Ahh September! That special time of moving from season to season, getting back to school or back to routines and healthier habits or simply, back to basics. Instead of a traditional article today, I’m sharing some fun life hacks and updates that don’t always fit with what I’m writing. Instead of trying to squeeze them into another article, I thought I’d put them all together here.
Many of these life hacks and updates are things I’d text a friend or call my sister about. We all like to make our friend’s lives better so I hope a few of these resonate with you and help make things a little happier, easier or gentler in your life.
1. I switched to Libro.fm.
I recently started to listen to audiobooks with Libro.fm instead of Audible for a few reasons. For starters, you get a couple of free audiobooks when you sign up with Libro.fm. Next, you can choose a local bookstore to support with each order. And, my friend Tammy just told me (and it’s true) that Libro.fm allows you to download your books, unlike Audible where you have to listen to them on the platform. I call this life hack a win/win/win.
2. I can finally share more about Monthly Ritual Days.
Even though I have not been able to share the link (because the article is likely behind a paywall), I found a new article about the Monthly Ritual Days that I think is really intriguing and could be a helpful life hack. Writer, Mark Travers guides you through all three days but here’s a quick recap.
The first day is called Get Your Ducks in a Row and Travers says, “This day is all about taking charge and staying ahead of those essential yet easily neglected tasks that keep life running smoothly.” He suggests including tasks like paying bills, scheduling finances and decluttering. The next day is called Idle Hands Day where you “Give yourself permission to rest, reflect, and simply be, without feeling guilty about it. It’s a chance to hit pause and step away from the relentless pace of daily life.”
The third one is called Monthly Recap of The Mind Day. “Take this day to take a step back to reflect on the past month, celebrate your progress, and plan with intention. It’s your dedicated time to pause, acknowledge your achievements, and set a clear path for the future.” I love the idea of these little reset days. I’ll let you know more about my experience in a few months, but you can learn more about all three days, right here.
3. Decluttering doesn’t have to be so hard.
If decluttering is part of your September reset or refresh, I made you this chill declutter playlist to help you let go with more ease. Music is a great life hack because it often prevents me from overthinking which is helpful when it comes to decluttering. Fun decluttering challenges can also help you make progress. If you are curious, ?try this one and let go of 100 things in less than an hour?. Usually I like to stick with a slow and steady approach but an occasional decluttering burst will allow you to start noticing more space and if you appreciate it, you’ll have more motivation for your next declutter.
4. I’m wondering about blog comments.
Years ago, I closed comments on Be More with Less because frankly, it was taking too much time to moderate. Weeding out junk comments was more time consuming than enjoying the genuine comments, questions and feedback. This was also when more connecting was happening on social media. Now that it’s turned into an infinite scrolling game, I’m not noticing the genuine connections that used to happen on social media as much. I’m wondering if it’s time to turn comments on again here. I’d love to know what you think. Let me know with this one question survey.
5. Join me and dress with less.
Speaking of challenges, a new season of the Project 333 Challenge starts on October 1! This will be my 14th year of dressing with 33 items or less every 3 months, all in the name of reducing stress in my life. If you want to join in on the next round, choose 33 items including clothes, shoes, jewelry and accessories (not including underwear, sleepwear or workout clothes) and hide everything else for 3 months. Quick life hack to make this challenge so much easier … don’t try to work out what happens after your first 3 months. Instead, see what you learn and what changes during your challenge and capsule wardrobe experiment. ?Learn more about the tiny wardrobes and Project 333 here?. See my fall wardrobe list and video ?here?.
6. When you disconnect, you can better connect.
I did another wifi-free hike this weekend. I didn’t even use my camera. It was all part of my break from screens Friday night through Sunday morning and I can’t wait to do it again. I’m so much more present and excited about being online when I prioritize consistent digital breaks. And of course, I’m much more present in my relationships and aware of my surroundings without the pings and dings of digital distractions.
My life hack for spending time offline is to plan things that are better than checking your phone. I’m really not good at moderation so none is better than some. Just turn it off. I’m grateful for the internet, and for the tools available that allow us to connect like this or through Instagram, Facebook or email and I know how valuable our time is. We need quiet time, free time, and screen-free time to protect this precious resource. You know, so we have time for the precious things.
7. I’ve been reading really good books.
I’ve been reading the best books lately. I use the free ?Story Graph app? to track my reading and wanted to share what I’ve been reading lately. I’d love to hear what you are reading too! I pulled some descriptions from Story Graph to tell you more about the books. Keeping my books in Story Graph is a nice little life hack so you can remember what you read, when you read it and what the book was about.
The Ministry of Time: A novel about Commander Graham Gore (R.N. c.1809-c.1847) and a woman known only as the bridge. As their relationship turns from the strictly professional into something more and uneasy truths begin to emerge, they are forced to face the reality of the project that brought them together. This is not a book I would read by cover or description but I am so grateful I did. This story will stay with me.
Seeking Wisdom: Author Julia Cameron changed the way the world thinks about creativity when she first published The Artist’s Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity thirty years ago. Over five million copies later, Cameron now turns her attention to creative prayer, which she believes is a key facet of the creative life. In Seeking Wisdom, a 6 Week Artist’s Way Program, readers, too, will learn to pray. Additionally, Cameron introduces a fourth tool, Writing Out Guidance. She believes this powerful practice will greatly aid aspiring artists. This is the book I’m using to guide me through my current Artist Way adventure.
How to End a Love Story: Helen Zhang hasn’t seen Grant Shepard once in the thirteen years since the car wreck that killed her sister tied their lives together forever. When secrets come to light, they must reckon with the fact that theirs was never meant to be any kind of love story. And yet… the key to making peace with their past—and themselves—might just lie in holding on to each other in the present.
The Music of Bees: Beautifully moving, warm, and uplifting, The Music of Bees is about the power of friendship, compassion in the face of loss, and finding the courage to start over (at any age) when things don’t turn out the way you expect. My daughter’s boyfriend gave me this book for my birthday and reading it was the best gift.
The God of The Woods: Liz Moore’s most ambitious and wide-reaching novel yet, The God of the Woods is a story of love, inheritance, identity, and second chances, a thrillingly layered drama about the tensions between a family and a community, and a history of secrets that will not let any of them go. This book kept me guessing until the very end.
I hope you enjoyed these life hacks and updates. I’m really grateful for your time and interest. If you loved it, share with a friend!
xo,
Courtney