You’ve likely heard at least whispers of the movement known as minimalism, as in: “Minimalism with kids? Ha!” But as any enlightened minimalist will tell you, the lifestyle isn’t just about bare wall perfection or moving your family into a 200-square-foot tiny home. Minimalism, says Rachelle Crawford, a mom of three and longtime blogger at Abundant Life with Less, is about paring back both material possessions and commitments in order to create more room (meaning space, time, and money) for the things that matter most to you. No mention of bare, white walls anywhere.

In Crawford’s new book, Messy Minimalism, she shares her hard won strategies for real life minimalism (with kids, and a house, and stuff on the walls). She explains her personal form of minimalism with this clever formula: (minimalism – perfection + sustainability) x grace = messy minimalism. With revealing honesty and fun-mom-friend humor, Crawford shares her family’s journey, strategies for curbing consumption, and tips on decluttering different areas of the home. In readable—even for a busy mom—nuggets, Crawford inspires us to try out minimalism our way.