52 Ways to Simplify

The Distil philosophy of "less is more" stems from the notion that creating space for the people and experiences—rather than for more things—can lead to a more fulfilled life. It's a grand idea, no doubt! But it's actually backed by science: 

"Extra stuff isn't just messy. It could be holding you back from living your best life. Some research suggests that de-cluttering can have as much of an effect on your well-being as it does on your physical space." –Mayo Clinic

The phrase "less is more" tends to be attributed to architect Mies van der Rohe; indeed, his stunningly straight-forward buildings are icons of the modernist movement. Our take on less-is-more minimalism challenges that fleeting fulfillment we get from objects that leads to accumulation and clutter.

Instead, we embrace the benefits of simplifying, editing and practicing restraint—which in turn creates opportunities for the truly important things. It's why we encourage you to #SimplifySmileRepeat, as this type of mindset has a cumulative effect: Less stuff in your life = More space for life. And ultimately, less desire for more stuff. 

If you feel like you've got too much stuff in your space or feel distracted or overwhelmed in general, have hope! We’ve got some great tips to reduce unnecessary noise, crush soul-crushing clutter, and skip frivolous time-sucks altogether. From menu planning and meditating to compression socks and something called knolling—this series is where we'll dig into the myriad ways we've found (so far) to streamline and simplify. 

Another iconic minimalist designer, Dieter Rams, taught us the maxim "Less, but Better" which drives many of the shopping suggestions we'll make in this series. And actually, it's where the Distil in Distil Union comes from—getting to the essence of a problem and solving it with design that's simply useful, attractive, and considered: 

"Good design is as little design as possible. Less, but better—because it concentrates on the essential aspects, and the products are not burdened with non-essentials. Back to purity, back to simplicity." —Dieter Rams' 10 Principles for Good Design

How can you live that less-but-better lifestyle?

Honestly, it takes discipline in a world where we're constantly tempted to try the latest and greatest. It can be difficult (by design) to resist the urge to acquire. Not only that, but our old habits die hard. 

That's where our belief that #GoodDesignIsGoodForYou comes in. Because yes, it's true, as a product-design company we make stuff—however, the goal of Distil gear is to solve a problem and fit seamlessly into your life so you find yourself spending less time fussing, finding, tidying, and organizing. Ideally your behavior will change without even trying—like, if your slim wallet only carries so many cards, you've got some built-in discipline not to accumulate like you used to. It's declutter by design.

So follow along with our 52 Ways to Simplify series as we share our best tips, tricks and hacks for every area of your life. The resources we share are not sponsored; any affiliate links will be identified as such, and any referral earnings will be put toward our annual 1% for the Planet donations.