The best books on minimalism and simplicity for working moms

Rose Lounsbury Author Of Less: Minimalism for Real
By Rose Lounsbury

Who am I?

In 2012 I started a minimalist journey, inspired by my 1,500 square foot house that could no longer comfortably contain the possessions belonging to me, my partner, and our then 2-year-old triplets. I was a full-time working mom with little time to declutter, yet I knew that if I didn’t change our home, the stress of our stuff would rob us of valuable space and time to enjoy our young family. Over a period of eight months, I let go of about 70% of our possessions, and I’ve never looked back. I’ve since taught hundreds of thousands of busy parents how to do the same through my blog, book, TEDx, keynotes, classes, and coaching.  

I wrote...

Less: Minimalism for Real

By Rose Lounsbury

Book cover of Less: Minimalism for Real

What is my book about?

In Less, Rose Lounsbury--simplicity coach, keynote speaker, and still-sane mother of triplets--takes a practical, hands-on approach to decluttering your home and simplifying your life. Based on her own life-changing experiment of “going minimalist,” Rose provides a realistic guide to reducing your excess stuff and reclaiming your hard-earned free time.

Less offers attainable steps that you can take to achieve the clutter-free, functional home you crave. Through candid stories from her life as a minimalist blogger-turned-businesswoman, Rose will inspire you to stop spending your time dealing with your stuff and start living a better life with less.

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The Books I Picked & Why

Simplicity Parenting: Using the Extraordinary Power of Less to Raise Calmer, Happier, and More Secure Kids

By Kim John Payne, Lisa M. Ross

Book cover of Simplicity Parenting: Using the Extraordinary Power of Less to Raise Calmer, Happier, and More Secure Kids

Why this book?

This was one of the first books I turned to when I wanted to simplify my working-mom-of triplets life! The hardest thing about simplifying my children’s lives was that I had to go against societal norms. Society tells us that kids need more toys, more activities, etc. This book (written by a family counselor and based on thorough research) gave me the confidence to say no to giving my kids a childhood of excess and yes to a childhood with plenty of open space, downtime, and room to create. My triplets are now 12 and I still refer to the lessons I learned from reading this book when they were toddlers. I’m 100% certain that reading this book helped me give my kids a more meaningful childhood! 

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The Joy of Less: A Minimalist Guide to Declutter, Organize, and Simplify

By Francine Jay

Book cover of The Joy of Less: A Minimalist Guide to Declutter, Organize, and Simplify

Why this book?

This was the very first book I read after being introduced to the idea of minimalism and it got me off my couch and decluttering my cabinets pronto! Jay breaks down decluttering with her simple streamline method, and since I had no methods of my own at the time, I happily borrowed hers. One of the best tips I learned from this book was to empty spaces that you want to declutter. I’d never done that before and now this is something I ask all my clients to do. I’m so grateful to Francine Jay for getting me started on the minimalist path! 

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Soulful Simplicity: How Living with Less Can Lead to So Much More

By Courtney Carver

Book cover of Soulful Simplicity: How Living with Less Can Lead to So Much More

Why this book?

At a certain point in my decluttering journey, I knew I needed to address more than the stuff. I had to dig into my schedule, my emotions, and my constant urge to “do more.” Lucky for me, this was the point at which Courtney Carver’s Soulful Simplicity came into my life. This book delves into the more internal aspects of simplicity and helped me declutter my mindset and my schedule. I loved that Courtney shared highly personal aspects of her own simplicity journey, which made her so relatable. I highly recommend doing her “Busy Boycott” challenge after reading. I guarantee you won’t say, “I’m so busy!” in the same way ever again!

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Sustainable Minimalism: Embrace Zero Waste, Build Sustainability Habits That Last, and Become a Minimalist Without Sacrificing the Plane

By Stephanie Marie Seferian

Book cover of Sustainable Minimalism: Embrace Zero Waste, Build Sustainability Habits That Last, and Become a Minimalist Without Sacrificing the Plane

Why this book?

Stephanie Seferian is a good friend of mine and her Sustainable Minimalists podcast is one of my favorites! When I found out she was putting all her eco-minimalist knowledge into a book, I knew I had to get a copy. This book shares practical, well-researched advice on how you can reduce your number of possessions while also reducing your carbon footprint. Stephanie is a mother of two young girls, so her advice is applicable to busy moms who don’t have a lot of time. You’ll want to dog-ear and sticky note many of these pages!

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Organizing Solutions for People with ADHD: Tips and Tools to Help You Take Charge of Your Life and Get Organized

By Susan Pinsky

Book cover of Organizing Solutions for People with ADHD: Tips and Tools to Help You Take Charge of Your Life and Get Organized

Why this book?

I was introduced to this book by a client of mine who, due to her severe ADHD, was struggling to manage her life while pursuing her dream of a graduate degree. I got my own copy and have since recommended it to nearly all my personal clients! This book is written with plenty of bullet points, clear pictures, and open space on the pages to help ADHD brains focus and get the information they need. Although the author addresses readers with ADHD specifically, I think the title of this book should be “Organizing Solutions for Everybody!!!” It’s one of the few organizing books I keep on my own bookshelf. 

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