Here at Bloom and Batter, we’re no strangers to sticky counter tops, mismatched socks, and half-finished cups of coffee. Life with little ones is a whirlwind of snack refills, laundry piles, and deep-breath moments in the pantry. But in the midst of all that sweet, messy chaos, there’s something quietly magical: the opportunity to live with intention. It’s about finding beauty in the mundane, embracing the ordinary as sacred, and choosing presence over perfection.
Intentional living isn’t about curating a perfect life—it’s about choosing to notice the one we already have.
Let’s take a deep breath together and explore what that can look like—right here, in the thick of family life.
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What Is Intentional Living (Really)?
Intentional living is simply this: choosing to live on purpose instead of on autopilot. It’s brushing your teeth while actually feeling your feet on the floor. Folding tiny socks while humming your favorite tune. Pouring your morning coffee slowly instead of gulping it while checking emails. It’s finding beauty in the mundane.
In our home, it often looks like:
- Listening to the birds as the kids nap. If you’re a fan of birds, I highly recommend this smart bird feeder. It sends notifications to your phone whenever something lands on it. Its super cool for the kiddos to watch, mine love it!
- Lighting a candle while making lunch.
- Laughing at the ridiculous snack combinations our kids invent.
It’s small. It’s simple. But it’s ours.
Why the Mundane Matters
Let’s be honest—life with young children isn’t always aesthetic. But it’s full of moments that matter.
The way your toddler whispers “I love you” before naptime. When your partner hands you a warm cup of tea at 8 p.m. The way you finally sit down after a long day and feel your whole body exhale.
These aren’t throwaway moments—they’re the threads that make up the quilt of our lives.
The mundane isn’t boring. It’s the heartbeat of home.
How to Start Living More Intentionally (Without Overhauling Everything)
We don’t need to escape to a Scandinavian cottage or declutter our entire home to live more slowly and sweetly. (Although… yes please to the cottage one day.)
Here are some gentle ways to bring intentionality into your everyday rhythm. Even if you’ve got a baby on your hip while your toddler paints the dog.
1. Turn Routines into Rituals
You’re already doing the things: making snacks, folding laundry, reading bedtime stories. What if you added a tiny dose of intention to those?
Try this:
- Light a candle before breakfast.
- Hum or sing while doing dishes.
- Bless your child’s forehead at bedtime with a whispered word of gratitude.
Tiny tweaks. Big energy shift.
2. Slow Down Just One Thing
We can’t slow down everything. But we can choose one small thing to savor.
Some ideas:
- Stir your tea slowly and watch the steam swirl.
- Brush your child’s hair while breathing deeply.
- Watch the light move across your living room floor.
Your nervous system will thank you. Your kids might notice too.
3. Make Friends with the Mess
Intentional living isn’t about spotless counters and minimalist toys. It’s about loving what’s real.
When we stop resisting the mess, we start seeing it differently:
- A trail of wooden blocks becomes a story in progress.
- A sink full of dishes tells of a shared meal.
- Crumbs on the floor mean bellies were fed and bellies were full.
This one was VERY hard for me. Before I had kids (and still now) I have always been a neat freak. I used to get so upset and overwhelmed at the smallest messes. My youngest is almost 5 and I am still working on this. But slowly I did start to realize that there’s beauty in the evidence of living. Not everything has to look perfect.
4. Use Your Senses
Hygge isn’t about things—it’s about sensation.
Let your senses guide you:
- Soft socks on chilly floors.
- Cinnamon in your banana bread.
- The tickle of your child’s giggle against your neck.
Let these sensory anchors tether you to the here and now.
5. Gratitude—But Make It Simple
No need for a fancy journal. Just whisper a quiet thank you to your life as you live it.
Some of my favorite little thanks:
- “Thank you, warm water.”
- “Thank you, bedtime snuggles.”
- “Thank you, silence after the dishwasher finishes.”
These aren’t big affirmations. They’re tiny love letters to the ordinary.
What This Looks Like in Our Home
Just for fun, here’s how intentional living often shows up in our home (mess and all):
- The Morning Routine: My kids stir their warm tea as I sip my coffee. We sit on the couch in pajamas, with our favorite blankies, listening to the birds. Our cats like to join in and chatter at the birds. My kids think that’s hilarious.
- Laundry Time: We fold together – he folds the same dish towel four times while I fold the rest. Sometimes there’s music. Sometimes just the hum of the dryer.
- Dinner Prep: A candle lit. A wooden spoon passed to small hands. Music softly playing while we pretend to cook like we’re in France. Read my post on Making Your Kitchen a Sanctuary for tips and ideas on how to enjoy the chaos of cooking and creating an intentional kitchen.
Are these moments always calm? Of course not. But they’re real. And they’re ours.
When the Day Feels Too Fast
There are days when everything moves too fast, no matter how hard we try. The baby’s teething, the toddler’s melting, the dishes are high, and your brain is fried.
On those days, I whisper this to myself:
“Even now, there is beauty.”
Sometimes, it’s just the weight of my child’s head on my shoulder. Or the deep exhale when the house finally goes quiet.
Even now. Even this. There is beauty in the mundane.
A Gentle Invitation
So here’s my invitation to you, sweet reader:
For one day—just one—try this:
- Pick one task to slow down.
- Find one thing to say thank you for.
- Let one ordinary moment feel beautiful.
Intentional living isn’t about doing more. It’s about noticing more.
It’s about treating your everyday life like something sacred—because it is.
Final Thoughts From My Home To Yours.
Life with kids is a wonderful, wild, messy gift. There’s rarely silence, but there is always something to notice. Something to treasure. Something to soften into.
Here at Bloom and Batter, we believe that joy lives in the cracks between moments. In the butter-smeared counters and bath time laughter. In the rituals and the rhythms.
So let’s keep showing up. Not perfectly. Just presently.
Light the candle. Pour the tea. Kiss the scraped knees. And know that this—the beautiful, the boring, the broken, and the blessed—is the very heart of slow, intentional living.
