Can Living Like a Minimalist Work With a Baby? – Eco Pea Co. Canada (2024)

Can Living Like a Minimalist Work With a Baby?

Green parenting6 Min Read

When a woman shares that she’s pregnant, many people love to tell her to “get ready for tons of stuff,” or to “say goodbye to your organized home.” But being bombarded by stuff and having an overloaded house is not a far gone conclusion when you bring a baby into your home. It’s actually totally doable to liveminimalisticallywith a baby!

This type of simple lifestyle has numerous benefits. One, it makes it way easier to babyproof and keep your home clean and organized. Two, it gives you more time to focus on what’s really important, like spending time with your family. And three, it saves you money, as having less stuff means you’re spending less money.When we think about what babies truly need anyway, it really comes down to love and affection, not copious amounts of colourful plastic toys.

Here’s some tips on how to adopt the life of a minimalist with babe.

Only buy items when your baby actually needs them.A major killer of minimalism is excitedly buying a bunch of gear your baby isn’tdevelopmentallyready for. This gear just ends up clogging up your space. Instead, only purchase these items when your baby is showing a clear need for them. For example, there’s no need to purchase an elaborate play structure when your baby is 2-months old and barely crawling. You might find out your baby won't use this structure when it comes time for it anyway.

Live by the “something in, something out” rule.To keep your homedecluttered, commit to donating one item for every new item that comes into your home. For instance, if you buy three new outfits for your baby, go through their clothes and toss three outfits they rarely wear, or that are too small for them, in a donation box. This is especially helpful around birthdays and gift-giving holidays.

Always have a donation box handy.Speaking of a donation box, always have one in an out of the way (yet easily accessible) area of your home. This is the place where you’ll stash an item when you realize it’s not adding value to your family’s life.When the box is full, you simply drop it at a local donation center.

Get creative with what can be a toy.You might have noticed that your baby enjoys the wrapping of a gift more than the gift itself, or items in the kitchen more than all those toys in the nursery. The gist: you can pare down your baby’s toys by replacing them with safe household goods that can double as playthings.

Keep baby’s clothes simple.It’s funny that even though baby clothes are tiny, they often end up claiming big sections of the home. And they also produce the most tedious type of laundryever. Reduce these headaches by only keeping enough baby clothes to get you through a week or two. And until your baby can walk, skip the shoes.

Cut down on your own belongings.In additionto limiting the baby stuff you have, limit the personal stuff you have. To do, pick one section of your house one day a week (for example, your closet) and spend a few hours going through every belonging in that space. If something is broken, toss it or commit to repairing it. If it’s in good condition but doesn’t bring immense value to your life, introduce it to the donation box. After a few weeks you will have weeded out all theunnecessaryitems in your home.

While livingminimalisticallyis a way of life that takes time to adopt, it’s a worthy endeavor. You can start slow by tackling one item on this list at a time, trying it on for size, and seeing how it impacts your life.

Focussing on what YOU want and need as opposed to what other parents are doing can be extremely helpful in this area. Our guess is it will infuse your home (and mind!) with more calm and clarity, like it has ours.Have anything else to add? Let us know!
Can Living Like a Minimalist Work With a Baby?
  
  
  
    – Eco Pea Co. Canada (2024)

FAQs

Can Living Like a Minimalist Work With a Baby? – Eco Pea Co. Canada? ›

It's actually totally doable to live minimalistically with a baby! This type of simple lifestyle has numerous benefits. One, it makes it way easier to babyproof and keep your home clean and organized. Two, it gives you more time to focus on what's really important, like spending time with your family.

Can you be minimalist with kids? ›

Numbers of parents think a minimalist lifestyle is simply out of reach because they have children—as if the two are somehow incompatible. But that is not the case. As I explain in Clutterfree with Kids, the principles of minimalism are completely within reach no matter how many children you have or where you live.

Can you live a minimalist lifestyle? ›

Minimalist living in a nutshell

Minimalism can be a way to declutter your home, your mind and even your to-do list. Making a little extra effort to do things like budget and build a capsule wardrobe might help save money in the long run. A simpler life could be just a few steps away.

What are the benefits of minimalist living? ›

Key Takeaways: Minimalism helps to relieve stress and improves overall mental health. By focusing on what's important and letting go of excess, we can discover our true potential. Living with less and having more freedom and time can lead to increased happiness and fulfillment.

Is minimalism good for ADHD? ›

ADHD often brings a whirlwind of thoughts and ideas. Minimalism provides a calming counterbalance. By decluttering physical spaces, I've created environments that foster focus and clarity, allowing me to harness my creative energy more effectively.

Is minimalism good for Mental Health? ›

Adopting a minimalist mindset can improve your stress levels, sleep, mental and physical health, increase happiness and well-being, reduce your environmental impact, and also save you time, energy, and money.

Do minimalists spend less money? ›

A minimalist budget isn't necessarily about spending less money. It's about spending money on fewer things, so you're only spending money on what you truly value.

Are minimalists happier? ›

According to a survey by the Simplicity Institute, an organization that surveyed 2,500 people across various countries who self-identified themselves as living with fewer possessions, 87 percent of respondents indicated they were happier now than when they owned more possessions.

What kind of life do minimalists try to live? ›

A minimalist lifestyle involves living with fewer resources whether in terms of a house or possession. It is a part of the thought process how a person chooses to live with all the minimal things in life and yet be satisfied. A minimalist lifestyle is by no means a radical lifestyle but rather an optimal one.

How to live a simple decluttered life? ›

It doesn't matter which one you choose — what matters is starting.
  1. Start clearing a starting zone. ...
  2. Clear off a counter. ...
  3. Pick a shelf. ...
  4. Schedule a decluttering weekend. ...
  5. Pick up 5 things, and find places for them. ...
  6. Spend a few minutes visualizing the room. ...
  7. Put a load in your car for charity.

How to start living like a minimalist? ›

9 Simple Ways to Start Living a More Minimal Lifestyle
  1. Give yourself a clear, personal goal (and a timeline) ...
  2. Decide how your home can help you live a more minimalist lifestyle. ...
  3. Declutter. ...
  4. Train yourself to live with less. ...
  5. Ask yourself, “do I really need this?” all the time. ...
  6. Be a re-user. ...
  7. Invest in high-quality items.

Where do minimalists live? ›

Salt Lake City is the best US city for minimalists, followed by Arlington, VA, and St. Paul, MN. Most cities that provide the right mix of amenities for people interested in minimalism are located in the Midwest and the Southern US.

What are the disadvantages of minimalism? ›

Con: You won't have a vibrant social life

A lifestyle of minimalism doesn't just mean owning few possessions — it also means limiting relationships to those that truly matter and add value to your life — and vice versa.

How does minimalism affect the brain? ›

It Helps Relieve Your Mind from Stress.

However, if you're a minimalist, your mind gets a lot of relief. You'll be better positioned to reorganize your mind and life. Remember, positive thinking will let you have fewer mental triggers as you have less things disturbing your mind.

Why do people want minimalists? ›

Embracing minimalism brings freedom from the all-consuming passion to possess. It steps off the treadmill of consumerism and dares to seek happiness elsewhere. It values relationships, experiences, and soul-care. It lets us see all that we already have and reminds us to be grateful.

How to live minimalist with a family? ›

How to live a minimalist lifestyle with a large family
  1. Less toys = more time! Lots of little people in a household means lots of messes. ...
  2. Reduce gifting your kids "stuff" when you want to reward them. ...
  3. Cut down on clothes and consider capsule wardrobes. ...
  4. Less expensive outings, and more family time in nature.

How many kids does the minimal mom have? ›

If we haven't met before, I'm married to Tom, and we have four kids ages nine through 14. We've called ourselves minimalists for about 8 years now and it has completely transformed our home and our lives.

How to simplify a home with kids? ›

25 Ways to Simplify Your Life with Kids
  1. Self-sufficiency. This one tip could simplify your life greatly, over time. ...
  2. One calendar. ...
  3. Toy bins. ...
  4. Regular cleanups. ...
  5. Quiet bedtime routines. ...
  6. Prep the night before. ...
  7. Don't schedule too much. ...
  8. Have dedicated family times.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Nathanial Hackett

Last Updated:

Views: 5988

Rating: 4.1 / 5 (52 voted)

Reviews: 83% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Nathanial Hackett

Birthday: 1997-10-09

Address: Apt. 935 264 Abshire Canyon, South Nerissachester, NM 01800

Phone: +9752624861224

Job: Forward Technology Assistant

Hobby: Listening to music, Shopping, Vacation, Baton twirling, Flower arranging, Blacksmithing, Do it yourself

Introduction: My name is Nathanial Hackett, I am a lovely, curious, smiling, lively, thoughtful, courageous, lively person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.