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Sustainable Minimalists

Sustainable Minimalists

By: Stephanie Seferian
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Summary

 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).2024 All Rights Reserved Parenting & Families Relationships
Episodes
  • The Unfollow Effect

    The Unfollow Effect
    May 12 2026

    We've come a long way. But not necessarily in the right direction.

    From the the nostalgic days of AOL Instant Messenger to 2026's high-stakes, algorithmic landscape, constant connectivity has fundamentally shifted our attention spans, our peace of mind, and the way we show up for our families.

    Worse, the desire to show up online often takes us directly out of real life. It's no surprise, then, that we're feeling the mental and emotional weight of the "scroll".

    We don't have to throw our phones in a lake to find the reprieve we desperately need. On today's show author Emily Feldpausch argues that it isn’t about rejecting technology. It’s about reclaiming the intentionality that the algorithms try to take away.

    Here's a preview:

    [5:00] Reflections on the shift from the early days of AIM and MySpace to the current user experience that often feels designed against us

    [8:45] How being always on has eroded our collective sense of peace and altered the dynamics of modern family life

    [18:00] How to stop checking in and start being present

    [23:00] A candid look at 2026 internet culture, from shopping hauls to harmful beauty standards. Can we still find corners of the web that align with our true values?

    [27:00] Emily's personal strategies for maintaining phone boundaries to protect her mental space

    Resources mentioned:

    • This episode is sponsored by Fearless Finance. Use code SUSTAINABLE to get $50 off your first meeting.
    • Technology Is Getting Worse
    • The Unfollow Effect: Intentional Living in a Digital Age
    • Book Club
    • 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.
    Show More Show Less
    36 mins
  • The Cost of Constant Connection

    The Cost of Constant Connection
    May 5 2026

    In this era of relentless connectivity, taking an exit ramp from our digital lives has never looked more inviting. In fact, emerging science is now confirming what many of us feel: Smartphones are draining our cognitive reserves, shattering our focus, and keeping us in a state of low-level chronic anxiety.

    To see if there’s a better way, reporter Courtney Lindwall shelved her iPhone for a $45 Nokia flip phone. Courtney is on the show today to discuss the "dumb phone" movement, the logistical friction of navigating an app-dependent world, and why research says our brains are so desperate for a break.

    Here's a preview:

    [7:00] Continuous partial attention, instinctual muscle memory, and other ways in which our smartphones are working against us

    [9:00] Gray scale? screen limits? Here's why the tools and tricks don't work for the vast majority of us

    [14:00] Thoughts on our emotional attachments to our phones—and the emotional experiences they provide

    [22:00] The psychological benefits of embracing a bit more "friction"

    [33:00] Our brains are malleable, and we get used to a new normal quite quickly. Lean into that!

    Resources mentioned:
    • How an old-school flip phone changed my life (via Consumer Reports)
    • This detox may erase 10 years of social media brain damage, researchers say (via The Washington Post)
    • The Brick phone access blocker device
    • 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.
    Show More Show Less
    40 mins
  • The Power of Place

    The Power of Place
    Apr 27 2026

    In a world obsessed with consumption, we may try to buy our way into a sense of belonging. But a true feeling of “home” isn’t found in the latest trends or newest decor. It’s actually built by aligning our spaces with our deepest, core needs.

    The link between our environment and our well-being goes far beyond aesthetics. On today’s show, author Leidy Klotz offers research-backed strategies for designing spaces that move beyond what’s “on-trend” and instead meet our core human needs of agency, growth, and connection.

    Resources mentioned:

    • Episode #184: In Defense of Subtraction
    • In a Good Place: How the Spaces Where We Live, Work, and Play Can Help Us Thrive (via Bookshop.org)
    • 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.
    Show More Show Less
    36 mins
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