Simplify, simplify

Thoreau once said, "Our life is frittered away by detail.  Simplify, Simplify."  Truer words were never spoken, especially in the context of being a mom.  Sometimes I think we make things harder on ourselves by complicating our lives unnecessarily.  Our goal is to raise our children in a happy, healthy, safe environment.  Can we simplify our home to make it more in keeping with those goals?  Can we simplify our routines?  Can we simplify our outside commitments?  How about our children's commitments?  Or how about something as basic as the food we prepare?  Pick an area where you feel most overwhelmed.  What can you do about it?  How can you make it easier?

Let's take a common problem - children's toys scattered everywhere. Is there a home for the toys?  Is it easily accessible to your child?  Are there too many toys for the space you have?  Are all the toys in good shape and regularly played with?  First I would go through the toys and get rid of those that are broken or missing pieces or no longer played with.  Then I would pack up a portion of the remaining toys to be brought out at a later time.  I'd probably put aside those toys that my child seems to have lost interest in first.  Rotating toys makes old toys seem new again.   That exercise doesn't take much time and already you can see a difference.   Simplify, simplify...