Have you noticed that since having kids, the items you own have doubled? Maybe even tripled?
Me too!
I feel like kids come with their own insane amount of stuff. So if you are looking to stop the stuff from taking over your home, you may have thought about becoming a minimalist.
But how can you do that with kids? And is it really possible to be a minimalist mom?
I am breaking down my steps for how you can start the process of becoming a minimalist mom!
What Is A Minimalist?
There are many definitions of minimalism out there. For the purpose of this blog post, I am going with the definition of “living with less”.
There are some ideas of minimalism where you living in a small space, with minimal items. And you can easily get there with these steps if you want.
But if you are new to living with less stuff, then start slow. Don’t throw everything away! Remember that slow and steady win the race.
So take your time living with less. See how it feels when you are removing items from your closet or kitchen. Find an amount of things that you feel confident you can still live with and not have to buy new items. That is not the point of minimalism. That’s just being wasteful!
Fun story…I had a client who thought she was being a minimalist. She would buy something, like a small kitchen gadget to use for a recipe. Then she would donate it. When she needed it again, she would buy another one. Because she thought that was being a minimalist.
When we spent time creating an organizing plan for her kitchen, she realized she didn’t need that kitchen gadget because a knife would work. Which is the point of becoming a minimalist. Using what you have instead of buying things to accumulate in your home.
She was so relieved to hear that what she referred to as minimalism wasn’t actually minimalism at all.
Where To Start?
If you are ready to start living with less and becoming a minimalist mom, start by getting clear on a plan. Use my free guide to help.
Get Clear On Your Plan
What plan should you get clear on?
You need to define and get clear on what you actually want out of this minimalist experience.
Are you looking to live with less so you spend less time cleaning? Are you noticing your are spending too much money, and want to lesson the financial burden of clutter? Is it time to downsize, so minimalism sounds better?
Whatever you want out of your minimalist experience is what you need to get clear on before you move forward. Otherwise nothing you do will last because you aren’t clear on your plan.
I want everything in my house to feel like it has a purpose. So I only keep things that I find useful, beautiful, or sentimental. Then I display the sentimental and beautiful items. And create order for the useful items.
Get clear on what you want your house to feel like, then you can start the next process of becoming a minimalist mom!
Now What?
You can either start decluttering room-by-room or by category. I have found that most people find room-by-room the easiest when you are starting on the minimalist journey.
The reason why is because you are less likely to get distracted or overwhelmed. Seeing a giant pile of stuff can cause you to want to scroll social media. And collecting things from every room can distract you from focusing on one category at a time.
So I suggest room-by-room when starting. And I suggest the bedroom as the very first room.
You can read more ways to organize your bedroom below:
Effective Ways For Minimalist Living In A Master Bedroom
20 Ways Of Organizing Clothing In Closets
A Step-By-Step Guide To Creating A Minimalist Closet
Declutter The Easy Way
After you have picked your room, it is time to declutter your stuff.
When I say “declutter”, I mean remove things that do not serve a purpose. Sometimes you declutter things by moving them to another room. Other times you declutter by donating or selling.
So on your minimalist journey, you are going to start removing things that do not serve a purpose for that room.
Use the questions I share in my free plan to help.
And create a declutter caddy to help you stay focused.
A declutter caddy is similar to a cleaning caddy. You put all your items into a caddy to carry with you from project to project. So you don’t get distracted as you look for items you need.
You can get my digital declutter caddy kit here. Or the printed kit here.
Where To Put Things?
As you are removing things, you also have to think about where to put things.
Because you are spending time decluttering, it only makes sense you put things away in a logical manner.
To do this, start by grouping like items together. Obviously some areas are easier to do this than others.
What I like to do is pretend I am putting something away. Let’s say I am decluttering the kitchen but sure where to put the spices. Instead of just shoving them into a cabinet, I will pretend I am cooking and try to reach for the spices. I notice where my hands go or my body moves. And that is the logical space for the spices.
Sometimes it is muscle memory for where you reach for things. And other times it will surprise you.
I have more tips on where to put things below:
The Most Effective Way To Get A Color Coordinated Closet
How to Organize Your Kitchen Like a Pro
Keeping It Minimal
This last step is the most important because if you don’t do this step, your hard work will be for nothing.
I cannot tell you how many times I have seen beautifully organized homes turn to clutter because the homeowners don’t follow this last step.
And that step is to keep up with everything you just did.
If you decided you don’t need a spiralizer for your kitchen, do not go and buy one for a recipe. You made the commitment to yourself you would live with less. So stick to it!
It can be so tricky to be thoughtful about what you bring into your home. Amazon makes it so easy to click and buy.
But you spent all your time decluttering so you can be a minimalist mom. Don’t undo your hard work because you don’t keep up with your plan.
Instead, create a routine to help you!
Write down the steps you want to take keep less stuff in your home. Then put that list up so you can see it every day.
Becoming A Minimalist Mom
For me, minimalism is about being thoughtful with things that come into my home. I love wall decor, and throw pillows. Every room has rugs and blankets. Because I want my home to be cozy.
But everything in my home has a purpose. And that is how I have become a minimalist mom. I have ditched the old idea of minimalism. And have changed it to live with less.
By creating a plan, decluttering, and storing items where it makes sense, you can become a minimalist mom too.
Stick with your plan by creating routines. This will stop clutter from piling up and indecisions from being made. Because you have a routine already prepared for yourself.
And teach your family how to follow your routine as well. Because everyone can help live with less.
