Quality time spent with your children, significant other, friends, or taking care of yourself is infinitely more important than having a clean home.
You can't manage your daily duties well until you take care of yourself.
It is unlikely that you can change the stressful events and demanding tasks in your life, but you can control how you accept them and respond to them.
It's okay to not be able to do it all. It's okay to need help. It's okay to ask for help.
Start by identifying just one daily task or activity that overwhelms you. Brainstorm how you can use your strengths, social support, and any of the resources below to work through this challenging task. Pick one strategy and give it a try.
Apps for Sharing a Grocery List Among Family Members:
Out of Milk
Family Wall
Tips for Meal Prepping (Provided by Megan Edwards - click here for more ideas)
Start by only preparing meals you are familiar with. Once you have about four recipes mastered, try adding one new recipe per week.
Plan weekly meals that have similar ingredients. It will decrease the length of your grocery list and simplify your preparation process (e.g. washing and dicing up tomatoes for two recipes is simpler than dicing up tomatoes for one recipe and then having to wash and dice a squash for another recipe).
Tip for the tip: Pick recipes from the same cuisine as they often require similar ingredients.
Utilize grocery pick-up or delivery services instead of making the trip to the store.
Buy frequently used grocery items in bulk.
Intimidated by recipes with unique ingredients? Try searching the web for substitutes you likely already have in your kitchen.
Rather than cooking every day, try cooking and preparing the food you need for the week at one time (e.g. cooking a large pot of rice, throwing multiple pounds of meat in the slow cooker, chopping vegetables, mixing sauces or dressings, etc).
Instead of cooking breakfast every morning, try something more time efficient, such as overnight oats.
Freeze leftovers or extra food you have prepared to save for extra busy days.
Tips for Overcoming Obstacles Related to Cooking at Home (Provided by L. Robinson and J. Segal)
I don't have the time
Try shopping online and picking your groceries up or having them delivered
Incorporate your family into the process (assign them duties such as picking up the groceries, stirring the food, or cleaning up dirty dishes)
Try to prepare as much food ahead of time, such as chopping vegetables, so you have less to do during the week
Try using recipes that involve no cooking, such as salads, sandwhiches, or wraps
Try to purchase items that speed up the meal preparation process, such as pre-cut fruit or vegetables, pre-cooked meat, or canned beans
Try to make the process fun - time will go by faster
I'm too tired to cook at the end of the day
Try using a slow cooker by throwing the ingredients in during your morning routine - you will come home to a hot meal in the evening that requires minimal cleanup
Try making meals in bulk when you do have energy (such as the weekends) and then freezing the extras for the evenings when you are too exhausted to cook
Try cooking a large portion of your main protein during the weekend, as this can be used throughout the week in sandwiches, soup, pasta, wraps, salads, etc
Why put in the effort to cook homemade meals when my family won't even it it
Try incorporating home-cooked meals into your routine little by little to allow your family's taste buds time to adjust
Try having your children help prepare the meal, as they are more likely to eat what they helped make
Be patient. Your children are constantly observing your decisions and actions - when they see you frequently eating healthy homemade meals, they will be more likely to try it themselves
For further information, check out "Cooking at Home" by Lawrence Robinson and Jeanne Segal by clicking here
"9 Clever Laundry Hacks for Busy Moms with Toddlers" by LaCresha Sims (Click here for the full article)
Try hanging most of your clothes instead of folding as folding takes more time
Try doing at least one load of laundry per day to prevent being overwhelmed by trying to do it all on one day
Try to organize/decorate your laundry room in such a way where you can enjoy spending time in there
Try donating or selling clothing that is not frequently worn anymore
Teach your children how to do their laundry or help with steps of it
For example, try using bins with labels (picture labels for younger children) so they know where to put their clothes
Try having each person of your family use a mesh bag to wash their socks - that way they don't get lost or mixed up with other family members' socks
Use a little bin to collect lint instead of walking to the trash can
Try using one dirty clothes hamper for every family member to share to eliminate needing to walk to multiple rooms to collect dirty laundry
Try using only one clean clothes basket to motivate you or other family members to put the clothes away right after they are cleaned
"7 Genius Time-Saving Laundry Hacks for Busy Moms" by Amy Matroni (Click here for the full article)
Develop a laundry schedule that works for your family
For example, the older kids wash their clothes on Sunday, your spouse washes their's on Monday, you wash yours on Tuesday, sheets are washed on Wednesday, towels on Thursday, Friday is a free day, and Saturday is for the younger kids' clothes
Do at least one load of laundry a day - start the load before you leave in the morning, swap the washed clothes to the dryer when you return home, and put the clothes away before bed
Provide a separate hamper for each member of your family - this allows you or them to wash and dry their clothes separate from everyone else's (eliminates the need for sorting and promotes independence for children)
Try using a mesh laundry bag for socks
Encourage your children to help, even if it is with small steps of the process
Try using a shoe hanger to sort your children's clothes for the week - encourage your children to pick out the outfits they want/need to wear that week, and then place each outfit into a separate slot of the shoe hanger (eliminates stress of picking out clothes every morning)
Have a separate hamper/container for sports uniforms, as these are often needed more frequently. In addition, keeping them in a special location decreases the frantic stress of trying to find them the night before or morning of a competition
"House cleaning tips for busy moms" by www.thegraciouswife.com
Do the most challenging or most dreaded task first
Schedule a daily clean-up time for the whole family - developing healthy habits can decrease the complaints
Use a laundry basket or bin while cleaning the house - put the items/toys you find in a room that don't belong there into the basket rather than running back and forth among all the rooms in your house - when you move onto cleaning the next room, put away the items in the basket that belong in that room
Do one task all at once. For example, if you are going to vacuum a room, try vacuuming all of the rooms instead of putting the vacuum away and taking it out again several times
Encourage your family to help. Pay attention to their strengths when assigning them a job. For example, if you child loves to touch seemingly every wall in the house with their dirty hands, take note that they love to touch the walls. Give them a rag to clean the walls and see if they enjoy it.
Add temporary storage to rooms or areas that frequently get cluttered. For example, if your children always leave toys out in the living room when they belong in the play room, try adding a little toy chest/bin to the living room.
Set a timer. Do what you can in 10-15 minutes and then move on with your day.
Downsize. The less stuff you have, the less you will have to take care of.
Tip #14 - You are encouraged to read this one straight from the article as it is well said.
"10 cleaning tips for busy moms and dads" by Molly Maid (visit www.mollymaid.com for further info)
Have a cleaning routine (morning, after work, & before bed)
Use a mess bin. When you are in a rush and don't have time to put things away, place them in the bin. When the day slows down, have family members take turns each day to put the items in the mess bin away.
Have a donation box to put items in when you no longer need them
Rather than picking up around your house all at once, break it into smaller chunks by picking up multiple times a day for only a couple minutes at a time.
Make a house rule that if someone takes something out, they must put it away when they are finished with it.
"20 quick cleaning tips for busy moms" by Michelle Pratt (visit safeintheseat.com for further info)
Store cleaning supplies where you need/use them
Prioritize functionality. If you notice an area of your home that is frequently cluttered, try to problem-solve. For example, if your children often leave garbage on their bedroom floor, add a small trashcan to their room. If your pet sheds all over your couch, leave a lint roller or pet hair remover near the coffee table. Are socks left near your front door by the shoes? Put a small hamper near the door.
Involve your family members in the cleaning process - and make it fun by playing music or making it a competition to see who can clean the fastest.
Simplify your cleaning products. Instead of having a separate cleaner for each object/material in your home, try using an all-purpose cleaner (e.g. vinegar) to clean most items.
"98 home repairs you don't need to call a pro for" by Jenny Stanley
https://www.familyhandyman.com/list/home-repairs-you-can-do-yourself/
Includes access to resources on how to complete home projects by yourself
Topics include: dishwasher, garbage disposal, toilet, yard work, hardwood flooring, cabinets, auto repairs, faucets, electricity, woodwork, decks, walls, etc.
Tips to increase motivation to complete dull tasks:
Try combining the boring task with another activity you enjoy.
For example, if you dread doing the dishes, try playing a simple game with your child in-between cleaning each dish.
Try rewarding yourself during or after the task.
For example, you can listen to your favorite playlist while cleaning the bathroom or reward yourself after you have completed the task by enjoying a cup of coffee.
Try recruiting an accountability partner.
Share your weekly to-do list with your accountability partner. Let them be in charge of checking off your list so then you have to let them know when an item on the list is completed or incomplete. Your accountability partner can encourage you, help you problem-solve, and remind you of what you need to accomplish. Even better, you can do the same for them!
Break large and daunting tasks into smaller and more manageable tasks.
For example, if you have been wanting to go through your children's clothing to sort out what is too small and what new clothing items they may need, try breaking the task down by only sorting through one category of clothing per day (e.g. sort through short sleeve shirts on Monday, long sleeve shirts on Tuesday, and pants on Wednesday).
The above tips were taken from "5 tips on making boring tasks more engaging" by Lisa Michaels (https://vidaaventura.net/5-tips-on-making-boring-tasks-more-engaging/)
I like to plan out my week to see what appointments we have coming up and to ensure I can have meals prepared ahead of time.
I find it helpful to get ready for the next day the night before. I lay out my own clothes and my kids' clothes who need help with it. I pick up messes and make sure things are located - for example, ensuring lost mittens are found so we aren't scrambling in the morning.
I prefer to wake up earlier than my children as this gives me time to clean, exercise, and/or pray. It decreases my stress big time.
Our family finds it helpful to have schedules and structure. Whenever I try to fly by the seat of my pants, it does not end well.
My husband and I create long-term goals of what we want to accomplish in relation to house and yard projects. We identify what steps/tasks need to be completed to achieve these goals, and insert these smaller tasks into our weekly and monthly schedules. This allows us to actually make progress towards achieve long-term goals.
I like to type up our weekly schedule into 30-minute increments. This allows everyone in the family to know what specific tasks are assigned to each day and when the task is expected to be completed.
When I have completed today's necessary tasks, I don't let myself start on tomorrow's tasks. I remind myself to use this time for something enjoyable because that is important too.
We plan our meals ahead of time and don't overcomplicate them. I keep it simple by cooking recipes I am familiar with. I don't have time to try a new recipe and for it to fail. My kids often don't like new recipes anyways.
We pay attention to our children's abilities and assign them household tasks as we deem appropriate. Our children don't develop the same skills at the same rate, so a younger one might be more fit to be assigned a complex task than an older one. We try to honor and emphasize each one's strengths with the tasks we assign them.
"14 ways to finding more time in your day" by Susan Perry (view full article here)
Assess your attitude towards your schedule - if you don't believe you have control over your schedule, you likely won't.
Assess how you are spending your time - you may find tasks that are not useful or meaningful that you could eliminate or adjust
Use the time management quadrant to prioritize your time
Take some time in the evening to plan for the next day
Limit interruptions and distractions
If something takes less than two minutes, just do it if you have the time
Steer clear of procrastination
Prioritize tasks that are the most stress-reducing
Break up lengthy tasks
Arrive early to appointments
Do morning tasks in the evening (e.g. pack your lunch)
Know when it is best to focus on one task at a time rather than multitask
Know yourself - do the most challenging tasks when your are most productive during the day
Everything doesn't need to get done right now - it is okay to leave some tasks undone
"5 ways to end the endless game of catching up" by Courtney Carver (view full article here)
Be present - instead of regretting what didn't get done yesterday or worrying about what needs to be completed tomorrow, focus on the here and now to allow yourself to give your best and full attention to your present task
Replace FOMO (fear of missing out) with JOMO (joy of missing out) - instead of worrying about what the world thinks you should be doing, focus on what is important to you
Simplify - own less, do less, care less
Avoid comparison - everyone has very different life circumstances, so an accurate comparison is impossible
Be faithful to the boundaries you set for yourself - if you say you are going to go to bed at a certain time, don't tell yourself you are going to do just one more thing - just go to bed
"5 ways to resist the seduction of getting things done" by Courtney Carver (view full article here)
Don't tell yourself you have enough time when you really don't - often doing one more thing takes longer than we anticipated and squishes the rest of the day's schedule
Create a short routine that designates the end of the day - try to stick with it for 1 week and then reassess how it can be adapted to be the most helpful
Accomplishing more things doesn't make you a better person, it just makes you tired - slow down and know that you are not defined by what you get done in a day
Unplug from the internet for a short time
Say no more often - avoid saying yes to activities when your heart says no
Use this chart to guide how you prioritize your to-do list
Important
Not Important
Urgent
Insert important & urgent tasks here
Insert urgent, but not important tasks here
Non-urgent
Insert important and non-urgent tasks here
Insert not important and non-urgent tasks here
"How to slow down your family's schedule" by Joshua Becker (view full article here)
Reflect on why you are committed to the events of your weekly schedule - are the activities genuinely beneficial to your family or are you simply giving into the pressures of society
Without looking at your calendar, ponder how many hours you desire your child to participate in structured activities - does this match up with your actual calendar?
Prioritize family dinner time
Schedule quality time with your children into your calendar
Create gaps in your schedule to minimize rushing
Create a family routine that your children can rely on
Acknowledge the different seasons of your life - some will give you more free time than others
Decrease your belongings - our material possessions can swallow up our time as they demand our attention to be maintained, cleaned, etc.
Leave space in your schedule for opportunities that may arise - if you don't, you might miss out on a wonderful opportunity or you might not have enough time to handle an unexpected crisis
"7 tips for keeping your family calendar organized" by Wendy Wisner (view full article here)
Ensure every family members' activities are on the calendar to avoid scheduling conflicts (Try using a digital calendar, as it automatically syncs everyone's schedules)
Place your calendar in a central location (or turn your notifications on if using digital)
Create your calendar to be user friendly - color code for type of event or for which family member the event is for
Try to include your family members in on the scheduling process
Schedule family meetings - have a weekly family meeting to check in with each other and go over the week's schedule
Schedule in family time
Purpose: As a human person and a vital member of your family, it is important for your needs to be met. Creating small and realistic weekly goals can be one way for you to take substantial steps towards meeting those needs.
Create a small and realistic goal
Use the SMART goal format or any other format that is meaningful to you
Specific: Avoid making your goal too broad as this can create confusion.
Measurable: Can you track your progress in a way that allows you to clearly know when you have met your goal?
Achievable: Is this something you can realistically achieve this week?
Relevant: Is this something that is meaningful to you and your family?
Time-bound: Ensure your goal can be accomplished this week.
Create a plan to achieve your goal
Consider when, where, how, and what you need to achieve your goal
Consider barriers that may prevent you from achieving your goal
Brainstorm strategies to overcome potential barriers