It took me four decades to learn that the key to a tidy home is simplicity. When I set myself up for success with things that make life easier, my days feel better. No convoluted storage fixes. No radically inventive organizational systems. My home stays neat when I arrange it to complement how I live. A bowl placed where I naturally leave my keys (because I’ll drop them there regardless). A hook where I always toss my coat. An oversized basket where I kick off my shoes. By selecting smart objects that honor my truth, everything just flows.
But there’s more to this idea. Finding ease in life isn’t about taking the easy route. It’s about looking at the time we spend doing what we must do versus what we want to do, freeing up room for the latter.
Featured image by Michelle Nash.
13 Simple Things That Make Life Easier
This epiphany may be an obvious statement, but I’ve found it to be one of my greatest challenges. That is until I realized that some small things that make life easier can make all the difference. This includes embracing things and habits that work with me, not against me. A flattering and simple wardrobe. A pan that cooks every meal to perfection. A bag that carries it all.
Each of these items does just that: They bend and twist, albeit metaphorically, to make my task, decision, or day go swifter, allowing more time for the things I want to do. Like stress less and embrace every moment of my day a little more. In other words, the stepping stones to a joyful life.
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Products That Make Life Easier in the Kitchen
A Produce Subscription that Puts Grocery Shopping on Autopilot
Approximately 30 percent of all food produced in the United States goes to waste. This is sobering, especially considering that about 10 percent of our nation’s population faces food insecurity. These facts were why I jumped on Imperfect Foods, one of the smart grocery delivery systems that offer a solution to food waste. This is one of my favorite things that make life easier (because it makes my life easier), but it also helps me do a small bit of good for the world.
Imperfect Foods Weekly Delivery
Imperfect Foods corrals “ugly” or rejected foods, as well as excess inventory from markets, all of which are viable, fresh, and (mostly) organic. You shop the site and get a box delivered to your door weekly. I don’t remember the last time I went to the grocery store.
A Universal Kitchen Pan that Makes Cooking So Much easier
My kitchen arsenal has gone from about 10 cooking vessels to two—all thanks to this hero pan. I cook everything in this kitchen staple, from pasta to chili to turkey burgers to rice.
Beautiful, a breeze to clean, and a joy to use, this pan has been dominating the internet for a reason. Its cult-favorite status is thanks to a stunning design and lives-up-to-the-hype function.
Honey for Elevating kitchen and Beauty Tasks
Honey is nature’s antibacterial and antimicrobial brilliant salve. I keep a fresh jar at home for absolutely everything: baking, salad dressings, marinades, a throat soother.
Beekeeper’s Naturals Wildflower Honey
Rounding out the list of honey’s multi-purpose uses above is perhaps the most surprising. This jar in particular makes for one of the most brightening, clarifying face masks—ever.
Pre-Cut Cookie Dough To Treat The Host That Has Everything
The question of Do I bring another bottle of wine? never runs through my head before going to a dinner party now. I bring a package or two of these insanely delicious cookies—and they’re a hit every single time.
Sweet Loren’s Oatmeal Cranberry Cookie Dough
The ingredients are clean. You can eat the dough raw. And they’re gluten-free. I have yet to meet a person who doesn’t go crazy over these. (Pro tip: Buy them in bulk so you always have a pack at-the-ready for impromptu thank-yous.)
A Kitchen Knife to Make Chopping a Breeze
I get intimidated by kitchen knives, but I know how essential a good blade is. This one is meets you where you are. No giant, heavy handles or odds curves.
With its low-profile, light handle and medium-sized blade, it is light and easy to handle—even for the most novice of home chefs.
Products That Simplify Your Closet
A Steamer So You can Say Bye to an Iron
I whip out my tiny-but-mighty steamer daily to freshen up cashmere, relax cotton t-shirts, and perfect pretty much anything before I put it on. Steaming anything takes less than a minute. At this point, it’s replaced my need for an iron.
No more last-minute darts out the door only to discover your shirt (pants, skirt, dress, etc.) is a wrinkly mess. Keep things clean and streamlined with this simple steamer.
Chameleon Clothing Items that Work for (Pretty Much) Every occasion
Steve Jobs got it. The genius behind Apple wore the same thing every day purely to eradicate having to make another decision. I’ve found that homing in a handful of well-made, multipurpose, season-less items makes my days less stressful. Take these pants.
Lan Jaenicke Cashmere Unisex Pants
These pants are a (very!) hefty investment. But they’ve replaced my need for at least 10 items in my closet. I wear these everywhere—from dinner to road trips to long walks—year-round.
A Do-It-All-Handbag that Keeps Everything in Its Place
At the top of my list of things that make life easier? A convenient catch-all. Your daily handbag is a direct extension of you, which is why it must feel good and really serve. I was always rummaging through mine. Keys and phones and lip glosses went missing. No more.
I ensure the bag I wear feels good and fits my essentials. Finding one that does all this makes every encounter at the store and every reach for lip gloss a mini pleasure. (This bag gets extra points because it switches to a fanny pack for traveling and a clutch for dinner.)
A Really Good Bodysuit That Makes You Feel Sexy—All The Damn Time
My love for Rose Byrne’s character in Physical is based on her sartorial choices. Those bodysuits! Worn with skirts, leggings, jeans, shorts. They never fail to complete an outfit to perfection.
Negative Underwear Silky Bodysuit
I love this under a blazer. For lazy afternoons in front of the TV. To complement a low-V cardigan. And just alone as PJs.
Products That Streamline Your Morning Routine
Simplified Skincare to Get a Glow in Minutes
Long gone are the days when I applied six skin care products a night. Here to stay is my desire for a few essentials that keep my skin in great shape. I want a routine that offers simplicity—a cleanser, vitamin C, and moisturizer—yet still packs a punch in terms of hydration and nutrients. Nights and mornings are so much easier.
Gone are the days of multi-step (I’m talking 12+) skincare routines—minimalist skincare is here to stay.
Stainless Steel Containers that Reduce Plastic Waste
A durable travel container is a fixture in my life. From toting work lunches to transporting travel snacks to keeping leftovers fresh, I reach for this container most days. And sustainable stainless steel means no harmful plastic to leak toxins into foods.
Package Free Shop Stainless Steel Containers
You pack your lunch and/or breakfast every day—why not make it stylish? I love that these containers not only help me reduce my single-use consumption, but they infuse every on-the-go meal with a little delight.
A Universal Oil for Cuts, Scrapes, Cleansing, and More
While camping in Montana recently, I reached for two things consistently: my headlamp and clean multi-purpose oil. The latter is a godsend for cleansing skin and cuts, soothing bug bites, moisturizing, and quenching chapped summer lips.
When I’m not camping, I use this oil for cuticles, as a hair smoother, on sunburns, and millions of other things.
A Guide for Increasing Joy and happiness
Americans have a proclivity to want happiness. But do we know where to find it? I’ve found the key is to lean into more joy, which I’ve learned from Ingrid Fetell Lee.
By infusing our days with more joy, we build more happiness in our lives. This book continues to singlehandedly brighten my sun, which in turn makes everything else in life flow.
A Smart Speaker that Uplifts Your days
Of all the virtual assistant technology so eerily available these days, the Google Nest gets my vote. It’s tiny and it does it all, from playing music to answering the most random questions.
If you haven’t jumped on the virtual assistant bandwagon yet (and are still hesitant to do so), I recommend starting here. Truly—I was shocked by all the many ways it makes my life easier.
