Thank you for addressing the minimalism with kids topic. 3 kids here and I've been on minimalism journey for over a year. I just looked around one day and thought this is not even a home anymore just like a storage unit. I felt like I couldn't actually live because I was just forever organizing and cleaning and it was absolutely never ending and soul sucking. Nothing I tried was working. I couldn't find a working routine or system that I would stick to or my family would stick to. So I just started getting rid of stuff and I noticed I was a lot happier as well as my kids. There started to be way less things to pick up at the end of the day and then I just have started following minimalism vlogs. (Coming over from the Minimal Mom). I'm still working on food and clothes. Loving the no pressure holidays!
Thanks for all the good vibes concerning this everyone. I swear these are my only qualms in life. And I believe minimalism may just be the dang answer. Lookout new life!
@@fortheloveoftheanimalz well my comment was 2 years old, I'm still doing minimalism and it's significantly changed my life for the better in so many ways. And I have 3 kids. Minimalism doesn't have to be that you have nothing, white walls, and some succulents. It's just basically getting rid of what you don't need or want so there's room for life, room and time for what matters. Any questions, please email, my email is on my channel. Good luck
Finally a realistic minimalist. When it comes to food 7 years old is so picky I no longer buy in bulk. And we also do the container for memory items n go through them every school year. Glad to see someone that still keeps games and arts n crafts items cause we do to. Thankyou
I haven't finished watching the video and I'm already inspired! No long introduction at the beginning, no chatty talking, just facts with visual examples, you speak clearly without 'ehrm' and silly laughs - great job :D and great tips, because as you said correctly: the most minimalist I found are students, people who live in a shared flat or singles. Thank you for sharing your experiences!
Memory boxes are so great. I’ve made one for my husband and one for myself. If the boxes get too full, we sort through them to just keep the best of the best. I don’t feel guilty about keeping anything in the boxes
I really appreciate these tips. Thank you from Indonesia! I currently am doing 2019 No Buy Challenge, and yesterday my husband brushed our dingy rubber cell phone cases that they looked shiny, clear, and like new again, so we did not need to buy new ones. Having simplified life definitely makes life richer.
Majorly decluttering our house these past two months at home with my 16 year old girl home. She’s been so helpful and loving getting organized and rid of stuff we really don’t use anymore. College boy arrived home last night so hopefully more decluttering to happen this summer in his room.
I love the food idea. We just started to do that by making two menu using only recipes that we all love to eat. We rotate and its the same ingredients. Our grocery bill has cut in half.
Great tips for kids. I did the same thing and noticed that they started playing together more and created their own games. Less toys is less stress for everyone in the household.
Love your take on minimalism with a family. I’m trying to curb my own “shopping ahead” habit. It’s so hard to go from shopping to being content with where you are at.
Thank you for sharing your minimalist journey with having a family. I have 4 kids, and I’m in the process of becoming more minimalist. It feels so good to have less.
I agree with everything except for the food suggestion! For us, it’s super important to make our kids keep eating things even if they don’t like them, because they will be exposed to other cultures’ dishes and I want them to learn gratefulness, no matter what they are offered. We don’t make different meals for each of our kids, either. We could do better about food waste, though.
I also think of healthy food as longterm investment. We are WFPB and look at it as “minimal” processed and packaged foods. Since we don’t eat meat or dairy we use that money towards a life free from heart disease, cancer and medications with side effects.
When my children were younger I did keep a lot of their clothes to pass down to the next child. When I had 5 children it DID save a lot of money so it was worth it. I now have nine children so I have actually whittled down our stored clothes to one bin of girls and one bin of boys stuff. These bins are stored in our crawl space. I have also majorly simplified our food. I don’t make meals with tons of ingredients and I have even gotten rid of heaps of herbs and spices too. Another area that I have changed in is I will immediately donate unwanted gifts. I wasted too much time and sanity keeping things out of obligation. If some people just REFUSE to honour me in any way or even spend time with us but dump stuff on us then I feel unburdened by getting rid of the items. I know a lot of people get rid of older items but if our toys are LOVED and already minimised and played with daily I am not going to make us get rid of that stuff for something we haven’t even expressed an interest in in the past.
Thank you for sharing! I also store clothing items from my older son for my younger son. Almost everything the younger one wears has been passed down, but I agree it doesn't make sense to save everything. I love your thinking about gifts! I have also donated gifts that my boys show no interest in. You are right that it would be sad to get rid of something they love to replace it with something they didn't need or want. I hope you have a great weekend 😀
I love this. I try, and it works well since we are a military family and we move a lot! The problem is my 7yo daughter, she'd keep every little thing 😬 It's easier with my youngest and it was easier when she was little, but now she has her opinions, and yesterday she told me she wants a bigger house when we move next so that she can fit more toys in her room 🙈 truth to be said we are in London UK now, our house is small, and her bedroom is tiny, but it's helping us to keep our stuff in check
Talk abou buying for the future. I buy books for 7-10 years old when my daughter was about 3. Some of them ended up missing or broken when my daughter actually grows up to the age she can really read them.
Great tips Shannon! One of the reasons I love your channel is because you show a practical look at becoming minimal. I think when people come across those extreme minimalist channels - where they are single or married without kids - it can feel like you just can't be minimal. Thank you for sharing your journey!
Thank you! That is exactly how I felt when I first looked up minimalism, it was so extreme. I know a lot of people would not consider us minimalist, but that is ok because we have a family and we actually need more items to enjoy our lives. Minimalism is about making our lives easier and if I have to get rid of too much to where my life is now harder then I have missed the point. I hope you have a great weekend 😀
I have been throwing all of my stuff now i don’t have alot of stuff and i changed my apartment it’s so modern and minimalist i literally lovee its all white and open ... and I love watching videos like this it motivates me to declutter even more ❤️yaaassss
finally a useful minimalist video for me! i have an 8 month old and i feel like the house is cluttered with toys and clothes!! i know it’s only going to get crazier the older he gets so i found these tips super useful. thank you so much!
Not sure if anyone has touched upon this- but your energy is so calming. I enjoyed this video a lot. I am a single mom with an 11-year old son. Ever since we bought our new condo in the city (which forces us to also purge!) we did the KonMari way. Then I realized that I wanted even more minimalism instead of just tidying up- which I believe is probably the basis, but wanted. to really downsize. I've noticed that my energy dips when things are cluttered. Maybe it's due to my innate Virgo tendencies (I'm virgo sun + ascending). My boyfriend of many years just moved in with us- and he is SUPER neat! But he is a chef and now my kitchen feels overwhelmingly cluttered. I'm going to search your videos if you talk about kitchen clutter at all.
I definitely had issues with buying clothes for the future. You have so many great tips! Applying minimalism to food really does make things easier on all fronts. With mine at a younger age it made him more willing to try new things! I was blown away 😂 Thank you for sharing!
Thank you! Buying clothes for the future was such a huge change for us too. I love hearing that simplifying food helped you guys, I thought everyone would think that is a crazy idea, but it really helps with wasting less food. I hope you have a great weekend 😀
Yes, we are always looking for ways to save food. One thing I have also learned over time is to only give my children small amounts and let them ask for more. Zero food waste is our goal too. I hope you have a great weekend 😀
Thank you! I am on the minimalist way and I dreaming about a big family of 10 of us (there are 3 at the moment) and videos like yours are so informative and inspirational! Thank you for your effort! ✨🙏🏼✨
I recently discovered your channel and love it!!! Thank you for the tips. As a family of four too we are constantly thinking of ways to simplify our home!
For my family: I have been buying only dish washing liquid and diluting with water to clean everything in the house. I cut down on dishes over the years and been cutting down more and more so to point where we can get through them in 20s mins or less/ so no need for dishwasher detergent. My son has been an aspired artist for a long time and brings home lots of art work. We take pictures and put it on a cloud but now trying to get him to draw on his tablet which he loves but we keep the really coveted pieces. Also he only wears dark colors (minimal laundry sorting and longevity) bc it’s like his style with cool t shirts and jeans anyway. But he only have 5-7 pairs of pants, no more than than 10 or so shirts: long sleeve, short sleeve, sweaters. And 1 pack of socks and 4 pairs of shoes: sandals for swimming, two pairs of sneakers and boots. Whenever he needs something new I get no more than that. I used to buy way more than that and he never touched it. I have the hardest time buying gifts for ppl so I just give gift cards they can use for anything including bills. I also have a cubicle storage bins with the shelves and put everything in them like toys, shoes school stuff. He has a 9 storage bin shelf and that’s enough for everything besides clothes. He has a loft bed that’s a desk, dresser and bed all in one. I love it. All he needs is one dresser used to have more. He gets allowance and saves for things he wants- we don’t buy him things anymore besides necessities. He actually makes great budgeting decisions bc of this and really appreciates his things more. He’s also really good at moving on from toys he doesn’t use anymore. For his parents, I’ve gotten down to one dresser as well as his dad and have some closet space to hang a few dresses up. I buy quality over quantity even more so but just key favs I re wear and will most likely wear throughout the return cycle of the seasons. I continue to get rid and keep new things out unless something needs to replaced or want to replace something worth replacing
It is so good to see this video about minimalism and being a family of 4! I like how you commented that most videos are of singles, couples and their tips on minimalism, but it's a bit different when you have kids. Thank you so much for the great tips!
I remember the first video I saw of yours and you talked about getting a hobby and stop shopping. That really helped me. Thanks for your great tips and showing us you can be minimal with kids.
Thank you! I am so happy that sharing my experience could possibly help. I know that shopping or even window shopping can become a default hobby since it's so easy, but changing that really helped me. I hope you have a great day! 😀
hello from England 😄 this video is just what i needed, we are a family of four too. We started our minimal journey last august, it’s so nice to hear from another mum and realistic 🥰 thank you!!!!! i am now about to watch all your videos 😂 xx
👍🌟I love the idea of a memory box for both yourself and the children. I’m holding on to so many sentimental items-probably because I moved countries in my early adulthood and want to keep myself connected with my grounds-but they get in the way of using my regular stuff. Same for my children. I really should make a memory box and keep it all contained.
Totally agree with what you said at the start of the video Shannon - so many minimalists are single people or couples with no kids - much easier when there are less people involved! That’s one of the reasons I love your channel 😊
THANKYOU! finally a Minimalist family ! it was really frustrating seeing backpackers in Japan etc as you said because when you have children you do have stuff.
It might sounds weird but I found most of the clutter toys are gifts from birthdays, Christmas gathering parties, relatives reunions etc. So from my daughter’s 6th birthday I start to announcement for no toy gifts together with invitations.
Perfect video for the topic!!! I keep my children’s best art on the fridge for one week, then it either goes into the KEEP bin, or in the paper recycling bin.
Feeling inspired by this video! Really working hard to reduce the clutter in our home over the next several months so we don’t feel so overwhelmed and in disarray in our own home. I love decor and have an eye for making things look cute but with that come a desire to put more little cute trinkets and it’s just unnecessary!
I agree with you on clothing. While I do have totes of clothing that I got for free, I learned with my second child that they truly may not fit clothes that you store for later. (My daughter is almost 2 and could still possibly fit into 0-3 month clothing) Since I already have the clothes and we are unsure of what we want to keep, we will "borrow" pieces from the stored clothes, use those items to build a capsule wardrobe, and then donate the rest. Also for paper clutter my son started Prek this year as well and we do get tons of artwork sent home. A few things have made it into the trash, but I have kept mostly all of it in a small plastic filing bin. When school ends next month I will go through it all and choose some things I want to keep. In the plastic file bin I have one hanging file folder for each school year which I will keep a few pieces of art work, awards, important papers for school/sports, and things like that. When my kids are older I will give them their 'memory bins" with the pieces I collected from when they were growing up (my mom had totes and totes of memory things for me and I found this to be the simplest and easiest way to give my kids their memories)
The clothing is so hard to deal with especially when it is given for free. We had a lot of things handed down to us that we also got a lot of wear out of, but I had to get picky because a lot of it just sat in bins and was never used. It sounds like you have a great system for the artwork ! I hope you have a great weekend. 💛😀
Thankyou, i really enjoy your videos, such a huge difference from your videos i started watching 2 years ago. i love your sons room, its so simplified and calm.
Thank you Lauren! I can see the difference in my videos too. It is a huge learning curve to create these videos LOL. I appreciate your support 💛 . I hope you have a great weekend 😀
I used to also collect their school drawings and arts and first test etc.. etc.. and it will take so much space as time goes by lol so then I now scan it instead and save it because all my kids will do is look back to those to those memories.. i kept the most important projects of course. their choice.
For me, we have limited income so when there are solid pieces that are quality made and are easy to mix and match on clearance or at the thrift store, I do buy them and store them in one small tote for each kid. We can’t afford to buy a bunch of clothes at full price when they move up a size and most of our friends and family have kids in the same size or the same age so hand me downs don’t happen often. We do only buy the next size they will be in, and between the handful of clearance items and birthday/Christmas gifts we haven’t had any problems within the past 2 years of doing it. I think storing clothing in larger size is okay as long as it’s limited in items, and storage space.
I can only speak to my own experience, but I just payed attention to what they actually played with and then slowly got rid of the rest. My children are still young and they didn't notice that I would slip a toy out every week or so. If they were older I would probably just explain that we have too much and let them decide to get rid of what they don't think they need. Just the other day we had a huge pile of paper projects from school and my 5 year old wanted to keep everything, but when I said pick the 2 most important projects he was able to do it quite quickly and he seemed fine with letting the rest go.
I have asked my kids to tell me which of their toys they enjoy the most. Then it’s easier for them to sort through the ones that aren’t their favorites and they are more willing to get rid of them. I find that easier than asking which they want to get rid of.
I LOVE thrift store shopping to save money and the environment so future shopping is a bit of a necessity for us. I try to keep track of it though and have a list on my phone of the things that I have bought and I know that we won't need more than 5 t shirts, 5 pairs of trousers etc.
Thank you as a mum with 2 kids under 3 watching the single adult minimalists makes me so jealous and sad! I am a very clean person so I spend way too much time cleaning when I could be reading or sleeping or gardening. I am going to do a MASSIVE clothes and craft throw out this weekend.
Oh no, don't be sad. I know exactly how you are feeling, when my second boy was born my older one was only 2.5 years old and it was really hard to keep everything under control. Decluttering will help, but also I had to realize that my house can't look perfect all the time. Homes are for living in. Enjoying your time with your family is way more important than a clean house. 😀
First, great hair. Second, the food thing - great, great tip. My daughter is super similar and I always feel like I’m wasting money and food. Thank you
You came up on my recommended feed! Can’t believe I hadn’t subscribed. So good to see you on RUclips, Shannon! Loved getting to know you and grow with you in the Create Your Blog Dream FB group!:)
This might be a random question, but do you find yourself having to shop more often for cleaning/household supplies or replacements? My toddler's quite destructive along with our beagle puppy. I end up repairing/replacing a lot 😅 I love your video, by the way
What are some minimalist tips you have? Thank you for watching how to be a minimalist with a family! Check out our decluttering for a year video here: ruclips.net/video/kYzxPLQk004/видео.html
Minimizing the AMOUNT of toys your kids have out is so SO key. Kids play so much better when they have more space and less toys. We do a toy rotation because we have the luxury of storage space. We have one toy/activity on the main floor (like barbie house a few dolls) and then a couple in the bedroom. Then, when we are stuck inside, we can rotate out the toy that's on the main floor and it's like it's brand new
Hi Shannon , Thank You for another Fantastic video :) I agree with so much of what you have said.I try to live a very similar lifestyle.Minimalism is always a work in progress.
Love this channel 😊 I have to say though, as a mum and wife, I think I'm the biggest clutter creator in our house - I can't blame it on the kids 😂 but you have given me some great ideas so I'm going to take a look this weekend and see what changes I can make.
Love your videos! Very inspiring! Now if only I had the time to declutter!!! And love the tip of buying in the NOW and not for the future, we buy bulk food & clothing & finding a lot gets wasted, kids grow so fast & barely get a chance to wear everything & food spoils before getting to eat it :( One question, did you or do you find it difficult trying to get the boys to bed & settle in for the night even with their toys in their room?? It's not too distracting for them? Any tips?
Thank you. My boys have never had a problem with getting into toys when they should be sleeping. When my little one first transitioned out of his crib and he realized he could get up and do whatever he wanted some times he would grab a toy and take it back to bed with him. Even if he was playing he usually wore himself out and would fall asleep. My older one, now 5, knows the rules and stays in bed. I guess my only tip (that I have to remind myself sometimes) is to know they will eventually sleep LOL. I hope you have a great weekend.
As far as gifts, I don't wait until my kids receive new gifts to get rid of old toys. I have a guideline that I follow. Although, I do get rid of older toys close to Christmas/birthdays. We talk about the toys they want and I firmly/gently let them know that it's time to let go of older toys if they want brand new toys. While they were 4yrs and younger I just got rid of old toys while they were out of the house like at grandmas. They never noticed. Now, that they're older it doesn't seem right to get rid of their stuff behind their back. I tell them their toys are going to donations were another kid can find them and take them home. As they're getting older their gifts are also getting simpler. No more noisey toddler toys.
I wish this video was around a few years ago when we started our journey! Agree and have adopted many of the things mentioned! Thank you for sharing! ❤
I finally stopped buying kids clothes ahead of time. It always seemed like in the meantime, we’d get hand me downs or they would end up changing their tastes by the time they fit. So much was wasted.
That is exactly what would happen to us! Before we adopted minimalism I would buy things and store them away and forget I had them. Now I know exactly what we have. I hope you have a great weekend 😀
Arghhhh.....this is hard!! I'm a minimalist at heart, but I live with a husband who likes to keep stuff and 2 kids who are....hoarders?? They refuse to get rid of anything, it's so frustrating! Every craft, stuffed animal, Halloween costumes, book, etc! Comes in, never comes out! The only relief on th subject is knowing that one day they will have their own house and they will move all this stuff out! (Ahah!)
My kids are still little, but they love their stuffed animals too and I feel we have a lot. I find everyone in my home has a harder time letting go once something has come into our home so I try really hard to limit what comes through the door. Also I always try to point out how much easier it is to deal with everything when it is organized. But in general it is way harder to be minimalist with a family. LOL
I need to do this I've just moved from a large flat to a much smaller flat so will have to de clutter major league I'm so like my mum who keeps everything so it's going to be tough
Hi, thanks for sharing ur tips of how to live minimal as a family... Im just wondering, do u travel and spend time out of town much? Any tips when we have to travel for (say) 1-2 weeks overseas... How much clothing that will need to be reduced to? The thing that hinder me from decluttering is that im afraid im gonna need it later, and i dont wanna spend more money later just becoz i have thrown things that i thought i dont need anymore.. enlighten me pls... :)
Hello! We do travel, but not supper often. The biggest trip we took since having kids was going to NZ for a few weeks. I just packed what we wear in our normal weekly wardrobe for that season. I brought about a weeks worth of clothes and we did laundry once while we were away. I don't worry about decluttering items that I think I might need because I only declutter items that I know I don't need and never use. For instance we live in CA and it is hot and sunny most of the year, but we also travel to places where it snows. Therefore we still keep jackets because it wouldn't make any sense to declutter jackets and then have to buy them again for our trips. Out of everything I have ever decluttered there is not one item that I wish I had back, knowing that helps me to continue on this journey. I hope this can help, let me know if you have more questions. I hope you have a great day.
@@shannontorrens1 thanks! Ur answer has helped me so much! So just focus on the things that i am SURE that i dont need or use... You make me feel that i can conquer decluttering the house.. hahaha...
I'm drowning in paper memorabilia. I find it impossible to decluter 😰 my kids are in their teens...and it's totlo emotional to throw away. Yea I know it's stupid but that's the way....as for cloth they have capsule by days of the week it works great!
That is a great idea to have an outfit for everyday! Paper clutter was the hardest thing for me to declutter and it took forever! I hope you are having a good week.
Agree, it is really hard. We have tried to take digital photos of some of the papers before we throw them away. That way we still have them saved. The trouble is you still have to organise the photos as well :)
What helped me was to save a few papers from my kids and think about this what are you saving it for? Is it in a box in the garage? Will you give it to your kids when they are grown and they will put it in a box in the garage?
I can't remember where I got them because I have had them for so long, but I would guess it came from Home Goods. That is usually where I get all of my organization baskets and bins. 😀
I actually keep hand-me-downs because I try not to waste money or clothes. I only save clothing that I think my younger son will wear and I make sure I am not saving too much. You could always get those vacuum pack bags that take up barely any space. =)
Both of my boys have ikea beds and they both do a lot of jumping plus every night all 4 of us sit on it and read books. So far we haven't had any problems =)
Thank you for addressing the minimalism with kids topic. 3 kids here and I've been on minimalism journey for over a year. I just looked around one day and thought this is not even a home anymore just like a storage unit. I felt like I couldn't actually live because I was just forever organizing and cleaning and it was absolutely never ending and soul sucking. Nothing I tried was working. I couldn't find a working routine or system that I would stick to or my family would stick to. So I just started getting rid of stuff and I noticed I was a lot happier as well as my kids. There started to be way less things to pick up at the end of the day and then I just have started following minimalism vlogs. (Coming over from the Minimal Mom). I'm still working on food and clothes. Loving the no pressure holidays!
Erin Thorpe I was the same way! I thought organizing was the answer before I learned about minimalism!
I feel the same currently could have written this myself lol. Time for change!
Thanks for all the good vibes concerning this everyone. I swear these are my only qualms in life. And I believe minimalism may just be the dang answer. Lookout new life!
@@fortheloveoftheanimalz well my comment was 2 years old, I'm still doing minimalism and it's significantly changed my life for the better in so many ways. And I have 3 kids. Minimalism doesn't have to be that you have nothing, white walls, and some succulents. It's just basically getting rid of what you don't need or want so there's room for life, room and time for what matters. Any questions, please email, my email is on my channel. Good luck
And the Most Relatable & Relevant Comment Award goes to: 🥁 🪘 roll please: The Organized 🍍Pineapple-
Finally a realistic minimalist. When it comes to food 7 years old is so picky I no longer buy in bulk. And we also do the container for memory items n go through them every school year. Glad to see someone that still keeps games and arts n crafts items cause we do to. Thankyou
I haven't finished watching the video and I'm already inspired! No long introduction at the beginning, no chatty talking, just facts with visual examples, you speak clearly without 'ehrm' and silly laughs - great job :D and great tips, because as you said correctly: the most minimalist I found are students, people who live in a shared flat or singles. Thank you for sharing your experiences!
Thank you! I hope that it can help or inspire to live with less clutter. 😀
I make photos of the drawings my kids make and make a photobook so you still can enjoy them and it does not take up a lot of space
Great idea!
Great tip
I have thought of trying that! Where do you print your photo books?
I love this idea! If I am ever lucky enough to have kids of my own. I will do this for sure :}
@@mothersewsbestaccount Walmart!
Glad to see families being minimalist.
Love seeing the before and afters! Great tips Shannon!!!
Thank you! I appreciate that 💛
Taking pictures of arts and crafts projects and making a small photo albulm for a kid is a great space saver
This is my goal! I just want to spend less time dealing with stuff and have less negative impact on our environment! Thanks for the encouragement!
This is my goal too! Always trying to be more mindful. I hope you have a great weekend.
Memory boxes are so great. I’ve made one for my husband and one for myself. If the boxes get too full, we sort through them to just keep the best of the best. I don’t feel guilty about keeping anything in the boxes
I really appreciate these tips. Thank you from Indonesia! I currently am doing 2019 No Buy Challenge, and yesterday my husband brushed our dingy rubber cell phone cases that they looked shiny, clear, and like new again, so we did not need to buy new ones. Having simplified life definitely makes life richer.
This is very true, it does make life richer. I hope you have a great weekend. 💛
Not buying for the future! Total lightbulb moment!
That was something I had to realize the hard way LOL. I hope you have a great weekend. 💛
Yes!!!
Majorly decluttering our house these past two months at home with my 16 year old girl home. She’s been so helpful and loving getting organized and rid of stuff we really don’t use anymore. College boy arrived home last night so hopefully more decluttering to happen this summer in his room.
I love the food idea. We just started to do that by making two menu using only recipes that we all love to eat. We rotate and its the same ingredients. Our grocery bill has cut in half.
It really does save money on food! Good job on cutting your grocery bill in half, that is amazing.
Great video! I love the fact that you use bins to store everything so parents and kids are able organize anything that needed to be organized
Thank you!! 😊
Great tips for kids. I did the same thing and noticed that they started playing together more and created their own games. Less toys is less stress for everyone in the household.
So true!
Love your take on minimalism with a family. I’m trying to curb my own “shopping ahead” habit. It’s so hard to go from shopping to being content with where you are at.
This is such a solid video with clear explanations and no extra nonsense. It satisfied my soul.
Thank you! I hope you are having a good day.
You have no idea how much you have helped our family! You apply this art to those of us who have families! PAPERS are our weakness.
Thank you, I really appreciate hearing that. It is a lot harder to stay minimal and organized with a family. I hope you have a great day. 💛
Thank you for sharing your minimalist journey with having a family. I have 4 kids, and I’m in the process of becoming more minimalist. It feels so good to have less.
Buying for the future🙋 absolutely guilty, thought I was the only one🙈🙈
You are not alone! I did that for so long.
I agree with everything except for the food suggestion! For us, it’s super important to make our kids keep eating things even if they don’t like them, because they will be exposed to other cultures’ dishes and I want them to learn gratefulness, no matter what they are offered. We don’t make different meals for each of our kids, either. We could do better about food waste, though.
That is great, you have to do what works for you 💛
I also think of healthy food as longterm investment. We are WFPB and look at it as “minimal” processed and packaged foods. Since we don’t eat meat or dairy we use that money towards a life free from heart disease, cancer and medications with side effects.
That's a interesting perspective.
When my children were younger I did keep a lot of their clothes to pass down to the next child. When I had 5 children it DID save a lot of money so it was worth it. I now have nine children so I have actually whittled down our stored clothes to one bin of girls and one bin of boys stuff. These bins are stored in our crawl space. I have also majorly simplified our food. I don’t make meals with tons of ingredients and I have even gotten rid of heaps of herbs and spices too. Another area that I have changed in is I will immediately donate unwanted gifts. I wasted too much time and sanity keeping things out of obligation. If some people just REFUSE to honour me in any way or even spend time with us but dump stuff on us then I feel unburdened by getting rid of the items. I know a lot of people get rid of older items but if our toys are LOVED and already minimised and played with daily I am not going to make us get rid of that stuff for something we haven’t even expressed an interest in in the past.
Thank you for sharing! I also store clothing items from my older son for my younger son. Almost everything the younger one wears has been passed down, but I agree it doesn't make sense to save everything. I love your thinking about gifts! I have also donated gifts that my boys show no interest in. You are right that it would be sad to get rid of something they love to replace it with something they didn't need or want. I hope you have a great weekend 😀
Yes, we have 6 children and the hand-me-down savings is very worth a few totes in the attic for us.
I love this. I try, and it works well since we are a military family and we move a lot! The problem is my 7yo daughter, she'd keep every little thing 😬 It's easier with my youngest and it was easier when she was little, but now she has her opinions, and yesterday she told me she wants a bigger house when we move next so that she can fit more toys in her room 🙈 truth to be said we are in London UK now, our house is small, and her bedroom is tiny, but it's helping us to keep our stuff in check
Talk abou buying for the future. I buy books for 7-10 years old when my daughter was about 3. Some of them ended up missing or broken when my daughter actually grows up to the age she can really read them.
Loved this video Shannon! So many great tips and I love seeing how minimizing things have simplified things in your home! 😃💕💟Great video as always! 🤗
Thank you! I loved your video today too! 💛
Great tips Shannon! One of the reasons I love your channel is because you show a practical look at becoming minimal. I think when people come across those extreme minimalist channels - where they are single or married without kids - it can feel like you just can't be minimal. Thank you for sharing your journey!
Thank you! That is exactly how I felt when I first looked up minimalism, it was so extreme. I know a lot of people would not consider us minimalist, but that is ok because we have a family and we actually need more items to enjoy our lives. Minimalism is about making our lives easier and if I have to get rid of too much to where my life is now harder then I have missed the point. I hope you have a great weekend 😀
I have been throwing all of my stuff now i don’t have alot of stuff and i changed my apartment it’s so modern and minimalist i literally lovee its all white and open ... and I love watching videos like this it motivates me to declutter even more ❤️yaaassss
Thank you! I agree that it feels great when everything is put away. I hope you have a great week so far. 💛
“Trying to actively live with less”
yesss, that’s exactly it!
😀
finally a useful minimalist video for me! i have an 8 month old and i feel like the house is cluttered with toys and clothes!! i know it’s only going to get crazier the older he gets so i found these tips super useful. thank you so much!
I am so happy this might help. I feel like it can be really difficult with kid stuff. I hope you have a great weekend.
Thank you. This is exactly what I wanted to know when we started our minimalist journey last year with two toddlers.
Glad it was helpful!
Not sure if anyone has touched upon this- but your energy is so calming. I enjoyed this video a lot. I am a single mom with an 11-year old son. Ever since we bought our new condo in the city (which forces us to also purge!) we did the KonMari way. Then I realized that I wanted even more minimalism instead of just tidying up- which I believe is probably the basis, but wanted. to really downsize. I've noticed that my energy dips when things are cluttered. Maybe it's due to my innate Virgo tendencies (I'm virgo sun + ascending). My boyfriend of many years just moved in with us- and he is SUPER neat! But he is a chef and now my kitchen feels overwhelmingly cluttered. I'm going to search your videos if you talk about kitchen clutter at all.
I definitely had issues with buying clothes for the future. You have so many great tips! Applying minimalism to food really does make things easier on all fronts. With mine at a younger age it made him more willing to try new things! I was blown away 😂 Thank you for sharing!
Thank you! Buying clothes for the future was such a huge change for us too. I love hearing that simplifying food helped you guys, I thought everyone would think that is a crazy idea, but it really helps with wasting less food. I hope you have a great weekend 😀
I now simplifying my wardrobe- especially what I Wear to work.
I agree about the food. Food waste is a huge problem. Simple nutritious meals with zero waste should be our goal!
Yes, we are always looking for ways to save food. One thing I have also learned over time is to only give my children small amounts and let them ask for more. Zero food waste is our goal too. I hope you have a great weekend 😀
I love the idea of having a memory box!
Thank you! I am on the minimalist way and I dreaming about a big family of 10 of us (there are 3 at the moment) and videos like yours are so informative and inspirational! Thank you for your effort! ✨🙏🏼✨
Thank you! A big family will be so much fun. I hope you have a great week.
I recently discovered your channel and love it!!! Thank you for the tips. As a family of four too we are constantly thinking of ways to simplify our home!
Welcome!!
For my family: I have been buying only dish washing liquid and diluting with water to clean everything in the house. I cut down on dishes over the years and been cutting down more and more so to point where we can get through them in 20s mins or less/ so no need for dishwasher detergent. My son has been an aspired artist for a long time and brings home lots of art work. We take pictures and put it on a cloud but now trying to get him to draw on his tablet which he loves but we keep the really coveted pieces. Also he only wears dark colors (minimal laundry sorting and longevity) bc it’s like his style with cool t shirts and jeans anyway. But he only have 5-7 pairs of pants, no more than than 10 or so shirts: long sleeve, short sleeve, sweaters. And 1 pack of socks and 4 pairs of shoes: sandals for swimming, two pairs of sneakers and boots. Whenever he needs something new I get no more than that. I used to buy way more than that and he never touched it. I have the hardest time buying gifts for ppl so I just give gift cards they can use for anything including bills. I also have a cubicle storage bins with the shelves and put everything in them like toys, shoes school stuff. He has a 9 storage bin shelf and that’s enough for everything besides clothes. He has a loft bed that’s a desk, dresser and bed all in one. I love it. All he needs is one dresser used to have more. He gets allowance and saves for things he wants- we don’t buy him things anymore besides necessities. He actually makes great budgeting decisions bc of this and really appreciates his things more. He’s also really good at moving on from toys he doesn’t use anymore.
For his parents, I’ve gotten down to one dresser as well as his dad and have some closet space to hang a few dresses up. I buy quality over quantity even more so but just key favs I re wear and will most likely wear throughout the return cycle of the seasons. I continue to get rid and keep new things out unless something needs to replaced or want to replace something worth replacing
It is so good to see this video about minimalism and being a family of 4! I like how you commented that most videos are of singles, couples and their tips on minimalism, but it's a bit different when you have kids. Thank you so much for the great tips!
Yay! Thank you!
I remember the first video I saw of yours and you talked about getting a hobby and stop shopping. That really helped me. Thanks for your great tips and showing us you can be minimal with kids.
Thank you! I am so happy that sharing my experience could possibly help. I know that shopping or even window shopping can become a default hobby since it's so easy, but changing that really helped me. I hope you have a great day! 😀
hello from England 😄 this video is just what i needed, we are a family of four too. We started our minimal journey last august, it’s so nice to hear from another mum and realistic 🥰 thank you!!!!! i am now about to watch all your videos 😂 xx
👍🌟I love the idea of a memory box for both yourself and the children. I’m holding on to so many sentimental items-probably because I moved countries in my early adulthood and want to keep myself connected with my grounds-but they get in the way of using my regular stuff. Same for my children. I really should make a memory box and keep it all contained.
Oh wow i just find the channel that i needed. I am a mom and i am becoming a minimalist.
Thank you for being here. 💛
Totally agree with what you said at the start of the video Shannon - so many minimalists are single people or couples with no kids - much easier when there are less people involved! That’s one of the reasons I love your channel 😊
Thank you! I just want to show another side of minimalism or simple living. I hope you have a great weekend. 💛
THANKYOU! finally a Minimalist family ! it was really frustrating seeing backpackers in Japan etc as you said because when you have children you do have stuff.
Great video for beginners on their minimalist journey, thank you!
Thank you!
It might sounds weird but I found most of the clutter toys are gifts from birthdays, Christmas gathering parties, relatives reunions etc. So from my daughter’s 6th birthday I start to announcement for no toy gifts together with invitations.
I completely agree about the presents. We have been saying not presents or having very small gatherings. I hope you have a nice day.
These are great tips Shannon! It's amazing to see how minimizing has made such a positive change for your family! 💛🤗
Thank you Robin! I hope you have a great weekend 😀
Your boys are adorable. Our sons are grown men now. Enjoy this time.
You’re such a good mom! I love your creative ideas..your boys are darling😀
Thank you! I hope you have a great week.
I agree with so many points you have. I just started to simplify the food situation and it is very freeing. Thank you for sharing!
It is working for us. I hope you have a great day.
Perfect video for the topic!!! I keep my children’s best art on the fridge for one week, then it either goes into the KEEP bin,
or in the paper recycling bin.
Thank you! I hope you have a great day.
Feeling inspired by this video! Really working hard to reduce the clutter in our home over the next several months so we don’t feel so overwhelmed and in disarray in our own home. I love decor and have an eye for making things look cute but with that come a desire to put more little cute trinkets and it’s just unnecessary!
You got this!
I agree with you on clothing. While I do have totes of clothing that I got for free, I learned with my second child that they truly may not fit clothes that you store for later. (My daughter is almost 2 and could still possibly fit into 0-3 month clothing) Since I already have the clothes and we are unsure of what we want to keep, we will "borrow" pieces from the stored clothes, use those items to build a capsule wardrobe, and then donate the rest. Also for paper clutter my son started Prek this year as well and we do get tons of artwork sent home. A few things have made it into the trash, but I have kept mostly all of it in a small plastic filing bin. When school ends next month I will go through it all and choose some things I want to keep. In the plastic file bin I have one hanging file folder for each school year which I will keep a few pieces of art work, awards, important papers for school/sports, and things like that. When my kids are older I will give them their 'memory bins" with the pieces I collected from when they were growing up (my mom had totes and totes of memory things for me and I found this to be the simplest and easiest way to give my kids their memories)
The clothing is so hard to deal with especially when it is given for free. We had a lot of things handed down to us that we also got a lot of wear out of, but I had to get picky because a lot of it just sat in bins and was never used. It sounds like you have a great system for the artwork ! I hope you have a great weekend. 💛😀
Another Great Video!! I hope you guys have a Great Weekend!!! 🙂
Thank you! I hope you have a good weekend too 💛💛💛
Thankyou, i really enjoy your videos, such a huge difference from your videos i started watching 2 years ago. i love your sons room, its so simplified and calm.
Thank you Lauren! I can see the difference in my videos too. It is a huge learning curve to create these videos LOL. I appreciate your support 💛 . I hope you have a great weekend 😀
I used to also collect their school drawings and arts and first test etc.. etc.. and it will take so much space as time goes by lol so then I now scan it instead and save it because all my kids will do is look back to those to those memories.. i kept the most important projects of course. their choice.
For me, we have limited income so when there are solid pieces that are quality made and are easy to mix and match on clearance or at the thrift store, I do buy them and store them in one small tote for each kid. We can’t afford to buy a bunch of clothes at full price when they move up a size and most of our friends and family have kids in the same size or the same age so hand me downs don’t happen often.
We do only buy the next size they will be in, and between the handful of clearance items and birthday/Christmas gifts we haven’t had any problems within the past 2 years of doing it.
I think storing clothing in larger size is okay as long as it’s limited in items, and storage space.
It would be nice to know some tips and tricks how you minimalized kids toys because everything seems important to them
I can only speak to my own experience, but I just payed attention to what they actually played with and then slowly got rid of the rest. My children are still young and they didn't notice that I would slip a toy out every week or so. If they were older I would probably just explain that we have too much and let them decide to get rid of what they don't think they need. Just the other day we had a huge pile of paper projects from school and my 5 year old wanted to keep everything, but when I said pick the 2 most important projects he was able to do it quite quickly and he seemed fine with letting the rest go.
I have asked my kids to tell me which of their toys they enjoy the most. Then it’s easier for them to sort through the ones that aren’t their favorites and they are more willing to get rid of them. I find that easier than asking which they want to get rid of.
I LOVE thrift store shopping to save money and the environment so future shopping is a bit of a necessity for us. I try to keep track of it though and have a list on my phone of the things that I have bought and I know that we won't need more than 5 t shirts, 5 pairs of trousers etc.
Great idea to have a list on your phone! I hope you have a great week.
Thank you as a mum with 2 kids under 3 watching the single adult minimalists makes me so jealous and sad! I am a very clean person so I spend way too much time cleaning when I could be reading or sleeping or gardening. I am going to do a MASSIVE clothes and craft throw out this weekend.
Oh no, don't be sad. I know exactly how you are feeling, when my second boy was born my older one was only 2.5 years old and it was really hard to keep everything under control. Decluttering will help, but also I had to realize that my house can't look perfect all the time. Homes are for living in. Enjoying your time with your family is way more important than a clean house. 😀
First, great hair. Second, the food thing - great, great tip. My daughter is super similar and I always feel like I’m wasting money and food. Thank you
Thank you! That is exactly how I feel about the food, so much waste.
Just found this and it was super helpful thank you so much.
Glad it was helpful!
I'd love that lego train for my daughter. Can you provide an amazon link?
You came up on my recommended feed! Can’t believe I hadn’t subscribed. So good to see you on RUclips, Shannon! Loved getting to know you and grow with you in the Create Your Blog Dream FB group!:)
I am so happy to have you here. I will find your channel too 😁
Such a useful video, so much relevant to my life at the moment!
This might be a random question, but do you find yourself having to shop more often for cleaning/household supplies or replacements? My toddler's quite destructive along with our beagle puppy. I end up repairing/replacing a lot 😅 I love your video, by the way
Not really, but I am ok with the fact that things are getting kinda worn out. I will probably replace them when my boys are a little older.
@@shannontorrens1 that's a good perspective! By the time we have another one we'll likely get them something new
Loved your comment on the simplified food for your kids! My kids love simple foods too!
Thank you, it really helps us too. I hope you have a great weekend 😀
What are some minimalist tips you have? Thank you for watching how to be a minimalist with a family! Check out our decluttering for a year video here: ruclips.net/video/kYzxPLQk004/видео.html
New subscriber!! On a minimalist journey for myself and it’s been so freeing!!
So happy to have you here! I wish you luck on your minimalist journey 😀
Minimizing the AMOUNT of toys your kids have out is so SO key. Kids play so much better when they have more space and less toys. We do a toy rotation because we have the luxury of storage space. We have one toy/activity on the main floor (like barbie house a few dolls) and then a couple in the bedroom. Then, when we are stuck inside, we can rotate out the toy that's on the main floor and it's like it's brand new
Absolutely!! The rotation is a great idea if you have room as you mentioned. =)
I have all the pix now on my google display instead and of picture frames.
You can also take pictures of their art with your phone
Hi Shannon , Thank You for another Fantastic video :) I agree with so much of what you have said.I try to live a very similar lifestyle.Minimalism is always a work in progress.
Thank you! You are very right it is a work in progress. I hope you have a great weekend 😀
Hey. Shannon! I noticed the curtain in the kitchen... remembering your posts on IG about that. I think it looks great! Have a wonderful day 🌟
Thank you! I have a video coming on that for my vlog channel. I just need to edit the video 😀💛 I hope you have a great weekend!
Thank you for sharing and for the great tipps.....I like to watch your videos. 🙋💛
Thank you! I hope you have a good weekend 😀💛
Love this channel 😊 I have to say though, as a mum and wife, I think I'm the biggest clutter creator in our house - I can't blame it on the kids 😂 but you have given me some great ideas so I'm going to take a look this weekend and see what changes I can make.
Thanks for sharing!!
Love your videos! Very inspiring! Now if only I had the time to declutter!!! And love the tip of buying in the NOW and not for the future, we buy bulk food & clothing & finding a lot gets wasted, kids grow so fast & barely get a chance to wear everything & food spoils before getting to eat it :(
One question, did you or do you find it difficult trying to get the boys to bed & settle in for the night even with their toys in their room?? It's not too distracting for them? Any tips?
Thank you. My boys have never had a problem with getting into toys when they should be sleeping. When my little one first transitioned out of his crib and he realized he could get up and do whatever he wanted some times he would grab a toy and take it back to bed with him. Even if he was playing he usually wore himself out and would fall asleep. My older one, now 5, knows the rules and stays in bed. I guess my only tip (that I have to remind myself sometimes) is to know they will eventually sleep LOL. I hope you have a great weekend.
Very helpful thank you !
As far as gifts, I don't wait until my kids receive new gifts to get rid of old toys. I have a guideline that I follow. Although, I do get rid of older toys close to Christmas/birthdays. We talk about the toys they want and I firmly/gently let them know that it's time to let go of older toys if they want brand new toys. While they were 4yrs and younger I just got rid of old toys while they were out of the house like at grandmas. They never noticed. Now, that they're older it doesn't seem right to get rid of their stuff behind their back. I tell them their toys are going to donations were another kid can find them and take them home. As they're getting older their gifts are also getting simpler. No more noisey toddler toys.
Thank you so much for this!! 💗
I wish this video was around a few years ago when we started our journey! Agree and have adopted many of the things mentioned! Thank you for sharing! ❤
Thank you, I found it hard to find videos on family minimalism so I thought I would share. I hope you have a great weekend. 💛
Thank you so much for this video. Looking forward for more😍
Thank you! I hope you have a great day.
Thanks for sharing. Always enjoy your content.
Thank you Jan! I hope you have a great weekend 😀
I finally stopped buying kids clothes ahead of time. It always seemed like in the meantime, we’d get hand me downs or they would end up changing their tastes by the time they fit. So much was wasted.
That is exactly what would happen to us! Before we adopted minimalism I would buy things and store them away and forget I had them. Now I know exactly what we have. I hope you have a great weekend 😀
Same here!
Arghhhh.....this is hard!! I'm a minimalist at heart, but I live with a husband who likes to keep stuff and 2 kids who are....hoarders?? They refuse to get rid of anything, it's so frustrating! Every craft, stuffed animal, Halloween costumes, book, etc! Comes in, never comes out! The only relief on th subject is knowing that one day they will have their own house and they will move all this stuff out! (Ahah!)
My kids are still little, but they love their stuffed animals too and I feel we have a lot. I find everyone in my home has a harder time letting go once something has come into our home so I try really hard to limit what comes through the door. Also I always try to point out how much easier it is to deal with everything when it is organized. But in general it is way harder to be minimalist with a family. LOL
Great Video 😊
Thank you for this video. Great advice for families!
Thank you! I hope you have a great weekend. 💛
Thank you so much for this video. I've been looking for years some help in being minimal with kids @_@
I am so happy it could help 😀
I need to do this
I've just moved from a large flat to a much smaller flat so will have to de clutter major league
I'm so like my mum who keeps everything so it's going to be tough
I wish you luck on your decluttering process.
Great tips!
Thank you!
Hi, thanks for sharing ur tips of how to live minimal as a family... Im just wondering, do u travel and spend time out of town much? Any tips when we have to travel for (say) 1-2 weeks overseas... How much clothing that will need to be reduced to? The thing that hinder me from decluttering is that im afraid im gonna need it later, and i dont wanna spend more money later just becoz i have thrown things that i thought i dont need anymore.. enlighten me pls... :)
Hello! We do travel, but not supper often. The biggest trip we took since having kids was going to NZ for a few weeks. I just packed what we wear in our normal weekly wardrobe for that season. I brought about a weeks worth of clothes and we did laundry once while we were away. I don't worry about decluttering items that I think I might need because I only declutter items that I know I don't need and never use. For instance we live in CA and it is hot and sunny most of the year, but we also travel to places where it snows. Therefore we still keep jackets because it wouldn't make any sense to declutter jackets and then have to buy them again for our trips. Out of everything I have ever decluttered there is not one item that I wish I had back, knowing that helps me to continue on this journey. I hope this can help, let me know if you have more questions. I hope you have a great day.
@@shannontorrens1 thanks! Ur answer has helped me so much! So just focus on the things that i am SURE that i dont need or use... You make me feel that i can conquer decluttering the house.. hahaha...
I do the same with wardrobe.
I'm drowning in paper memorabilia. I find it impossible to decluter 😰 my kids are in their teens...and it's totlo emotional to throw away. Yea I know it's stupid but that's the way....as for cloth they have capsule by days of the week it works great!
That is a great idea to have an outfit for everyday! Paper clutter was the hardest thing for me to declutter and it took forever! I hope you are having a good week.
Agree, it is really hard. We have tried to take digital photos of some of the papers before we throw them away. That way we still have them saved. The trouble is you still have to organise the photos as well :)
What helped me was to save a few papers from my kids and think about this what are you saving it for? Is it in a box in the garage? Will you give it to your kids when they are grown and they will put it in a box in the garage?
Great video. Btw, the kitchen curtain turned out great!
Thank you! I hope you have a great weekend 💛
Where did you get those cute baskets from? (The wooden ones with the black label on the outside, I think you used them in your bathroom)
I can't remember where I got them because I have had them for so long, but I would guess it came from Home Goods. That is usually where I get all of my organization baskets and bins. 😀
I've just found your channel, i also follow Sarah Therese who is in the same mindset. Ps i like what you do !
Thank you! So happy to have you here. =)
What about hand-me-downs? I have 5 daughters and a very limited income yet also limited space.
I actually keep hand-me-downs because I try not to waste money or clothes. I only save clothing that I think my younger son will wear and I make sure I am not saving too much. You could always get those vacuum pack bags that take up barely any space. =)
Shannon Torrens thank you so much for answering my question and for the tips! Vacuum bags are a fantastic idea!
Such a helpful video. ♥
Thank you Serena, I am so happy you found it useful. I hope you have a great week. 😀
Any comment on how that wooden Ikea bed at 8:09 stands up to kids jumping on it?
Both of my boys have ikea beds and they both do a lot of jumping plus every night all 4 of us sit on it and read books. So far we haven't had any problems =)