Overwhelmed by my full-time job, suffering from chronic people-pleasing, and struggling to get pregnant after an “unexplained infertility” diagnosis, I was seeking answers back in December 2014. Hoping to form some foundational habits, I joined the Sea Change Habits program with Leo Babauta from Zen Habits.
By Leo Babauta’s recommendation, I read The Minimalists‘s book called Everything That Remains. This powerful memoir introduced me to minimalism and decluttering, and gave me fresh insight into what was causing my overwhelm. I learned that removing that which didn’t serve me and living in alignment with my values could help me focus on what mattered most – in my case, being able to make the physical and emotional space necessary to become a mom.
Taking what I’ve learned over the last nine years, I started my own podcast to help other moms overcome overwhelm. As I coach other moms on decluttering, organizing, routines, and more, I have returned to the same resources which help inspire and motivate me to continue on my minimalism and decluttering journey.
1. Everything That Remains by The Minimalists
Everything That Remains is a memoir chronicling Joshua Fields Millburn’s experience having his marriage dissolve and his mother pass away in the same month, and how his relationship with stuff and his desire to live the “American dream” drastically changed. Reading this book solidified the realization that extra stuff, commitments, and basing my self-worth on performance was contributing to my unhappiness. Like Millburn, I realized that the “American dream” wasn’t my dream at all. The Minimalists’ podcast, books, and documentaries have been incredibly impactful on my minimalism and decluttering journey.
2. Essentialism by Greg Mckeown
“Once you give yourself permission to stop trying to do it all, to stop saying yes to everyone, can you make your highest contribution towards the things that really matter.” With this quote, I realized that my chronic people-pleasing was costing me the ability to make my highest contribution. Essentialism gets to the heart of how we can declutter the obligations and to-do’s that steal our precious time, energy, and attention.
3. Decluttering At the Speed of Life by Dana K. White
Dana K. White has an amazing podcast as well as several books about decluttering, organizing, and home management. This book was especially impactful because I was introduced to the “container concept”. By determining artificial boundaries such as drawers, shelves, or actual containers for different categories of things, we can start filling that container with what we use and love. Whatever doesn’t fit into the container is donated or thrown out. The container concept helps me with my day-to-day decluttering, as well as how I coach other moms.
4. Atomic Habits by James Clear
Habits play a key role in creating a sustainable decluttering system. Atomic Habits is the roadmap to understand habits and how they can help you develop systems that support you. From crafting my morning routine or developing daily resets, I refer back to the wisdom of this book regularly.
5. The Minimalist Moms Podcast with Diane Boden
I didn’t even know that I was a “minimalist mom” – but then I discovered the Minimalist Moms Podcast. I found a community of like-minded women who have supported me on my minimalism and decluttering journey. Diane shares practical tips and tricks to help me focus on what matters most. Some other podcasts I listen to on a regular basis include Minimal-ish and The Maximized Minimalist.
One more resource to mention…
I hope that you find my podcast, Moms Overcoming Overwhelm, a helpful resource on your decluttering and minimalism journey. Don’t forget to join our free Facebook group where we do decluttering challenges every other week! I’m rooting for you!
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