How to Come Back from Overwhelm as a Minimalist

Even minimalists find themselves overwhelmed and can get caught in the perfect storm—when kids, lack of sleep, and a busy schedule collide to create chaos.

The Breaking Point

It had happened for the fifth time that week. I walked in the door, and chaos erupted—stuff flying, things dumped everywhere. Dinner was supposed to be planned, but it wasn’t.

A string of bad nights, early work shifts, extra activities, a disrupted schedule, poor eating habits, and general exhaustion had led me here. As I pulled into the garage, I could already feel my blood pressure rising. It was 5 p.m.—dinnertime. Three hours until bedtime. Six hours of work ahead of me. And the house? A disaster.

I wanted to scream, to demand the kids clean up, but they were only 6, 7, and 9. They just wanted to be with me. I knew that yelling wouldn’t solve anything.

Instead, I flopped onto my bed, realizing that if I didn’t act fast, the night was going to spiral out of control.

The Plan: From Hurricane to Manageable Storm

I couldn’t do it alone, and neither could the kids. The goal wasn’t perfection—it was damage control. I just needed to take the storm from a Category 5 to a Category 3 (or even a 2 if we were lucky).

With my last bit of energy, I called the girls into my room and laid out the plan:

• We would clean together—one room per song. Once the song was over, we left the room.
• We each took turns choosing the order of the rooms, adding in the basement, car, and hallway for a total of eight.
• The rule was simple: clean a room only until the song ended. Then move on, no matter what.

We blasted the music and dove in. It became a frantic, silly game, with me calling out commands like a game show host: “Take this to the kitchen sink! Hang that up! Toss that in the laundry!”

Eight Songs Later…

• The dishes were done (not put away, but the sink was clean).
• Clothes were either hung up or in the laundry.
• The kitchen table reappeared.
• Papers were stacked neatly to go through later.
• Hairbrushes and ponytail holders were put away.
• Some vacuuming and dusting got done.
• Backpacks, lunchboxes, and sweatshirts found their places.
• Shoes made it back to the bin.

The Unexpected Bonus

In just the time it took for eight songs, we had taken the house from a Category 5 to a Category 2—maybe even a 1. The best part? The kids asked if they could watch a show, and I calmly said, “Sure.”

With my newfound energy, I finished the dishes, made dinner, sorted the mail, and started a load of laundry. I no longer felt overwhelmed.

Lessons Learned

• Sleep matters. A good night’s sleep could have prevented this meltdown in the first place.
• Don’t underestimate diet. Poor eating habits made our exhaustion even worse.
• Minimalism makes recovery easier. With fewer things, cleaning up isn’t as overwhelming.
• Set a time limit. Knowing we only had to power through for a few songs made it manageable.
• Momentum is powerful. Once we started, it was easier to keep going.

Next time the perfect storm hits, remember: You don’t have to fix everything—you just need to weather the storm long enough to bring it back under control.