I have only been a parent for seven months (sixteen months if you count pregnancy), but I know that I want to carry my philosophy of simple living into my parenting style. I know that kids grow up fast, and time is precious. I know many parents feel like there aren’t enough hours in the day. And, I know that simple living will allow me to give my daughter the time, money, patience, and respect that she needs and deserves.
I have chosen four pillars to build my definition of simple living: clutter-free, debt-free, organized, and green. Given the daily challenges of work and homemaking, here is how I plan to simplify being a parent using these four guiding principles. But, before you read any further, let me also add that my hope for my daughter is that she experiences a rich childhood, full of adventure and wonderful memories, and that she carries those with her wherever she goes without the need for physical attachment to material clutter.
First, I plan to keep our home clutter-free. This means:
1. Take plenty of pictures (which are stored digitally) of her wearing her favorite clothes, playing with her favorite toys, and reading her favorite books, but don’t keep those items. As an adult, I may wonder where my favorite toy ended up, but I don’t spend much energy thinking about it. On the other hand, I have spent a lot of energy sorting through my old books, clothes, report cards, art projects, t-shirts, and awards wondering how I am going to store all of this stuff.
2.
For every new toy and outfit, recycle (hand down, donate, or sell) one (or two). It has been so tempting to keep the really cute stuff, but the great part is that there’s so much cute stuff to look forward to that I know another adorable outfit is in the near future. It feels good to pass things along, especially since we have been the recipient of so much generosity.
3. Keep toys to a minimum. I’m sure this one will become more challenging as she gets older. So far, all her toys fit into a couple laundry baskets stashed around the house. I hope that we can continue to maintain the status quo by rotating these items (see #2).
4. Simplify her wardrobe. I have really come to appreciate the little matching outfits you can buy for children. My daughter has several tops and bottoms, but somehow pulling out a matching outfit is always easier. I always have several of these clean and ready to go.
5. Create a system for saving artwork. I know there is legitimate memorabilia that any mother should save for her child, and when the time comes I will have to figure out a storage system – maybe it will be one box for each year, or maybe taking pictures of all the best artwork and making an annual calendar, or maybe a combination of both.
In addition to being clutter-free, I hope we can remain debt-free. This means:
6.
Invest in her financial future. I have already written about the ten steps I plan to take to invest in my daughter’s future, such as establishing a 529 account and purchasing mutual funds.
7. Keep holidays simple. I was pleased with baby’s first Christmas. Our friends and family were extremely thoughtful and creative, and we did not end up with too much “stuff.” In the future, I hope we can create meaningful traditions and happy memories without focusing on the materialistic aspects of the season.
8. Encourage creativity. Growing up in a rural area, I was forced to be creative. I had one television channel and two friends within walking distance of my house. With limited resources, I developed an active imagination. It’s easy to spend hours on expensive electronics and technology, but I hope my daughter will find other creative outlets.
9. Enjoy low-cost family activities. Although we live in an expensive area, the trade-off is that we can enjoy our surroundings for relatively little. We have great beaches, hiking trails, outdoor recreational activities, and historical sites within an hour’s drive.
10. Income exceeds expenses. This is a basic formula for debt-free living, but one that is often forgotten. Of course, it is also important to have a family budget.
I hope to keep things simple by staying organized. This means:
11. Every toy, book, and bobble has its place. It doesn’t always have to be put away, but when the time comes it does have a home. If possible, I try to put things away each night, so each morning feels like a fresh start.
12. Create stability with simple daily routines for morning, bath time, dinner, and bedtime. Routines reduce stress and frustration by creating clear expectations, for both children and adults. They also help families get and stay organized.
13. Establish household habits. We already make it a habit to leave our keys by the door, take off our shoes, and hang up our coats. There are other habits I would like us to adopt, such as putting away laundry, wiping down the countertops, and cleaning the dishes at the end of each day. These are some habits I am striving to establish and instill in our daughter.
14. Master meal planning and grocery shopping. This is an area of organization that I have been working on for the past year. Studies have shown that the most common factor in happy families is that they enjoy meals together.
15.
Keep baby’s room simple. I believe in
making furniture work double-duty. In our nursery now, the crib has a drawer for storage, the desk is a changing table, and the chair rail is a bookshelf. I hope that in the future, we will continue to keep furniture to a minimum and maximize functionality.
Many of the environmental problems facing our planet have been fueled (literally) by the over-consumption of industrialized nations. What does green living have to do with simple living? It means:
16. Buy less stuff. Advertising is designed to make us feel inadequate. We are led to believe that products will satisfy and complete us, but in reality they add to our clutter and debt. And, a lot of that “stuff” is produced from unsustainable materials that tap the earth’s resources.
17. Avoid technology overload. New electronics compete for our money and our attention. They are also taxing on the environment. Here are some questions to ask before purchasing electronics: Is it educational? Will it add to the quality of our life? Is it a distraction? How will I dispose of it? Does my child need it? Can I afford it?
18. Teach responsibility and accountability. Changing the environmental crisis requires accepting responsibility for the current situation. These are skills that are beneficial in life as well. This starts with us setting a good example.
19. Choose experience gifts. New toys and clothes are fun, but I hope to give our daughter gifts that she can enjoy for a lifetime, such as dance lessons, art classes, music lessons, and swim lessons.
20. Avoid box stores. There are several reasons why box stores do not promote simple living and are not environmentally friendly. Many of the products are cheaply made, which encourages a disposable lifestyle, using unsustainable materials and practices. And, the abundance of choices can be overwhelming and paralyzing.
photo by ApparentlyNothing
What tips do you have for simple parenting?
I have only been a parent for seven months (sixteen months if you count pregnancy), but I know that I want to carry my philosophy of simple living into my parenting style. I know that kids grow up fast, and time is precious. I know many parents feel like there aren’t enough hours in the day. And, I know that simple living will allow me to give my daughter the time, money, patience, and respect that she needs and deserves. 
At the beginning of this year I started on a path of simplifying my life and I'm always looking for inspiration and this post was GREAT. One way that I've simplified my life is to step away from the digital mind clutter I had going on and so I deleted my blog, my facebook, my twitter. Thankfully I've kept my Google Reader to help me read blogs that will inspire me and keep my on this wonderful path of a simpler life. Thank you!