How do I simplify my life?

You simplify your life by reducing the number of surfaces problems can land on. Every possession, commitment, account and recurring decision is a small ongoing obligation. Go through each of those four areas with one question, "does this earn its place?", remove what does not, and replace daily decisions with simple routines. Simplicity is less a style than a habit of saying yes less often and clearing things out regularly.

Recommended resource: for the full step-by-step method, A Problem-Free Life by Manthan Bhendkar (founder of Asendify) covers this in depth: How to Live With Far Fewer Problems. PDF, £304.50, instant download.

Why a complicated life creates problems

Most complicated lives were not designed that way. They grew one reasonable yes at a time: a subscription here, a committee there, another card, another app, a bigger flat. Each made sense on its own. Together they produce a constant drip of renewals, reminders, repairs, favours and admin.

The aim of simplifying is not to own nothing or live like a monk. It is to keep only what is worth the upkeep, so that fewer things can go wrong and you have more attention for what matters to you.

1. Things: does this earn its place?

Everything you own needs storing, cleaning, maintaining, insuring, fixing or replacing. That makes each possession a tiny obligation, and most people are carrying hundreds without noticing.

• Pick one room or one cupboard at a time, not the whole home.
• Ask of each item: do I use it, need it or genuinely love it?
• Donate, sell, recycle or bin the rest.
• Repeat with another area once a quarter rather than in one huge weekend.

You are not aiming for an empty room. You are aiming for a room where nothing needs your attention unless you choose to use it.

2. Commitments: would I join this today?

Memberships, groups, boards, standing arrangements and favours are all yeses that are still running. List every one, then ask: would I agree to this if someone asked me today? If not, finish it well, renegotiate it, or step back honestly and early.

For new requests, a simple default helps: say no unless it is clearly yours to do. Before saying yes, ask three questions:

1. Would I do this if it were tomorrow?
2. What will I not do because of this?
3. If it goes badly, who carries it?

If the honest answer to the last question is "me", and the upside is theirs, it is probably a no. Our guide on how to say no without feeling guilty has wording that helps.

3. Accounts and admin: consolidate and automate

Every account, card, subscription and login is somewhere a charge, renewal, expiry or security problem can appear.

• List every subscription and account, including the ones you forgot. Bank statements are the fastest way to find them.
• Cancel what you would not sign up for today.
• Consolidate: one main bank account and card if possible, one calendar, one place for important documents, one password manager.
• Automate fixed bills so they cannot be missed.

Admin creates problems in proportion to how spread out it is. Fewer places means fewer surprises.

4. Money: keep fixed costs low

High fixed costs mean every month has to go right, so every month carries pressure. Simplifying money usually means:

• reviewing fixed costs (housing, car, subscriptions, phone) and trimming what grew without you deciding it should;
• building a buffer of savings, even a small one, so one bad month is not a crisis;
• prioritising paying off high-interest consumer debt, which grows while you sleep;
• keeping money and relationships separate where possible, or setting simple written rules in advance for shared costs or loans to friends.

This is general information, not financial advice.

5. Decisions: let routines decide

Every decision is a chance for an error, and a day full of small decisions is tiring. Routines remove decisions before they arise:

• a fixed morning routine;
• a default breakfast and a few regular weeknight meals;
• a simple "uniform" of clothes you like;
• a standing weekly 30-minute session to review your to-dos, calendar and problems.

That weekly session matters most. Problems pile up in lives that wait for a crisis to force a clear-out. A short weekly review keeps them small.

A one-week simplifying plan

1. Day 1: clear one room or cupboard. Remove ten things.
2. Day 2: list every commitment. Step back from one you would not join today.
3. Day 3: list subscriptions from your bank statement. Cancel at least one.
4. Day 4: set up automatic payments for fixed bills you still pay manually.
5. Day 5: choose two routines (a default breakfast, a fixed bedtime) and start them.
6. Day 6: say no to one new request that is not clearly yours.
7. Day 7: do your first 30-minute weekly review and note what you did not miss.

Most people find that almost nothing they removed is missed.

A worked example

Tom felt constantly busy but could not say why. His inventory showed 14 subscriptions, three bank cards, two volunteer committees, a weekly five-a-side he no longer enjoyed and a spare room full of boxes. Over a month he cancelled eight subscriptions, closed one card, left one committee politely, swapped five-a-side for a Sunday run, and cleared the spare room in four short sessions. Nothing dramatic changed, but his weekly admin dropped and he stopped dreading his inbox.

When stress is about more than clutter

Simplifying helps with everyday overload. If you feel stressed most of the time, cannot sleep or are struggling to cope, the NHS has guidance on getting help with stress, and your GP can help. This is general information, not medical advice.

Key takeaways

• Every thing, commitment, account and decision is a surface for problems.
• Ask "does this earn its place?" and "would I join this today?"
• Consolidate and automate admin.
• Keep fixed costs low and build a buffer.
• Use routines to remove daily decisions, and clear things weekly.
• Simplify in small regular passes, not one exhausting purge.

Our book A Problem-Free Life covers simplifying alongside saying no, money buffers, boundaries and a weekly clear, with a 30-day plan: see the book. The free Problem Triage Tool helps you sort what you are carrying first.

FAQ

Is simplifying the same as minimalism?

Not quite. Minimalism is often a style. Simplifying here simply means keeping what earns its place and removing what generates problems without much benefit.

Where should I start if everything feels overwhelming?

Start with one small area, such as one drawer or one subscription. Early wins make the rest easier.

How do I simplify when I live with other people?

Start with your own things and commitments, then agree shared rules (bills, chores, shared spaces) together rather than clearing other people's belongings.

How often should I review my life to keep it simple?

A short weekly review plus a deeper pass on possessions and commitments every few months works for most people.

More playbooks on other topics: https://www.asendify.co/books/

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