SUSTAINABLE MINIMALISTS+

Ads stink. Listen ad-free forever!

$4.99/mo or $44.99/yr after trial

Sustainable Minimalists

Stephanie Seferian
  • 4.8 (994)
  • HOME & GARDEN
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Creating eco-minimalist, non-toxic homes (without the extra work). Although minimalism has experienced a rebirth in recent years, the "less is more" movement has been around for centuries. Yet today's minimalist influencers have resurrected minimalism with a decidedly consumerist spin, as modern minimalism is nearly synonymous with decluttering. While there's a lot of chatter about tidying, it's radio silence and crickets when it comes to sustainability. The result? Aspiring minimalists find themselves on an endless hamster wheel of buying, decluttering, buying more, and purging again. Overemphasizing decluttering and underemphasizing the reasons why we overbuy in the first place is thoroughly inconsistent with slow living as a movement; consumption without intention is terrible for the planet, too. Your host, Stephanie Seferian, is a stay-at-home/podcast-from-home mom and author who believes that minimalism, eco-friendliness, and non-toxic living are intrinsically intertwined. She's here to explore the topics of conscious consumerism, sustainability, and environmentally-friendly parenting practices with like-minded women; she's here, too, to show you how to curate eco-friendly, decluttered homes (without the extra work).

  1. 5D AGO

    Timeless Parenting

    The world has changed so much, but the tenets of timeless parenting haven't changed one bit. Our culture tends to treat childhood like a race. But the push to meet academic benchmarks at younger and younger ages is counterproductive to how a child's brain naturally develops. And when parents overschedule their children because they're afraid they'll be left behind, they may be robbing them of the downtime they need to thrive. On today's show world-renowned child psychologists Dr. Kathy Hirsh-Pasek and Dr. Roberta Michnick Golinkoff dive into how to raise healthy, happy children without burning out -- and without relying on the latest "educational" gadgets.   Here's a preview: [5:15] Smart phones, AI, oh my: The fundamental needs of children haven't changed, even if  technology has [15:00] How to ignore the very-real temptation to get our kids "ahead" [19:45] Unrealistic expectations characterize much of the "academic" toys on the market. Here's how to spot them [25:00] The research is clear: Kids need more downtime. Extracurriculars aren't downtime! [34:00] Your new parenting mantra: "Reflect, Resist, Recenter"   Resources mentioned: Einstein Never Used Flashcards: How Our Children Really Learn–And Why They Need to Play More and Memorize Less Trouble in Toyland 2025: A.I. bots and toxics present hidden dangers (via PIRG) Kathy and Roberta on Instagram Book clubs are scheduled!    This show is listener-supported. Thank you for supporting! Join our (free!) Facebook community here. Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube @sustainableminimalists Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    42 min
  2. Cash Back on Cranberries

    12/09/2025 • SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

    Cash Back on Cranberries

    Maybe you’ve noticed: Grocery prices are hitting record highs. And when we toss uneaten food, we’re also throwing out hard-earned cash. The average household wastes over one thousand dollars on food every year, and that number spikes during the holidays. But with some simple tweaks in the kitchen, we can each keep that money in our respective wallets. On today’s show sustainability expert Sarah Robertson Barnes breaks down cost-saving strategies for smarter grocery shopping. She also offers actionable advice for transforming leftovers and uneaten food bits into free meals. Here’s a preview: [7:30] Reminder: Food doesn’t come from the grocery store, and water doesn’t come from the tap! [11:30] Abundance and excess are two different things. Break out of “feast mentality” and save $15 right off the bat by planning better [19:00] Think of your freezer as a piggy bank by saving uneaten food bits and getting every last goodness out of fruits and veggies [25:00] How to make “free” meals out of leftovers Resources mentioned: A Simple Kitchen Audit A Beginner’s Guide to a Sustainable Kitchen Sustainable in the Suburbs Podcast Episode #437: Breaking food waste norms How Do I Store Potatoes? (via The New York Times) This show is listener-supported. Thank you for supporting! Join our (free!) Facebook community here. Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube @sustainableminimalists Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.

    39 min
  3. Sticking It To Capitalism

    12/03/2025 • SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

    Sticking It To Capitalism

    Many of us feel the pressure to buy more, earn more, and achieve more, and capitalism may be to blame. That’s because capitalism demands continuous growth, which is fueled by consumption. Enter unhappiness, isolation, apathy, and exhaustion. But we can fight back. On today’s show author Elsie Gilmore dives into the ways capitalism affects our well-being. She also offers actionable strategies for prioritizing joy, embracing the power of community, and learning the subtle art of resisting the hustle. Here’s a preview: [3:30] Capitalism wants us to be unhappy and apathetic so we don’t fight back against the injustices it causes [10:00] Seeking out and relishing in little moments of joy every day is THE way to snatch back your power [15:30] The ‘how’ and ‘why’ behind cultivating willpower [18:00] Get in the habit of regularly healing and resting [22:00] Prioritize real relationships with real people in real life [28:00] Capitalism wants us to be at odds with each other. Stop fighting with your neighbor and remember the true foes, instead Resources mentioned: How To Find Joy in a Capitalist Hellscape Elsie on Instagram @elsie_gilmore_author This show is listener-supported. Thank you for supporting! Join our (free!) Facebook community here. Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube @sustainableminimalists

    32 min
  4. The #SkinTok Effect

    11/18/2025

    The #SkinTok Effect

    A former Meta executive recently revealed that, when a girl posts a selfie on social media and takes it down, the algorithm then targets her for beauty products. Enter today's teen and tween skincare craze, where Sephora Kids and "SkinTock" reign supreme. But pushing skincare on young girls is a business that's off of highlighting a child's flaws. Worse, many of the products being marketed to them contain powerful ingredients that may actually harm — not help — developing skin. On today's show: A minimalist parent's take on multi-step skincare routines for tweens and teens, with the help of clean beauty expert Andrea Dahr.   Here's a preview: [7:00] Children have sensitive skin, and anti-aging products can harm their skin for the long haul [9:00] What the "clean section" at Sephora means — and what it doesn't [14:30] The link between endocrine-disrupting chemicals and early puberty [20:00] What should teens and tweens *actually* be putting on their faces on a daily basis? [34:00] Five tips for parents of teens and tweens who love skincare   Resources mentioned: Episode #528: Heathy Hair Episode #320: The Obesogens Switch Natural app We have an aligned sponsor! Head to Duckfeetusa.com and use code MAMAMINIMALIST FOR $50 off.   This show is listener-supported. Thank you for supporting! Join our (free!) Facebook community here. Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube @sustainableminimalists Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    40 min

  5. 11/11/2025

    The Digital Childhood

    My husband and I made a fatal error. We gave our pre-teen limited access to a screen at a developmentally vulnerable age. And then we took it back. On today's show: A cautionary tale about what happened when we eased up on our household's screen rules. Here's a preview: [3:00] My household's descent into screendom: How did we get here? [16:00] "The light went out behind her eyes" and other tween behavioral and personality changes [21:00] The four foundational harms of smart phones, according to Jonathan Heidt [28:00] Kids are highly susceptible to both conformist bias and prestige bias. That's why phones are so darn powerful [31:00] If you don't want your child to act like a TikTok influencer, don't give them access to TikTok! [32:00] The presence of screens reduces a child's interest in all other non-screen activities (and other helpful reminders) Resources mentioned: We have an aligned sponsor! Head to Duckfeetusa.com and use code MAMAMINIMALIST FOR $50 off. The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness   This show is listener-supported. Thank you for supporting! Join our (free!) Facebook community here. Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube @sustainableminimalists Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    37 min

  6. 10/29/2025

    Suburban Sprawl

    While suburbia has long symbolized comfort, safety, and home ownership, its consequences reach far beyond picket fences and cul-de-sacs. From traffic congestion and environmental degradation to economic inequality and declining community life, our reverence for sprawl has reshaped how we live, work, and connect. On today's show author and developer Steve Nygren discusses how this pattern of development took hold, who benefits when we're isolated, and what better alternatives can look like. Here's a preview: [6:30] Calling out the "boundaries that box us in" [14:30] The antidote? Connect with people who have common concerns [22:00] Easy ways to live with community — not sprawl — in mind [32:00] Who benefits when we're isolated, lonely, sedentary, and sad? Resources mentioned: We have an aligned sponsor! Head to Duckfeetusa.com and use code MAMAMINIMALIST FOR $50 off. Start In Your Own Backyard: Transforming Where We Live With Radical Common Sense Last Child in the Woods (by Richard Louv) The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness (by Jonathan Haidt) Serenbe This show is listener-supported. Thank you for supporting! Join our (free!) Facebook community here. Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube @sustainableminimalists Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    35 min

  7. 10/21/2025

    The Downsizing Mindset

    The downsizing mindset isn’t just about moving to a smaller home or getting rid of clutter. It’s a lifestyle that creates a habit of routinely shedding excess weight from your life. If you’re feeling heaviness and overwhelm, embracing a downsizing approach to life may serve as an act of personal liberation. Detaching from possessions often frees up time, money, and energy for what really matters. It may also release you from the societal pressure to constantly accumulate more. A downsizing mindset quietly trades excess for ease and distraction for depth. On today’s show podcaster and organizer Tracy Hoth suggests simple routines to usher in the downsizing mindset, whether you’re planning to move in the near future or not. Here's a preview: [5:00] Not downsizing anytime soon? That's A-OK! Here are two things you should be doing now anyway [10;30] If you're feeling the urge to save items for your children, keep this in mind [16:00] Revisiting the kids' artwork and awards conundrum. How much should we be keeping? [25:00] If you've got loads of "unmade decisions" in your home, here's one thing you can do right now Resources mentioned: We have an aligned sponsor! Head to Duckfeetusa.com and use code MAMAMINIMALIST FOR $50 off. The Organized Coach podcast   This show is listener-supported. Thank you for supporting! Join our (free!) Facebook community here. Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube @sustainableminimalists Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    33 min
  8. The Downsizing Mindset

    10/21/2025 • SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

    The Downsizing Mindset

    The downsizing mindset isn’t just about moving to a smaller home or getting rid of clutter. It’s a lifestyle that creates a habit of routinely shedding excess weight from your life. If you’re feeling heaviness and overwhelm, embracing a downsizing approach to life may serve as an act of personal liberation. Detaching from possessions often frees up time, money, and energy for what really matters. It may also release you from the societal pressure to constantly accumulate more. A downsizing mindset quietly trades excess for ease and distraction for depth. On today’s show podcaster and organizer Tracy Hoth suggests simple routines to usher in the downsizing mindset, whether you’re planning to move in the near future or not. Here's a preview: [5:00] Not downsizing anytime soon? That's A-OK! Here are two things you should be doing now anyway [10;30] If you're feeling the urge to save items for your children, keep this in mind [16:00] Revisiting the kids' artwork and awards conundrum. How much should we be keeping? [25:00] If you've got loads of "unmade decisions" in your home, here's one thing you can do right now Resource mentioned: The Organized Coach podcast This show is listener-supported. Thank you for supporting! Join our (free!) Facebook community here. Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube @sustainableminimalists Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.

    31 min
See All (644)

Trailer

Hosts & Guests

4.8
out of 5
994 Ratings

About

Creating eco-minimalist, non-toxic homes (without the extra work). Although minimalism has experienced a rebirth in recent years, the "less is more" movement has been around for centuries. Yet today's minimalist influencers have resurrected minimalism with a decidedly consumerist spin, as modern minimalism is nearly synonymous with decluttering. While there's a lot of chatter about tidying, it's radio silence and crickets when it comes to sustainability. The result? Aspiring minimalists find themselves on an endless hamster wheel of buying, decluttering, buying more, and purging again. Overemphasizing decluttering and underemphasizing the reasons why we overbuy in the first place is thoroughly inconsistent with slow living as a movement; consumption without intention is terrible for the planet, too. Your host, Stephanie Seferian, is a stay-at-home/podcast-from-home mom and author who believes that minimalism, eco-friendliness, and non-toxic living are intrinsically intertwined. She's here to explore the topics of conscious consumerism, sustainability, and environmentally-friendly parenting practices with like-minded women; she's here, too, to show you how to curate eco-friendly, decluttered homes (without the extra work).

Information

  • Creator
    Stephanie Seferian
  • Years Active
    2017 - 2026
  • Episodes
    644
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2024 All Rights Reserved
  • Show Website
    Sustainable Minimalists
  • Provider
    Sustainable Minimalists LLC

You Might Also Like