker, really look them in the eyes and focus on what they are saying and how it makes you feel. Allow them to finish speaking before thinking about how to respond.

Practicing mindfulness regularly in this way has been shown to reduce stress, lower blood pressure, improve overall mental health, and boost the immune system.

When you use these simple tips to declutter your mind, you invite happiness into your home, work, and every other area of life.

In the Middle of Difficulty Lies Opportunity

When something isn’t going your way, don’t fight it. Just let it be. With each struggle, there is an opportunity for growth or a blessing waiting to show itself to you. When you try to force something into being what it isn’t, you only prevent yourself from accepting what it could be.

If you find yourself in a situation that is unchangeable, then accept the situation for what it is. If you can’t change outside forces, you can change the way you react to them. The thing that you’re trying to resist is still going to be there.

You may think that your resistance is a show of strength in fighting for something, when all that resistance does is leave you feeling depressed and frustrated from your struggle.

Your reaction to what you see as a bad situation is what really matters. Instead of trying to fight what is, you can allow yourself to accept it and to find a sense of peace within it. When you do this, you are better able to accept the lesson or blessing that is being offered.

Everyone has the potential for joy and peace in their lives, no matter the odds. All we have to do is accept life as it comes to us and choose to be happy and at peace. It’s much easier to swim with the current than against it. When all is said and done, everything will turn out just fine. You may not feel like it while in the moment, but you are going to be okay.

There are going to be times when everything in life becomes complicated and it looks like the Universe is against you. Just remember to breathe and go with the flow.

Stand in the present moment, seeing all of the resources at your disposal. Cut out that which does not serve you or bring you joy.

Most importantly, smile.

If you need help clearing out the material things in your life that are holding you back, LoadUp is here for you! We offer fast, affordable, full-service junk removal all over the United States. Learn more about our eco-friendly services or book a pickup with us!