Minimalist Moms Podcast | Purposeful Life & Parenting Tips

“Life will always be chaotic, but you can own your calm within the chaos.” Finding calm in chaos is a skill set we have to learn. Constant chaos in our lives leads to stress/overwhelm and, typically, everyone around us suffers too. I'm so excited about today’s interview with Jenna Hermans, the author of Chaos to Calm: Five Ways Busy Parents Can Break Free from Overwhelm . She’s an expert on he...

Today, we're going to delve into the world of phone photography and the challenges that come with managing the thousands of photos we take every day. We all have a camera in our back pocket, but what do we do with the photos we take? My guest for this episode is Stacy Canzonieri, a professional photographer and founder of The Memory Keepers Club. Stacy's mission is to help moms learn how t...

Exciting news! The Minimalists' first documentary, Minimalism, is coming to YouTube and Minimalism.com on June 18, 2023. The documentary has been viewed over 80 million times on Netflix since its release in 2016. For those of you who haven't seen the documentary, it examines the simple lives of minimalists from all walks of life—families, architects, artists, scientists, journalists, entre...

Today’s episode focuses on the transformative potential of small daily habits that can revolutionize your health. Despite knowing the impact of these habits, many of us still find ourselves trapped in a season of burnout. But why does this happen? And is there a way to combat the perfectionism that holds us back? Join me in this enlightening episode as I’m joined by Amber Frauenholtz, who shares h...

“I have too many clothes but nothing to wear.” It’s a common phrase that many of us think as we peer into our closets. But is there a solution? It’s my personal belief that decluttering can absolutely solve this problem; however, I think there are even more ways we can address this mentality. Joining me today to help find solutions to closet overwhelm is founder of the Cladwell app, Erin Flynn. As...

If you’ve been pursuing a minimalist lifestyle for awhile now, have you ever thought to yourself, “Am I a minimalist because I’m surrounded by maximalists?” In other words, am I able to enjoy the lavishness of someone else’s lifestyle without having to live that way in my day-to-day? The thought crossed my mind a few years back and I knew I wanted to discuss the idea on a future episode. Joining m...

Summer is upon us and, as kids are beginning to get out of school, now is a great time to involve them in the decluttering process. I thought now would be a great time to re-play one of my all-time favorite podcast episodes with my guest, Jenna Arvidson. In today's replay episode, Jenna shares (new-to-me) tips for where to begin, what to keep vs. what to toss, setting boundaries with our kiddo...

Joining me today is a guest who truly embodies the spirit of being an animal adventurer, Susie Spikol. Susie is a naturalist, educator, and author of the captivating book, "The Animal Adventurer's Guide." If you're an animal lover who enjoys following animal tracks and chasing fireflies, then this episode is for you. Susie will discuss the importance of connecting kids to nature in...

Many Christians are stuck an in-between space of trying to do too much or too little. What we call purpose or vocation or calling can often seem so elusive—but God’s assignment for our each of our lives has distinguishable boundaries that encourage us to live according to His will. These boundaries are what Heather MacFadyen is here to help people discover in her new book, Right Where You Belong:...

In today's episode, I speak with Dr. Rina Bliss, a leading expert on the nature of intelligence and its cultural significance. Dr. Bliss, who is a professor of sociology at Rutgers University, has spent over a decade researching the misconceptions surrounding intelligence and its assessment. In her latest book, Rethinking Intelligence: A Radical New Understanding of Our Human Potential, Dr. Bl...

How are our clothes connected to confidence? And how does our clothing correlate? Joining me today is personal stylist, Keri Blair. Keri and her team are known as a secret weapon and are trusted advisors to their extensive clientele across the country. She has over 20 years of experience styling executives and high profile clients drawing upon her experience in some of the world’s most dynamic and...

In the midst of the pandemic, while everyone in tiny apartments was looking to trade up to a larger home, Andee Martineau did the opposite. She and her husband sold their 7,000 square foot home in Arizona and moved their family of six (plus two kids in college) into a cabin by a lake in Utah. Andee went from having a two-story home with two kitchens and two laundry rooms to a two-story cabin with...

In today's episode, I sat down with Dr. Emily Kline to discuss how Motivational Interviewing (MI) can be used to facilitate healthy communication between parents and young adults. Often used in healthcare settings, MI is a communication style that focuses on making positive changes, such as reducing drug or alcohol use, taking medications regularly, and other lifestyle improvements. However, D...

On today's bonus episode, hosts of the Peaceful Homeschool podcast (Emma and Beth) are here to encourage and empower you by sharing how you can simplify your homeschool day and achieve a peaceful relationship with your children. We are here to tell you that homeschooling is not as daunting as it may seem, and with the right mindset and tools, you can give your children an excellent education w...

Today, I bring you my conversation with Sarah Schweisthal, the personal finance expert behind the popular TikTok account @YouNeedABudget, about her journey to drastically reduce her family's monthly grocery bill. With a starting point of $1,200, Sarah experimented with various strategies such as reducing food waste, cooking with ingredients on hand, and shopping at affordable stores like Aldi....

As parents, we all know how quickly our children outgrow their clothes, and how tempting it can be to simply throw them away and buy new ones. But with the life cycle of kids' clothes being much shorter compared to adult garments, this can lead to a significant amount of waste. In 2018, the EPA reported, 17 million tons of textile waste ended up in landfills, compared to the 2.5 million tons t...

Listening. It is one of the chief skills parents need with children. From paying attention to children to listening to teachers and doctors, much of being a parent consists of listening. Yet most parents only listen to about 3% of what is said. This means we often don’t hear important information relayed to us. Why is this? Why is listening so important to parenting? How can you improve your liste...

Joining me today is author, Billie Jauss. Billie is an accomplished author of two books, ' Making Room ' and ' Distraction Detox ', as well as a dynamic speaker and the host of 'The Family Room' podcast. Today, Billie will share with us her personal journey of overcoming emotional barriers that left her feeling stuck, uncertain, and discouraged. She discovered that despite...

I'm excited to introduce our guest today, Tracey Showalter, a busy mom of three, wife, and founder of The LightHouse Co. With a passion for cleaning and organizing, Tracey left Corporate America after 15 years to pursue her dream job of professional organizing. Through her work, she aims to change her clients' lives by restoring order and creating a sense of calm within their homes. Today,...

Have you ever observed the significant impact that can result from performing small, routine tasks, often referred to as rituals? Such rituals, including keeping a journal, drinking tea, lighting candles, taking daily walks, or choosing stairs over elevators, may have a profound effect on one's physical and mental well-being over time. Tamara Castelo, CEO of Tâmara Castelo Clinic in Portugal,...

In this episode, I spoke with author Michele Cushatt to discuss her new book, "A Faith That Will Not Fail," which offers practical and grounded ways to find hope in the midst of life's unexpected difficulties. We dive into faith practices like lament, waiting, and connection, and how they can help us navigate the darker moments of life. Michele shares her own journey of building a resi...

Join me for part two of my conversation with Jillian Hankins. In this episode, we discuss Jillian’s passion to live according to natures rhythms/seasons. Jillian has always been endlessly fascinated with the richness of the seasons. Jillian believes that to live seasonally is more than what we eat, but reaches down into the very marrow of our days - how we move through the hours that we've bee...

In this episode, I delve into the topic of slow and simple living with my guest, Jillian Hankins. My conversation with Jillian felt like catching up with an old friend. We spoke for over ninety minutes. In the first half, we explored the significance of slowing down, even when it's challenging to quiet our inner to-do lists. We also discussed the common tendency to claim we live slowly while s...

Through the work of 19 th century education pioneer Charlotte Mason, parents today can discover a liberating, countercultural philosophy of childhood, learning, and motherhood. Whether a child is in traditional school, homeschooled, or somewhere in between, my guest today, Leah Boden (author of the new book, Modern Miss Mason) offers timeless wisdom on holistic learning, fostering curiosity, and t...

Setting your intentions to get regular quality sleep takes some work. From changing lifestyle habits to being mindful of your sleep hygiene , there are a lot of factors to consider in the quest to get better rest – including creating a tranquil space to slip into deep, restorative sleep. However, the bedroom tends to be a catchall for the day, including discarded clothes, bags, shoes, accessories,...