I grew up in Northern California with two loving—but divorced—parents. Divorce was hard. I spent years wishing they’d get back together. My childhood was split between two households: weekdays with my mom and sisters, every other weekend with my dad and sister.

Both homes were low income, and I saw firsthand how much my mom struggled to keep a roof over our heads and food on the table while raising three girls. It was inspiring and heartbreaking all at once.

Learning to Let Go Early

Both of my parents held onto things, and now I understand why. When money is tight, you never know if you’ll need that item again. For them, stuff was security.

But growing up in that environment made me the opposite. For me, memories live in photos and videos—not in objects. If something wasn’t serving me, I’d happily pass it along to someone else who could use it. That mindset kept my room clean, and eventually, I even earned my own room—something my sisters still bring up to this day.

Motherhood Changed Everything

Fast forward to having kids. My children were the first and only grandkids in the family, so they were showered with toys and clothes. At first it was exciting—but quickly it became overwhelming.

People always say you don’t understand parenthood until you’re in it. They’re right. The love is incredible, but the chaos and constant mess? It wore me down. I was grateful for all we had, but I also felt like our house was closing in on me.

A Shift During COVID

During COVID, when my kids were 4, 3, and 1, I had a realization: we didn’t have to live in chaos. We could keep the toys, the clothes, the fun—but create order.

At the same time, we sold our house, packed everything into a storage cube, and moved to San Diego. For almost a year, most of our belongings stayed in storage while we lived with family and remodeled our new home. And you know what? We didn’t miss most of it.

When we finally moved in, we donated and gave away so much—blessing others and freeing ourselves in the process.

Giving Myself Grace

Looking back, I wish I had given myself more grace when I had three kids under five. Life was messy—and that’s okay.

Once my youngest turned four, things shifted. We could finally work as a team. We added routines, learned from other moms, and found what worked for us.

So if you’re in the thick of the toddler years, hear me on this: give yourself grace. Start small. Use picture labels. Build family routines. Kids thrive on consistency and structure, but perfection isn’t the goal.

Our Life Today

Today, all my kids are school-aged, and our home runs on routines and teamwork. We don’t have a housekeeper or gardener—we have five family members who contribute.

We call chores “contributions,” because that’s what they are: ways for each of us to add to our family life. That choice has given us more time and more freedom to spend on what matters most—adventures, experiences, and time together.

Stepping Into the Sandwich Generation

Now, I’m in another phase of life. I’m in my mid-thirties, raising three kids, supporting my husband, and also caring for my aging dad, who is disabled. It’s a lot. But the organizational foundation I’ve built keeps me from drowning in overwhelm.

I’ve learned to simplify where I can and give myself grace in the harder moments. And I look at my life with so much gratitude: my dad is still here, and I get to cherish this time with him. Time is a thief—it moves so fast, and we don’t get it back. But we can choose to be present.

I’ve lost family members close to me, and whenever things feel hard, I think of them. Their memory reminds me to view even the hard seasons with gratitude.

Handling Stress in This Season

One of the most important lessons I’ve learned is that you need outlets for stress. For me, it’s gardening, my weekly pottery class, and practicing photography.

This summer, gardening has been especially grounding. There’s something almost meditative about getting my hands in the soil, planting something, and watching it grow. It’s funny because growing up, I didn’t like dirt, bugs, or anything messy. Somewhere along the way, that shifted. Now, I find peace in the dirt.

Pottery gives me space to create with my hands, and photography helps me slow down and notice beauty in the everyday. These practices keep me centered.

Finding something that relieves your stress is so important, and I encourage you to explore what that looks like for you. It doesn’t have to be gardening or pottery—it just needs to be something that grounds you and helps you breathe again.

A Gentle Reminder

And before I go any further, let me say this: don’t compare yourself to me—or to anyone you see on social media. Not all days are rosy. Some days are really hard. Most of us don’t post the messy moments. I’m trying to be more authentic and real because that’s what helps people most—not just the highlight reel.

Why I Share This With You

I wouldn’t be here without learning to simplify, declutter, organize, delegate, and build routines. These skills have given me back my peace, my energy, and my time.

And that’s why I share them now—because I want the same for you. You don’t have to feel buried under the weight of stuff, or guilt, or expectations. Your home can be a place of peace, your routines can run smoothly, and you can reclaim the time to focus on what truly matters: the people you love.

A Final Thought

Time is fleeting, and our days are too precious to spend buried under stuff or stress. My hope is that my story inspires you to take one small step toward peace in your own home.

I’d love to hear from you—what’s one area of your home or life you’d love to simplify right now? Send me a message. Let’s start the conversation together.

Keep following along—I’ll be sharing the tools, routines, and mindset shifts that can help you create more calm, more gratitude, and more time for what really matters.