3 Must-Haves for the Minimalist Mom

Being a minimalist mom is all about having less stuff, right? Wrong. Well, sort of, but there’s more to it.

Minimalism is all about having what you need, will use, and enjoy. And being a minimalist mom is about having the essentials without adding chaos and clutter to your life. Doesn’t that sounds refreshing?

Want more practical tips like this? Check out 5 super easy ways to be more productive as a stay at home mom (without waking up early).

I’ve found my own version of minimalism as a mom to be helpful and freeing! I love not having to manage excess stuff and clutter in my home with young children. It has been a key element in simplifying life for our young family.

But there are 3 things I think every mom trying to simplify life at home needs. Yes, I said needs. And I’m not one to throw that word around. Let’s get into it.

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3 Things Every Minimalist Mom Needs

1. A Go-To Stain Remover

Is it too much to say that stain remover changed my life as a mom? Probably, but I stand by it. Finding a good stain remover changed my life.

Imagine this: You’re a minimal mom. You only acquire and keep clothes you know your children are actually going to wear. A few shirts, a few shorts; that’s it.

You’re at a family barbecue. Someone hands your child a delicious, dripping popsicle. It’s melting down their adorable chubby chin and running down their elbows all over one of their few outfits.

Uh-oh. That means 1) extra work and elbow grease to get that stain out with no guarantee it won’t be set in like concrete by the time you get home. Or 2) you don’t sweat and know you’ll get home, give it a little spritz, and boom. It’ll come out in the next wash.

Um, did I just transform into a chill, easy going mom? That doesn’t have to think twice about another little detail? Oh yeah, I did. I’ll take option two please.

If you’re going to have a small number of clothes for your family (all of our clothes for 4 people fit into one dresser and one small closet), a good stain remover is a must. It extends the life of your clothes and helps keeps messes and stains in the “no big deal” category in your brain. Which is my personal favorite category as a mom.

2. Baskets and Bins

Hear me out. Baskets are one of the best minimalist tools I’ve found. It’s not just a container to hold more stuff. It actually helps manage how much stuff you have. How, you ask? Enter the container method.

The container method is the principle that you use a specific container to help you limit items. You choose a container and only keep the amount that fits in that designated container. Mind blowing, right?

Here’s how I use it with my children. I have a basket in our living room that holds toys. The only toys I have available all fit in that basket. I rotate “new” toys in every week from the larger bin of toys I keep in their closet.

The basket is my limit. It helps me decide automatically how many toys I’ll have out at any given time. Which is not many. So my kids play better and longer with fewer toys and clean up is easier and less overwhelming for them. And I can clean up my entire living room in less than 2 minutes, which I do a couple times a day to give a nice reset. I like soft woven baskets for toys because they can toss toys in and dump them out without having to worry about the basket getting broken.

I use sturdy plastic bins for my kids’ shoes. Again, to limit how many they have but also to give them independence in putting their own shoes away. Tossing them in a bin is easy for toddlers.

I use baskets and bins for books, outside toys, art supplies, play dough, car toys, clothing. You name it and I use the container method to help me make easy decisions. The container sets the limit of how much I can keep. No overthinking required!

3. A Donation Box or Bag

I have an on-going donation box or bag (or both!) at all times sitting in a closet in our home. (Out of sight is important.) Use a donate-able container, like a diaper box or large paper bag. So when it comes time to pass on those items, it’s as easy as possible.

Decluttering a whole closet or room can be overwhelming. I’ve found it easiest in my busy days to declutter as I go. I’m putting away clean dishes and see that coffee mug that’s been sitting in the back of the cabinet untouched for 6 months. I can grab it and put it in the donation box right then versus thinking, “I have to clean out the cabinet and donate that mug,” thus adding to the mental load.

NO. My mental load is full, thank you very much. Into the donation box it goes ASAP. Mama’s not messing around.

When I notice my child has outgrown shoes or clothes I’m not keeping it for the next child, I can toss it right in that ready donation box or bag I have set out to pass on to a friend. This avoids The Pile. You know, the pile of stuff you tell yourself you’ll take a nap time soon to sort through but just never seem to get around to. Yeah, we all have one.

It takes away sooo much of the mental load we all deal with as moms managing our busy households. I pick up an outgrown onesie or toy or book and immediately know where to put it. No thought, no extra planning, storing, sorting, organizing. Just done and move on to the next thing.

Simplifying Life is Easier Than You Think

I hope this encouraged you to arm yourself with some stain remover, rethink your thrifted basket collection, and put that empty diaper box to work for you. Less really is more in so many areas of life as a busy mom with kids. I hope this inspires you to look at minimalism with kids in a new way.

Leave me comment with your minimalist mom must-haves. What did I miss? What trick or tool has changed your life as a minimalist mom? Can’t wait to hear from you!

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