Motherhood is a lot of things, but boring is not one of them. As my kids get older, go to school, and realize the activities that interest them (and in turn, sign up for them) I find that my life just gets fuller and fuller.

I really enjoy having a full schedule. I’m an introvert, and I love being home, but I don’t like doing nothing. I need one “nothing” day per week. That usually means going to church on Sunday morning, eating lunch and then enjoying a family nap and a leisurely afternoon with my family. Other than the occasional need for a week off, I truly thrive when my calendar is full and my days are packed with a life lived on purpose.

When you have kids who are interested in sports, activities, and extra classes, your schedule will get full fast! Unless this goes against your core values for your life and your family, this is a good thing! Kids are so much fun and motherhood is something to be celebrated in every season.

There’s a big difference in being too busy and in simply having a full life. Embrace where you’re at and if you find yourself overwhelmed, find ways to simplify wherever you can.

Minimalism is one way to do this.

I started my journey to minimalism while I was in the baby phase of my motherhood.  I was a stay-at-home mom who spent lots of time at home (usually with no bra because #momlife) and I didn’t have a lot else going on. I had three kids under three, and my babies were all-consuming. That’s the season I was in, and minimalism helped me in different ways than it does now.

It kept me afloat and simplified my to do list in a very chaotic, uncontrollable time of my life when babies dictated everything, all the way down to how much sleep I got.

Now my “baby” is almost three and we’ve got baseball, horseback lessons, a business to run, meetings and media interviews each week, photo and video shoots on a regular basis, and minimalism helps me even more now.

No matter how many kids you have and what season of motherhood you’re in, minimalism lifts a huge burden you may not even know you’ve been carrying. It’s such a gift! I think it’s especially helpful for the family with a full calendar. Let’s talk about how!

10 Ways Minimalism Helps the Very Busy On-the-Go Family

1. You spend a lot less time cleaning.

Like, a lot less time. I typically spend about 30 min a day maintaining my house (which I prefer to be very clean) and we have a weekly cleaning day as a family that usually ends up lasting less than two hours. That’s it.

2. Your house is always ready for people to come over.

When another mom from the soccer team stops by to drop off your son’s forgotten knee pads, you can invite her inside without throwing a bunch of mess in the closet. When your church asks for volunteers to host Bible Study, you can raise your hand and be confident that it won’t be a panicked screaming match between you and no one else who cares as you clean all the things the night before every week.

3. You have more time to actually enjoy this season of your family.

You can be present. Imagine that!

4. Your life is way less stressful.

Managing a family meal plan, running errands, and playing chauffeur is a full time job on its own, and these things will stress you out a lot less if you don’t also have a house full of junk you’re constantly picking up.

5. Your kids aren’t overstimulated.

Scientific studies done all over the globe have shown us time and time again that kids don’t function well when they have a lot of options surrounding them. A cluttered room to come home to after a long day of school full of toys and junk they don’t even use just isn’t good for them. Add in screen time and long school days… no wonder they’re in terrible moods sometimes! Simplify their space. They’ll be in better moods in general and they’ll start enjoying their days a lot more (and you will too).

6. Your life is centered around relationships, not stuff.

No explanation needed.

7. When you want to say “yes” to something, you usually can.

When you’re not bogged down by a ton of home maintenance time, you’re a lot freer to be involved in the things you want to be involved in. You can volunteer more, spend more time with your kids, help your community more….you get the picture!

8. It teaches your kids to enjoy experiences over things.

I think we all want our kids to grow up knowing the value of living a good life, of experiences. None of us wish our kids would grow up materialistic. Minimalism draws all attention to relationships, family, and spending time living life.

9. You know where everything is.

When you live out minimalism, there’s a lot less time spent looking for things! Every mom knows how frustrating it is to desperately need to find your daughter’s other cleat and be fifteen minutes late to practice because it was wrapped up in a blanket behind the sofa. Less stuff means less mess, less chaos, less clutter, and more owning your space and what’s in it.

10. Less decision fatigue.

Decision fatigue is a real thing, and it sucks. All the little decisions like what to wear, when should I clean the bathroom are made a lot less overwhelming when there’s simply less stuff. A smaller wardrobe means less choices (you weren’t wearing 80% of it anyway). These little tweaks in your home really add up to a totally different life! Trust me, I’ve seen it in my own life and I see it every day in my business 😉