The Quiet Power of Simplifying Anything: A Shift from Pressure to Presence

By Helena Zachariassen.

Let’s start with this: Life doesn’t have to be so complicated.

I know that sounds obvious. But if you’re anything like me, or if you’ve had enough conversations lately with thoughtful, quietly exhausted humans, you may have internalised a quiet belief that complexity equals value. That something is only worth doing if it takes effort. That if you’re not overwhelmed, you’re somehow doing it wrong. But here’s what I’ve learned through reflection, experience, and a deep curiosity about how we live:

Simplicity is not laziness. It’s clarity in motion.

It’s the radical act of choosing ease. Not as an escape, but as a strategy.
And the best part? You can apply this to anything. Really.

Start where the friction is

When we talk about simplifying, most people assume it means cutting back, cleaning out, or doing less. But it’s not always about subtraction. Sometimes, it’s about changing the shape of things. Making a better fit.

Simplicity starts where the friction lives. It’s not about overhauling your entire life overnight (though you’re welcome to try —I’ve been there, too). It’s about noticing the part of your day, your system, or your thinking that feels unnecessarily heavy.

That could be:

• A workflow that’s held together by duct tape and goodwill.
• A financial setup you keep avoiding because it feels like a foreign language.
• A relationship dynamic that’s long past its expiration date.
• The ten-minute gap between one obligation and the next that never quite lets you breathe.
• Where there’s friction, there’s often room for something gentler.

Simplify ≠ Minimise

Let’s be clear: simplifying your life isn’t about shrinking it. It’s not about bland walls, beige ambition, or bulletproof routines that leave no room for breath. 
This isn’t about minimising. It’s about liberating.

Because somewhere along the way, we were taught that the path to success is paved with exhaustion.

That the question is always, “What more do I need to do?”

• To be good enough.
• To be seen.
• To finally feel like we’ve made it.

But real simplicity asks a different question:

• “What if I’ve done enough?”
• “What if there’s another way—one with fewer hoops and more wholeness?”

To me, simplicity is not about doing less for the sake of it. It’s about doing what matters, with clarity, integrity, and unapologetic joy.

It’s the quiet rebellion of choosing depth over speed, alignment over appearance, and presence over performance. And once you start living that way, your work flows differently, your days soften,and even something as ordinary as packing a bag or folding laundry becomes a kind of homecoming.

Because this isn’t about having less.
It’s about finally letting go of everything that was never really you.

A few places simplicity likes to hide

Here’s what I’ve found: the parts of life most ready for simplification are often the ones we’ve unknowingly made harder than they need to be.

1. Money (It doesn’t have to be so complex)
   You don’t need five budgeting apps and colour-coded spreadsheets. You need a system that makes sense to you. One friend recently replaced her entire financial setup with one savings rule, three categories, and a weekly money date with herself. Her words: “I didn’t even know peace was an option here.”
2. Work (you don’t have to be everywhere)
   Simplifying doesn’t mean shrinking your ambition. It means focusing your energy where it actually matters. A colleague told me she cut half the tools she was using, redefined her priorities, and suddenly had time to breathe again. She didn’t do less. She just stopped doing what no longer fit.
3. Schedules (busyness is not a personality trait)
   This one hits close to home. I used to pack every day like a suitcase that never quite zipped. Now, I intentionally leave white space. Space to transition. To rest. To think. To recover from being human. You don’t need to cancel everything, just ask, “Does this need to happen like this?” and “Do I have to be the one doing it?”
4. Thought Patterns (because sometimes it’s your inner critic that needs simplifying)
   There’s a special kind of clutter that lives in our minds: second-guessing, overthinking, imaginary conversations we’ll never actually have. Simplifying your inner world often starts with letting go of one thought. Maybe:
   “I have to do it all myself.”
   “I’m behind.”
   “If I rest, I’ll lose momentum.”
   Try replacing it with something kinder. Simpler. More honest.

So... how do you simplify anything?

Here’s what’s helped me, and others I admire:

• Pause before you solve - don’t jump straight to fixing. First, name what feels heavy or unnecessarily complex. “This feels too much” is a perfectly good place to begin.
• Ask better questions - Instead of “How can I do it all?” try:
  “What would make this easier?”
  “Is this still working for me?”
  “What’s the simplest version of this that still feels good?”
• Redesign, don’t just reduce—simplifying isn’t always about taking something away; it’s about reshaping. How can you rework this system, expectation, or routine to suit the season you’re in now?

Be willing to let go - of tools. Of timelines. Of old rules. Of old beliefs. Letting go is often the gateway to something better. Not less.

Final thoughts:

You don’t need to simplify everything. Just one thing.

There’s nothing wrong with a full, vibrant, multi-layered life. But if it starts to feel heavy, out of sync, or just not quite right, that’s your sign.

You don’t need to burn it all down. You don’t need a 30-day programme. You just need one simple shift.

Maybe today it’s how you handle your emails. Tomorrow, how you manage your mornings.

Next week, how you think about your worth.

Simplicity doesn’t always look dramatic. But it feels like freedom.

And once you get a taste of it, it’s hard to go back.

Helena Zachariassen is a mum of two, an expert in simplifying and home organising, and a lover of all things beautiful in life. A certified KonMari Consultant and Lifestyle Coach, she is the founder of Switzerland’s first KonMari and Lifestyle Coaching Consultancy - My Happy Home. She is passionate about empowering and inspiring people of any walk of life by organising their living spaces according to the KonMari Method by simply choosing joy.

Having her roots in Finland, the Nordic country of pure, quiet, and beautiful wilderness, and being deeply inspired by nature, beauty and simplicity, Helena lovingly encourages and supports her clients in transforming their homes into havens of serenity.