We are a unique generation of Moms. We are often isolated from family and wrestling with our desire to be both amazing homemakers and fulfilled either creatively or professionally.
We were constantly told as children that we can be and do anything we want. Yet we are not so far from the generation of our mothers and grandmothers who stayed home and created a beautiful family life often with the help of relatives who lived nearby.
We are conflicted.
At the very centre of that conflict is our home. It’s where we do daily battle. It’s where life catches up with us and we give ourselves a hard time for not ‘having it all together’.
Housework Tips
But something’s gotta give. The immaculate home and happy children and fulfilling career can’t always happen all at the same time.
So if you can’t do it all, what’s the last thing you would want to spend your time doing? I’m gonna take a wild guess and assume you’d like to scratch housework off your to-do list!
Here are some of my tips on how to avoid getting totally overtaken by the housework monster and reclaim some time for the really important things in your life.
Reset Your Expectations
Make a list of what MUST be tidy in order for you to be at peace. For me, the kitchen counters need to be wiped and the floors picked up and the beds made. If you would rather work on your website than scrub the floor, that’s totally ok, I give you permission! As long as you can deal with a sticky floor, then work on that website!
Click here to grab your free worksheet.
Managing a home and children is a full time job all on it’s own. But many of us have other interests we want to pursue while we raise young families. And there are only 24 hours in a day. Don’t be so hard on yourself, and don’t feel guilty for ignoring the laundry so you can work on your art.
Remember: Life’s too short to fold fitted sheets!
You may also enjoy this post: Realistic Goal Setting for Busy Moms
And I’m sure you’d love this download too:
Reduce Your Workload
Find ways to make things easier on yourself by trying some of these simple housework tips..
- Purge. Most of us have wayyy too much stuff, and stuff = cleaning. If you have no knick-knacks then you don’t need to dust them! Get rid of excess linens, toys and clothes. I regularly clear out small toys or toys with many pieces because I hate constantly seeing them spread out everywhere! Large toys are much easier to pick up at the end of the day.
- Having one set of sheets per bed will force you to get them washed and dried in the same day. Less clothes means less piles at the foot of the bed and more space in the dressers to get things out of sight.
- Get rid of extra kids craft supplies. Especially glitter. Get that out of your house right now. (A glitter container once exploded on my dining room table and my kids had glittery poops for a week. I wish I was joking.)
- Keep most of the kid’s stuff and toys in their bedrooms. My son’s room is a disaster and I choose not to worry about it. I can easily ignore the mess as I quickly pass his bedroom door. Instead we keep the toys to a minimum in the main living areas and that cuts down on tidying and keeps me happy.
- Have playdates outside of your home. Meet up at the library or a playground instead. It will save your sanity. Playdates get messy, every single toy in your home gets taken out! Avoid that altogether.
Have Systems
Have a blitz-cleaning plan in case unexpected guests show up. Figure out where you’ll get the biggest bang for your buck and focus on speedy chores. Here’s what I do:
- Take out the trash
- Wipe down the mirrors and faucets
- Get all the laundry tucked away
- Wipe down the counters
Identify the problem areas in your home and find a solution. Where are the spots that always seem to be cluttered? What are they cluttered with? I’ve created a super handy worksheet to help you deal with the cluttered areas in your home. Download it for free by clicking the link above!
What’s your best housework tip?
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Thank you for the tips!
Great tips! Love it!
Thank you so much for these tips and reminders. It’s so hard and so crucial to stop and reset our expectations. Purging has made a dramatic difference for me as has adding bins and organizational tools so that everything has a proper place.
This is just what I needed to read to get out of my funk. I just feel like I can’t dig myself out of this messy rut. Hoping this breath of fresh air with the new season will lift my motivation to see the plan through 🙂 thanks!!
So well written and such great advice!
I can definitely relate, especially to your fist sentence!
PS. Life is too short to fold fitted sheets!!
Thank you. I really related to just about everything you said in this post.
I’m in the process of a deep purge/organizing of my home. Feels so much better and easier to maintain (and maintained better.)
My least favorite chore is cleaning the inside of the oven. I basically haven’t done it for 7 years. Maybe once or twice for a major spill, but for the most part I leave a big old cookie sheet on the bottom to catch spills and occasionally scape it off if it smells burnt.
Less stuff means less cleaning. Amen to that! I should try your cookie sheet trick, I usually just let the oven smell bad until the spills burn away! Haha!
Thanks for stopping by!