4 Tips for Going Minimalist With Your Kids
As our connected world takes on an ever-quickening pace, the popularity of minimalism is increasing. What is minimalism, and how can you apply its principles to parenting? Here's the skinny on tips for going minimalist with your kids.
What is minimalism?
Minimalism is, essentially, a lifestyle characterized by a "less is more" approach. It's easy to try to fit minimalism into a box: You can be minimalist only if you own fewer than three pairs of jeans or don't own a vehicle. But the truth is that the principle of "less is more" can be applied to lots of different lifestyles.
The point, for many people, of living a minimalist lifestyle is to let stuff have a much smaller hold on your life. For minimalists, there's an idea that stuff -- clothes, cars, homes, toys, games, electronics, etc. -- can take on a life of their own.
You worry about your stuff. You maintain your stuff. You buy more stuff. You buy stuff for your stuff. You organize and clean your stuff.
All that stuff takes time and other resources -- money, mental energy, etc. -- that may be better spent elsewhere. The idea, then, is that the less stuff you have, the more you can devote these resources to more worthwhile pursuits, such as traveling, hobbies, or whatever you like.
How does it apply to parenting?
Minimalist parenting is no small challenge, especially in today's increasingly commercialized world. Even toddlers are exposed to advertising during otherwise harmless TV programs.
But that doesn't mean minimalism is not an achievable goal -- no matter how many kids you have in your home. Minimalist parenting can actually help kids become more creative, since they tend to have fewer (but imagination-prompting) toys. And applying the principles of minimalism to your kids' stuff and schedules can lead to a more sane, happy family life. Here's how you do it:
1. Start with yourself.
If you're going to start cutting back on your kids' stuff, you need to begin with yourself. Take an inventory of your home, including your kitchen, garage and closet. What can you strip down? Get down to the essentials, and then thoughtfully add in a few extras that truly enhance your life.
This is especially important if you have older kids who are already attached to all their stuff. They'll need to see you "going minimalist" and see the benefits of it before being willing to jump on board.
2. Have a conversation.
Again, with older kids, you'll need to have a conversation -- likely lots of conversations -- about this lifestyle, especially if this represents a paradigm shift for your family. Discuss as a family how to cut back on the "stuff" in your life, and talk about any new purchases as a family, too. Bringing kids in on the conversation can make a huge difference in how they see these changes.
3. Staunch the flow.
If you're converting to a more minimalist lifestyle, your goal may be to eventually get to a place where you can implement a "one in, one out" rule. In other words, when you buy a new shirt, you have to get rid of an old one. Or when your kids get a new toy, they have to get rid of an old one.
Chances are that you're not there right off the bat. You'll likely have to spend months -- maybe even years -- slowly offloading extra stuff before you're at this point. But while you're offloading, stop letting extra, unnecessary stuff into your home.
This can be especially difficult if you have friends or family members who are big givers. If the holidays are an extravaganza of 25 gifts per kid every year, you'll fight a losing battle. But when you decide to cut back, try to set limits with grandparents (it is possible).
Many families have a rule of thumb for one toy, one book and one article of clothing for each kid, which gives givers some flexibility without letting in a huge flux of new stuff. Once you set the limit, though, be sure to enforce it, even if the givers don't particularly care for the rule. You can even go so far as to ensure any gifts bought outside of this rule don't get opened or stay at the giver's home.
4. Find the benefits.
As you start offloading stuff you and your kids don't need, and taking in less stuff each year, you'll eventually find that you have to spend way less time worrying about stuff. There's less grousing about cleaning a bedroom when the bedroom isn't literally overflowing with toys. And you may find that you gravitate toward classic, maintenance-free toys rather than those that need constant updates and battery replacements.
As you gain that time back, find ways to spend the time together as a family. Many minimalists choose this lifestyle because it gives them more money to travel or spend on experiences. Do that, which will show your kids the benefit of these choices you've made as a family.
Minimalist parenting isn't impossible. It can actually be a fun family journey. But just remember that the goal of living a "less is more" lifestyle can take time and effort to reach.
Abby Hayes is a freelance blogger and journalist who writes for personal finance blog The Dough Roller and contributes to Dough Roller's weekly newsletter.
