The Intentional Mum

"Shopping is the elephant in the room"

Emma Gleeson is a decluttering expert and the bestselling author of the brilliant Stuff Happens! Manage you clutter, clear your head & discover what’s really important. Emma’s approach to decluttering is firmly rooted in sustainability and in this episode of The Intentional Mum I discuss with Emma all things decluttering sustainably and why it’s human nature to love stuff.

We talk a lot in this episode about fast fashion and the impact our wardrobes have on is as individuals as well as on people and the environment. Emma started out in theatre and costume design but soon found her interest lay in researching the psychology of shopping and fast fashion and she shares some fascinating insights into the history of PR and marketing.

Emma isn’t a minimalist and her approach isn’t about trying to live without stuff, instead Emma wants us to embrace our love of stuff but in a more conscious way.  Emma’s book is an absolutely brilliant read, and so much more than a guide to decluttering.  Emma gets into the psychology of stuff and why material culture is part of being human.

We chat about snobbery when it comes to sustainability chat and the judgment on parents for things like shopping at Primark during the pandemic. Emma has some brilliant advice about stepping away from the guilt about not being able to afford to buy sustainable items.  It’s more important to be mindful about how you shop and slow down your shopping habits.

I also ask Emma about her process for decluttering with clients and she shares some brilliant tips for making the decluttering process more manageable.

If you are interested in sustainable fashion or feeling anxious about your wardrobe then this episode is for you.

Mentioned in this episode of The Intentional Mum:

• Give Up Yer Aul Tings
• Stuff Happens
• The Environmental Justice Foundation
• Mindful materialism
• Clutter cycles
• Paradox of choice – the more choice you have the less satisfied you are
• Hedonic treadmill
• Edward Bernays
• Hibernating your clothes
• Leaving time in your decluttering for cleaning
• Greenwashing – Amazon and H&M
• UN sustainable development goals
• Recycling and the plastics industry
• Rights for garment workers
• Dealing with sentimental items

You can find Emma at www.emmagleeson.com on Instagram @stuffhappensemma and on Twitter @emgleesondub

Loved this episode? Head over to www.aminimalistmother.com for more intentional living inspiration

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theintentionalmum.substack.com

Are you feeling overwhelmed with the idea of decluttering? In this episode I'm sharing my tried and tested top tips for getting started with decluttering. So grab a cuppa and give it a listen - I promise you you'll have found your motivation by the end of the episode.

Keep listening for a sneak peak at what's coming up in season 2.

If you loved this episode then head over to www.aminimalistmother.com for more joyful intentional living inspiration.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theintentionalmum.substack.com

Who doesn't love a bonus episode! In this short episode I'm talking all about what intentional living is, why minimalism doesn't mean getting rid of all your stuff and why I think you should give it a go.

Keep listening for a sneak peak at what's coming up in season 2.

If you loved this episode then head over to www.aminimalistmother.com for more joyful intentional living inspiration.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theintentionalmum.substack.com

"It's not our job as parents to entertain our children"

In this episode I catch up with the brilliant Tiffany Ross. Tiffany is an early years educator with over 17 years experience who helps parents to navigate the tricky toddler years with joyful child-led activities.

Tiffany shares her own parenting journey from overwhelm, exhaustion, burnout and guilt from the pressure of trying to do everything to clearing everything out, embracing minimalism and taking a child-led approach which has allowed her to bring more joy to her parenting.

If you are feeling overwhelmed by just how many different educational philosophies there are out there and don’t know where to start Tiffany shares her advice on how to pick and choose the different techniques that work for you and your child to find more joy.

We have a brilliant discussion about how to get your toy rotation right by paring this right back to a few items to avoid overwhelm (and reduce the burden on you when it comes to tidying up). We also discuss the benefits of open-ended toys, using items from around the house in creative ways and Tiffany shares her secrets for using those loud flashy toys to maximum effect to hold your child’s interest and allow you to get stuff done.

One thing I really struggle with is how to balance demonstrating an activity with giving my child the space to learn and so I asked Tiffany for her advice and she shares some brilliant tips for modelling behaviour and when you don't need to correct your child.

We recorded this before the announcement of schools going back and Tiffany gives some amazing advice about how to take the pressure off when it comes to home-schooling. And although most children will be heading back to school, the ideas that Tiffany shares to bring balance and be child-led will be invaluable if you have to continue home-schooling for any reason.

Tiffany reminds us it’s not our job as parents to entertain our children constantly. Boredom is important for creativity and giving yourself permission to take time to recharge is just as important as trying to keep up learning at home. Ditching the guilt around this is so important to ensure that you are able to fully recharge.

Finally, we discuss where to go for inspiration for activities that doesn’t leave you feeling overwhelmed or inadequate. Tiffany has some brilliant ideas for simple activities that take less than 5 minutes to set up but keep your little one occupied for long enough for you to enjoy a hot cuppa.

Things mentioned in this episode of The Intentional Mum:

• How to choose different educational philosophies that work for you
• Montessori
• Steiner Waldorf – breathing in and breathing out
• Benefits of toy rotation
• Destructive behaviour versus destructive play
• When to change up your toy rotation
• Open-ended toys – toys that don’t have a set purpose and can be lots of different things
• DIY-ing toys and activities
• What to do with single use toys and when to utilise these for maximum impact
• Whether Lego is an open-ended toy
• Lego Masters
• Parallel play – playing separately but next to each other
• Home-schooling and how to break up tasks
• Intentional TV time
• Bluey
• Looking after yourself and your mental health
• Sensory rice
• Sensory play

You can Tiffany over at www.inspirelearnteach.com and @inspire.learn.teach on Instagram.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theintentionalmum.substack.com

“Lean in to each phase”

In this episode I’m chatting to Cherrelle Slaney, a mum on a mission to prove that menstruating doesn’t have to be all doom and gloom. 

Cycle tracking goes beyond simply tracking ovulation and your period but it doesn't have to be complicated (and it definitely doesn’t need to include taking your temperature every day). In this episode of The Intentional Mum, Cherrelle guides us through how to get started with menstrual cycle tracking to find more energy and joy.

You may already know that your period is the low point of your cycle and that ovulation is when you are at the highest energy point. But what about the other parts of our menstrual cycle? And how can we make the most of each phase of our menstrual cycle? Cherrelle breaks down what we need to be looking for and how we can lean in to each phase of our cycle.

We get into the detail of how birth control can affect your cycle (but there’s all sorts of factors for choosing contraception so please choose what is right for you). And we also discuss contraception after having a baby and how your periods might change after pregnancy and breastfeeding (and how it can be scary waiting for them to come back).

Finally Cherrelle shares why she loves sustainable period products and how these took her from miserable periods to joyful ones. Cherrelle talks through the different options beyond just a menstrual cup.

Feeling inspired? You don’t have to wait for day 1 of your period to start tracking your cycle - you can get started straight away.

*If you are worried about your periods or your cycle changes please do speak to a doctor / medical professional to make sure everything is ok*

What we talk about in this episode of The Intentional Mum podcast:

• Cherrelle’s blog and ebook
• Taking your temperature to check for ovulation
• The stages of your menstrual cycle:
• • Menstruation – your period when your energy is at your lowest
  • Pre-ovulation – a phase of rising energy
  • Ovulation – when the ovary releases an egg and the high point in your cycle
  • Pre-menstruation – the luteal phase
• Ovulation burnout
• What to do if you have an irregular menstrual cycle
• Birth control
• Contraceptive pill
• Depo injection
• C-section
• Copper coil
• Ovulation pain
• Menstrual cups
• Reusable period underwear
• Cloth sanitary pads
• Menstrual discs

You can find Cherrelle @cherrelleslaney on Instagram and at www.cherrelleslaney.co.uk

Don't forget to come say hello over on Instagram - @a.minimalist.mother 

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theintentionalmum.substack.com

“Once you’ve found something that works for you, stay off social media”

In this episode I’m chatting with Grace Phillips, the mum behind the amazing Cloth Nappy Geek website. It’s also a little bit different because it’s the second part of a much longer conversation that I had with Grace. You can listen to part 1 of our chat in which Grace interviews me about all things elimination communication and whether cloth nappies are a minimalist option over on her Cloth Nappy Geek podcast.

Grace uses her website and social channels to share reviews of cloth nappies to help parents choosing cloth understand the different options available in the search for the perfect cloth nappy. Grace started her cloth nappy journey with her second child and therefore has experience of using both reusables and disposables. 

We chat about how Grace got started with cloth and how it was actually her husband’s reluctance to use cloth that was the catalyst for branching out to test different cloth nappies. Grace and I have very similar experiences in starting with cloth and especially feeling like the nappies we were recommended weren’t as beautiful as we had hoped.

If you are thinking of starting cloth nappies then this episode is packed full of advice. And if you are a seasoned cloth bum parent I hope you will enjoy listening to us nattering about the joy of using cloth as well as pick up a few tips and tricks along the way.

We delve into the detail of the technical side of cloth nappies, discussing the different fabrics and absorbency options but also how we shouldn’t overcomplicate this.  Grace also talks about how it can often be difficult to find more detailed information on the technical side of things, with brands referring to use buzzwords over quantifiable information.

Grace also highlights how Instagram is a marketing tool to get us to buy and therefore there can be a lot of temptation to buy more nappies in new prints. We discuss overconsumption, sustainability and minimalism in a lot more detail in part 1 of our conversation over on Grace’s podcast.

Things mentioned in this episode:

• Cloth Nappy Geek podcast – listen or watch to Part 1 of our conversation
• The Nappy Lady cloth nappy questionnaire
• 2-parter systems – where an inner absorbent nappy is covered by a separate waterproof wrap
• Close Pop-in nappies
• Buying something you like the look of to get started
• Blueberry Orion wrap
• Motherease
• How to convert a reluctant partner to using cloth
• Easy Peasy Bumbles
• WAHM – Work At Home Mum
• Designer Bums
• Baby Bare
• Modern Cloth Nappies
• Fiyyah
• Cloth nappy libraries – find your local library
• Night nappies and why we don’t need as much absorbency during the night as we do during the day
• Absorbency and the differences between different fabrics used
• Boosters – to add extra absorbency to your cloth nappies
• Manufacturing of cloth nappies
• Baba & Boo hemp boosters
• Acronyms used in cloth nappies
• Why disposables are designed to make you use more nappies than you need to
• WHO recommendation to change a nappy every 2-3 hours

Let’s carry on the conversation over on Instagram

You can find Grace @clothnappygeek on Instagram and at www.clothnappygeek.co.uk

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theintentionalmum.substack.com

"I've learnt a lot from the pandemic just to slow down"

This week I’m chatting with the wonderful Hannah Gorman. Hannah is a mum, step-mum, blogger and advocate for all things eco living. As well as sharing her own journey to a more sustainable lifestyle Hannah's blog is filled with inspiration for embracing eco-friendly living as a family in a manageable way.

In this episode Hannah shares how she has created a minimalist stash of cloth nappies and how this has changed over time. We also have a really great chat about how to resist the temptation of buying more and more beautiful prints (and the prints that Hannah simply couldn’t resist).

But we also keep it real, discussing the challenges of minimalism including creating a maternity wardrobe that doesn’t include fast fashion, with Hannah sharing her tips for buying clothes for pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Hannah shares her experiences of being pregnant in a pandemic and the upsides to lockdown life and how her perspective on life has changed. Hannah and her family had Covid-19 over Christmas and her experience is reassuring for anyone worried about how to cope with isolating at home with a toddler.

Finally we chat about eco-swaps and the stereotypes that come with sustainable living and how we definitely are not crusty hippies.

Things mentioned in this episode:

• Reusable nappies
• Cloth sanitary pads
• Extinction Rebellion
• Having a minimalist stash of cloth nappies
• The joy of secondhand baby clothes
• Letting your friends know you are open to having things secondhand
• Why you don’t need breastfeeding specific clothing
• Covid-19
• Allotment gardening
• Natural deodorant
• Stereotypes about being eco-conscious
• Joe Wicks

Let’s carry on the conversation over on Instagram

Or come say hello over at www.aminimalistmother.com 

You can find Hannah @hannahlgorman on Instagram and at www.hannahlgorman.com

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theintentionalmum.substack.com

"There’s no judgment like the judgement around parenting"

In this week’s episode I’m chatting to the awesome Lucy Lucraft about some really juicy topics around sustainability, motherhood and why we shouldn't be trying to be perfect – I just know you’re going to love this episode!

We start by discussing why zero-waste is unattainable and that we don’t have to be perfect to make a difference when it comes to being sustainable.  We also take a look at the negative aspects of the sustainability community, particularly when it comes to veganism, privilege and white supremacy and the importance of remembering the people who are actually being impacted by climate change.

Lucy shares her thoughts on the importance of looking after your mental health to give you the resilience to participate in activism and the importance of prioritising yourself sometimes (something that as mums we often don’t do).

We also discuss the importance of speaking honestly with our children (and what a struggle that can be). Lucy explains how she approaches talking to her children about important issues like climate change in an age-appropriate way.

Finally we talk about eco-swaps including getting honest about the realities of using cloth nappies.

Things mentioned in this episode:

• The myth of over-population
• The importance of resilience and self-care in activism
• Mel Wiggins
• Instagram filters
• The hole in the o-zone layer
• Greta Thunberg
• The Happy Song by Imogen Heap
• Bokashi bin compost
• Aja and Lucy Moan About… - Lucy’s podcast with Aja Barber
• What She Said – Lucy’s podcast

Let’s carry on the conversation over on Instagram

You can find Lucy @lucylucraft on Instagram and at www.lucylucraft.co.uk

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theintentionalmum.substack.com

"If you think eco-living is expensive you aren't doing it right"

In this week's episode I catch up with the lovely Innes Vautier to chat all things slow and simple living with kids.

Innes' website Aboderie provides endless inspiration for embracing a minimal, sustainable life and we discuss how Innes has found ways to embrace slow living while living in London. Innes is really open about the challenges that can come with living in a big city, but also the positives that city life brings.

We take a deep dive into how we can all cut down on our waste and adopt a low impact lifestyle by being more intentional. Innes shares her advice on how we can adopt more eco-friendly choices that should save you money like gardening, family cloth, cloth nappies and using what you already have.

We also discuss imposter syndrome online especially when it comes to sustainability, how fixing and making things is good for our mental health and that life isn't always Pinterest perfect so we need to be realistic.

Things mentioned in this episode:

• Brockwell House community garden
• Family cloth - Innes has a brilliant guide to getting started with family cloth
• Who Gives and Crap? - If you aren't ready to switch to family cloth just yet there are plenty of sustainable toilet rolls 
• Picking one thing to switch to get started

Innes is one of the nicest people online and it's impossible not to be inspired by her beautiful posts about living sustainably.

You can find Innes on Instagram @aboderie and at www.aboderie.co.uk

And I'd love to hear what you thought of this episode over on Instagram/a.minimalist.mother

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theintentionalmum.substack.com

"It's polite pain"

In this episode I chat with my friend Nadine Pemberton about her lived experience of racism.  Nadine was a practising solicitor for many years, advising the boards of a number of UK public bodies and is now a coach, mentor and freelance consultant.

We discuss what terms like white supremacy, privilege and micro-aggression actually mean, with Nadine sharing her own experiences of racism, particularly in the workplace. 

If the fallout of the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests have left you with questions about how you continue your learning and raise anti-racist children then give this episode a listen.  Nadine shares her thoughts on how we talk to our children about these issues and the really practical steps we can take to raise our children to celebrate difference. 

Nadine is such a wonderfully positive woman and we also chat about realising your dreams through vision-boarding and intention setting - Nadine's own experience will absolutely leave you feeling inspired.

Mentioned in this episode:

• BAME - Black Asian and Minority Ethnic, a commonly used term in the UK to refer to non-white racial / ethnic groups
• BIPOC - Black and Indigenous People Of Colour, a term that is increasingly used as an alternative to BAME
• Global Majority - this is Nadine's term of choice when referring to non-white racial / ethnic groups (definitely a term I am going to use from now on)
• Bettina Love - https://bettinalove.com/

I feel incredibly grateful to Nadine for being so open and speaking so eloquently about what is naturally a very emotional subject.  I really hope that this episode will leave you wanting to take further steps on your anti-racism journey.

Let's carry on the conversation over on Instagram - @a.minimalist.mother

You can read my blog over at www.aminimalistmother.com

And you can find Nadine at www.facebook.com/pempluscoaching and @pempluscoaching on Twitter and Instagram and @livingstlucia on Instagram.

 

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theintentionalmum.substack.com