I’m just writing to get back into the habit of writing here twice a week. I picked up the book Get Your Act Together by Pam Young and Peggy Jones (from Sidetracked Home Executives) because it’s Sunday, and I’m resting, and I wanted motivation to continue decluttering and assigning homes to everything in my house, and they’re funny, and they make me laugh…
I opened to Chapter 3: “Why You’ll Never Meet A Disorganized Amish.” They made some good points about why an Amish mom wouldn’t have to fly through the house yelling at everyone to get ready for company the next day. There wouldn’t be anything to pick up, because they don’t collect stuff in the first place! And she wouldn’t have to shriek at her teenager to “Turn down that music and get off the phone!” because there wouldn’t be a stereo and there wouldn’t be a phone. There would be no fights over the TV clicker either. Nobody would have to put the cover back on the VCR or round up the tapes and match them to their jackets. (So what if this book is dated. I like the way these ladies think.) There would be no need to work at the nail polish stain on the carpet… So true.
This brought back a memory of me scrolling YouTube into the wee hours of the morning, some time ago, and taking notes on my phone about things Amish people did to simplify life. I looked through my Notes app and found one called “12 Amish hacks”. It was created August 12, 2025 at 1:10 AM. (Sounds like something I’d do.)
What can we glean from my notes?
Inventory
Write what we use daily
What do we never use?
This could be time consuming, but the information could be useful.
One item for one purpose no Duplicates
Bobby would never go for this.
Simplicity over style
How much is decoration only? To impress?
I’d be happy with less on our walls.
Not to serve
Rotate
Rotate what?
Build don’t buy
Could you buy the building materials? This is making me feel lazy. I think of how I can just touch my phone screen and boxes will arrive on my porch. If we had to build everything, we would have much less stuff around here.
Fixing instead of tossing
I fixed my clogged up sink the other day. It took me a couple of hours and some aggressive plunging, but tossing it was not an option.
Respect for what you own
This is admirable.
Empty spaces sacred
They calm the eyes and rest the mind
Totally agree.
Usefulness is beauty
What is beautiful in your home?
If it doesn’t serve, then it doesn’t shine
An idea to ponder…
Quiet over noise
Visual silence
The habit of letting go
Don’t call it loss call it release
Shared over owned
Living with enough
These aren’t really hacks. These are values. 
10 Amish secrets to keep your home, always organized
- Keep only what’s necessary Oh my, I have so many things that are not necessary.
- A place for everything and everything in its place (looks tidy, don’t waste time searching, set rules for your items, return them to their places after use) I’m working on it.
- Functional furniture over fancy furniture (every piece of furniture has a job, a chair is for sitting…) I don’t think I own fancy furniture.
- daily routines (morning, afternoon, evening, not delaying, not I’ll do it later, do it immediately, become second nature, doesn’t feel like work) I delay many things, especially working out.
- Handmade storage solutions (give everything a proper home)
- Seasonal living (living spaces open and uncluttered, rotating, respecting the seasons, stored neatly and labeled, only keep what you’re currently using in sight) This is a practice I do with clothing and decor, and may be able to do with other possessions.
- Community sharing reduces excess (create connection, reduces waste, keeps home lighter) I don’t think I do this.
- Repair instead of replace (fix immediately, it’s discipline, respect for object) I usually repair eventually, not immediately, but trying to get better about this.
- Clean as you go (later creates clutter, later steals peace) 👍
- Simplicity creates peace (don’t chase trends, live with less, every extra object is another decision another demand, keep only what matters, don’t waste time, chasing perfection, create order) Good advice.
I’ve been taking lots of steps towards simplicity. Some of them are letting go of physical possessions. I am also really trying to do things right away instead of putting them off until later. Though I’m still struggling with procrastination in working out, I’ve been doing a lot of household tasks immediately… like making the phone call, writing the note, putting things away. Now, I need to stop procrastinating going to bed.
Unruffled Peace 