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Making Life A Little Easier & Less Stressful

Posted: February 24th, 2015

After the family leaves for work or school everyday, I start to hear the peaceful sound of silence...ahhhh! I soon find myself in a very happy place.

It's finally time for a "Mom Break", a time I can focus on other things I personally enjoy, like reading, baking, socializing with friends and of course browsing and creating boards on Pinterest!

How did I find this happy "Mom Break" time? What about the housework? The answer is quite simple. I've already done a few household jobs around the house the day before, even several days before that makes each day a little easier and less stressful. I only need to take 15 minutes to pick up a few things and wash the morning dishes to bring my house back into balance.

Here's how I keep that balance at my house:

1. Every weekend, either on Saturday or Sunday the sheets and blankets on the beds get washed in hot water. Beds are then remade and completely fresh for the week ahead. I also try to make my bed every morning before I head downstairs for breakfast. My kids try their best to make their beds each morning as well. It just makes the room feel more welcoming when the bed is made.

2. Every morning, I put a load of laundry in the washer. I try to do 1 or 2 loads of laundry a day. This way I am not dealing with a mountain of clothes on the weekend.

3. Bathrooms are all wiped down and cleaned on Sunday for the week ahead. Bath & toilet tissue are stocked. Bath linens are also all washed and put away.

4. Each night before I head upstairs to bed, I make sure the kitchen is completely cleaned and organized for the next day. Dishes are either washed or the dishwasher is loaded & started. The sink and the counters are each wiped down with a cloth and a homemade cleaner that is made with essential oils. Kitchen trash cans are emptied and the recyclables are placed in a bin in the garage. The burners on my stove, outside of the microwave, the oven, and the dishwasher door are cleaned with a homemade glass cleaner. I get the coffee pot ready to go, so I can just hit start the next morning.

5. Backpacks & Lunches are made the night before. Water bottles are filled, snacks and homework are put into the backpacks for school.

6. The weekly dinner choice list for the week is put on the board in the hallway. This is very similar to a weekly meal plan, the only difference is my kids pick the choices from each category together. Example: Main Course, Vegetable, Potato, Fruit and/or Dessert. We tried the weekly meal plan list for a while but I just found it to be more stressful. The kids or my husband didn't like what I made each night or I actually didn't feel like making a certain meal on the designated night. This dinner choice list just works out better for us. My kids are excited for dinner now and they actually eat better every night when they get to pick what they want from the list.

7. Each night, after bath time, the kids and I play the pick up game. We walk around and put every item back in its place.


I now make it a habit to follow this list and tackle the rooms that people walk into every single day for two reasons.

First, if an unexpected guest arrives, I'm not completely embarrassed or overwhelmed with the mess that might be scattered around! We've all been there...right?? Doorbell rings, a friend or family member stops by and your house looks like Toys R Us or Target exploded! Soon the excuses of why it looks that way start coming out of your mouth.

Second, it just makes you feel good or relaxed as you enter a clean house after a long day at work or school. This is something that my husband, has told me the last few months! He feels less stressed and more relaxed when he walks in.


This is what I do to keep my house in balance. The constant feeling of housework hanging over my head has disappeared. I now have extra time during the day and in the evening to spend time with my family.