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

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        

Hey Friend I’m so grateful that I get to teach you about living a simpler life - I have always been passionate about living simply because it helps us live this life with our value of time first and never miss out on anything of our kids and now grandkids lives.  I believe we are made for relationships and not made to be in the cycle of doing the same thing over and over every day working for someone else’s dream and I love teaching you to at least make some little tweaks to live more intentionally and with purpose too!   I have had some questions about my Simply Set Method that I started over 25 years ago to simplify cooking when I worked full time.  I don’t spend alot of time cooking as I always have better things to do, but I like to have healthy meals on a small budget!  I want to walk you through what my simple 2 hours a week dinner system that will cut your grocery bill in half looks like!  Cooking from scratch doesn’t have to be difficult and it certainly doesn’t have to take alot of time or money.   So first, I have recipes along with the grocery list to make family friendsly meals for the week for under $75 - we are a family of 4 and usually have leftovers.  I have grocery prices from my area from Aldi and Walmart, so yours might be slightly different depending on where you live, but I bet you will be able to cut your grocery bill in half using my simply set method.  I don’t have anything for food allergies at this time.   Next, I will walk you step by step in order to start cooking so you can make all the meals for the week in 2 hours.  For instance, it might be to fry 3 pounds of hamburger, next mix this and that together -it is step by step to take away any confusion and keeps it super simple.  After that, what to assemble in what order and then I have a daily schedule of exactly what to do each day.  Some days, you are just putting the crockpot on low before you leave for the day and some days you are just putting a casserole that has already been assembled into the oven when you get home. When you have a plan, it will save you money and time.  It gives you more time to spend with family and less time in the kitchen.  I keep everything simple and homemade, so I don’t use canned cream of mushroom, etc (even thought you could if you want to but it is just as simple to make from scratch and cheaper)   I have tought over 5000 families now and the feedback I have had is that is has made their life so much easier, they love not having to cook because they are exhausted when they get home and they are saving so much money not getting take out or going out to eat!   If you want to cook from scratch, but don’t even know where to start, this is a great resource for any beginner that will keep you from being stressed in the kitchen.     I will put the link below, but I will be having a black Friday sale, so make sure you are following Claiming Simplicity on instagram.  You won’t want to miss it if you want to try this method. Watch for the Black Friday Sale on Instagram!  Talk soon!  Have a great week! Monica Instagram -> https://www.instagram.com/claimingsimplicity/ Email -> [email protected]  

Hello Friend! Welcome back to claiming simplicity.  If you are new here, welcome!  I so glad to have you here! I often hear moms complain about not spending enough time with their kids or missing kids' events because of work, but then don’t do anything to change their situation.  A good indication of what is important to you is what you spend money on.  You might say Jesus and family first, but your checkbook might say otherwise.  Another way to look at it is where are you spending your time.  If you spent most evenings in the gym, I would say sports are important to you, or if you spend alot of time on your phone, it may look like social media is important to you.  Sometimes the values don’t truely line up, so I just want to give you a few tidbits to help you live out your values so when the guilt of not spending time with your kids, you know where you can start to change that.  So grab a pen and paper and lets get to work.  If you are driving, make sure to come back to this, because this can change the direction of your life as it did mine! First, you need to make a list of what are your true priorities because if you are saying this is important, but your pocketbook and time are not confirming that, there will be friction and you won't feel aligned and something will always feel off.   Once you have your true priorities and most important values written down, now I want you to go to your calendar and bank account and see where exactly your time and money is going.  This is so very important and very eye opening for many that I work with.  For example, if you want a simpler life, but your calendar is always full, there will be friction and you may feel a little anxious, so the 3rd step is to figure out a way to get there.  With this example, maybe it is less time shopping or this may even be spending all your time at sports events when you can say no to live simpler if this is a top priority.   There are so many options, but in order to live this life of simplicity, you have to get good at saying no and making sure that you are saying yes to the right items that line up with your values.  When your life is coming to an end, will you be proud and peaceful about how you lived it or will you be stressed and worn out until the end?   I hope you will have peace living a simpler life that you are able to create.  It is simple to do, but you do have to take the steps to get there.   Blessings! Monica Email -> [email protected] Instagram -> https://www.instagram.com/claimingsimplicity/ Website -> https://stan.store/ClaimingSimplicity/