The challenge: to clear your inbox

When we think of decluttering or simplifying we are to think about  subtracting things out of our lives.  To some this is hard, they want to hold onto every moment and every memory. It is something that needs to be changed.  We need to do our best to declutter our lives.  A life full of “stuff” is a life of constant managing, organizing, moving around and work.  A life of “simplicity” is a life full of peace, contentment, and just time to say ahhhhhhh.

One of these changes includes the area you probably frequent at least once per day—-your email inbox.

Why make the change:

Our world has turned to online media  and most all of us has an email.  Our email box can get just as overloaded with saved emails, or emails waiting to be responded to as our closets can with too many clothes.

This challenge is about simplifying every area of our life and this is one of the area’s that can become overwhelming.

How to make the change:

Here are some simple steps to achieving a simplified inbox:

1. Don’t check your email first thing in the morning.  When you sit down first thing in the morning and go through emails you get stuck going through tons of emails.  Do other tasks first and leave your email to be done later on.  Designate a set time and  stick with it.
2. When you check your email do something with it right away.  Decide what needs to be done and do it.
3. If it is junk or forwarded mail, trash it immediately.
4. If it is a long email, print it off to be read at a later date, or file it to be read at a later time while having lunch or waiting in a doctors office.
5. If the email requires a task, make a note on a list of what needs to be done and file your email in your archive. That way you can access it at a later date.
6. If you can do a quick response, do so immediately and then get rid of it.
7. If you need to save the email while you are waiting for a response, create a folder for that purpose.

In any case, emptying your email’s inbox will leave you with a satisfaction of completing something simple and easy.

The challenge: to pay off small debt

How do some people go through life living happy, content, debt free, and completely in control of their finances while others are living in a downward spiral of heavy debt, past due notices, and collection agencies calling every day?  The answer is the debt free people have a plan and make it work.  They live life content and not on a spur of the moment whim.  They look for creative ways to save and put away for that rainy day.

Why make the change:

Most Americans are in debt.  A HUGE number in debt. Our creator knew that we should not live in debt….in Proverbs 22:7 says….

The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender

How true is that?  Whenever you “owe” someone money, you are constantly feeling the stress and strain of paying back your lender.  How much better of a scenario to have consistently saved up your money and you are able to pay cash for your purchases.  

How to make the change:

As this is a simple living lifestyle challenge and the main goal is to SIMPLIFY your life, I encourage you to get rid of things.  Have a garage sale, put things up for sale on Ebay, or sell things on Craigslist.  Don’t be adamant about getting a certain price for things, you want to get rid of it, if someone gives you an offer take it.  That money is going to help you better than the item sitting back in your basement.  I grow tired of garage sales with price tags, I have to wonder if the people really want to get rid of the items or if they would rather stuff them back into their basements?!?!

Take all the money that you earned and put it towards paying off a small debt.  If you are living debt free, put it towards an emergency fund or special savings.  The goal is to get rid of things, make some cash and pay off a small debt.  You will feel invigorated and lighter.  Free from that financial burden.  Plus you will rid your household of some unnecessary items.

Let’s say that you are already clutter free in your home and you still want to pay off a small debt, what can you do then?  Maybe work a few extra hours each week and take the money earned and put it directly towards your debt. Become debt free and you can fulfil God’s law…….

Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.  Romans 13:8