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New Mexico
The Minimalist Family Trading Clutter for Calm
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by Meredith Montgomery
hen Denaye Barahona, of New York City, became a parent, she felt compelled to buy everything for her son. “We are inundated as a culture with so many products for our kids that it’s hard to differentiate what we need; it really wears us down,” she says. While working on her Ph.D. in child development, Barahona discovered—both in research and personal experience—that kids actually thrive with less stuff. And so she began her journey toward minimalism by purging toys and clothes, eventually founding SimpleFamilies.com. Cary Fortin and Kyle Quilici, of San Francisco, believe time is better spent experiencing life with people than managing, organizing, cleaning and buying things. Their book New Minimalism: Decluttering and Design for Sustainable, Intentional Living is a call to adopt a more mindful life. Fortin says, “You decide first what you value, how you want to spend your days, how you want to feel, and then reflect these values in your physical space.” “Minimalism is not about living in a tiny home and never owning more than
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100 things; it’s about figuring out what brings value and purpose to your life and letting go of the rest,” says Atlanta’s Zoë Kim, author of Minimalism for Families: Practical Minimalist Living Strategies to Simplify Your Home and Life.
The Benefits
Time is precious, especially for parents. More free time is gained when a toy collection is significantly reduced, but other benefits result, as well. A 2018 University of Toledo study published in Infant Behavior and Development suggests toddlers engage in more focused and creative play when faced with fewer choices. “Kids who previously tore through bins or who didn’t care about their belongings immediately begin engaging with toys more appropriately and for longer periods of time,” says Barahona, the author of Simple Happy Parenting: The Secret of Less for Calmer Parents and Happier Kids. Research also indicates that our limited stores of willpower are depleted more quickly when we are flooded with decisions. “When you have less stuff in a
