Keeping Life Simple: 7 Guiding Principles, 500 Tips & Ideas

by Karen Levine

Faced with jam-packed schedules and multiple responsibilities, stress seems to be the watchword for life today. How do people who feel they are doing more/earning more/getting more but enjoying it all less manage to turn things around and focus on building more satisfying lives? How do they sort through all the “stuff” and find the meaning that they long for? How can they simplify and enhance their lives?

Keeping Life Simple is a little book chock-full of simple, practical answers, each of which can be digested in a minute or less. Author Karen Levine offers 380 tips for ways to reduce the clutter, focus on what really matters, and enhance life’s everyday moments, which, after all, make up most of life. Her no-nonsense solutions are offered in a reassuring and motivating tone, from one who has clearly been there herself. As simple as they sound, these are the encouraging words of support that everyone craves to hear — permission to pare down, simplify, and enjoy life more.

This little book, easily kept on a bedside table, in the car, or dropped in a purse, will be a welcome companion for anyone faced with the challenge of living today.

Genres: Nonfiction, Self Help, Inspirational

154 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1996

About the author

Karen Levine is a prizewinning producer with CBC Radio. She worked for many years on CBC programs including As It Happens, The Sunday Edition and This Morning as producer of the “First Person Singular” series. Karen has won awards for her radio work, including two Peabody Awards(the Oscars of radio). Levine originally produced Hana’s Suitcase as a radio documentary and later made it into a book. Though she travels widely (most recently to Australia and Japan) to talk about the book, she makes her home in Toronto with her partner and her son.

Reviews

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

some interesting points in this book and some useful tips.

[Candace H-H · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute little book, lots of tips about enjoying life more and simplifying your routines. It would be nice if they had an updated version as some tips are not relevant anymore, like talking about landline phones.

[Megan Jensen Cleveland · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book number 1 of readathon done! I'm giving this book 4 stars because it offered a LOT of great, practical advice and tips to simplify your life in the long run. Taking away 1 star because a lot of the content didn't apply to me, as a lot of the book was geared towards families with kids. The book is also a bit outdated - it was published in 1996, so some of the tips aren't applicable today, things like keeping address books. This is a book I will definitely return to when I need the specific, practical tidbits of advice it offers.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I randomly found this at Goodwill a few months ago and thought it looked like a short book that might have some good tips. It did have some good ideas to make things more efficient in your home - but probably half of the tips were outdated, since she wrote this in the 90's. I always like re-considering how I'm doing things, and trying to find better/simpler ways to proceed though.

[Vicki · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting book of ideas. More something to pick up and read a few pages at a time than something to sit down and read cover to cover as it is filled with tips and quotes.

My favorite quote from the book: "Knitting really is a simple pleasure...a sort of mantra for your fingers with a wonderful gift at the end!" (page 52)

[Sandie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Over twenty years old, good values but not realistic for modern day living especially while working and providing elder care for over a decade. Some of it was comical, life can be very simple when someone else is responsible for paying your way.

[Melissa Riley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute, short, and sweet. Also dated (beepers and "Have you heard of the on line?") But there's good advice at its core and I'd say about 50-100 actually helpful tips worth the read.

[Angelic Lovestrong · Rating 3 out of 5]

Many great ideas. A bit dated, but still mostly applicable. Worth reading and passing on!

[W Keith · Rating 3 out of 5]

had some good tips i will use.

[José · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cosy little book, like having a chat with an aunt.

[Pamela Ellis · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5

[Regan Standlick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Defitnitly found some of the tips helpful and would love to read more books on these types of topics but the book was also written in the 90’s so some of the tips felt outdated

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I gave this book a quick read (knocked it out in a couple days, which is good considering I have little time on my hands these days). I'm a big believer in being neutral, or seeing both sides of an argument, and while Levine tried to address what would make people in general feel relaxed and simpler with their lives, I felt some of her advice became very self-affiliated getting towards the ends. Plus, after the chapter on Managing Money I found myself fading in interest, considering it didn't seem to make life simpler at all. It resembled a big mess.
Nonetheless, a lot of the advice she gave early on was very good, such as suggesting a nice walk (not speed-walking!) when you have spare time in your busy schedule. Overall I got this book for $5 and will keep it for the advice, but won't give it too many reads.

[Kathleen Duffy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a Christmas gift. I likely wouldn't have picked it up on my own. It's a very simple but sweet 146-page book. The outdated references (pay phones! walkman! $7 movie tickets! phone book! wallpaper! keep a photo in your wallet!) crack me up. It is, indeed, a book about living simple BEFORE the rise of the internet and cell phones. This makes the advice rather traditional.

There's many comments about children -- all of which I skimmed over because I have no children. But many of the points about decluttering, creating to do lists, and managing time were all nice reminders. All around, a nice, quick, average flashback to 1996. I plan on passing this along to my mom. She'll enjoy it.

[Blue Weasel · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is not a read front-to-back book. The first 21 of 146 pages can be considered as such. The rest are just short quips suggesting how to change life. Basic principles, nothing profound or earth shattering. If you have the space or inclination to keep the book, great. Maybe pick it up now and again, grazing different points. I didn't hate it, but I'm not keeping it.

[Sonja]

picked this up today at the new Barnes and Noble.
Looking to make things simpler!

[Sharon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nicely done list with decent, but not compelling, rationale. I read this in preparation for a Relief Society lesson that centers on "Walden", Thoreau's simple lifestyle.

[Danika Saenz]

WOW SUPER!!!

[Carolyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good, but somewhat out of date.

[Janet Lyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

The principles were good but the tips were nothing new for me. A nice read nonetheless for nonfiction junkies.

[Natalie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Don't read this cover to cover. Treat it like a buffet. Skip around and find something that can make a change in your life and your home right away.

[Ciocido23 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very good common sense book for simplifying your life. More for younger people or for people who really need it, as I knew many of the things suggested already.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tips on how to simplify

[Suzanne Skelly · Rating 2 out of 5]

Enjoyable quick read full of tips and ideas to keep life simple. Picked up a few concrete ideas.

[Phylwil · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mediocre--lots of tips like putting tea bags on your eyes or prepacking children's lunches. Could be useful for someone just starting out as mother/homeowner, who has no one to suggest anything about "life hacks."