How to Simplify

Last weekend my church had a "simple" women's retreat. We sang a cappella music. We had home-grown speakers, who addressed simplifying our worship, our time, and our homes. And we painted "Be still" or "Be" or "Be still my soul" on small frames.

Here are some tips I picked up from the panel on simplifying our homes:

Start in the closet.Purge your stuff for five minutes per day. The underwear drawer. The kitchen junk drawer. The garage. Email. Break your work into little tasks in five-minute segments.Put all nicknacks in one place.Ask yourself, "What is my one thing I must have cleared?" For some it's wall space; for others it's the kitchen counter or an entry-way bench. Start there and guard the space. Know the job never ends. Read the chapter on possessions in Happier at Home.Give away rather than keep baby clothes. They go out of style. Meet someone's need now and trust that someone else will meet your need later. Use your nice stuff. Get out the china and use it daily. Why own it if you never use it?