My Minimalist iPhone Setup: Custom Icons & Essential Apps

[Music] this, is, what, my, iPhone, looked, like, at the, beginning, of, the year, and, this, is, what, it, looks, like, now pretty, cool, right, I, want, to, walk, you through, my, most, minimalist, phone, setup yet, how, I, customize, my, iPhone's, home screen, icons, and, I, also, want, to, share the, essential, apps, I, use, every, day, to, be more, productive, and, stay, on, track, with my, yearly, goals, this, video, is, sponsored by, Squarespace, more, on, them, in,

a, little bit, so, first, things, first, let's, start with, my, phone, I, have, an, iPhone, 13, mini I've, had, it, for, about, 3, years, now, and it's, holding, up, really, well, I, have, no plans, on, upgrading, this, phone, anytime soon, I, don't, use, a, screen, protector, or, a case, and, it's, starting, to, show, there, are lots, of, little, scratches, on, this, thing but, honestly, from, the, right, angle, you can't, even, tell, and, since, it, doesn't impact,

the, functionality, I, really, don't care, I'd, rather, have, a, smaller, sleeker phone, than, having, a, case, that, makes, my phone, larger, than, I, want, it, to, be there's, a, reason, why, I, went, with, the mini, in, the, first, place, we, have, a, lot, to talk, about, today, over, the, years, phones have, gotten, bigger, and, bigger, because well, that's, what, most, people, want, Apple discontinued, the, iPhone, 13, Mini, 2, years after, its, release, because, of, poor, sales

and, very, few, companies, if, any, are interested, in, making, phones, this, small but, I, prefer, it, because, it, encourages, me to, use, my, phone, less, and, it, fits, in, my pocket, better, all, right, so, I'm definitely, behind, the, trend, on, this, one but, I, just, found, out, that, you, can, update the, icons, on, your, iPhone's, home, screen to, be, anything, you, want, you, could, be wildly, colorful, and, vibrant, or, very simple, and, minimalist, basically, to create,

a, minimalist, icon, for, your, home screen, you, need, to, use, Apple's, shortcuts app, using, shortcuts, you, can, create, an additional, icon, that, will, open, up, the app, of, your, choice, so, to, create, a, custom icon, you, first, want, to, start, a, new shortcut, search, nothing, and, add, that command, first, this, will, stop, the shortcut, Banner, from, appearing, whenever you, click, on, a, shortcut, next, search, open app, and, and, then, select, the, app, that, you want, to

open, then, click, this, drop, down, icon click, add, to, home, screen, and, then, this is, where, you, would, add, your, custom, icon you, can, choose, from, one, of, Apple's, or you, can, design, your, own, after, you've created, your, first, shortcut, it, gets, a little, bit, easier, just, open, up, the shortcuts, app, your, last, shortcut, that you, made, will, be, open, go, to, this, drop down, at, the, top, and, click, duplicate, and then, from, there, just, follow,

the, steps that, I, laid, out, previously so, I, found, a, really, great, minimalist icon, pack, online, it, cost, about, $20, which isn't, so, bad, saves, me, time, making, all these, icons, myself, uh, but, there, is, a problem, so, these, are, the, icons, that, I got, they, actually, come, in, black, white and, pastel, which, is, pretty, cool, so, there are, 50, icons, here, they, all, look, really great, I, actually, only, need, probably, 10 of, them, uh, but,

there, were, five icons, that, I, just, couldn't, find, in, this pack, that, I'm, going, to, have, to, customize and, make, myself, those, are, these, ones here, so, I, need, to, make, custom, icons, for my, Hugh, smart, bulb, app, my, air conditioner, app, and, for, some, reason, this pack, did, not, have, apple, podcast, or audible, which, just, seems, crazy, to, me, I was, able, to, find, most, of, the, icons, I needed, for, free, online, which, kind, of,

had me, second, guessing, whether, I, actually needed, to, spend, $20, on, this, pack, or, not I, did, dial, in, some, small, changes, to, make the, icons, more, consistent, with, the, pack that, I, purchased I, also, had, to, scale, up, the, icons, a little, bit, because, they, were, too, small for, my, liking, if, you're, the, kind, of person, that, has, like, four, pages, of, icons on, your, phone, this, is, probably, going, to take, way, too, long, to,

be, worth, the, effort uh, but, if, you're, like, me, and, you've Consolidated, all, of, your, favorite, apps to, just, one, screen, then, it's, really, not that, bad, honestly, this, alone, doesn't drastically, change, my, relationship, with my, phone, it, just, makes, for, a, more pleasant, less, sensory, experience, than what, I, typically, had, before, it's, also, a great, reminder, to, me, that, I'm, in, control of, this, device, and, it's, not, in, control of me, here's, one, shortcut, that,

I, made, that wasn't, just, aesthetic, but, actually, helps me, to, save, seconds, every, day, that's right, seconds, now, but, honestly, sometimes it's, just, really, annoying, to, open, up, an app, wait, for, it, to, load, click, through, to multiple, screens, to, get, to, where, you want, to, go, especially, if, it's, something that, you, do, mult, multiple, times, a, day, so for, me, this, one, relates, to, Parenting, but normally, when, I, turn, on, my, son's, red NightLight, or,

his, green, Morning, Light, to let, him, know, that, it's, time, to, wake, up, I would, have, to, click, on, the, Smart, Life app, then, click, this, button, and, then click, on, the, favorite, light here, now, I, can, just, click, on, one, of these, four, circles, to, cycle, through, the different, combos, of, rain, sounds, and light, colors, that, we've, got, set, up within, the, app, I, moved, it, one, swipe, over because, I'm, terrified, of, accidentally clicking, on,

the, morning, light, when, my son, sleeping, and, waking, him, up, so, last year, when, I, went, from, having, a, big, team to, becoming, a, solo, Creator, again, for, the first, time, in, a, very, long, time, I, had, to get, really, intentional, with, the, tools that, I, use, every, day, each, one, had, to, be useful, enough, to, justify, the, cost powerful, enough, that, it, could, scale, as, I grow, my, audience, and, easy, enough, that, a dumb, dumb,

like, me, could, figure, it, out without, the, help, of, a, team, the, easiest decision, that, I, made, by, far, and, I'm, not just, saying, this, because, they're, the sponsor, of, this, video, was, stick, with Squarespace, I've, been, using, Squarespace for, 7, years, and, it's, by, far, one, of, the easiest, website, builders, that, I've, ever used, it's, effortless, to, get, started whether, you're, using, their, AI, website builder, or, picking, from, one, of, their many, beautiful, templates, it's,

super quick, to, make, changes, drag, drop, and, dial in, your, settings, like, the, perfectionist that, you, are, Squarespace, also, gives, you access, to, some, really, powerful, built-in tools, for, eCommerce, blogging, analytics and, domain, hosting, I, mean, that's, just too, easy, that's, a, phrase, that, they, use here, in, Australia, it, makes, sense, here, go to, squarespace.com, to, get, started, today and, then, go, to, squarespace.com, slmt Della, to, save, 10%, off, your, first purchase, of, a, website, or,

domain, you won't, regret, it, okay, that's, the, end, of the, whole, Squarespace, part, all, right, let me, give, you, a, quick, tour, of, all, the, apps that, made, it, onto, my, home, screen, and just, as, important, the, ones, that, I've deleted, for, good, I, want, to, cover, some, of the, ones, that, help, me, be, more, productive every, day, as, well, as, stay, on, track, with my, year, goals, if, you're, not, familiar, yet for, a, long, time,

you've, been, able, to delete, icons, from, your, home, screen, that you, use, less, frequently, and, you, don't want, cluttering, up, your, phone, so, my, home screen, only, has, my, most, used apps, let's, start, with, the, top, row, we've got, my, clock, and, weather, apps, after, that is, my, service, New, South, Wales, app, I'm not, sure, how, common, this, is, around, the world, but, Service, New, South, Wales, has, a valid, version, of, my, driver's, license, in it,

so, whenever, I, leave, the, house, I, don't need, to, take, my, ID, with, me, I, can, just pull, up, this, app, and, share, it, with, the police, if, I'm, getting, arrested, it's, very convenient, you've, got, my, camera, app, at the, top, right, here, this, is, the, Google home, app, it, has, all, my, security, cameras on, it, after, that, is, the, Hue, app, so, this app, allows, me, to, control, my, hue, light bulbs, in, my, home, and,

in, my, office, so, if I, go, into, the, Hue, app, I've, got, my podcast, studio, lights, here, those, are, for those, three, lights, you, can, see, there this, is, my, air, conditioner, app, it, is, the worst, Air, Conditioning, App, that, I've ever, used, in, my, entire, life, but, it's, the only, one, that, works, with, the, system, that we, have, so, whenever, I, can, I, try, to bundle, similar, apps, together, so, the, next few, are, all, communication,

related, those are, FaceTime, WhatsApp, messenger, and messages, and, then, Spotify, Apple, podcasts and, audible, so, one, of, my, goals, for, the year, is, to, read, more, books, I'm, aiming for, 25, this, year, which, would, be, 20, more than, I, read, last, year, and, the, only, way that, I'm, going, to, be, able, to, do, this, is to, listen, to, audiobooks, and, that's, why I've, placed, audible, in, one, of, the, most easy, to, reach, places, on, my, phone,

the bottom, two, widgets, are, helping, me, track my, big, goals, for, the, year, the, left widget, tells, me, how, many, weeks, have passed, during, the, year, and, the, right widget, is, called, progress, and, it's, a running, tally, of, all, the, YouTube, videos I've, made, this, year, my, goal, is, 40 turning, my, phone's, home, screen, into, a habit, tracker, is, one, of, the, best, uses, I think, I've, ever, found, with, my, phone since, I, open, my, phone,

up, many, times, a day, it's, a, constant, reminder, to, stay, on track, with, my, longterm, ter, goals, and it's, also, been, really, satisfying, to, see this, progress, bar, fill, up, over, time inside, the, progress, app, I'm, tracking, my other, big, goals, for, the, year, like, the books, that, I've, read, and, the, content I've, created, it's, not, the, most, beautiful design, in, the, world, but, I, tested, over, 20 other, apps, and, this, is, the, only, one, that

allows, me, to, show, my, year, at, a, glance from, the, home, screen, and, finally, on, the bottom, dock, I've, got, the, phone, app, as well, as, my, top, three, productivity, apps Google, calendar, notes, and, to-do, notably I, still, use, Apple, notes, as, my, go-to notetaking, app, and, I, still, use, a variation, of, the, par, system, that, I learned, from, Thiago, Forte, and, featured in, a, very, popular, video, I, made, a, few years, ago, I've, simplified, the,

folder structure, a, little, so, it's, not, perah it's p, projects, areas, and, archive, just, to give, you, a, little, bit, of, a, look, inside in, the, project, folder, are, all, my, active projects, this, includes, notes, for, my YouTube, videos, my, podcast, three, rules, my newsletter, my, bonus, YouTube, channel, and my, YouTube, course, I'll, leave, a, link, in the, description, below, if, you, want, to learn, more, about, this, organizational system, for, your, notes, and, files, I, highly

recommend, it, and, you, probably, also notice, that, I'm, still, using, Todo, it's, my favorite, to-do, app, that, I've, ever, used, I love, it, because, it's, easy, to, push, items from, one, day, to, the, next, and, it, isn't stuffed, with, a, bunch, of, useless, features I'll, leave, my, affiliate, Link, in, the description, below, if, you, want, to, try, it out, for, yourself, swiping, over, and, you'll see, all, my, NightLight, shortcuts, at, the top, that, we, already, talked,

about, and, and this, large, widget, at, the, bottom, is, the strong, app, it's, an, amazing, app, that stores, all, of, my, weightlifting, programs historical, lifting, data, and, helps, me keep, track, of, how, many, times, I, lift, each week, right, on, my, home, screen, this, has been, hugely, helpful, in, keeping, me committed, to, going, to, the, gym, 3, days, a week, I, don't, think, my, phone, or, the, apps that, I, used, have, changed, a, whole, lot since,

I, last, walked, you, through, this, a couple, years, ago, and, I, think, that's, one of, the, reasons, why, I, wanted, to, share this, with, you, I, think, so, often, we, get wrapped, up, with, trying, to, find, the latest, and, greatest, app, and, the, thing that's, going, to, improve, our, productivity but, when, it, comes, down, to, it, a, lot, of times, Google, Maps, Apple, notes, and, your basic, to-do, app, works, just, fine, and, if it's, not, broken,

don't, fix, it, it, actually reminds, me, of, this, popular, meme, that went, viral, a, couple, years, ago, I, think, in the, end, it's, fun, to, explore, with, these fancy, new, apps, but, a, lot, of, times, you can, do, everything, you, need, to, do, with, a much, simpler, productivity, setup, the, apps that, you, might, have, noticed, that, aren't currently, on, my, phone, are, Instagram, Tik Tok, email, and, Reddit, just, to, name, a, few I, Do, download, Instagram,

or, email, from time, to, time, for, work, but, 90%, of, the time, I, don't, have, them, installed, on, my phone, but, I'm, not, perfect, so, I'll, share my, guilty, pleasure, with, you, I, do, have Prime, video, installed, on, my, phone, where I, watch, the, office, before, bed, pretty much, every, single, night, I, honestly, have a, really, hard, time, getting, to, sleep these, days, if, I'm, not, watching, an episode, it's, a, terrible, habit, I, know, but you,

know, I'm, just, trying, to, survive