Life Sucks Sometimes. Minimalism Is Not Always The Answer.
Minimalism. POOF! The magic answer to solve all of life’s problems. Wouldn’t it just be so dandy if minimalism was the simple answer we’ve all been searching for? I’m so sorry to break it to you guys, and to bust all the positive vibes on the minimalist internet today, but I’d say I’m a decent way down this rabbit hole and I am living proof that life can still very much suck sometimes. Don’t get me wrong, having less clutter + chaos, and enjoying the perks of simplicity does help. One of my favorite quotes is from Gretchen Rubin’s book, Outer Order, Inner Calm. “Outer order contributes to inner calm.”…
Thanksgiving at Home, Keeping This Year Simple
With 2020 throwing all sorts of curve balls our way, the holiday season is officially turned on its head. We want to give our kids all the same holiday spirit and joy as years past. And I know there are a lot of families stressed about how different things look this year. Mama, don’t worry about this year missing the mark. Trust me when I say, there is beauty in the simple. Especially the simple holiday. This is exactly why this year I’m going to relax, focus on the few main traditions we know and love, and let the rest slide! How to Simplify Thanksgiving Dinner And the whole day…
How To Handle Halloween Storage Like A Pro
Halloween and the #GoingSimpleChallenge may be over but our work in maintaining our homes is never done! With four kids and a husband who likes to shop clearance sales, Halloween can get real overwhelming, real quick. Choosing to gatekeep our homes as we flow through seasonal changes is a great way to keep our possessions in check throughout the year! Bonus points, this means the Going Simple Challenge gets easier every year too! How We Do :: Halloween Storage Today I have a few simple tips to tackle Halloween storage. As well as some ways we keep our budget in check as a family of six! Seasonal Books We store…
GOING SIMPLE :: WEEK 6 :: Phones
You know what sucks? When you have to admit that you’ve failed at something. Like, not just oops, I’ve made a temporary mistake. But like, Hi! I totally suck, and yet I can’t stop myself. I’m taking a major hit to my pride this week and admitting to you that I have a major problem. I’m addicted to my phone. The entire #GoingSimpleChallenge exists because of my own personal past mistakes. So why not work on our phone use too? This year’s bonus week is going to push us all to scroll a little less, and amp up our hands on, real life experiences a whole lot more. This post…
GOING SIMPLE :: WEEK 5 :: Storage
We’ve made it through bathrooms, kitchens, clothing and toys. But are you thinking, “Amy, there’s so many spaces left untouched in my home!” Well… here’s the deal. The rest, it’s just storage. How to tackle storage spaces in your home. This week, let’s really consider what we are keeping in the remaining areas of our home. Are the things we store actually necessary? Are they truly purposeful to our daily lives? Once we take a hard look at the rest of our spaces we realize a lot of it we don’t actually need after all. These spaces might even be large sources of frustration. This week is the time to…
Tips to Organize and Rotate Toys for Independent Play
Simplifying toys will get you far when it comes to organizing your home. But even if you’re left with only a few sets of toys, organizing and displaying them in an inviting way will set your child up for independent play success! Today I’m going to walk you through a quick few tips about toy storage and rotation, as we do it in our own home. Tips For Toy Storage + More Engaged Play Time Rotate Your Toys. We have had such great success with keeping out only a few sets of toys at a time. By providing a few select, quality toy sets, children are not overwhelmed when entering…
GOING SIMPLE :: WEEK 4 :: Toys
Plus a FREE Printable to get you started! Week four, TOYS! One of the most impactful weeks in a home with children. When we first decided to go simpler in our home, we were overrun with toys. The first Christmas after Going Simple, we were gifted over 50 toys between from family. I don’t know about you, but our home cannot hold 50 toys, let alone 50 new sets on top of the toys we already own. Since going simple, we’ve requested family give intentionally. We recommend gifts that fall into the following categories: edible treats, experiences, arts and craft supplies (perishable!), and toys with intention and purpose. Did you…
How to Handle Hand Me Down’s and Gifts with Care
Isn’t it funny how someone’s generosity can leave us feeling overwhelmed? On our path toward Going Simple, one of the hardest hurdles to jump can be handling new things as they enter our home. Some of the links in the post are a part of the Amazon and Target Affiliates Program. This means I get a small percentage back from from any potential purchase. Thank you for your support, and for reading my blog! For more info, please visit my disclosure policies here. When we are trying to cut out excess, its easy to become reactive toward anyone trying to continue to add more in to our lives and homes. I…
GOING SIMPLE :: WEEK 3 :: Clothes
Are we really at WEEK THREE already?! This challenge has been flying by! I’m so excited to see the community over on Facebook growing and flourishing. I’m even more excited to see where it leads after this challenge is over! To join the private Facebook Group + Going Simple Challenge, click here! Clothes. I’ve tried the backwards hanger method. I’ve tried the “pull out what you haven’t worn in 6 month’s” method. And in and out of pregnancies, postpartum and nursing seasons, things like Project 333 just didn’t work for me. Breaking things down to smaller sections works. It makes the task more manageable, less overwhelming, and creates simpler decision making.…
GOING SIMPLE WEEK 2 :: Kitchens
Congratulations on finishing up your bathrooms in week one! I’m so excited we made it through our first space together. Imagine walking in to your kitchen, the space is clean. You can find exactly what you need, and you know exactly where to put it when you’re done. This is possible. Because we use the kitchen in our homes every day, multiple times, this room can feel the most daunting, but it’s also one of the most rewarding. Remember to continue to focus on your family life, your personal goals and a dash of real life self care throughout the week as well! To join the private Facebook Group +…
