Podcast Summary: Simple Farmhouse Life – Episode 321

Episode Title: Decluttering as a Mom: Where to Start and What to Let Go
Host: Lisa Bass
Guest: Robyn Buchanan (Minimalist Home)
Date: December 23, 2025

Main Theme / Overview

In this episode, Lisa Bass welcomes back Robyn Buchanan, minimalist YouTuber and mother of three, to talk about practical minimalism, decluttering strategies for moms, and sustainable home organization. With Christmas just days away—a peak time for household clutter—Lisa and Robyn share honest perspectives about living with less, navigating sentimental items, managing kid clutter, and building decluttering habits that stick, all tailored for busy, hands-on homemakers.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Why Minimalist Living?

• Stress and Clutter
  • Robyn shares her journey from overwhelmed ER nurse and mom to a minimalist lifestyle, emphasizing the link between home clutter and personal stress, especially for women.
    • "I was coming to an environment that was stressing me out, and I was, like, cranky with my family... I realized that living simply is the most important thing." (03:30)
• Minimalism as a Sliding Scale
  • Both hosts agree minimalism isn’t “one size fits all”—it flexes around family size, hobbies, and life stage.

2. The "Just In Case" and Fix-It Mentalities

• Breaking Inherited Patterns
  • Robyn explains that the urge to keep things "just in case" comes from historical scarcity—but in today’s consumer world, it causes more harm than good.
  • Community resource-sharing is suggested as a solution, e.g., lending tools rather than everyone owning everything. (05:56)
• Unfinished Projects
  • Lisa and Robyn discuss the guilt and stress involved with things waiting to be fixed:
    • Robyn’s solution: "If you think you might fix it, schedule it. If you don't do it, let it go." (09:19)
    • Lisa’s test: "If you had a free Saturday, would you spend it fixing that item? If the answer is no, you’re never going to do it." (09:49)

3. Quality Versus Quantity: Choosing What to Buy

• The Problem with Modern Appliances
  • Discussion about preferring durable, fixable items over complex, breakable ones (e.g., “Speed Queen” washers).
    • "The less screens, the better. People… I just want just simple." – Robyn (14:00)
• Intentional Shopping
  • Robyn’s rule: For most things, wait 24 hours before buying and know exactly where it will go. If you're bringing something in, plan to declutter something else. (51:38)
  • Lisa on family scale items: "If each boy has three hats, that's 18 hats! For every new cap we bring in, we have to get rid of one." (54:09)

4. Organization Systems for Busy Homemakers

• Paperwork & Digital Organization
  • Robyn shares her “MIGHTY” method: triage, simplify, organize, and thrive—prioritizing digital folders, the “one-touch” rule for emails, and regular weekly organizing blocks. (20:04; 20:57)
  • Using digital tools (Apple Books, Google Drive, Notion) makes it easier to keep order and quickly find what’s needed.
• Inventory & Labeling
  • Using Sharpies for quick pantry labels over complicated systems.
  • Digital inventory helps avoid overbuying, especially for bulk shoppers (e.g., at Costco or Azure Standard).
    • "If I'm at Costco, do I need more avocado oil? Having that is so helpful." – Robyn (33:02)

5. Kitchen, Pantry, and Bulk Goods

• Practical Systems for Functional Spaces
  • Organize pantry by function—baking, grains, spices, and keep ugly stuff (boxes/cans) hidden.
  • Use efficient storage: twist-off “gamma lids” on grain buckets for easy access (32:07).
  • Rotating and updating inventories prevent waste and over-accumulation, especially for large families.

6. Kid Clutter and Toys

• Rotating and Reducing
  • Minimal toys in bedrooms (just Legos for Lisa).
  • Toy rotation: only keep a few options out at a time; cycle weekly to keep interest and reduce clutter.
  • For kids attached to things, let them choose a select number to keep out, pare down quietly if unnoticed.
    • "Your house, your stuff should serve you, not you serving your stuff." – Robyn (42:28)
• Older Kids’ Autonomy
  • Once kids are teens, it’s their problem; parents model clean spaces for the younger ones.
  • Lisa: "I don't go through my 15 and 17-year-olds' room... I'm talking about younger kids where you're still involved in managing." (46:41)

7. Sentimental Items

• Curating Sentiment Carefully
  • Limit personal/family sentimental items to what fits on a dining room table.
    • "All of your sentimental things should fit on your dining room table." – From Peter Walsh, quoted by Robyn (63:18)
  • Store in organized, clearly labeled boxes. Revisit periodically—it’s okay to let go later.
  • Prioritize good memories and value present, not just objects.

8. Digital Clutter and Photo Overload

• Modern Moms’ New Headache
  • Lisa and Robyn reflect on the stress of digital photo management—a problem our own mothers didn’t have.
    • "Now moms have to stress out about making sure all their kids have videos at every age and birthday. Uh, I don't. Sorry, I don't have that." – Lisa (69:21)
  • Aim for simple, regular routines (Robyn: review and delete photos Fridays).
  • Value presence over documentation.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "Your stuff should serve you, not you serving your stuff."
  — Robyn, (01:42 & 42:28)
• "If you don't want to spend your free Saturday fixing it, you're never going to."
  — Lisa, (09:49)
• "Everyone thrives better in a minimalist environment, whether or not they know it... Just try it."
  — Robyn (01:15 & 42:21)
• "If you're bringing something in, plan to declutter something else."
  — Robyn (52:58)
• On sentimental items:
  "All of your sentimental things... should fit on your dining room table."
  — Robyn quoting Peter Walsh (63:18)
• "People's lives weren't so super documented, and now moms have to stress out about making sure all their kids have videos at every single age..."
  — Lisa (69:21)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 02:13 – Lisa introduces Robyn; why this is a crucial time to talk decluttering
• 03:30 – Robyn’s backstory: ER nurse stress, discovery of minimalist peace
• 05:56 – Debunking the “just in case” myth & using community resources
• 09:19 – How to deal with "to fix" pile—schedule or let it go
• 14:00 – Quality over quantity: choosing simple, durable appliances
• 20:04/20:57 – Robyn’s "MIGHTY" method for paperwork; digital tools that reduce clutter
• 32:07 – Bulk food storage tips and labeling hacks
• 41:23 – Managing kid clutter: toy rotation, handling sentimental/attached children
• 46:41 – Delegating responsibility to teens; freeing up parent time
• 51:38 – Intentional shopping: wait time, declutter with every new item
• 63:18 – Guidelines for sentimental item storage
• 69:21 – Digital clutter: photo overload, being present vs. documenting everything

Where to Find Robyn Buchanan

• YouTube: Minimalist Home
• Instagram: @robinbuchananYT
• Blog: minimalisthome.ca
• Monthly minimalist motivation and declutter challenges via membership

Final Takeaways

• Start where your greatest stress is—whether that’s paperwork, the kitchen, or toys—and create manageable systems.
• Minimalism is about more than “less,” it’s about peaceful, functional homes that support your real life.
• Use digital tools to reduce the stress of paperwork and inventory.
• Be gentle with yourself as you learn to let go—decluttering is a lifelong, evolving process.

For more practical recipes, homemaking tips, and thorough hands-on tutorials, visit Lisa’s blog Farmhouse on Boone.