18 | Essentialism for Moms (Part 1): How to Simplify Your Home and Life with 4 Key Takeaways
If you've ever felt overwhelmed by clutter—whether it's in your home, schedule, or mind—you’re not alone. Greg McKeown’s book Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less is all about focusing on what truly matters and eliminating the distractions that keep us from living intentionally.
After diving into this book, I couldn’t wait to share the most impactful takeaways with you—especially how they apply to decluttering, organizing, and managing ADHD. Today, we’re covering four essentialist principles that will help you simplify your space and your life.
1. What Problem Do You Want to Solve First?
When I work with clients, they often have multiple areas in their home that feel overwhelming. The natural instinct is to start with the biggest, most chaotic space—like the basement storage room—but that’s not always the best choice.
Instead, ask yourself: Where will I feel the effects of change the most?
For many people, that means starting with:
Your closet—where you start and end each day
Your bathroom—where a streamlined space makes mornings easier
Your kitchen—if you spend a lot of time preparing meals
Your entryway—to eliminate daily stress as you come and go
Tackling these high-impact areas first gives you more energy, time, and motivation to handle bigger projects later.
2. The Power of Saying No: “This Isn’t for Me”
One of the hardest parts of decluttering isn’t just letting go of things—it’s letting go of expectations that don’t serve you.
One of my favorite examples? Throw pillows.
I used to have seasonal pillows for my couches, beds, and entryway bench. But after a while, I realized that arranging and fixing them every day was just another task that didn’t actually add value to my life.
Now, I have just two pillows in my living room, and they stay in a basket with our blankets when they’re not being used. It’s simple, functional, and still looks good.
The essentialist mindset isn’t just about physical clutter—it’s also about saying no to things that don’t align with your priorities.
Say no to events you don’t want to attend.
Say no to obligations that drain your energy.
Say no to keeping things just because Pinterest made them look cute.
Every time you say “this isn’t for me”, you’re creating space for what actually matters in your life.
3. Small Changes, Big Impact
Essentialism isn’t about making massive, overnight changes. It’s about tiny shifts that, over time, create a huge difference in how your home and life function.
Here are some small changes that have made my home more efficient:
Basket Placement: I keep a small holding zone under my kitchen table for my kids’ artwork. It prevents paper piles from spreading across my counters.
Paper Trays in the Kitchen: If random papers always pile up, try keeping a tray or bin in a cabinet to contain them until you’re ready to sort through them.
Extra Trash Cans: I added one to my hallway and entryway—and it’s shocking how much tidier things stay when throwing things away is easier.
Mirror Notes for Routines: Writing my morning and evening checklist on my bathroom mirror helps me stay on track without overthinking.
Labels: I labeled my chapsticks so I know exactly where each belongs (car, bag, nightstand, classroom). Now, when I find one in my pocket, I know exactly where to put it back.
Remote Covers: Different-colored remote covers for different rooms eliminated the constant “Where’s the remote?” question from my husband.
Declutter Duplicates: Reducing the extras in drawers and cabinets (like silverware, water bottles, and kitchen gadgets) keeps things organized and easy to access.
These may seem like tiny adjustments, but together, they’ve made a huge difference in keeping my home and brain from feeling overloaded.
4. Explore, Eliminate, Execute: The Essentialist Process
McKeown introduces a three-step method for making essentialist decisions:
Explore: Identify what’s important.
Eliminate: Get rid of the non-essential.
Execute: Take deliberate action.
This process aligns perfectly with my four-step organizing method:
Prioritize – Decide where to start.
Categorize – Group similar items together.
Downsize – Remove the unnecessary.
Reorganize – Set up systems that work for you.
By following this intentional approach, decluttering stops feeling random and starts feeling purposeful.
Ask yourself: Do you have a space that’s creating daily frustration?
Try the Explore, Eliminate, Execute method this week and see how much lighter your home feels.
Final Thoughts: How to Start Today
If you take one thing from this post, let it be this: You have the power to make your home and life easier by focusing on what truly matters.
Start with one problem you want to solve.
Say no to things that don’t align with your values.
Make small changes that lead to big impact.
Use the Explore, Eliminate, Execute framework to declutter with intention.
Need help getting started?
Send me a picture of a space in your home, and I’ll send you a FREE 60-Second Session with my best decluttering tips tailored to your space. Click here to submit your photo!
Here’s to doing less, but better—and creating a home that works for you.
