From The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Simple Living by Georgene Lockwood, 2000.

Chapter 5: Finding Your Own Simple Living Way

“The first step in any kind of change is getting a realistic picture of what is really going on.” Cecile Andrews

The Least You have to Know

1. For a simple living plan to really work for you, you have to know yourself, what you really want, and your life’s purpose.
2. Taking care of yourself is a key step to simplifying your life.
3. Ridding key areas of your home of clutter and choosing your personal relationships according to how they fit with your personal goals are essential to creating the necessary space for a simpler life..
4. By examining your ideas and beliefs about time, you can reclaim more of it to do what really matters to you.
5. Whenever you evaluate whether to get rid of something you already have or to acquire something new, consider its true cost.

Questions to Ask Yourself and Answer Thoroughly

1. What area do you feel is most out of control in your life right now? The most complicated? If you could change them, how would they look?
2. If you had your finances completely in order, how big an impact would that have? Do you have a budget? Do you know how much you own? How much you bring in?
3. What issues are most important to the other people you share your life with? Have you asked them? If not, why not? Of all the people in your life right now, which ones would you consider t be part of a circle of no more than 10 vital people in your life?
4. If you needed more information about your situation, in which areas would that information be most helpful? Do you need to have a better idea of your debt and income? Do you know how efficient your home is? Your car? Do you need to know more about employment options? Community services? Other people who are living simply and how they’re doing it?
5. How is your health? Is health an issue? Would it restrict certain simple living choices you might make? How do you envision a simpler life benefiting your health? How do you currently pay for health care?
6. How much clutter is in your life? Can you find things when you need them? Do you have enough storage? Are you storing things you never use? Does your life feel orderly or scattered?
7. How do you feel about the time available to you? Do you feel like you have enough time? Are you always pressed for time? Are you spending time doing the things you really care about?
8. How satisfied are you with your job? If you’re not satisfied, is it the job or the occupation? If you could be engaged in your ideal work, what would it be? (Give yourself some time to think here and don’t censor yourself.) If you are not sure, what would it take to find out?
9. What kind of shape are your relationships in? Look at each one of your most important relationships and evaluate them. If you could change or improve your relationships, what areas would you concentrate on? (Again, look at each one.)
10. How much time each week are you willing to commit to simplifying your life?

Note from Louise: These are great questions to ask yourself whether you are planning to simplify your life or not. These areas are wonderful indicators of just how happy you are in life and what areas really need to change!

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