It’s the era of minimalism! Gone are the days of access and collecting more stuff, especially when it comes to parenting. Minimalist moms seek lifestyle routines and habits that cut the clutter and chaos that are costing them time and energy. Simplifying your parenting habits can not only streamline your life, but it can also help protect moms’ mental health.
“We have a finite amount of energy,” IG influencer mom, Alena Conley, wrote on a recent Instagram post. “Energy is our currency and where we exude it matters.”
Conley, who is the founder and personal development expert at The Reminder Remedy Company, explains that a minimalist lifestyle encourages moms to focus on what truly matters – leading to less clutter, both physically and mentally.
“As a result, moms find they have more time, energy and resources to invest in activities that rejuvenate them,” she said.
How to Be a Minimalist Parent
Here are a few tactics and uncommon ways to streamline life according to minimalist moms.
Create a Staple Wardrobe for Your Kids
Conley shared how she only shops for her kids twice a year and allows each of her five children to have two pairs of shoes (one for school and one for going out of the house) and five “going out outfits” as a way to cut down on decision paralysis and reduce stress in her own life.
She says the shift has been life-changing.
“The majority of us are not even waking up with our battery fully charged,” she said. “Having your 80% battery drop to 75% before you even get the workday started because you couldn’t find a matching pair of socks is costing you.”
Streamline Mealtime
One IG user named @elleocin has created a strategy for minimizing the work required to make dinner. Each week, she says, she cooks three different flavored fish or poultry, four to five different veggies and sometimes a soup. The routine helps her family have dinner early, time to chill and get to bed on time.
“Leftovers don’t seem like leftovers because it’s a different plate every day,” she said. “We freeze some and refrigerate others and just put it in the oven while we’re washing up from the day.”
Opt for Matching Sets
Another mom, IG user @gaelle.mercer, shared that her “mother-in-love” buys cute matching sets for her daughters. She keeps their clothes paired up for easy access. They have two pairs of shoes that rotate and match their outfits. They also have matching pajamas for every night.
“That is what it does for me!” she sad\id. “I’m all about order and peace of mind!”
Shop for the Seasons
IG user @jazz_d_overcomer shares that she only shops for her children during the winter and summer seasons. The mom of eight says that this simple hack has been working for her family for the past seven years.
“I only shop as the season changes,” she said. “And I buy [my kids] three pairs of shoes – one for school, one for play and another pair of slides.
Minimize Socks to One Color
Minimalist moms agree that you need less stuff! One hack minimalist moms swear by is the white sock only rule.
Conley wrote on IG how she used to wonder how she seemingly had millions of socks and none of them matched.
“When [my daughter] was born, she had 17 pairs of shoes and maybe wore five of them once or twice,” Conley wrote on IG. “The remaining ones never even got touched, but I was breaking a sweat daily trying to match shoes, socks and hair bows.”
The game changed when her sister-in-law told her to only buy the same pair of white socks for all of her children!
Debunking Common Parenting Myths
While it’s amazing that there’s endless information for this parenting hack or that parenting tip, it can also reach a point of overload. Conley says there are 3 misconceptions that should be debunked as parents follow their minimalist journey and focus on what truly matters – living a fulfilling life.
Myth No. 1: You Have to Do Everything At Once
Conley shares that a common myth is the belief that being a “good mom” or an “engaged and present parent” means accomplishing everything simultaneously during a single period of your life.
For instance, she says, you may think that in order to be a fulfilled and complete mother, you need to breastfeed, prepare fresh meals daily, exercise, read, read to my baby, travel with my children to expose them to different cultures, volunteer at their school, enhance intimacy with my partner, prioritize date nights, participate in the church greeting committee, lead a committee in my sorority and volunteer as a troop leader for the Girl Scouts.
“You have 18 years with your child to engage in all these enriching activities,” Conley said. “But here’s the reality: you don’t need to accomplish them all within a 12-month timeframe.”
For the first two years of motherhood, focusing solely on breastfeeding and exercising is entirely sufficient, she shared.
Myth No. 2: You are the Only One Capable of Doing Certain Tasks
When you find yourself overwhelmed by repetitive tasks, Conley explains that it’s beneficial to ask, “Am I the only person capable of doing this?” You should also consider whether or not this is the sole method to achieve the desired outcome and what would occur if you stopped doing this task altogether.
One exercise Conley suggests to complete is a “task dump,” where you jot down every single responsibility you have. Then, ask yourself if you are proficient at this task and if you enjoy doing it. If the answer to either question is no, then the task should fall into one of the following categories:
- Entrust – Get someone else to do it
- Streamline – Simplify the task to require fewer steps and less energy
- Let It Go – remove the task completely
“By prioritizing essential tasks and minimizing unnecessary ones, parents can alleviate the pressure to meet unrealistic standards,” Conley said. “Streamlining responsibilities leads to a clearer mind, more manageable daily routines and increased opportunities for relaxation and self-care.”
Myth No. 3: More Things Equal More Joy
Mom’s happiness and health is good for a child. Sometimes, you are stretching yourself thin for things that don’t matter. What matters most is a stable home environment where you are talking to and reading to your kids. Conley explains that adopting a minimalist lifestyle can dramatically increase the space for moms to engage in self-care and pursue personal interests. Minimalism in this context means intentionally choosing to own fewer possessions and engage in fewer activities.
“A minimalist approach to life helps in setting healthy boundaries, thereby granting moms permission to prioritize their well-being without feeling guilty,” she said. “As a result, moms find they have more time, energy and resources to invest in activities that rejuvenate them.”