Low-Tox Lifestyle for Moms: How I Started Without Doing It All at Once
I have a bit of an all-or-nothing personality.
I go all in… and then usually fizzle out 30 days later.
I can see it so clearly—me standing at the kitchen island, sharing my latest plan…
and my husband, hand on the counter, asking:
“Is this another one of your ideas?”
Not in a harsh way.
Just honest.
And if I’m being really honest… he wasn’t wrong.
Earlier this year, I hit a point where my anxiety felt overwhelming.
Not just “I have three kids under five” overwhelmed…
The kind that sits in your chest and doesn’t let you rest.
The hardest part?
The very thing I was most afraid of—failing as a wife, a mom, a Christian, an employee—
felt like it was actually happening.
And I was unraveling trying to hold all the pieces together.
That’s what led me to a naturopath.
And when I say “met,” I mean I jumped on a call—she lives hours away from me—but it was one of the best decisions I made this year.
I had some testing done (it was $90), and I walked away with so much information.
And in true Amber fashion…
I tried to fix everything at once.
But this time, something shifted.
Instead of going all in for 30 days and burning out, I decided:
This isn’t a quick fix.
This is a lifestyle.
So I picked a few things.
Committed to those.
And told myself I’d add more next month.
I’ve been doing that for four months now.
And it’s honestly wild how much that one perspective shift has changed everything.
Not just what I’m doing—
but how sustainable it actually feels.
If you’ve been here for any amount of time, you know seeking simplicity isn’t something new for me. I’ve been pursuing it in my faith, in my rhythms, and even in my closet.
This is just the next layer of that same journey.
Step 1: Start Small (Even If You Want to Do It All)
I had pages of recommendations.
Things to change. Things to swap. Things to eliminate.
And every instinct in me wanted to overhaul everything immediately.
But instead, I chose a few things I could actually stick with.
Because I’ve learned this the hard way:
Doing everything for 30 days doesn’t change your life.
Doing a few things consistently does.
Step 2: Swap What You Use Every Day
I didn’t overhaul our entire home.
Even though that was absolutely the impulse.
But my built-in budget keeper—my husband—helped bring me back to reality, and I hit pause.
Instead, I focused on what we use every single day.
For us, that looked like:
That’s it.
And I didn’t throw everything out and start fresh.
As we were running low, I researched better options that fit our budget.
What Helped Me Research
Because this part can feel overwhelming quickly.
Here’s what I actually use:
- Bobby Approved app (for food)
- Yuka app (for food and ingredients)
- EWG app (for household and personal care products)
Nothing fancy. Just tools that help me make more informed decisions without overthinking everything.
Step 3: Eliminate What Wasn’t Serving Us
I cut out processed sugar.
No more dessert after every meal.
No more weekend candy binges.
And I’m not going to pretend this was easy—it wasn’t.
But this is actually where my all-or-nothing personality helped me.
Once I committed, I stuck with it.
And now?
I’m honestly shocked at how different my cravings are.
If I want something sweet, I’ll have one small piece of dark chocolate after dinner… and that’s it.
I also stopped eating after dinner.
I used to love ending the night with a snack around 8:30—my little “reward” after the kids were in bed.
But now I stop after dinner, give my body time to digest before sleep, and the difference in my sleep quality alone has been significant.
(It’s something I’ll share more about soon.)
The Coffee Creamer Wake-Up Call
This one got me.
I realized there isn’t one naturally occurring ingredient in most coffee creamers.
Not one.
That honestly shocked me.
And for context—I wasn’t a “splash of creamer” girl.
I basically liked my coffee with a little coffee.
So if you’re thinking you can’t relate to giving it up… trust me, I can.
Now I use:
- high-quality brown sugar
- maple syrup
- whole milk
- local honey
Real ingredients. Nothing made in a lab.
And it still feels like a treat.
What About My Kids?
This was important to me.
I’ve started swapping snacks without food dyes—but slowly.
Not perfectly. Not overnight. Again, as we ran out.
And not in a way that creates fear or restriction.
At birthday parties or eating out, I don’t stress.
I mentally prepare for a little extra energy, a little more emotion—but I don’t want them to develop a scarcity mindset or feel like certain foods are off-limits.
I want them to learn balance.
Why This Matters (More Than Just Products)
This is about cleaner products.
But it’s also about something deeper.
Because just like simplifying my calendar creates mental space…
what I was bringing into my home was affecting that space, too.
The products. The ingredients. The constant low-level noise.
I learned through my closet that progress lasts longer than perfection.
And I’m applying that here.
Not striving.
Not overhauling.
Just steady, intentional change.
If You’re Feeling Overwhelmed, Start Here
- Choose 2 things to start using
- Choose 1 thing to stop
- Give yourself 1 month to adjust
Then build from there.
You don’t need to do everything.
You just need to begin—and keep going.
This Is Just the Beginning
I’m taking this one month at a time.
Sharing what I’m changing, what’s working, and what’s not.
Because I’m not trying to do this perfectly.
I’m trying to do it in a way that actually lasts.
If you’re in a season where everything feels like too much, this might be a good place to start.
Not with more effort.
But with less… done more intentionally.
Want to Start Your Own Simplicity Journey?
If you’re craving a slower, more grounded rhythm, I created a simple 5-day Back to Simplicity devotional.
It’s short, practical, and built for real life—not perfect quiet mornings.
If you’ve been here for a while, you know this journey isn’t about doing less just for the sake of it.
It’s about making space for what actually matters.
And this is just one more step in that direction.
