Minimalist Wanna-Be

My family and I recently visited the Amish countryside of Ohio. The Amish's simplistic lifestyle has always intrigued me. I know that I don't exactly know what's going on behind closed doors, but from the outside perspective, they seem like content, happy people. That trip only confirmed my desire to approach life with a minimalism attitude. 

I admire the simplistic ways of the Amish community.

I once heard that in order to be a true minimalist, you must live with less than 100 things. As a working mom with two kids, this made me laugh. I'm not laughing at the minimalists who choose to live this way. I'm laughing because it seems unrealistic to me in the Season of Life I find myself living. 

Even though I weed them out periodically, toys are everywhere - riding toys, Touch-and-Feel books for my Sensory Disorder toddler, toys that assist with fine motor skills, Legos, science kits for the 7-year-old, etc. You get the picture. 

That doesn't even count my husband's piles of... well, I'm not exactly sure what they are. Or my teacher resource stuff. 🙈 I have bins of things I've collected over the years that I use on a constant basis in my classroom. Looking around my house, I have to face the music. I cannot live on less than 100 things right now. 

But, then I realize that I don't necessarily have to. I can still embrace a minimalism mindset without feeling the need to move to a 12' x 12' Tiny House and fish for supper every night. (My husband's dream, by the way.) And I certainly don't have to throw out all the toys that help my children as they grow through different stages of life and become interested in different things.

So then, what does a working-outside-the-house, career-loving, family-oriented minimalist mom look like? 

My entire wardrobe for all seasons.

Well, I think it can look like different things, based on the family's needs and the mom's job.
Let me explain what I mean. Here's my closet. Other than my T-shirts (which only take one drawer of my dresser), socks, and unmentionables, this is literally all the clothes I own. 

It's a simple step-in closet, not a walk-in.
The left side houses my husband's clothes.

 One way that I maintain this space is by sticking to a few rules-of-thumb:
1. If I can only wear it in one season (other than a winter coat), it's out. 
2. If I can mix and match it with other pieces, or layer it, it stays.
3. No matter how trendy it is, if it's not practical for my needs, it's out.
4. When I get a new piece of clothing to hang, there has to already be a free hanger in the closet for it. If there's not, I make a choice to get rid of an older piece of clothing to make space for the new piece. So, I'm not adding to my closet without taking anything away from it.
Maintaining this lifestyle has been freeing. I don't spend large amounts of time stressing about my outfits; I make the most of what I have. And my husband still thinks I look good, no matter. 😉

I save money in the long term too, by not purchasing clothes that I'll barely wear. My rules-of-thumb force me to become a wiser consumer.

Now, I know this isn't for everyone. I have wonderful friends who are required to have larger wardrobes for their jobs (i.e. - television personalities, sales reps, the like...). But for this simplistic teacher, it's a perfect way for me to embrace a lifestyle I admire, all while keeping my family going and looking professional doing it.

Now, if I could just figure out a better toy system...😏