As a working mom, a fan of interior design, and most recently a professional organizer, I’ve thought a lot about what it takes to maintain a neat lifestyle. The truth is, life can be messy and growth can be messy...so I am more interested in how we rise above it. As parents, we may not have all the time to keep up with the expectations we put on ourselves, but we must be able to break down any mess to cut through the sense of overwhelm. Simply being aware of three organizing principles has given me a lens through which I can better align my expectations with reality, and turn frustration into action.

This is the first of three new year posts (rolling out weekly) highlighting the three life-changing organizing principles that have shifted my mindset on what it means to live a neat life.

First up is Simplify.

As an organizer, I often talk about decluttering, editing, minimizing, or prioritizing as the first step to tackling a mess. What these all have in common is the idea of reducing things down to the basic essentials, and letting go of what’s not important.

I recognized how my own tendency to take on more and say ‘yes’—one that mostly served me well through school and early in my career—backfired on me as a parent. Having more than you have space for, or taking on more than you (or your team) have time for, contributes to the sense of overwhelm that many parents feel. Since I’ve entered my line of work, I start tackling messes by narrowing in on the essentials and removing anything in the way. Conversely, the upfront effort and discipline we put into creating simple systems is one of the most powerful tools we have to limit distractions, save our time and support our priorities.

I see my role as a parent almost as a director of our family life, setting a clear vision, and editing anything getting in the way. I find the more I approach my day to day with this awareness, the more empowered I feel in the face of new challenges. It is with this in mind that I have chosen the word simplify this week.

For my own January reset, I’m taking this week to explore ways to further simplify my day to day. For me it’s about bouncing back from a more laid back holiday mode into a routine that will set the tone for a healthy, happy and productive new year—even in the midst of new lockdown restrictions. I’m sharing a few of my own personal examples that are top of mind this week:

Streamline the morning routine. Identify the non-negotiable of my morning routine and do them first thing (workout, shower + green tea).
Stop the doom-scrolling. Limit news to a few trusted sources and timeslots and be less reactionary to the headlines. I’ve edited my newsfeed preferences, and am experimenting with what works best for me this week. (It can be a real time suck and emotionally draining these days.)
Make space by getting things out. Looking around, my pile of things needing to be shipped, and collection of boxes to package them in, had grown. It took some time to collect all the proper labels but felt good to get it all out, including all the excess cardboard and recycling leftover from the holidays.
Declutter my linen closet. We’ve had a few more new things come in than things we got out and the balance is off. This adds extra friction with laundry so it just needs a little attention to streamline again.
Cook in batches. The kitchen is an area where I’m guilty of overcomplicating things. With a vegetarian (me) and two picky eaters, I’d have pots or pans on every element just to make dinner. I recently introduced chicken into my diet purely to open up more simple and healthy meals the whole family could enjoy. This week, John made a big meat chilli so I’ve got a few vegetarian recipes I’m making in big batches too.
Satisfy my sweet tooth with fruit. Eating better is a popular resolution for all, and after many holiday indulgences, I want a break from sugar. Rather than eliminating sweets entirely, I’m stocking up on fruit: sugar in its simplest form.

You’ve probably come across many of the ideas above along with other inspiration for the new year. Before setting the expectation of doing it all, take stock of your own time and space with the idea of simplifying in mind. After spending the fall doing virtual learning, I know how common it is to feel pulled in multiple directions. As we return to the home work/school routine, I’m keeping my eyes peeled for ways to remove distractions, and bring more ease to our set-up. It’s a good first step to taking charge of what we can!

Rather than ditching sweets entirely, I’m satisfying my sweet-tooth with fresh and frozen fruit.

January Reset: Simplify