Category Simplify

a little boy playing a game of chess

My Five Year Old Needs…

Feb 25, 20266 min read

You notice her corralling every game and deciding who plays which part,…

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My Teenage Sons Still Haven’t…

Feb 25, 20267 min read

You watch them move through the house like echoing versions of themselves,…

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Parents Debate Toddler Safety Leashes…

Feb 25, 20265 min read

You might assume safety leashes feel extreme — especially after a father…

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Overwhelmed Mom Says Her To-Do…

Feb 25, 20266 min read

You watch the list grow and feel the pressure tighten—37 tasks in…

A modern suburban neighborhood featuring a stylish car parked on a driveway.

My Neighbors Keep Using Our…

Feb 25, 20266 min read

You keep finding cars, snow piles, and trash cans on your land…

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Plumbers Report 6 Common Household…

Feb 23, 20264 min read

We often think of water damage as something that happens when a…

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Professional Organizers Say These 5…

Feb 23, 20264 min read

We’ve all been there: a surprise visit from a friend or neighbor,…

man and woman walking along grass field while holding hands

Married Mom Asks, “If You…

Feb 21, 202611 min read

She notices the small frustrations that stack up and wonders which one…

Peaceful moment of a mother and newborn baby relaxing at home.

“I’m Begging for Help Before…

Feb 21, 20266 min read

You watch her push through another night and wonder how much longer…

woman wearing gray long-sleeved shirt facing the sea

Mom Says She Went from…

Feb 21, 20266 min read

She finally said the words out loud: she was lonely, and that…

About Me
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Madison Cates

Mom, Wife, Minimalist.

Join me in my journey to declutter my life and live a simply beautiful life.

Gallery

Two moments from an Instagram reel: a pregnant mother with her kids, then holding a child.
Two moments from an Instagram reel: a bin of toys being sorted, then vacuuming the playroom floor.
Two moments from an Instagram reel: a man assembling a bed frame, then the finished bed.
Two moments from an Instagram reel: a mom in the kitchen with two toddlers, then a toddler close-up.
Two moments from an Instagram reel: a dad wiping the table, then making the bed.
Two moments from an Instagram reel: a mom in the kitchen at 5:41 AM, then resting with her baby at 7:53 AM.
Two moments from an Instagram reel: organizing a closet with cube storage, then the finished shelves.
Left: Instagram reel still of a mom walking to the front door. Right: a quiet living room (Unsplash photo by Christian Lambert).
Left: Instagram reel still of kids watching a tree crew from the porch. Right: an arborist cutting a tree (Unsplash photo by Zack Masters).