Claiming Simplicity | Simple Life, Natural Living, Cooking from Scratch, Intentional Living, Save Money, Simple Systems, Easy Recipes

Hey friend. I’m so glad you’re here with me today. If you’re listening to this, chances are life has been feeling a little… full. Not bad. Not wrong. Just full. Between work, kids, school, meals, and all the little decisions you make from the second your feet hit the floor, it’s no wonder your heart is craving rest.   I’m just sitting here in our -20 degree weather batching some episodes as our next few weeks we are going to be enjoying all the family and Grandkids.  Good day to stay inside! Today I want to talk about something that has changed my life and has changed the lives of thousands of busy moms I’ve walked with…Simplicity. Not the Pinterest kind. Not the everything-is-perfect kind. But the kind that actually makes your life easier. The kind that brings peace back into your home. The kind that reconnects you with the moments that matter most. Most moms don’t realize this, but complexity steals our joy one tiny decision at a time. Every extra step. Every scattered routine. Every night you walk into the kitchen wondering what on earth to cook, it all chips away at your energy. And the truth is your exhaustion isn’t a character flaw.It’s not because you should be doing better.  You're tired because your life is overcrowded. Simplicity pulls back the layers so you can breathe again. And Scripture tells us that God is not a God of confusion, but of peace. When your life feels chaotic, it doesn’t mean you’ve failed, it means something needs to be simplified. When moms hear the word simplify,  they think they need to add something like more organization, more color-coded systems, more complicated meal plans. But true simplicity is about removing what drains you. It’s choosing fewer decisions instead of more. It’s creating small repeatable rhythms so your brain doesn’t have to work so hard. It’s letting meals become easier by cooking once and eating all week. It’s allowing grocery day to be simple by keeping the same staples on hand. It’s trusting that less really is enough. When you take away the noise, you uncover a life that was already waiting for you - slower, calmer, more intentional. Simplicity doesn’t just change your to-do list. It changes you. Your evenings feel peaceful instead of rushed. • Your kids get a more present, less frazzled version of you. • You start saving money because you’re not grabbing takeout out of panic. • You stop living in survival mode and start living on purpose. • You begin to feel like you have your life back, even while working full-time. So many moms tell me, I didn’t know it could feel this easy. But it can. And it starts with small shifts, often one simple system at a time. I didn’t start out living simply, I learned it because I had to. As a nurse, I worked long shifts. I came home exhausted, hungry, and feeling like I had nothing left to give. I didn’t want fast food to raise my kids, and I didn’t want stress to define our home. So I started building small systems. Batch cooking. Simple routines. Staples I always kept on hand. Healthy meals that took minutes, not hours and an automated online business. And friend… that changed everything. It gave me margin. It gave me peace. It gave me time with my family that I didn’t have before. And that’s why I teach it now because I know what it feels like to carry more than you were ever meant to hold. If you’re listening and thinking, I want this… but I don’t know where to start, hear this: You don’t have to overhaul your life. You don’t need a planner full of color-coded tabs. You don’t need a new personality. You just need one simple step. One small shift that lightens your load. And this January, I’m leading a FREE No Spend Challenge that will help you reset your budget, simplify your daily decisions, and start the year with intention, not stress & overwhelm.It’s designed for the busy mom who feels like she’s drowning in expenses, rushing through evenings, and wishing life could slow down. And it’s completely free. Link for NO SPEND CHALLENGE -> https://stan.store/ClaimingSimplicity You can join at the link below, and each week I’ll walk with you through small, simple changes that make a big difference in your spending. Friend, simplicity isn’t about doing less so you can be more productive. Simplicity is about making room for what truly matters. It’s about creating space for joy, presence, peace, and purpose. You deserve a life that feels lighter. You deserve systems that support you. And you deserve to live in a home where stress doesn’t get the final say. I’m cheering for you, and I’m grateful we get to walk this journey together. Happy New Year Friend! Monica

Welcome back, friend!   Today’s episode is one so many families need right now because almost everyone is feeling the squeeze. Groceries are higher. Utilities creep up. Kids’ activities cost more. Life just feels expensive. But here’s the good news Most families have hidden pockets of savings they don’t even realize are there.And once you shine a light on them, you start seeing how much freedom is possible Food is the biggest leak in the average family’s budget, especially for busy moms who feel like they’re just trying to survive dinner. But imagine cooking for just a couple of hours one day and eating homemade meals all week. The grocery bill drops. Takeout stops & the stress around dinner disappears. This is one of the easiest places to save hundreds every month without clipping coupons or living on noodles. Most people don’t realize a quick stop at the store is actually one of the biggest budget drains. You go in for milk…You come out with snacks, a candle, and a seasonal display you didn’t need. Those tiny $25–$40 trips add up fast. When you simplify and stick to one grocery trip with a pickup order? Your spending drops without you even trying. You would be shocked how many families are paying for things they don’t even remember signing up for. Streaming services, apps, memberships, & free trials that weren’t so free. A quick audit usually saves $50–$150 a month instantly. This isn’t deprivation, this is stewardship. It’s choosing what actually serves your home and letting go of the rest. Convenience is the silent budget killer. But when you create a few simple systems like having meals prepped or keeping a stocked pantry, convenience stops being something you buy…and starts being something you build. A cluttered home makes you forget what you already have. So you buy duplicates. You lose items. You repurchase things that were sitting in a cabinet the whole time. When you simplify your home, even a little, you automatically spend less. Because you know exactly what you have and what you don’t. Less chaos equals less cash slipping through your fingers. Most moms think saving money means sacrificing everything fun. But the real heart behind saving is this: It’s about living more intentionally so you can enjoy more of your life. When you spend with purpose & not panic, you stop feeling guilty… and start feeling free. And that’s exactly what I want for you as we head into a brand-new year. Friend, if you’re listening to this and thinking, I want to get ahead, but I don’t even know where to start…You’re not alone. That’s why I created my FREE No Spend January Challenge we have been doing for 4 years In this challenge, you’ll learn how to: stop impulse spending, use what you already have, simplify meals so you’re not running to the store, cut hidden expenses without feeling deprived, create financial peace in your home & start the year with purpose instead of pressure You’re not doing this alone. I’ll walk with you every single step. If you want to join us, here is the link. https://stan.store/ClaimingSimplicity Blessings ~ Monica

Hey Friend Today I want to talk about a kind of wealth most of us never grew up hearing about. Not financial wealth… Not the kind you measure with a bank account… But the kind you feel in your soul. The kind of wealth that shows up as peace, space, rest, and the ability to breathe. What if true wealth isn’t about money at all… but about margin? Margin in your schedule, your mind, your home, and your spirit. And what if the life you’re longing for isn’t waiting on a raise, or a better job, or a perfect season… but simply on creating room for joy again? Let’s talk about that today. Most moms today aren’t struggling with financial poverty, though some absolutely are. But almost every mom I talk to is struggling with overwhelm poverty.  Everyone is stressed out. No time. No energy. No quiet. No space to think. No space to breathe. And when there’s no margin, even the simple parts of life feel heavy. Dinner feels like a mountain. Laundry feels impossible. Relationships feel squeezed. God feels distant, not because He moved, but because the noise drowned Him out. This is the poverty the world doesn’t talk about. And this is the poverty Jesus came to lift us out of. When you look at Jesus’ life, He never rushed & He didn’t keep a tight schedule. He walked everywhere. He paused for people. He rested. He withdrew to quiet places. He said no to crowds so He could say yes to the Father. He lived with margin. If the Savior of the world wasn’t in a hurry, maybe the pressure we feel to fill every minute isn’t coming from God. Maybe it’s coming from expectations we were never meant to carry. Margin is something you create, not something you find. And the beautiful thing?  You can build it right where you are, starting small. Margin looks like: • one simple system that gives you your evenings back • meals prepped in two hours once a week so dinner is never an emergency • choosing fewer commitments so you can be fully present • building rhythms instead of living in reaction mode Every bit of margin you create is like depositing peace into a bank account. Bit by bit, your life starts feeling lighter, calmer, more intentional. That’s wealth. When your home gets simpler, your heart gets quieter. And in the quiet, you can hear God again. When dinner is already made, you’re not cooking in survival mode, you have space for conversation, connection, prayer, laughter. This is where the real riches start showing up: peace in your home, joy in your relationships, clarity in your calling, and a deeper awareness of God’s presence in the middle of everyday life. That is abundance. And no paycheck can buy it. I want to give you one small, doable step to start practicing margin: Pick one area of your week where you’re always stressed… and create a simple system for it. Just one. If meals are the stress?  Try cooking once and eating all week. If mornings are chaotic?  Create a 10-minute evening reset to prepare for tomorrow. If your calendar feels loud?  Choose one thing to say no to this month. Small changes multiply and every bit of margin you create shifts your life toward peace. Friend, you deserve to live a life you actually enjoy. A Jesus-centered, peaceful, simple life isn’t a luxury, it’s part of the abundant life He promised. And it starts with margin. Not perfection. Not performance. Just space. Space to breathe. Space to hear God. Space to live.   Here is the link to the FREE NO spend challenge!  See you inside! https://stan.store/ClaimingSimplicity   ~Monica  

Hello Friend from blustery Minnesota! Are we moving toward the life we want… or drifting somewhere we never meant to go? As busy moms, especially moms trying to hold work, home, kids, and groceries all together… this matters. Because the changes we allow into our lives, even tiny ones, shape the kind of person we’re becoming. And we get to choose the direction. Some changes move us closer to the life God is calling us to live. Others quietly pull us farther away. There are changes we choose, like: Choosing to simplify meals Deciding to budget differently Starting a hobby Clearing clutter Saying yes to something new Saying no to something that drains us And there are changes that happen to us: A diagnosis A job shift A child entering a new season Loss New opportunities Unexpected blessings And even when change is outside our control… our response is ours to own. Because change isn't just what happens to us,  it’s what it produces in us. Maybe think about a change you’ve made recently, even something tiny. Is this change making me more present or more distracted? Moms don’t need more scattered energy. We need presence. Is this change making me more generous or more self-focused? When we free up time or money, does it help others… or only add more to our plate? Is this change making me healthier or less healthy? Emotionally, physically, spiritually, all of it matters. Is this change aligned with my deepest values? Faith, family, purpose, peace. If this continues for a year… who will I become? More grounded? Or more overwhelmed? Are the people who love me cheering for this… or gently concerned? Sometimes others can see what we can’t. Will I be grateful for this change ten years from now? These questions aren’t meant to burden you, they’re meant to free you. To help you see what’s shaping your life. If you recognize a change that isn’t moving you in the direction you want to go, you’re not stuck. God always gives us fresh starts. Here’s where to begin: Name your direction. What kind of person do you want to be? More patient? More peaceful? More grounded? More present? Start small. You don’t have to overhaul everything. One small change, even something as simple as cooking once a week can ripple through your whole home. Make reminders hard to ignore. A note on the fridge. The slow cooker on the counter. Scripture on the bathroom mirror. Replace old habits instead of just removing them. When you say no to something draining, say yes to something life-giving. Check your “direction” every few weeks. Ask, Is this change still moving me toward who I want to become? Friend, change is happening whether we choose it or not. But we get to choose the direction. We only get one life. One motherhood. One chance to build a home filled with peace instead of pressure. And that begins with the small, simple shifts we make every day. If you’re feeling that tug today, like something in your life needs to shift, that’s not an accident. That’s the Lord nudging you toward something better. You’re just one small, intentional change away from a life that feels lighter, calmer, and more aligned with who God made you to be. Blessings! Monica  

Welcome from the snowy MN  I’m so grateful for you! I hope you had a Blessed Thanksgiving Day if you are in the US!  We had lots of family time and Thanksgiving and Christmas activities.  I was really reflecting on this last year for us and all that we have done because of the steps God is taking us through & just how thankful I am for every single day.  The intentional and slow days we are truly blessed with are surely not taken for granted.  This month we have had Grandkids here for almost the whole month & all of that time with them is so special.  If I was working a traditional job, I would not be available as I am now and it really got me thinking about this. Parents drop off kids for 8 to 10  hours a day 5 days a weekThey drive to a job that pays for daycare, their car and home they don’t own. Then gov takes 25-40% of income which is the same Gov that created the broken food system where the cheapest calories are the ones that poison you Ingredients banned in other countries, are “totally fine” here in the US We work ourselves to death and then eat food that slowly kills us and that what we call normal. Here is our plan to opt out: We invested in skills that pay-Not another degrees, but skills we can use to work from home for our online business. We try to eat real food while keeping the price down as much as possible, which means cooking from scratch and not eating out or getting takeout.  That is a very RARE occasion here. We make as many products ourselves with natural ingredients such as laundry detergents, soaps and it is usually cheaper and non toxic but with natural ingredients. We don’t upgrade our cars, we drive them until they can’t run anymore, not because we can’t afford it, but because we value giving to causes with eternal rewards rather than looking good for others on earth.  We live for deeper meaning and being the hands and feet of Jesus.  We long to hear Well done, good and faithful servant.   And as a result there is no rat race, just peace here because we have control over the way we live. This is our path out, 1 decision at a time I would love for you to join me on this movement of glorifying God while building a business from home and keeping an intentional life. I believe there is more to life than just running on this hamster wheel most people think is normal.   If you are ready to enjoy every day with the Bigger Plans God has for you, you are in the right place.  Follow me on Instagram @claimingsimplicity as I unpack more of what God is calling me to for you. Blessings, Monica   Instagram -> https://www.instagram.com/claimingsimplicity/ Email -> [email protected] Website -> https://stan.store/ClaimingSimplicity