Are there really benefits of minimalism for moms? I mean, the concept almost seems impossible when you are surrounded by piles and piles of clutter.

Moms, we all have the same goals.  We try to be the best mom possible and keep the tiny humans happy and thriving.  Pre-kids, the thought of being a parent seemed easy.  Oh, I’ll parent like this, or my house will never be destroyed like that.  The judgment was passed out freely! And then, reality hits.  The tiny humans are really tiny tornados.  They make our houses look like pure chaos, they turn our schedules upside down, and they make us react in ways we NEVER thought possible. (I understand now, Mom, and I’m sorry!)

Being a mom is hard

I love being a mom! It has been the greatest joy, but I won’t lie, it has been hard.  The constant cleaning up, the constant bending of our schedule, and the constant managing of volatile emotions.  It is exhausting, and yet it is equally rewarding, especially when we have more good days than challenging ones.

A few years ago, I made it my mission to simplify my mom life.  I felt like I was drowning in clutter at home, and our schedules were all over the place.  I was doing things that added no value, and we were spending money like crazy to keep up with the Joneses.  It wasn’t our style, and it was uncomfortable.  Our house was becoming a storage unit for unneeded items, and we were working hard to constantly upgrade.

Time for a change

Then, something changed. I discovered minimalism.  Minimalism isn’t just a life of living in bare rooms with white walls, white furniture and one single box of toys for my kids.  (The thought of white walls and white furniture terrifies me with kids!) Minimalism for me is learning to live a life with less and gaining so much value from having less.  It means living a life with less chaos, less wants for things I don’t need, and less clutter in my home.

The benefits of minimalism for moms:

1 – Experiences over things.

Instead of showering my kids with excessive toys they will never fully enjoy or treating myself to a day of shopping at the mall on the weekend, we now choose experiences over things.  We no longer shop for the endorphin high that comes from buying something new and pretty.  We buy the things we need.

We take the time and money we would be spending on material items, and we invest it into doing activities together as a family.  When I took a no shopping challenge, I had no idea I was forcing myself to make memories instead, but that is exactly what happened.  I had to get creative with my time, find free activities to do instead of shopping, and the end result was amazing memories with my family.

2 – I get to teach my kids about consumerism.

Another one of the benefits of minimalism for moms is it allows you to teach your kids about marketing and consumerism.  You can talk about the tactics marketers use on kids and parents.  You can talk about how they make us want to buy things, and then talk about how to work around those emotions.

Now, I have young kids, so our conversations are pretty simple.  For example, we talk about how we don’t buy toothpaste with characters on it.  Why mommy? Well because they can charge a higher price to get you to buy that toothpaste even if it is not the best choice.

We aren’t going super deep with our conversations.  However, we are teaching them early that we don’t buy things based on emotion and wants.  Ultimately, this will help your children as they become purchasing adults.

[optin-monster-shortcode id=”c0znbi8llufggeyiqgvi”]

3 –  Less time is spent doing chores.

This is by far my FAVORITE of all of the benefits of minimalism for moms.  When you have less stuff, you have less stuff to pick up, less laundry to do, fewer dishes to clean, and less pick-up around the house.  Less stuff ultimately means fewer chores!

Fewer chores mean more time, which makes this mama happy.

4 – Minimalism means less clutter

Minimalism makes me a better mom because there is less clutter in my home and less clutter in my life.  Physical and emotional clutter can make a mama feel overwhelmed, tired, and cranky.  It can make the days feel impossible.  Being a mom is challenging enough, and there is no reason to let clutter add to the challenges.

5 – More time outside.

When your kids have fewer toys, one of the benefits of minimalism is they spend more time outside using their imaginations and getting exercise.  This also presents an opportunity for you to get outside with them! (See #3, fewer chores so more time!)

Going outside alone can make you feel happier.  However, when you are outside, you tend to follow your kids, and you exercise by moving around outside with them.  Exercise makes you happy, especially fun exercise.

6 – More money in the bank.

When you practice minimalism as a family, another benefit is you stop spending unnecessarily.  When you stop spending on useless things, you end up with more money in the bank.  Minimalism makes me a better mom when I am not stressing about our emergency fund or how we are going to pay an unexpected expense.

7 – Minimalism helps ensure the house is company ready.

Minimalism makes me a better mom in that is helps me regularly have a “company ready” home.  Now, I won’t lie.  I still have those tiny tornados destroying the place.  However, pick-up is easier, and maintaining a home becomes easier.

I remember madly cleaning the house once and my four-year-old asking me who was coming over. Was my stress level really that obvious every time we were planning on guests?

8 – Mama is happier.

The most appealing of the benefits of minimalism for moms is that it helps you feel less stressed, less chaotic, and it gives you back time with your family.  Ultimately, this can make you happier as a mama.  Physical and emotional clutter can be so draining.

When the house is clean and schedules are simplified, I no longer am nagging all the time, stressed over the state of our home, or struggling to get from one obligation to another.

Minimalism works for moms

Minimalism makes me a better mom because life has been simplified.  I get time to breathe now, and  I get back time to play with my kids.  I also get a chance to teach my kids how living with less really can lead to a fuller life with more happiness.  We don’t want to teach them that “more stuff” is the life they should strive to achieve.  Instead, I want them to get a chance to see how minimalism and simple living can make them happy.

What are some benefits of minimalism for moms you have experienced or hope to get from embracing a simpler life? 

Save Benefits of Minimalism for Moms to Pinterest for later:

[optin-monster-shortcode id=”h7jczlgh6yrlhw8fsrq9″]