How to Live a
Minimalist Lifestyle
with Kids (And All Their Stuff) by Jenna Sims Minimalism is defined in the dictionary as “a style or technique that is characterized by extreme spareness and simplicity.” Each individual and family will have a different view of what exactly a minimalist life entails—some want to live in a tiny house or own fewer than 100 items—but the guiding principle is to keep only the things that bring value and joy to your life and let go of the rest, whether in your living space, on your calendar, or in your personal relationships.
23 kiwi Spring 2021
For Zoë Kim, author of Minimalism for Families and the voice behind the popular minimalist blog, Raising Simple, “Minimalism is about trading all of my clutter for the things I want more of: sleep, experiences, time with friends and family, and other things.” As a mom of four, she shares eight practical steps to getting started (and maintaining) a minimalist lifestyle with your family.
1
Identify your “why.”
Before you start decluttering your home, think about what you want to accomplish with each space. Dive deep into your real reasons for keeping a tidy home and living with less stuff. According to Kim, a good way to think about the minimalist lifestyle is think of it as a trade. Perhaps you want to own fewer items to spend less time tidying up in order to spend more quality time with your kids.
2
Alter your mindset.
Living a minimalist lifestyle starts with a change in how we think. As you begin to declutter your home, look for opportunities to talk to your kids about your “why” to help them understand the
