I was inspired by this great video by Dawn of Minimal Mom on 25 things she no longer buys. The past couple of years I have been going much deeper in getting rid of stuff in our house. After baby number three it was simply out of necessity. Our house was feeling crowded and lacking the peace I wanted. So I started getting more and more ruthless.
Last summer I did a giant all house purge and I am working on doing a second one this year. I also reread The House That Cleans Itself which gave me the kick start I needed to tackle our home now that we are a family of six. Fortunately we are getting rid of baby stuff now and along with that just comes reconsidering toys we have accumulated from birthdays and holidays this past year.
I am starting to see areas in our home that I really like how they feel - more spacious and peaceful. Right now that is:
+ our kitchen - less stuff on counters and everything put away and decorations on walls and not surfaces
+ our bedroom - surfaces clear except lamps and a diffuser
+ laundry room - we now have room for the pack n play so that with everyone home this summer, each child has their own room for nap/quiet time so I can keep my sanity!!!
We are making our home work for us and really it all starts with having less.
A friend of mine recently asked me how I kept my house so clean. It was such a nice compliment! Of course I tidied up a bit before she came over. But really I think it came down to simply having less stuff. I don't want to spend my days being a stuff manager. Being able to put everything away and for everything to have a spacious unstuffed place has allowed me to be a more present mother.
Dawn is one of my favorite minimalists to learn from because she is a mom! Her tips are practical and she still has kids at home. I always walk away inspired from watching her videos.
