How We Embrace Minimalism with Kids

Early on in our minimalism journey I realized that not everyone’s vision of it is the same. Some folks get rid of all. the. things. Others focus less on the physical stuff and work on clearing schedules and mental clutter first.

The beauty of this is there is no “right” or “wrong” way to embrace minimalism with kids. You literally can’t mess it up.

So, how do we embrace minimalism with kids?

I’ll tell you it doesn’t involve giving away all the things and squeezing our family into 150 square foot tiny home. I know that works for some families — and that’s amazing. And fascinating. And part of me even thinks tiny home living might be fun for a bit (like a long weekend!), but I also know that setup wouldn’t work for our family right now.

We’re doing a little bit of everything — but nothing too extreme.

We focus on simplifying.

Our approach to minimalism focuses on simplifying — not just our home, but our relationships, our routines, and the way we parent. Even the way we feed our kids. We simplify the parts of our lives that tend to get complicated and create stress. Our family embraces open space, both in our home and our daily schedules.

We keep it practical and flexible.

We approach minimalism a lot like how we embrace parenting. It’s practical and flexible. And as I mentioned before, there is no “right” or “wrong” way of doing it. There is no set number of clothes in our closets or toys in our playroom. The hubs and I recognize that, with two toddlers, few things go as planned. We pay attention to what adds value and brings joy to our lives, and what does not.

We shop with intention.

For us, practical minimalism means shopping with purpose instead of impulse and choosing quality over quantity. It’s selecting toys for our kiddos that inspire creativity, movement, and imagination.

We believe less is best.

From clutter, clothes and toys to events, ingredients, and chemicals. We do what we can to keep belongings and commitments to a minimum, eat organic when possible, put less plastic in landfills and use gentler products to clean our messes.

We look at minimalism as a journey.

Not a destination. We are excited you are here and hope you’ll take, and share, what helps you live your fullest life, uncluttered.

Author: Elle Penner M.P.H., R.D.

I'm Elle, Registered Dietitian and minimalism-obsessed mama with a thing for simplifying, particularly when it comes to clutter, calendars, and family meals. Favorite things include carbs, cooking, kid-free workouts, and high-waisted yoga pants.

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