Enjoy family time with a Reading Night

A friend of mine at work, Dave, shared an tradition he recently reinstated with his family: reading night.

Sitting in their oft-ignored living room (really, when does anyone actually use their living rooms?) they all grabbed books, hunkered down next to a fire and read.

A simple enough concept, but he said they all really enjoyed their evening – even the kids. It’s a great example of enjoying family time: it wasn’t anything elaborate. It didn’t require much planning or expense.

Another variation of this is to each take turns reading the same book aloud. For families with kids I’d suggest Where the Sidewalk Ends, Beverly Cleary books and maybe even classics like The Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew.

Any other suggestions for books to read as a family? Do you do something similar? Let me know in the comments.

Thanks for reading!

LivSimpl

Carlos, your prize is on the way

Carlos, winner of the wallet thinning contest chose a Moleskine notebook as his prize.

Congrats Carlos. And just a reminder that if anybody else is up for winning a prize, the Simplify Your Workspace by Organizing Your Cables Contest is still on. So if anybody wants to get in on that action, the contest closes in a week.

LivSimpl

Simple things about Fall that make it my favorite season

Here at LivSimpl, it’s all about noticing and enjoying the simple things in life that can bring you happiness, but are often overlooked. That being said, this morning was spectacular: the trees on the mountains are just starting to change color and had a light dusting of snow on them – the perfect way to start the day.

Here are some simple things that I absolutely love about this time of year:

1. 1.Cooler temperatures
   

2. 2.Rain and overcast skies (What can I say? I’m definitely an Oregonian.)
   

3. 3.The crisp, refreshing air
   

4. 4.Leaves changing color (of course)
   

5. 5.Low clouds that semi-hide the mountains, barely allowing them to peek through
   

6. 6.Back to school (I do miss that)
   

7. 7.When you’re lying in bed in the morning and the furnace turns on
   

8. 8.The light smell of smoke from fireplaces
   

9. 9.Swishing my feet through leaves on the way to work
   

10. 10. Puddles to drive through (or stomp in, if wearing appropriate footwear)
    

11. 11. Putting the down comforter on the bed
    

12. 12. Getting to wear my sheepskin slippers
    

Are there any other Fall Fans out there? What simple things about Autumn brighten your mood and make you smile? Leave word in the comments.

LivSimpl

Save the world by consolidating errands

When you think of something you need to go out and do, put it on a to-do list instead of venturing out right away. Wait until you build up a few things on your list and then tackle them all at once.

Perhaps saving the world is a bit of a stretch, but consolidating errands can help simplify life in a number of areas:

1. 1.Saves time. Do your errands in one afternoon instead of spacing them out over numerous afternoons. Think of it as a Band-Aid – get it over with instead of dragging it out.
   

2. 2.Saves money. You’ll spend less on gas and put fewer miles on your car.
   

3. 3.Saves the environment. Less gas used means less pollution.
   

I’ve also found it helps reduce impulse spending. If I think of something I want, but put it on my list of errands to-do rather than buying it right away, by the time I go out that urge has faded enough that I don’t make the purchase.

Thanks for reading!

LivSimpl

Spend less time looking for frequently viewed stuff on the web

A quick tip to consolidate your frequently viewed info on the web: iGoogle

When you go to Google.com, click the “iGoogle” link in the upper right corner. From there, sign in (or create an account) and you’ll be presented with a customizable home page. You can add just about any content you want to keep an eye on: e-mail, weather, news, etc.

Of course, it’s available to you anytime you are on the Internet (which makes it a good for keeping track of to-do’s). It’s a great way to quickly view a lot of information without visiting a bunch of different sites.

Anybody else use iGoogle? What are some of the things you have on your home page? Leave word in the comments.

Thanks for reading!

LivSimpl

Gratitude: a simple principle for a better life

In today’s rushed world it’s rare to hear anyone give a sincere “thank you” to someone else.

I find when I go out of my way to make eye contact, smile and say “thank you” to someone (especially people with mind-numbingly boring jobs like taking orders at McDonalds), their countenance changes a bit and I usually get a smile back. It lifts my spirits and I like to think the person I said it to feels a bit better about their day as well.

It’s nice to know you’re appreciated, even if it’s in a small way. Such simple gestures can do a world of good for others as well as ourselves.

Why, if it’s so easy to do, why don’t we express our gratitude more freely?

I know I don’t I express my gratitude nearly enough to my wife for all she does for my son and me. I have a lot of friends who don’t know how much I truly appreciate them. And I don’t think I’ve thanked my boss for my job since the day I was hired.

Have you had any meaningful experiences expressing or receiving expressions of gratitude? As you read this article, did anyone come to mind that you realized you needed to thank for something? Leave word in the comments.

LivSimpl

For a great read on the subject of gratitude, I enthusiastically refer you to the Zen Habits article on Why Living a Life of Gratitude Can Make You Happy

Make your hot water last a little longer

It’s a simple little trick, but it can help you save money on your hot water bill/do a little something for the environment or let you enjoy your hot shower a little longer.

If you’re like me, when you turn on the shower you use a combination of hot and cold water (assuming you are using a two-knobbed shower).

Eventually, the hot water starts to wane. And here’s the trick: instead of turning up the hot water, turn down the cold water.

The water will feel warmer but you won’t be using any more hot water than you were before.

Of course, the inverse goes for water that’s too hot: instead of turning up the cold, turn down the hot.

You’ll save your hot water, or at least make it last longer without sacrificing any comforts of a nice warm shower.

LivSimpl

How to: spend less time doing laundry

Sort your laundry as you put clothes in the hamper. Nothing fancy, just toss darks on one side and whites on the other. It doesn’t take much effort and when laundry day rolls around things will go much faster if you don’t have to separate your clothes before putting them in the washer.

Of course, this only works for horizontal hampers. Any suggestions for hampers of the vertical variety?

LivSimpl

Get to bed on time by "sleeping" your TV

TV has the power to suck you in. Especially late at night. You’ve been watching TV and the show you tuned in to watch is now over. You’re tired and the idea of getting up and getting ready for bed seems exceptionally difficult and bothersome.

So you start flipping channels.

You’re not looking for a show you like. You’re looking for an excuse to not get up and get into bed. You skip the infomercials (you have your pride) and eventually settle into a “child stars and what they’re doing now” show. A bit of late night nostalgia late never hurt anyone, right?

It’s an easy thing to fall into. Fortunately, it also has an easy solution: sleep timer.

Most TVs nowadays come with a sleep timer that automatically turns off your TV after a specific amount of time. If you’re show is an hour long, set it for an hour and then put the remote on the TV. When it turns off, you’re done.

What do you think? Is this something you’d be willing to try?

LivSimpl

Tie up the loose ends of summer with Fall Cleaning

Fall is fast approaching. As you start to put away summer clothes, it’s the perfect time to do a quick check and see if there’s anything you can get rid of.

I usually don’t throw stuff out because there’s always this nagging voice in the back of my head that says, “But I might need this later.” More often I let that voice convince me because it’s better to be safe than sorry, right?

Wrong. I have t-shirts I haven’t worn in 10 years because I let that voice talk me into keeping them. (Pathetic, I know.)

That’s why Fall Cleaning is so effective: if you haven’t worn/used something all summer it’s much easier to tell that voice in your head to put a sock in it and then donate the item in question.

Give it a try. Donate your used items, free up some storage space and, hey, less laundry to do next summer.

LivSimpl