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Less Chaos, More Life: How Simplifying Changed Our Daily Rhythm

Standing in our kitchen – the first room you see when entering our 980-square-foot home – I realized something profound the other day. The same tasks that once felt endless in our larger house now take minutes. What changed? It wasn’t just the square footage. By simplifying everything from our dish count (exactly two of everything per person) to our morning routines, we’ve discovered that less really does equal more – more time, more peace, and surprisingly, more wildlife sightings.

Take our kitchen for example. When we moved in, instead of transferring our old habits to the new space, we made a deliberate choice: each family member gets exactly two of everything – two plates, two bowls, two cups. No dishwasher either. What sounds like a recipe for inconvenience has actually become one of our best decisions. It forces us to clean as we go, preventing the overwhelming sink-full of dishes that used to accumulate in our old home. No more having enough clean dishes in the cabinet to ignore the mounting chaos in the sink.

The transformation extends beyond the kitchen. Our kids, who struggle with ADHD and anxiety, used to find room cleaning so daunting that it required the whole family’s intervention. The sheer volume of possessions made it overwhelming for them to even start. Now, with fewer belongings and clearer spaces, they can manage their rooms as part of their morning routine.

Speaking of routines, there’s a simple checklist on our fridge that guides our kids through their morning tasks:

  • Go potty
  • Get dressed (and put dirty clothes in the washer)
  • Eat breakfast and clean their dishes
  • Brush teeth and hair
  • Take medication
  • Make their beds
  • Check backpacks
  • Pick up their room floors
  • Make Mom and Dad’s bed

That last item came from my mother-in-law’s wisdom: if parents are up early helping kids prepare for school and making breakfast, the least the kids can do is make their parents’ bed. It ensures Mom and Dad end their day without the additional stress of an unmade bed. These small acts of reciprocal care have strengthened our family bonds in unexpected ways.

The reduced chaos has rippled through every aspect of our lives. Instead of writing in the middle of the night as I used to, I can now spread my creative work throughout the day when three of our four kids are at school. The mental space that comes from physical organization has opened up new possibilities for family time too.

We’ve started taking what we call ‘nature drives’ in the early evenings, watching for wildlife as they become more active. The kids count deer that frequently visit our yard – something unimaginable in our old city life where finding wildlife meant driving past miles of civilization up into the canyons. While we’ve mostly spotted deer, our in-laws next door report sightings of moose, various birds, badgers, and foxes. It’s a different way of life here, where even in a town of 11,000 people, nature feels closer and more accessible.

Yes, the kids still sometimes struggle with their morning checklist – we often have to redirect them to review it multiple times before they head out the door. But compared to our previous life of endless cleanup and overwhelming spaces, these small daily challenges feel manageable. The routine might not be perfect, but it’s progress.

What we’ve learned through this journey of simplification is that it’s not just about having less stuff – it’s about creating space for better things. Better routines, better habits, better ways to spend our time together. Our smaller home hasn’t limited us; it’s liberated us to focus on what truly matters.

Sometimes the best changes come from necessity. We needed to pare down to fit into our new space, but in doing so, we found a rhythm that works better for our entire family. Less chaos really does mean more life.

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The Great Purge: How a 2-Week Declutter Changed Our Lives

“When we decided to move to Wyoming, we knew our 2,100 square foot home’s worth of belongings wouldn’t fit into our new 980 square foot space. What we didn’t know was how quickly and dramatically we’d need to downsize – or how liberating it would turn out to be.

We had just 2-3 weeks to decide what would make the journey with us to our new life. It sounds overwhelming, right? But sometimes, a deadline is exactly the motivation you need to make tough decisions. Our method was surprisingly simple: if I hadn’t touched something in six months or needed it in the past year, it had to go.

The process taught us some unexpected lessons about possessions, stress, and what really matters in a home. Here’s what we learned:

Time Is Your Truth-Teller

Looking at a box or item and honestly asking ‘When was the last time I opened this?’ became our decluttering north star. Six months became our cutoff point – if we hadn’t needed it in that time, we probably didn’t need it at all. This simple question eliminated countless hours of agonizing over individual items.

Kids and Clutter: The Stealth Approach

One of our most successful strategies, especially with kids’ belongings, was what I like to call the ‘Out of Sight, Out of Mind’ method. We discovered that if we sorted and removed items while our children were at school, they rarely remembered or missed what was gone. It’s fascinating how many toys we think our kids ‘need’ when they actually don’t even remember having them.

The Kitchen Reset

Perhaps our boldest move was completely emptying our kitchen. We knew we had a budget from our home sale to replace essentials, and we were committed to transforming our eating habits. This clean-slate approach meant every new item in our kitchen would be intentionally chosen for our new lifestyle. Surprisingly, there hasn’t been a single kitchen item we regret letting go of.

The Fast-Track Farewell

Without time for a traditional yard sale, we got creative with distribution. Local Facebook groups, generous gifts to neighbors, and yes, several trips to the dump helped us quickly pare down our possessions. The time constraint actually worked in our favor – it forced quick, decisive action instead of prolonged deliberation.

The Lasting Impact Months later, this massive declutter has completely changed how we approach possessions. Before making any purchase now, we ask ourselves:

  • Do we really need this?
  • Do we need it right now?
  • Can we find it locally?
  • Could we borrow it instead? (Having family nearby is a bonus here!)

The most profound revelation? The less physical stuff we had, the more our stress levels dropped. It’s not just about having fewer things to clean or organize – it’s about the mental clarity that comes with living more intentionally.

For anyone feeling overwhelmed by their possessions but nervous about letting go, here’s my advice: your life will feel less stressed if you just let go. We’ve experienced firsthand how reduced physical clutter leads to reduced mental clutter, and ultimately, to greater happiness.

Remember, everything you own demands a piece of your attention, your space, and your energy. Choose wisely what you allow to take up residence in your home and life. Sometimes the best path to peace is through the donation box.

Starting fresh in Wyoming with less stuff has given us more of what really matters – peace, happiness, and family connection. And isn’t that what home is really about?”

About the Author: If you’re new here, check out my first post about our family’s journey from Utah to Wyoming and how downsizing changed our lives. When I’m not writing about our adventures in simple living, you can find me in our cozy kitchen, reinventing comfort food classics into healthier versions.

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Join our growing community of intentional living enthusiasts. Get fresh content about our Wyoming adventure, simple living tips, and upcoming recipes delivered straight to your inbox. Unsubscribe anytime - but we bet you won't want to!

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