Ask most people what every home needs and you will hear the same list: a coffee table in the living room, a toaster oven and an air fryer on the counter, curtains on every window, and a spare set of sheets in the linen closet. One mom who calls herself minimal-ish is quietly proving that you can skip all of it. She shared four things she does not own and why she does not miss them.
The mom behind @taylor.godinez lives on a farm with her kids, and her reasons are practical rather than trendy. Here is her list, along with some thoughts on how to decide what to leave out of your own home.
@taylor.godinez
One: a coffee table
Her family keeps food and drinks in the kitchen, so there is no need for a place in the living room to set them. She says she would much rather have open floor space for her kids to run and play than an extra piece of furniture she has to maintain and clean. She adds a point that decluttering fans will recognize: surfaces tend to become a catch all. Less surface means less room for clutter. In her caption she puts it this way, fewer surfaces equals less clutter.
It is easy to see how a coffee table collects things. Remote controls, mail, mugs, kids’ crayons and magazines pile up until you cannot see the wood. Without it, the pile has nowhere to start.
Two: extra small appliances
When her family upgraded their appliances, she made sure her oven had a built in air fryer. That means she does not need a separate air fryer taking up counter space. Other items, like her slow cooker, are stored away in a cabinet instead of sitting out. Her toaster is small enough to fit inside a drawer.
Her reasoning is that extra things sitting out on the counter just make more visual clutter, and most of the time you can live without them. A clear counter makes a kitchen feel bigger and is much easier to wipe down.
Three: curtains and blinds
This one comes with a clear explanation. They live out on a farm with no neighbors, so there is really no need for window coverings. She also says blinds take time to clean, and curtains have to be washed if you want a clean space. Because she likes everything to be very clean, leaving them out saves her time.
It is worth saying that this choice depends on where you live. In a town or a neighborhood where people can see in, window coverings protect privacy. They can also block sunlight and help with heating and cooling bills. So if you live on a busy street, this may not be the item to cut. The takeaway is to look at each thing in your home and ask whether it is doing a job for you.
Four: extra sheets and bedding
She washes her family’s sheets once a week, and she can always get them washed and back on the bed the same day. So there is no need to keep extra sets sitting around. The only time they buy new sheets or bedding is when the current ones are worn out and need replacing. And when sheets are in bad enough shape to replace, she says, that means it is time to get rid of them and throw them away. Do not leave extras sitting around, cluttering your space.
This is a point worth thinking about if your linen closet is stuffed. Many homes have stacks of mismatched sheets, old pillowcases and blankets that never get used. A good rule of thumb is to keep one or two sets per bed, one on the mattress and one for the wash, and let go of the rest.
How to decide what you do not need
You do not have to copy her list. The better lesson is her method: for each item, ask what it is for, whether you have a simple substitute, and what it costs you in space and cleaning time. Here are some questions to ask about the things in your own home.
- Does this make a surface that attracts clutter? Side tables, ottomans, entry tables and counters are the usual suspects.
- Do I own two things that do the same job? An air fryer and a toaster oven, or several coffee makers, can often be reduced to one.
- Could I store it out of sight? If you use a slow cooker once a month, it belongs in a cabinet, not on the counter.
- Does it need constant cleaning? Blinds, knickknacks and decorative pieces can add chores you do not need.
- Am I keeping spares out of habit? Extra sheets, towels and gadgets often sit in a closet for years.
Try it before you toss it
If you are curious about living without something, you can test it first. Move the coffee table to the garage for a month, put the extra appliance in a box in a closet, and see if anyone asks for it. If nobody does, you have your answer. If you do miss it, you can bring it back, and you will appreciate it more.
The takeaway
She calls herself minimal-ish, and that may be the most useful part of the story. She is not trying to live with nothing. She is choosing what works for her family, her farm and her routines, and letting go of the rest. Minimalism, as she describes it, is less about the number of things you own and more about the amount of time and attention they ask of you. If a piece of furniture or an appliance gives you more work than joy, it might be worth a second look.