This post has been on my mind for quite some time now. It’s an idea I’ve been thinking about on and off for at least the past year; but it has come to the forefront over the last few months. As we’ve accumulated more stuff I have felt the desire to purge: all those barely-touched kids toys, the boxes of crap in the garage (unopened since our move from Indy three years ago), the random things we “need” cluttering the house. All of these things have led me toward this idea of minimalism for the modern mom.
What is Minimalism?
According to Miriam-Webster, minimalism is “a style or technique characterized by extreme spareness and simplicity.” Yikes, right? The thought of “extreme spareness” makes me cringe a little. I could never get to that place in life … especially with two kids and a husband!
What is Minimalism for the Modern Mom?
After digging a little more on the internet I found some other definitions of minimalism that made me more confident in my thought process. According to The Minimalists: “Minimalism is a tool to rid yourself of life’s excess in favor of focusing on what’s important; so you can find happiness, fulfillment, and freedom.”
“Minimalism is the intentional promotion of the things we most value; and the removal of everything that distracts us from it,” says Becoming Minimalist. Aren’t these essentially the things that all people (moms especially) crave?
This year I’ve made it my mission to go through some of the worst spaces in my house. Since I started on this quest, I have focused most of my efforts on the playroom and kitchen. While opening boxes and bins, I’ve noticed how many things we own that were a huge waste of money. Things that we never used, ended up not working like they should have, or that we just bought to have.
It’s amazing how often we purchased products just so we could buy something. So. Much. Money. Wasted. Because of this, I’ve added a caveat to the whole minimalism for the modern mom thing: surround yourself with things you love. It’s not enough to get rid of things, but you need to love and use the things you do have and purchase in the future.
With this thought swimming in my mind, I’ve been listing things to sell in my local Facebook groups. Things that have never been of much use to me, but could benefit others. Things that I could sell to make money and purchase items that my family will love and get a lot of use out of. For example: we have a bread machine that has only been used a handful of times – never since we made the move to Tennessee three years ago. We love homemade bread in this house … so why haven’t we used it? Because I have been immensely enjoying the art of making bread by hand! There are some kitchen items that would come in handy with my new hobby, but I haven’t bought them because of the cost. So once I sell our bread machine, I’m going to buy those desperately-desired pieces of equipment.
So, What’s the Point?
My desire in all of this is to create a place that my family can live in and genuinely love! Without getting bogged down with all the “stuff” that is so hard to get away from these days. To some this may not make sense. Just find a place for the things you have and move on. But I’m finding more and more that we don’t have room for everything; and as a homemaker, it stresses me out! I don’t want to spend all my time cleaning or nagging at the family to clean up. If we focus on clearing the clutter and keeping the things that are useful to us, I truly believe life in our home will become more enjoyable. There’s already been a huge difference in my family just by fixing two of our most-used spaces. I can’t wait to update y’all as I move through our home.
How do you incorporate “minimalism” into your life?
What do you think of this idea of minimalism for the modern mom? Is there a way you incorporate some of these ideas into your own life? Have you found it to make a difference in the day to day running of your home?
Loading...
Leave a Reply