Minimalism with kids is a lie

From Minimalism to Chaos: My Journey Back to Sustainable Living

Before I had kids, I proudly considered myself a minimalist. I lived with intentional simplicity, carefully balancing my values for sustainability and conservation. Today, however, I find myself surrounded by clutter, longing to reclaim the simplicity I once cherished. This is my story of losing—and finding—a sustainable lifestyle amidst the beautiful chaos of motherhood.

A Simpler Beginning

Things were simpler in the beginning. It was just me, my partner, and our two pets—a dog and a cat. Around 2014, I discovered minimalism when I read Marie Kondo’s The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up. Her philosophy resonated deeply with me, especially because I’ve always believed that minimalism and sustainability go hand in hand. Sustainability, at its core, is about meeting our needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs. It encompasses social, economic, and environmental dimensions—and minimalism felt like a natural way to honor that.

When we had our first child, life stayed relatively simple. Our Montessori-inspired approach to baby gear naturally leaned minimalist, and the pandemic meant fewer visitors bringing items into our home. But things shifted when I became pregnant with our second child and we moved across the country. A generous relocation package covered the packing and unpacking, but it meant I didn’t declutter before the move. Adding to the influx, our second child—the first girl in either family for a long time—was showered with gifts. Now, with two kids approaching ages 5 and 3, both with their own strong opinions about toys and activities, my carefully curated systems are buckling under the weight of it all.

Systems in Chaos

I’ve always prided myself on being organized, but the systems that once worked so well have stopped keeping up with our lives. Our trusty IKEA storage containers for clothes, toys, and books are in constant disarray, no matter how often I sort and declutter. Every few months, we fill a donation box, but the sheer volume of stuff still feels overwhelming.

Adding to the challenge is my ADHD. While it gives me incredible powers of hyperfocus and rapid problem-solving, it also means anything out of sight is truly out of mind. Without functional systems in place, it’s all too easy for clutter to spiral into chaos.

If you have a favorite decluttering or sustainability tip, please share it below in the comments. Let’s swap ideas and help each other out.

Losing Sustainable Habits

I’ll admit: I’ve let go of many sustainable habits. My journey toward convenience began when my son was born in April 2020. The early pandemic days were a maelstrom of fear and uncertainty. On top of that, I was battling severe postpartum depression. Cloth diapers were one of the first things to go. Washing, drying, and organizing them became an unmanageable burden, so I switched to disposables.

Slowly but surely, convenience replaced sustainability in other areas of my life. I felt guilty for years about the environmental toll—the extra deliveries, the plastic waste, the emissions from fast manufacturing. From greenhouse gases and deforestation to pollution and biodiversity loss, I understood the consequences intimately. But knowing didn’t make it any easier to act.

Starting Over: Building New Systems

The good news? I’m ready to start over. Change begins with me, but I can’t expect my entire household—especially my 4- and 2-year-olds—to jump on board immediately. My approach will be simple: lead by example. I’ll involve my kids in conversations about what I’m doing and why, and show them how small, thoughtful changes can make a difference. They’ll grow up seeing new possibilities for living.

Minimalism, I’ve learned, isn’t a one-time event. It’s an ongoing journey of conversations and adjustments. What’s important changes over time, and so do the systems and habits we need to support our values. That’s the beauty of it: minimalism looks different for everyone, and it evolves as we do.

To begin, I’m auditing everything that comes into our household. By stepping off autopilot and observing our daily actions, I’ll identify opportunities for improvement. I’ve even created a checklist to guide this shift toward sustainability. If you’d like to join me, I’ll share the link here.

This journey won’t be perfect. There will be setbacks and detours. But small, consistent actions over time add up to big progress. For most of us, it’s these everyday choices—not grand gestures—that make the biggest impact.

A Call to Rebel

Minimalism isn’t just about decluttering—it’s about living in alignment with your values. For me, that means embracing sustainability. Without it, our environment—and the societies and economies that depend on it—will collapse.

In a world that glorifies consumerism, choosing simplicity is an act of rebellion. So I’m reclaiming my values and forging a new path. If you’re ready to join me, start small. Audit your habits, make one change at a time, and know that every step matters. Together, we can make a difference—for ourselves, for future generations, and for the planet.