Joining me on today's episode is fashion designer, Laurel Wells Thompson. Our conversation focuses on the history of children's fashion, how things changed post-industrial revolution, why we are addicted to cheap clothes, the true cost of fast fashion, what to look for when shopping for kids' outfits (everything from fabrication to construction) and more...

On average we spend 17 minutes each morning getting dressed and by simplifying our wardrobes we can do more with less! Curating a capsule wardrobe is about really putting value into your purchases, thinking about versatility, the longevity of a garment, really picking quality pieces and embracing the outfit repeat! Joining me today to talk about these concepts (and more) is Kristi Soomer - founder of the sustainable clothing line, Encircled.

Joining me today are interior designers, Erin and Lina of the Curated Nest. Erin and Lina first bonded over beautiful designs and burritos as sleep-deprived new moms at a mommy meetup in Brooklyn, NY. They had an instant design connection, and with 20+ combined years of experience in interior design and client-focused business, forming a partnership was easy. In this episode, they'll discuss: how Curated Nest helps their clients achieve an organized environment, how to conceal kid's toys with storage solutions, minimalist design and how it applies to families and more..

Can you spend less, save more, and still lead a life of travel and adventure? Chris Hutchins, acclaimed financial optimizer and host of the chart-topping podcast All the Hacks, says that you can — and he has the evidence to back it up. Today, Chris will share actionable advice for how families can live better (while spending less), vacation secrets (such as how can we can we make family vacation attainable even on a strict budget) and more…

We’ve talked about back-to-school routines for our kids, but what about ours? Joining me today is co-host of the Mom Hour podcast, Sarah Powers. Sarah discusses personal game changers in her routine, what people focus on that they shouldn’t and more…This episode is for stay-at-home moms, working moms, part-time working moms - if your child is starting some kind of schooling this fall, this one is for you!

Education is not solely about acquiring information and skills across subject areas, but also about understanding how and why we believe what we do. At a time where our online capabilities allow us infinite information and opinions, you can understand how parents (and teachers) worry about how students will interpret what they read and see. But how do we encourage them to examine different perspectives? How do we teach them the skills they need to become discerning adults? Joining me today is author, Julie Bogart who draws from more than 20 years of homeschooling experience and creating curricula. In this conversation, Julie offers insight and practical tips to help children at every stage of development to grow in their ability to explore the world around them.

We’ve heard all about the need to get our 1000 Hours Outside (thanks to friend of the podcast, Ginny Yurich) but what about getting our kids outdoors WITHOUT us? Joining me today is parenting coach, Allana Robinson. Allana believes a helpful developmental tool can be the role of outdoor play (and why it needs to be done (from time-to-time) without parents!) Her coaching encourages parents to ditch the overwhelm (and confusion) so they can actually focus on things that matter (which is right up my alley!)

Did you know that babies less than a day old can parse out different vowel sounds? Or that language learning starts early while a baby is in utero, by about 35 weeks’ gestation, and the formation of synapses involved in language learning peaks during the first 6 months after birth? Me neither, until I read Maya Smart’s READING FOR OUR LIVES: A Literacy Action Plan from Birth to Six, a step-by-step guide for building literacy in a child’s early years. Maya is here today to discuss key strategies that parents should employ early (and often), conventional reading tools and instruction focuses on teachers and the school years, essential lessons parents can – and should – give their children, and more…

Today’s episode features my conversation with Laney Schwartz, author of the popular cooking blog, Life is But a Dish. Laney is passionate to help moms overcome their fear of the kitchen to gain confidence in their skills. Cooking can be fun and enjoyable, and Laney helps women feel assured in the kitchen so that they can entertain their families and friends stress-free. 

This is the second in a new series of the Minimalist Moms Podcast. Going Deeper episodes will be less structured with a more conversational tone. This week, I spoke with Leah McDermott of Your Natural Learner about "unschool­ing", also known as "natural learning". Leah shared about her experience "unschooling" her children, education, encouragement to others and more. If you're a homeschooling family or are curious about unschooling/natural learning, this episode is for you!

Joining me today is author and environmentalist Heather White. She is here to discuss how to contribute to the climate movement through self-discovery. Her revolutionary call to action will unlock your eco-friendly “superpower”, to create a daily practice of sustainability. This conversation will focus on what Heather calls the “seven essential service types”. After twenty years of environmental advocacy, Heather developed the assessment to show people how they can take action in their own lives. Her evaluation will reveal your unique hidden gifts that you can leverage for the climate movement!

Join me today for a conversation with world-renowned expert on performance, well-being, and sustainable success, Steve Magness. I recently heard Steve on an episode of the Rich Roll podcast and thoroughly enjoyed the conversation regarding mental toughness. As a mom to three young children, I recognized the correlation to mental toughness needed in parenthood. Having coached Olympic athletes and other top-performers, I knew Steve would be a great guest to discuss resilience but specifically, how we can train our brains to transcend the discomfort we will surely encounter in our parenting journeys.

As most of you know, a huge issue parents currently face is a sharp increase in screen time for children. In fact, a recent study by JAMA Pediatrics found that children’s recreational use of screens (not including time spent online for virtual classes) nearly doubled during the pandemic. Moreover, the study linked higher screen usage to poorer mental health and greater stress among teens. I, myself, acknowledge that screens themselves aren’t bad but strive to balance screen time with playtime. Joining me today to highlight the importance of screen free play and what parents can do to engage their children is Anna Yudina of the Genius of Play (whose mission is to provide families with the information and inspiration they need to make play an important part of their child’s day). Anna shares how play benefits parents, what play really means (how science defines play), importance of multi-generational play and more…

Joining me today is author, Catherine Pearlman for a conversation about first phones and digital safety. In her new book, First Phone, Catherine Pearlman—licensed clinical social worker and parenting expert—introduces 8 to 12-year olds (and their parents) to the concepts of digital safety, privacy, social media, cyberbullying, phone etiquette and how to set appropriate boundaries to establish a healthy digital relationship in an increasingly complicated online world. I hope this conversation gives parents peace of mind, tools to engage with their children and encouragement for their children as they internalize digital safety.

Whether you’re new to minimalism and decluttering or have been pursuing the lifestyle for awhile now, today’s episode is for you! I’m joined by professional organizer, Amy Mayorga to discuss decluttering our entire homes. This episode is filled with practical advice for how to accomplish this, timelines, mistakes we make in the process and more…

This is the first in a new series of the Minimalist Moms Podcast. Going Deeper episodes will be less structured with a more conversational tone. This week, I spoke with Tara Clark of Modern Mom Probs about growing up with a hoarder. Tara vulnerably shared how hoarding affected her growing up, how it's affected her now and advice for you if a parent or someone you know is in the same situation.

By tracking our unique cycle, we can sync our activities for maximum effectiveness in every area of our life, including decluttering and living a more minimalist lifestyle. Decluttering can be emotional and physically demanding, and cycle syncing can ensure you are doing the right tasks at the right time to make the process easier and more enjoyable. Join me today for an in-depth discussion about this topic with registered nurse, Megan Rempel. Megan discusses how, as women, we have been gifted something pretty incredible with our monthly cycle. Our physiology, energy, focus, and emotional state are all impacted as we go through the 4 phases of our cycle every single month.

Mimetic desire — the act of simply desiring what others desire – imitating what others want instead of developing our own intentional, conscious wanting – is powerful in our development, our world and in our everyday lives. Today’s guest, author Luke Burgis, shares his expertise about this concept, how society influences mimetic desire, how we can determine what we truly desire, the impact we can have on the desires of those around us and more!

The average American family throws out 30-40% of the groceries they buy from produce to leftovers. The easiest way to save money would be to use everything we buy - but how do we do this? Joining me today is Amy Cross of the Cross Legacy Blog (known for the viral strawberries in a jar hack). On this episode, she shares some of her best tips for washing and storing produce and how to, ultimately, save money by doing so!

Eight years ago, Noell and her husband Daniel Jett set out to build the house of their dreams… by themselves.  With Daniel’s contracting background and Noell’s love for all things home, they masterfully built a gorgeous farmhouse and posted their progress on social media. Flash-forward to today, Noell’s popular Instagram and TikTok accounts, have accumulated over 4.7 million dedicated followers. She and Daniel along with their four (soon to be 5!) children share their lives, DIY tips, cleaning and organization hacks, home-building journey and more with their audience. As for today’s episode, we’ll be hearing a few of her best tips for home renovations.