The Minimal Mom

How do you declutter when you have little kids at home and no extra time or energy to dedicate to it? Today we'll answer two listener questions. The first is about finding motivation when there seems to be no extra time to declutter. The second is about knowing how far to go with minimalism and how to maintain it.

Today I'm joined by Tyler from Tidy Dad. Tyler is a New York school teacher, writer, husband and dad to three young girls. Through his Tidy Dad blog and Instagram account he shares tips to help you develop systems, rhythms, and routines for tidying, cleaning and organizing. His tactics are practical and inspiring and he offers great advice for involving all of our family members in the keeping of our homes. You can find Tyler here: Tidy Dad on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tidydad/ Tidy Dad Website: https://thetidydad.com/

Kids stuff! There is SO much stuff that comes along with having kids! The good news is: you don't have to keep it all! Today we'll talk about how you can very confidently know what to keep and what to let go when it comes to children's items.

Today I'm joined by Courtney Carver from Be More with Less and Project 333. Courtney says that Be more with less means: Be more you. Give yourself all the space, time and love to remember who you are. Living with less clutter, busyness, stress and simplifying your life will help you make the room to do what you need to do. Simplifying my life gave me the space, time, and love to be more me, and the following practices led me back.  Find Courtney here: https://bemorewithless.com Learn more about project 333 here: https://bemorewithless.com/project-333/

I never set out to be a "YouTuber"...in fact, as an introvert and always happiest behind the scenes, that actually sounds horrifying to me! But, apparently it was meant to be and today I'll share the story of how I got here!

Summer Declutter Challenge: Refresh & Re-Home begins soon! Find full details HERE! Do you or someone you love struggle with decluttering due to chronic illness?  Listen in as Dawn talks with Sarah, a professional organizer and decluttering expert who also deals with chronic illness. She shares five tips to help those with chronic illness overcome hurdles in decluttering and simplify their lives.  IN THIS EPISODE: 0:00 Top tips for surviving and thriving with chronic illness 01:05 Sarah’s Story 3:10 Planning for sickness 5:50 Ask for help how you need in the way YOU need 11:24 How to help others 14:20 Recognizing the mental load 17:26 Encouragement for those with chronic illness 18:46 Simple doesn’t mean bad 26:48 Weird but it works 28:37 Not all jobs are equal 36:34 Convenience sometimes is survival   ABOUT SARAH McDonald Sarah is a declutter expert, professional organizer, minimalist and simple living enthusiast; embracing simplicity, one change at a time.  She came from a family of hoarders, but Sarah broke free and is now on a mission to help others do the same! She believes that less is more and she loves sharing my experiences, tips, and tricks to make life easier and more meaningful. LINKS:  Find Sarah on IG: https://www.instagram.com/smallchangestv/ Find Sarah on YT: https://www.youtube.com/@SmallChanges My jewelry is from Trades of Hope (Shop to help women out of poverty!): https://tradesofhope.com/minimalmom   Mother's Necklace on Etsy: https://cli.re/mom-necklace (I have the gold in 18") Welcome to The Official Minimal Mom Podcast. Thank you so much for listening and could I ask a favor? Would you mind following? It helps podcast apps recommend this podcast to more friends. Thank you! Dawn

“How do I help my kids declutter when they are attached to EVERYTHING?  I don’t want the pressure of minimizing our stuff to lead my kids into hoarding!” Listen in as Dawn speaks with Laurie, a professional organizer, about her personal experience raising a neurodivergent child, helping kids declutter, and her learnings along the way.    IN THIS EPISODE: 0:00 Intro 4:35 - Personal experience of Laurie  7:26 setting healthy boundaries with kids and treasures  18:42 - (GEM) “But will I turn them into hoarders?”  24:49 - When your kids are ready to move on, and you’re not   26:36 - setting up your kids for success 37:42 - reach out to Laurie ABOUT LAURIE:  Laurie is the founder of Simply B Organized (SBO) where she writes, teaches, and works with people of all ages helping them to declutter and work smarter. She also hosts This ORGANIZED Life, a weekly podcast where she chats with awesome guests about life, work, parenting, and the role that organization has in their lives. LINKS: Laurie’s IG: https://www.instagram.com/simplyborganized/ Podcast episode with Logan: https://simplyborganized.com/2019/08/01/ep-138-podcast-on-parenting-with-special-guest-logan-palau/ Logans followup episode: https://simplyborganized.com/2023/06/22/ep-341-navigating-college-with-adhd-tips-and-insights-from-logan-palau/ Lauries podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/this-organized-life-organizing-tips-for-busy-moms-to/id1193014252 My jewelry is from Trades of Hope (Shop to help women out of poverty!): https://tradesofhope.com/minimalmom   Mother's Necklace on Etsy: https://cli.re/mom-necklace (I have the gold in 18") Welcome to The Official Minimal Mom Podcast. Thank you so much for listening and could I ask a favor? Would you mind following? It helps podcast apps recommend this podcast to more friends. Thank you! Dawn

What do two polar opposite, yet identical twins unanimously praise as the most impactful elements of their upbringing by their incredible mom (and dad, too!)? Listen in as Dawn and Dianna share about the benefits of growing up with little and the wonderful way it has shaped them.   0:00 Catching Up  8:50 Dawns new mothers necklace and wanting more kids?  11:05 Parenting tips that we learned from our mom 11:58 Tip #1 - Be realistic about what the family can handle and afford  22:33 Tip #2 Celebrate well  23:22 Tip #3 Don’t draw attention to the difference in families  27:28 - Tip #4 Love unconditionally  LINKS: Pink Sweater I'm wearing on repeat: https://amzn.to/3UVdW15 Color block shirt I love: https://amzn.to/4drUYWW My jewelry is from Trades of Hope (Shop to help women out of poverty!): https://tradesofhope.com/minimalmom Mother's Necklace on Etsy: https://cli.re/mom-necklace (I have the gold in 18") Welcome to The Official Minimal Mom Podcast. Thank you so much for listening and could I ask a favor? Would you mind following? It helps podcast apps recommend this podcast to more friends. Thank you! Dawn

My kids want to keep everything - how do I help them declutter? I want clear counters, but where do I put the stuff? My “fantasy self,” “Justin Case,” and “Some Day” keep talking to me all at once - HELP! Listen in as Dawn answers from listeners on these topics and more! Want to record a decluttering question? You can do so here: https://sayhi.chat/MinimalMom 1:05 - How do I navigate kids with an age gap sharing room? 4:13 - I want clear counters, but where do I put the food? 7:26 - How do I get rid of my kids sentimental items? 13:49 - My “fantasy self,” “Justin Case,” and “Some Day” keep talking to me all at once! 19:19 - Do I include my kinds in decluttering? 24:28 - How do I handle a partner who wants to keep piles of stuff?  Welcome to The Official Minimal Mom Podcast. Thank you so much for listening and could I ask a favor? Would you mind following? It helps podcast apps recommend this podcast to more friends. Thank you! Dawn

Does your home still feel cluttered even after ruthlessly decluttering? Have you ever wondered why your home doesn’t look like the Pinterest rooms you love?  Today, Dawn is joined by Myquillyn Smith. Myquillyn shares several tips, from “house hushing” to designing on a budget, and more!  ABOUT MYQUILLYN:  For the past ten years, Myquillyn Smith, also known as “The Nester,” has been encouraging women to embrace their homes—imperfections and all. Her lived-in, loved-on home has been featured in Better Homes & Gardens, Ladies' Home Journal and Cottages & Bungalows. Myquillyn is the author of The Nesting Place and Cozy Minimalist Home and was chosen by Christianity Today as one of the top twenty creatives in 2016. She lives in North Carolina with her husband and three boys. Website: www.thenester.com Instagram: @thenester   IN THIS EPISODE: 1:30 Let’s talk house hushing.  7:55 What is cozy minimalism? 12:35 - How can we test out design changes on a budget? 15:53 Navigating home changes with others 21:19 - Myquillin’s new book, House Rules 32:20 - Myquillin’s opinion on color    BOOKS MENTIONED: NEW: House Rules https://amzn.to/49Pjwq1 Welcome Home https://amzn.to/3WhmOiz The Nesting Place https://amzn.to/3wa4YmU Cozy Minimalist home https://amzn.to/3UfHg0K  Welcome to The Official Minimal Mom Podcast. Thank you so much for listening and could I ask a favor? Would you mind following? It helps podcast apps recommend this podcast to more friends. Thank you! Dawn

Are your kids suffering from digital overload? Do you wonder if it’s too late for your already addicted kids? Listen as Dawn speaks with Melanie Hempe on screen addiction and how to help our kids thrive in a digital age. ABOUT MELANIE:    Melanie Hempe helps parents prevent screen addiction, rescue their kids, and enjoy family life again. After her oldest son dropped out of college due to his video game addiction, Melanie Hempe, BSN, utilized her nursing degree from Emory University to warn families about the dangers of screen overuse and founded ScreenStrong. Melanie simplifies medical science for parents, empowering them with the reasons to skip not all screen use but the most harmful screen use—social media, violent video games, and pornography—through adolescence.  IN THIS EPISODE:    2:39 - How Melanie became interested in screen safety  15:45 -  Kids 0-5 23:02- How long will it take to detox?  29:40 - The science behind screens 33:07 - Kids 6-12 year olds  42:40 - “I want to reduce screen-time, where do I begin?”  44:44 - “What if it’s my spouse who is addicted?”  48:40 - Kids Brains and Screens book    LINKS MENTIONED:    Kids Brains and Screens book - https://amzn.to/3U4p1uX The Screen Strong Solution book - https://amzn.to/3xFckPD Be Screen Strong IG - https://www.instagram.com/bescreenstrong/ Canopy - https://canopy.us/ Melanie’s son’s perspective on growing up without screens - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/live-teen-q-a-on-growing-up-without-addictive-screens-179/id1474681355?i=1000641960104 How to teach young kids to play on their own - https://youtu.be/6BlKIluXMcE?feature=shared  Welcome to The Official Minimal Mom Podcast. Thank you so much for listening and could I ask a favor? Would you mind following? It helps podcast apps recommend this podcast to more friends. Thank you! Dawn  

Take Your House Back (Just $94): https://cli.re/Take-Your-House-Back-Dawn The Next ALL DAY DECLUTTER is Saturday, April 27 The Take Your House Back Course is a powerful way that I can come along side you and make sure you get your home simplified in the new year! (And it's only $94 right now - normally $597!) *Replays available if you can't join us live (Payment plan available, too!) Does the fear of getting rid of something you might need later paralyze you from decluttering? Are you holding on to items so that you can sell them for top-dollar? How many baby clothes should you keep for future kids? Listen in as Dawn answers all this and more!    IN THIS EPISODE:    1:50 - How do I downsize my craft projects?  7:18 - How can I declutter confidently when I know I can’t afford to replace anything? 13:11 - How do I find the best top-dollar buyer for my mothers old collectables?  16:04 - Have you found that decluttering helps your family value what you have more?  18:34 - How many baby clothes do I keep? 22:20 - I don’t want my baby to be bored! How do I have enough toys without it being chaotic?    LINKS MENTIONED:  Minimalism Masterclass: https://www.theminimalmom.com/minimalism-masterclass How to Get Kids to Play Independently Video: https://youtu.be/6BlKIluXMcE?si=om0XITGkPn-4-nyb Keep the Memories, Lose the Stuff Book: https://amzn.to/3TPotJo

Do you have a closet filled to the brim with nothing to wear? Are you looking for a way to test out a minimalist wardrobe? Today, Dawn is joined by Courntey Carver, the originator of project 333, a minimalist fashion challenge that invites participants to dress with only 33 items of clothing for 3 months. ABOUT COURTNEY: Courtney Carver is a writer, speaker, and minimalist lifestyle advocate known for her work on simplifying life and embracing minimalism. She gained prominence through her blog, "Be More with Less," where she shares her personal journey of living with less stuff and less stress.  IN THIS EPISODE:  -What surprised dawn about project 333   - Recap of project 333 and common objections  -Encouragement for the woman feeling like she’s doing too much    Links: One Sec app: https://one-sec.app/ Courtney’s IG: https://www.instagram.com/bemorewithless/ Courtney's Website: http://bemorewithless.com More details on Project 333: https://bemorewithless.com/project-333/ Project 333 https://amzn.to/4aq7vIq Soulful Simplicity https://amzn.to/4aNn0dA   Welcome to The Official Minimal Mom Podcast. Thank you so much for listening and could I ask a favor? Would you mind following? It helps podcast apps recommend this podcast to more friends. Thank you! Dawn

Do you want to live  in a home that actually helps you enjoy being a mom, but don’t know where to start? Have you given up on decluttering after not seeing improvement? Today, Dawn is joined by Zoë Kim to delve into strategies for moms wanting to cultivate a peaceful home environment.  IN THIS EPISODE:  -Where in your home should you start?  -Zoë Kims start to minimalism  -Managing inventory that relates to kids  -How to manage sentimental items  -How do I get my spouse on board? Want to join Dawn and Zoe for  6 Hours of Guided Decluttering & “Body Doubling? Check out their Going Deeper Minimalism MasterClass: A Chance to Fully Declutter a Room in Your Home & Experience the Joy & Freedom of Minimalism! - https://www.theminimalmom.com/minimalism-masterclass  ABOUT ZOE: Zoë’ Kim is  the author of Minimalism for Families, minimalist mom of four, and the voice behind Raising Simple. She partners with individuals to tackle the challenges of a cluttered home and life, and believes in developing a minimalist lifestyle through positive perspective changes and practical solutions.  LINKS MENTIONED: Minimalism for Families by Zoë Kim https://amzn.to/4867IyC 7 Questions to Help You Let Go of Sentimental Things- https://raisingsimple.com/let-go-of-sentimental-things/ Zoë’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/raisingsimple/?hl=en Zoë’s Blog: https://raisingsimple.com/ Matt Paxton’s interview: https://youtu.be/5K-ests_bDk?feature=shared

Are you completely overwhelmed by the amount of digital photos saved in multiple places, on multiple devices? Do you dream of quickly and easily creating yearly photo books for your family, or simply being able to enjoy the memories?  Today, Dawn and Casey von Stein (known online as Miss Freddy) share organizational strategies for digital photos so that you and your family can stop being stressed and start enjoying the memories.  ABOUT CASEY:  Casey is a professional photo organizer who took the organizational skills she fine-tuned during her 10 years as a professional photographer and created simple workflows that allow her clients and students to conquer their photo overwhelm and enjoy their photos again.  IN THIS EPISODE:  -If you can only do one thing… -The positive emotional affect digital organization can have -GEM Where to even begin making yearly yearbooks (minute 12:40) -How to handle working through family photos  -What trends are coming in the photo world LINKS MENTIONED Ollie photo organizing app - https://get.goodones.app/yVeZ/pmmissfreddy Miss Freddy Courses - https://shop.missfreddy.com/products Instagram -  https://www.instagram.com/miss.freddy/

How can I encourage the value of decluttering without it pushing my kids in the opposite direction? Is it even possible to stop the constant flow of things from coming into our homes? Listen in as Dawn answers real questions from listeners! Want to record a decluttering question? You can do so here: https://sayhi.chat/MinimalMom
 Find Candace at Simply this Life here: https://www.youtube.com/@FancyThatwithCandice    IN THIS EPISODE:  -equipment sometimes fixes problems - but sometimes it doesn’t! -GEM: how to encourage your family to declutter without causing resentment or leading to more attachment to things (minute 6:25) -how to stop the influx of constant things entering your home  -where to start when working through others/inherited belongings LINKS MENTIONED:  Dyson Cordless Vacuum: https://amzn.to/3TeEyIe Keep the Memories, Lose the Stuff by Matt Paxton: https://amzn.to/3I3zOQJ Matt’s podcast with Dawn: https://youtu.be/5K-ests_bDk?si=FJGm6gJNiUFreUj_ Welcome to The Official Minimal Mom Podcast. Thank you so much for listening and could I ask a favor? Would you mind following? It helps podcast apps recommend this podcast to more friends. Thank you! Dawn  

Why are so many of our kids showing signs of trauma when they live in relative safety? How do we raise counter-cultural kids in a world of excess? Today, Dawn is joined by Kim John Payne, M.ED., who has been a counselor, educator, consultant, and researcher for over thirty years.  IN THIS EPISODE:  -The one thing Kim would say to parents right now -What lead Kim to study simplicity in parenting -A formula for unstructured playtime -Importance of rhythms vs. routines  -Parenting as a governor, gardener, and guide  ABOUT KIM JOHN PAYNE: Kim John Payne is an Australian who has, for 24 years, worked throughout the world as a counselor, consultant/researcher and educator of both children and adults. He has been helping children, adolescents and families explore issues such as social difficulties with siblings and classmates, attention and behavioral issues at home and school, and a range of emotional issues such as defiance, aggression, addiction and self-esteem. BOOKS: Simplicity Parenting Book: https://amzn.to/4c9P7VQ Being at Your Best When Your Kids are at Their Worst: https://amzn.to/3T5Tokh The Soul of Discipline: The Simplicity Parenting Approach to Warm, Firm, and Calm Guidance -- From Toddlers to Teens: https://amzn.to/3VahD3p Reset Your Child's Brain, 4 Week Screen Detox: https://amzn.to/3wVCxsM Welcome to The Official Minimal Mom Podcast. Thank you so much for listening and could I ask a favor? Would you mind following? It helps podcast apps recommend this podcast to more friends. Thank you! Dawn  

How do I get myself out of the messy middle? How many kids books should I keep? How can I move towards minimalism with with chronic illness, young kids, busy schedules, etc. etc? Listen in as Dawn answers from listeners on these topics and more!    Want to record a decluttering question? You can do so here: https://sayhi.chat/MinimalMom   In this Episode:  How Dawn manages to keep up with daily cleaning tasks in about 40 minutes How to minimize with a chronic illness Get out of the messy middle  Sharing small living spaces with kids and their friends  Deciding what kids books to keep in the house Welcome to The Official Minimal Mom Podcast. Thank you so much for listening and could I ask a favor? Would you mind following? It helps podcast apps recommend this podcast to more friends. Thank you! Dawn

What would your reaction be if you heard, “We don’t have to own all this stuff”? Do you dream about a life where less time is spent cleaning and organizing and more time actually living? This simple phrase jump started Joshua’s journey to minimalism. Listen in as he and Dawn reminisce about his early days of minimalism and the benefits he’s seen in his life and family through it.  IN THIS EPISODE:  -Joshua’s introduction to minimalism  -Biggest friction between his spouse when decluttering  -GEM: Joshua’s best advice for raising kids with less (minute 17:50) -What Joshua has been up to recently   ABOUT JOSHUA: Joshua Becker is a prominent author, speaker, and minimalist advocate. He is known for his practical advice on simplifying possessions, relationships, and priorities to foster a more fulfilling and purposeful existence. Books: Things that Matter: https://amzn.to/49BaugC The More of Less: https://amzn.to/42F3rkF The Minimalist Home: https://amzn.to/3OOrJmG LINKS MENTIONED:  Article that kickstarted Joshua’s Minimalism journey: https://zenhabits.net/a-guide-to-creating-a-minimalist-home/ The Hope Effect: https://www.hopeeffect.com/ Becker Method Certified Professional Training Course: https://www.becomingminimalist.com/becker-method-certification/ Welcome to The Official Minimal Mom Podcast. Thank you so much for listening and could I ask a favor? Would you mind following? It helps podcast apps recommend this podcast to more friends. Thank you! Dawn

Why do so many of us struggle with moderation and pursue the unpredictable? Why do we constantly crave more, when we have enough?  In today’s episode, Dawn is joined by Michael Easter, a New York Times Bestselling author, journalist, and professor who wrote the books The Comfort Crisis and Scarcity Brain. Together, they discuss how our society's pursuit of ease has drastically changed the way in which we think and live - and tactics of how to not fall into the scarcity mindset trap!  ABOUT MICHAEL EASTER:  Michael's work explores how we can leverage modern science and evolutionary wisdom to perform better and live healthier and more meaningful lives. His ideas have been adopted by NASA, MLB teams, NCAA D1 athletic programs, US Special Forces units, Fortune-500 companies, top tier universities, and millions of people worldwide. MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE Scarcity Brain: https://amzn.to/42xvJO2 Comfort Crisis: https://amzn.to/49qZqT6 Newsletter Signup: https://www.twopct.com/ Clearspace app: https://www.getclearspace.com/ IN THIS EPISODE: -How pursuing ease has changed our society -Scarcity brain -Why are we bad at moderation -Our focus on unpredictability -The relationship between scarcity and creativity -When to introduce social media to our kids -Gratitude journals are probably not the answer! Welcome to The Official Minimal Mom Podcast. Thank you so much for listening and could I ask a favor? Would you mind following? It helps podcast apps recommend this podcast to more friends. Thank you! Dawn