Are you a soon-to-be mom who wants to stay home with your baby or a mother who wants to stay home? A minimalist lifestyle can help you achieve the dream of staying home with your kids or working fewer hours.
If your dream of being a stay-at-home mom seems out of reach, let me show you how a minimalist lifestyle and mindset can make it achievable. It’s about gaining the freedom to shape your life how you want it and the control to make the choices that best suit your family.
My journey to becoming a stay-at-home mom was unexpected. Struggling with infertility and undergoing IVF treatments left me feeling overwhelmed and stressed. During these challenging times, I discovered minimalism, which became my lifeline.
We finally got pregnant and had a baby girl. Due to a minimalist lifestyle, I could leave my job and stay home.
What is a minimalist lifestyle?
A minimalist lifestyle can differ from person to person since we all live different lives. There is no right or wrong way to live a minimalist lifestyle.
A minimalist lifestyle involves choosing to live with less of what you do not enjoy and more of what you do enjoy. Removing things that do not bring you joy makes you focus more on what truly matters, bringing peace and calm to your life.
Eleven ways a minimalist lifestyle can help you be a stay-at-home mom
- Value time over money
It is difficult to quit your job and stay home, especially if you love what you do or have bills and debt. What helped me make this decision easier is that I value my time over money.
Suppose you work hourly and get paid for eight hours a day. Assuming it is an eight-to-five job with the unpaid lunch hour. Then add your commute to work and back. You are easily out of the house for almost ten hours. Divide what you make in a day into ten hours. That is what you make in a day. This does not include the time it takes you to get ready for work.
Yes, we get paid when we work, but the time you commute and the money you spend on lunch, clothes, and gas all add up.
When you value your time more than money, it is easier to see the bigger picture and see if you can change your life to work fewer hours or stay home.
- Frugal living
Frugal living means making better money choices that align with your values or goals and not trying to keep up with everyone else. Creating better spending habits can help you work fewer hours or be a stay-at-home mom.
These choices include buying second-hand first, living below your means, and avoiding fashion trends. Each frugal decision you make is a step towards financial success and reaching financial goals.
- More toys don’t equal more love
This may seem not easy because you always want to see your baby or kids happy. But buying them more toys does not mean you love them more or that they will be happier. Yes, they will be at first, but after a while, they will get bored and move on to another toy.
Studies have shown that too many toys can have negative effects that include overstimulation, distraction, and anxiety.
You can rotate your child’s toys every few months so your child does not get tired of the same ones. You can also spend more time outdoors or do some daily activities like coloring or painting.
Not spending money on toys can help you save money and time spent on picking up toys.
Here is a post on minimalist baby essentials to save space and money.
- Minimal wardrobe
Creating a capsule or minimal wardrobe can help you save money, avoid decision fatigue, and save time on laundry. Decluttering your wardrobe can help simplify your closet and leave you with items you use during this season and beyond.
Your wardrobe should include items that fit you and make you feel comfortable at this moment in life. Avoid fashion trends and the fantasy self-items you have yet to wear. For example, a fantasy self could be outfits with a denim jacket, yet you never wear the denim jacket. It is okay to get rid of those items.
Be realistic about your wardrobe and what you keep. There is no need for ten workout outfits if you only work out three times a week, or worse, you do not work out. You can also simplify your baby’s wardrobe, saving you money.
Babies grow so fast that they outgrow their clothes quickly. Buying them a lot of clothes they will outgrow is wasteful.
- Underconsumption
This year, the underconsumption core became a trend. As someone with a minimalist lifestyle, I hope people will try it and notice that we already have more than enough.
You can apply underconsumption by finishing up products like skincare or cleaning supplies before you buy more.
Try to purchase second-hand clothes, furniture, or toys instead of buying new ones. Avoid buying one-time-use items like bottled water or plastic straws.
Consuming less will help you save a lot of money and is better for the environment.
I highly recommend Grove Collaboration. Grove Collaboration delivers eco-friendly and sustainable household cleaning, personal care, and beauty products directly to your door.
This subscription box has no minimum amount; you can skip a month and cancel anytime. For VIP members, they offer free shipping on orders over $29.
Some brands I use are Method Body, OSEA, and Grove Co. You can find a link here to check it out. Grove Collaboration.
Read the blog post-Underconsumption Core and Why You Should Embrace It Now
- Simple living
Simple living and minimalism go hand in hand. A simple lifestyle includes reducing possessions, consumption, and work time to create more time and energy for what matters.
It is about being in the moment and finding joy in the simple things. A simpler lifestyle can reduce stress and improve one’s financial situation.
- More home-cooked meals
As the prices for fast food and dining go up, making home-cooked meals will save you a lot of money. Finding meals you and your family love and meal prepping can make mealtime easier.
Taking the time to meal plan and buy groceries once a week will save you time and money. It’s even better to schedule a curbside to avoid going into the store and buying things you do not need for the week.
- Free activities
There are plenty of free activities available as a family or when it comes time to keep the little ones busy. Going to your local library or the park can save you money. Doing activities at home like coloring, painting, and playing with Play-Doh can save you time by preventing you from commuting.
Little things matter to your little ones, not the money you spend.
- Quality time with loved ones
Spending quality time with your loved ones instead of at a shopping center trying to find a new outfit you probably don’t need. Give your loved ones your full attention without distractions like the television or phone.
Plan movie nights or game nights as a family. Spending quality time with your loved ones does not require money and can save you money.
- Enjoy the season you are in
We are all living different lives and are in different seasons at a time. Whether trying to grow your family in the newborn or toddler stage, it can be a little difficult sometimes. But taking it day and day and enjoying the season you are in can make your days easier.
- Declutter
This is the first thing you should do when you want to create a life you can truly enjoy. Decluttering your home to create a clutter-free space has plenty of benefits, including less time cleaning and reducing stress.
This can take some time, depending on how many items you have in your home. But once you declutter your home, maintaining clutter-free space becomes very simple.
Need help decluttering? Read related posts below.
How to Declutter Your Bathroom and Finally Keep it Organized and Clutter-Free
15 Simple Tips to Declutter Your Bedroom for Better Sleep
Final thoughts
There is no right or wrong way to live a minimalist lifestyle. It is about removing everything in your life that you do not enjoy so that you can focus more on what you do. It is about being content with what you have and not trying to keep up with everyone else.
Finding minimalism and living a minimalist lifestyle have been some of the best things that have happened to me. This lifestyle has helped me stay home with my baby and be more mindful of my daily activities.
Whether you dream of being a stay-at-home mom or working fewer hours, the tips above and a minimalist lifestyle can help.