Parenting: Simplify Your Life - Amy Slenker-Smith

Amy Slenker-Smith is the owner of Simply Enough, a company that encourages and helps people de-clutter their homes and lives.

Over the course of her life, Amy realized if she just had less stuff, she would have less stuff to take care of. She was a really “organized hoarder.” She was organized, but there was a lot of stuff. For her, life is much better with less, though.

Your family of origin is going to guide how you relate to your stuff. Amy’s mom was a collector and that was the example that was set. You’ll either mimic what you learned or you’ll do the exact opposite.

For Amy, a switch flipped one day. She saw how "stuff" was taking time and attention away from her son. “Do I want time with this infant that took so long to happen, or do I want random stuff from Target?” That then led to the binge. She started to get rid of all of her stuff. She realized how much the stuff was getting in the way of her relationships, not just with her son.

The fewer toys your kids have, the more they will play. This is a counter-intuitive idea, but more stuff for kids starts to become overwhelming. There’s a difference between a "play room" and a "toy room," and Amy describes the difference.

Change does not happen overnight.

Healthy boundaries around her mom buying gifts for her son. This was the pattern that was set, but that pattern was broken, so boundaries needed to be put into place.

Even after she got rid of the stuff, there was still clutter in her calendar and in her health. Was there time for a break? Was there time for exercise? Was there time for her family? Her husband flipped that switch for her. He told her (in a way that she could hear it) that she needed to change her priorities.

You can find more information on Amy Slenker-Smith and Simply Enough in the following locations:

simplyenough.net

On Instagram and Facebook: @simplyenoughamy