Here are a handful of steps I’ve taken to live a more wholesome, simple, minimalist life as a mom of five kiddos.
1) Declutter, declutter, declutter… it’s taken 2 years of dedication and frequent resets to eliminate clutter, excess stuff and intentionally minimize our belongings as a family. Less stuff to manage means more time for what matters.
2) Build a capsule wardrobe. I’ve discovered that having a capsule wardrobe helps to eliminate decision fatigue. I love everything in my closet (and it all fits), it reduces the amount of laundry I have to do and it increases my confidence. Having a simple and diverse wardrobe that you love and that flatters you makes getting dressed and feeling good- easy.
3) Reduce visual clutter. If you walk into my home, you’ll notice that most of my counters and tables are bare or have simple and purposeful items as decor or no decor at all. Overtime I’ve discovered that I enjoy simplicity. It is less visually stimulating, calming and takes much less effort to manage. Sometimes less, is more.
4) Boring is beautiful. My calendar is often empty with nothing but an occasional appointment for my kids or myself. My weeks are a blank canvas. Of course we have a general rhythm for each day. I have my designated grocery day, church day and appointment day, but I very intentionally keep our days simple. It gives myself and my kids an opportunity to build our week as we go. I’ve come to realize that there’s this internalized pressure to provide constant entertainment and engagement for our kids. Days full of activities, a full calendar of extracurriculars and play dates…When in reality it seems to me that a slow paced intentional day of living, can be so much more beneficial. A perfect example is buying your kids toys to discover they’re more engaged and entertained by the box they came in. So, I do my best to let the days pass slowly and embrace the “simple” joys like baking with five kids , crafts, exploring the outdoors, reading books or cuddling up to a movie. Now don’t mistake simple for calm. I don’t want to give a false persona that my days are quiet and mindful- they’re a special kind of crazy. But keeping the days simple makes life a lot more manageable.
5) Bring the outside in. There’s something really refreshing about having life in your home. Plants or utilizing and embracing natural elements like baskets, natural woods etc. I’ve found that having greenery, baskets, wooden bowls and earthy tones can transform a space into a calm, warm and beautiful place.
6) Learn to be content. This has been a challenge for me, but life changing. I live in a quaint 2 bedroom, 300 year old farmhouse with a family of seven. My walls are lovingly marked with crayon, my kitchen table and chairs don’t match, my couch cushions from our college age days sag from the weight of lazy days and jumping little feet, diapers and abandoned toddler clothes grace the creaky hardwood floors, and it is far from Pinterest worthy. But it’s home and it’s been home for 10 years. It’s where we’ve raised our entire family thus far. It’s where four of my kiddos giggles fill one little room at bedtime and where my dining room table nearly reaches wall to wall to accommodate our family. Do I dream of a bigger home, a matching living room set or an updated kitchen? Of course! Do I need it? No. I’ve learned to be content with what God has provided and I’ve learned to love and embrace the walls that surround me and taken care of us for all of these years.
I hope that you’ll find some of these tips beneficial and that they help in guiding you to build a life you love.
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