A Modern Mama's Desire for Minimalism
Minimalism. Simplicity. Natural.
Such trendy words in the world of social media these days. I know numerous Insta-famous families who sell all of their things and live in the most hipster RV ever. I see homes all day long filled with just the bare minimums and my Pinterest feed is filled with posts on minimalism, removing clutter and so on.
Obviously I am attracted to these things. That's why they are in my feeds, it's why I follow these people and it's why I read about it.
But why? Why am I so attracted to something that seems so out of my reach?
Let's face it, I'm a mom just like everyone else. We have toys here, we have way too many pairs of shoes and I get sentimental as crap over crap. Then on occasions, I see pictures and snippets into others' lives and realize that maybe we don't have quite as much as I thought we did.
Somewhere, I sit in the crossroads of minimalism and the modern culture of "too much crap."
Today I want to share with you what I have learned about living simply and why I choose to and why I still have so much more to go.
What does minimalism mean to me?
When I think of minimalism I think of what is natural. I think of simplicity.
It doesn't mean that we function with the bare minimums. It means we function with the things that we love. I love looking into a room and being able to see more of the "bones" of the room instead of the stuff. This is perhaps why my daughters' shared room drives me absolutely insane. I look into there and just see "stuff." However, other rooms of my home are less filled. Those make me happy.
The journey for me is about only filling my home with things that truly speak to me. Before I would purchase something because it was such a good deal or because I just needed something to fill the space. Now, I usually sit and contemplate on an item for hours, days, or weeks just to make sure it has a spot in my home. Fill your home with only the things that you love.
Minimalism means so much more to me. It's not just about stuff. It's about life. I hate a full calendar. I hate obligations. I hate when our weeks are filled with too many things - I just want to be home. But, like many others, we do have these busy months. Sometimes the obligations are for beautiful things and that's good. But along the way, I've learned to say no to the things that are less important to me.
Living simply to me sometimes just means going down a different path. I long to live back in the old days, not in this fast paced, modern world. I love real food, I love those who grow their own food, I love fresh eggs, homemade baked goods and real ingredients. Whether it is real ingredients to clean my home like Lemon oil and baking soda or real ingredients in my children's pancakes, less is so much more to me. It's simple.
Why do I desire this?
As much as I am drawn to a home with bare walls and straight lines, the reality is that this is not quite me. I like a little coziness, a warm home with old touches and photos of my children on the walls. I am drawn to find the balance between what fills my cup and what I know will make my life easier.
As a homemaker, I'm drawn to living more simply because it's just simple. Less is easier. Less is less mess. Less obligations is less headaches and more time for doing things as a family. Clutter makes me anxious. Things are just things. I've learned over time that those Coach bags I longed for so badly in my early adult years mean nothing now. They're out of style, not quite my taste and too flashy. I've learned that going over the top for kid's costumes, parties or dress up days at functions isn't me (P.S. If you're an over the top mom, I tip my hat to you because I'm just not quite that crafty enough and I'm cheap if we're being real here).
I desire to bring my children up knowing that less is more and that you can always make what you have work. You can make pancakes with flour, milk and eggs. You can make a dress work for fall and spring time too.
Am I perfect at it?
Heck no. I have daily mental lists of all the things I want to rid my home of. I have toys I want to throw away but like many moms, I just can't. I have things that I keep because I think one day I may need it. But, each day I strive to free myself of something. An obligation or a bag of items to donate or trash.
I'm a normal mom, attracted to beautiful things with a desire to live with less. You can see from that description, it's a tricky journey. As a homemaker, I feel that we are called to find out who we are. Even for the full time work away from home mamas, we are still a homemaker. We make our home the way it is, we make it cozy and inviting.
Trying to live a little more simply with a little less, isn't for everyone. There's no right or wrong way to keep a home. But as my journey as a mother and homemaker continues to unravel, I learn more about who I am and who I desire to be. I desire to be simple.
Discover why you may be drawn to living a little more simple. Perhaps you have anxiety issues, perhaps you don't sleep well, perhaps you're unhappy, or perhaps you just feel like life is disorganized and chaotic. I can tell you that if this is you, go around and throw things away, organize all the clutter piles and huff some oils. You'll feel better.
But for real, take a step back and start eliminating. Fill your home up with what you love. Rid your life of what you don't need, not because it's a cool Pinterest trend, but because it's what you need for your sanity. Say no to the things that you don't want to do and that you don't need, and say yes to what makes your heart happy, cozy and content.
If it's what you desire, make your home a simple one.
