All posts tagged homemaking

Guest Post: 5 Steps to an Easier Morning Routine

March 8, 2013 by   Kate Tietje

Image by Hugo Quintera

This is a guest post by Laura of The Spinach Spot.  We’re having a series of guest posts throughout March and April so that Kate can focus on some time with her family, including the new baby!

Whether you need to get out the door for an appointment, work, school or just to the park, mornings can be a challenge.  Between breakfast, getting everyone dressed and collecting everything you need for your adventure, mornings can easily turn into a stressful event.  Add in a late night or having been up a couple times with the littles and it can be very hard to start your day off right.

I usually feel like I’ll never get out of the house when I haven’t done my evening prep work the night before.  There are some super simple tasks I do each night to make sure our mornings run smoothly.  By doing these tasks, our mornings run much smoother, no matter what is on the schedule.

While everyone’s family needs are different, there are some universal things that need to get done each morning- getting dressed, eating breakfast (you are eating breakfast right?), our chores and of course getting out the door at some point.  By having a plan and making a few minor preparations the evening before, your mornings can be a lot easier!

Simplify Your Chores

Think about what you need to get done tomorrow and make a to-do list.  Make sure you keep it reasonable here.  Put the most important things at the top and work down in priority.

Next, have a rough plan for when you want to do each item.  You’ll accomplish two things with this.  First, you’ll make sure you have enough time in your day and second, you’ll be able to see what tasks need to happen right away in the morning.  Need to get laundry done? Stick a load in quickly on your way out the door.  Need to run errands?  Now you’ll have an idea of when you need to be out the door.

Simplify Your Breakfast

First, do you know what you’re having for breakfast?  If not, take a few seconds and figure it out.  Then, gather the items you’ll need for the morning.  I like to get out the pot or pans I’ll be using, spices, coconut oil and our plates and forks.  We start each day with a smoothie so I make sure the fruit is cut up and in the fridge, ready to go.  Anything that saves me a few minutes in the morning gets done!  You’ll be amazed what a time saver this can be.

Simplify Getting Dressed

I can’t tell you how much this helps our family!  Each evening I make sure we all know what we’re wearing the next day.  My son doesn’t care yet so I pick his clothes out.  My daughter likes to pick hers so we make sure that gets done before bed each night.  Don’t forget to get your clothes ready too!  I also make sure our shoes and socks are accounted for— there’s nothing worse than being ready to walk out the door and missing a shoe.  If you need coats, hats and gloves, gather those as well.

Simplify Getting Out the Door

Packing your necessities the night before means less trips out to the car with your littles swarming.  Headed to the grocery store in the morning?  Put your reusable grocery bags in the car.  The library?  Gather the books and put them in the car too!  Diaper bags, snacks, a cooler… anything you might need for your errands can go in the car the evening before.

Image by Plinkk

Simplify Some You Time

How often do you get to do something for yourself in the morning?  If you’re like me, you’re probably lucky if you get both your hair and teeth brushed.  But starting your day with some simple things to help sustain you throughout the day can make all the difference in your day.  While you may not have time for a yoga session, a relaxing bath or a leisurely breakfast, you can definitely make time for some simple things.  How about a nourishing cup of tea, taking time to take your supplements or a few minutes of prayer or meditation.  These simple things may only take a few minutes but you get to feel cared for too and that is so important to taking on the day.

By implementing these 5 things, you’re mornings will run much smoother.  I encourage you to make a list of the things you normally do in your home every morning.  Figure out any additional tasks you can take a few minutes each night to do and make your mornings even better!

What do you do daily to make your mornings easier?

 

 

Laura blogs at The Spinach Spot where she shares allergy-friendly whole foods for the whole family. She is a married to her best friend, an Air Force pilot and is a mama to two amazing kiddos who have undergone a health transformation through eating whole foods. You’ll find healthy, nourishing, kid friendly recipes that are free of dairy, gluten and soy on her blog.

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7 Tips on Why (and How!) Moms Need to Take Care of Themselves

February 22, 2013 by   Kate Tietje

As I write this, I’m almost 37 weeks pregnant.  All I really want to do is go to sleep.  The next few weeks will move both crazy fast…and super slow.  And frankly, I’ve learned, if I don’t take care of myself…I won’t make it.

Moms need to learn this idea in general.  It’s so important to take care of yourself!  You are the center of the home, the one who sets the tone, and the one who cares for everyone else.  You are important.  You are worthy of care and respite.  And no, you don’t have to “escape” your family to do it.

With that in mind, let’s look at some tips for taking care of yourself.

1) Move Slowly and Deliberately

Moms do not win awards because they checked off all the items on a long to-do list.  They do not get extra praises for falling into bed at the end of the day completely exhausted and keyed up, but their home is spotless.  Rather than trying to push yourself all the time, move more slowly.  Give yourself time to wake up in the morning and enjoy a cup of coffee or tea, talk to your children, pray together, and get ready slowly.  Take breaks to just sit with the kids or put your feet up.  Read stories, or enjoy your own book if they are occupied.  Take time at the end of the day to unwind alone or with your husband.  You will ultimately get more done anyway if you are slow and steady about it.

It may help you to keep a daily or weekly “must do” list, and another list of “like to do.”  If, over a few days’ time, you can get the “must do” stuff checked off, and maybe even a couple “like to do” then you are a success.  But you don’t win awards for projects completed so keep your lists realistic!  (Not to mention the day is more pleasant if you’ve built in time to sit, time to wait on a toddler to pick the “right” socks, and so on!)

2) Choose Small Things That Make You Happy

Do you love starting or ending your day with a hot cup of tea?  Having a small bite of dark chocolate mid-afternoon?  Reading a book?  Whatever it is that you love — something small, that easily fits into your day, like the examples here — make time for it.  Keep a small stash of dark chocolate.  Take a walk with the kids everyday after lunch.  Spend a few minutes just watching the sunset.  Do these little things as a reminder to have joy and feel calm.

3) Teach Kids to Help

My oldest is now 5.  She’s capable of a lot more than she used to be, and she’s eager to help.  (She likes to jump ahead and “do” whether I’m ready or not!)  I’ve taught the kids since they were a year or so to help clean their playroom.  I’m teaching my 5-year-old to cook now.  All the kids can bend, reach, and “fetch” items for me.  My 18-month-old can get me a towel, wipe up water on the floor, or hand me his plate when he is done eating.  The more eager they are to help, and the more able, the more I rely on them, especially if I’m having a rough day.  They are happy to step up, and the time I’ve spent teaching them how has paid off.  Teach your kids to help, so that when you really need even a five-minute break, they can find their own snack or even just entertain themselves while you have a few minutes to breathe.

Take a deep breath as you’re teaching and ask your kids gently and with a smile.  I have learned the hard way that taking a strict “You need to do this right now” stance (even if I am not yelling) results in absolute refusal and a power struggle.  ”Hey buddy, can you pick that up for me?  Good job, can you help more?” goes really well.  We all feel more cooperative when someone smiles and asks us nicely and shows appreciation for what we’ve done!  And it does take time to learn as well, so have patience!

4) Tend to Your Health

What do you really need to be healthy?  I know that I tend to skip meals or simply not eat enough because I’m focusing on feeding the kids.  I need to eat more!  I also enjoy getting regular massages (therapeutic, not always relaxing!), chiropractic care, enough sleep, etc.  These needs are important!  If you’re tired, put everyone down for a nap or “quiet time” and go take a nap yourself.  If you’re hungry, eat.  If you know that taking certain supplements or doing certain exercises help you feel better, make time for those.  When you feel strong and healthy, you have a lot more to give your family.

5) Get Together with Friends

A lot of moms struggle because they feel isolated.  They’re home alone with kids a lot and feel like they “need” to be (in order to cook, clean, homeschool, etc. — all that “stuff” that has to be done).  They can feel a bit unhappy, angry, depressed, and like they are the only mom who yells at their kids or can’t keep up with the chores.  Many of us have begun to cling to the TV or, more commonly, the internet — an outlet so that we can at least talk to other moms!  Instead, plan play dates.  Plan a mom’s night.  Get together with your real-life friends, even if your house is messy, even if your kids are wild.  Talk to the other moms and realize you’re not the only one and it’s okay to struggle.  This camaraderie can really help moms to feel less anxious or unhappy, and it is so worth it.  Remember, though: skip hanging out with the moms who only want to pretend they are perfect and “one up” you.  There are a few out there who feel the need to put on this “shield.”  Forget about that and be real — we all have struggles and sharing them makes us human and makes us better.  Pretending we’re perfect doesn’t help anyone.

6) Go for Easy Food

Fill your freezer with a double or triple batch of dinner or whatever you’re baking, then pull it out when you don’t know what else to make.  Buy a few “snack” foods even if they’re compromise items (think about dried or fresh fruits, cheese, nuts, etc. — and maybe the occasional bag of veggie chips!).  Basically, have options on hand that are simple, so that when you or the kids are hungry you don’t have to prepare anything.  This also works if you make several quarts of yogurt at once, or milk kefir, or chocolate milk (my kids love this — raw milk, cocoa powder, raw honey — and my 5-year-old can make it herself now).  If you can do nuts, make nut butters and keep veggies around.  My kids are always going for peppers, celery, carrots, mushrooms, etc. straight out of the fridge.  I let them munch on cheese, fruits, and veggies if I don’t feel like cooking.  They always want to eat the very second they wake up, but I’d rather sit for 10 or 15 minutes and wake up and move more slowly (see point #1), so if I have these items around, everyone’s happy.

7) Enjoy The Blessings

It can be easy to look around and think “WHY can’t they remember to close the door/put shoes in the closet/pick up their clothes?!  Am I the only one around here who does anything?”  Or, to focus on the fighting and the frustration, or any other negative aspect of kids.  Instead, remember first that you do these things too!  I don’t always put my shoes away, or take my dishes to the counter right when I’m done eating, or put my clothes directly into the laundry baskets.  I forget.  (And yes, I’m the one who *eventually* does it, which makes it easy to rationalize that I can “break the rules” since I ultimately do clean up after myself — but this isn’t helpful.)  Don’t look at the bad stuff, though.  People aren’t perfect and this stuff will never go away.  Instead, think about:

  • How quickly your kids are growing up and how soon these days will be gone
  • The adorable things they’ve said recently
  • How nicely they share and play together sometimes
  • How much they love you — and tell you so, often
  • How your husband steps up to help even when he’s tired too
  • How lucky you are to get to know these awesome little people

Children and family are blessings.  There are hard days and crazy moments but overall they are blessings.  If you see it instead as a burden with a few shining moments, you will always be unhappy.  See it as a blessing with occasional hard times and you will know that you can get through those hard times because of the blessings to come on the other side.  And don’t be afraid, in those hard moments, to call a rest time and just sit down and snuggle in front of the TV or with some music on.  Hold them, enjoy the peace, and who cares if you aren’t the “perfect” mom who “never” lets her kids watch TV!  You’re a realist who just turned crazy into calm, and showed her kids love instead of anger. :)

Take care of yourself, moms.  Life isn’t perfect but it is a whole lot better if you feel happy and blessed!

How do you take care of yourself?

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5 Tips for Home Organization with Small Children

January 29, 2013 by   Kate Tietje

Daily Tip: If your family or life situation changes, give yourself permission to quit a habit or find a new or easier way to do it.  You don’t have to be a super person; you have to be realistic.

As anyone with small children knows, keeping your home clean and organized is…difficult.  Children like to make messes, they don’t like to clean them up, and if you clean them up, they get very curious and immediately want to take everything back out again to see what it is.  I’ve seen enough memes floating around the internet to know that these things go on in many homes. :)

That does not mean it is impossible.  There are ways to keep your home organized with small children, and even keep it relatively clean without spending your entire life doing it.  My home is cleaner now, with three small children (5, 3.5, and 1.5) than it was a couple years ago! I have just made some changes to make my life easier.  And you can do it too. :)

Keep in mind I am not a perfect housekeeper.  At all.  Depending on when you catch me, my house might be mostly spotless…or a crazy wreck.  I do what I can and I’m doing a lot better than I used to, but I certainly don’t have it all figured out.  I don’t suppose I ever will.  Just know that despite my desire to live in a clean home and my increasing skill at doing so, we do sometimes have a crazy messy house just like everyone else. :)

Tip #1: Make It Easy on Yourself

I kept finding myself reaching for something or doing things a certain way, and realized I wasn’t necessarily set up for it.  I stopped worrying about “right” systems and started worrying about what works for me.  I made several changes to my home based on what I felt I needed.  These included:

  • Having a laundry basket in every bedroom, plus three in my room and one in the upstairs bathroom.  I also have one in the kitchen.
  • Adding diaper pails upstairs and down (Jacob’s room and the playroom, near the changing tables).  I used to use just the wetbags but that was harder to toss diapers into quickly.
  • Always having a towel hanging from the stove.  It is a huge pet peeve of mine when it is gone because I reach to wipe my hands constantly!
  • Clearing out the front hall closet and adding a basket to it for mittens and hats.  Shoes go in loose (I also removed extra shoes so that each child has a pair of sneakers, snow boots, and sandals in the correct size, and no more).  Non-seasonal and extra coats hang.
  • Clearing off the coat rack in the front hall, so only seasonal/current coats hang on it.
  • Clearing off my vanity of everything but clothes.  I throw my jeans, tank tops, and other clothes I will wear again on there.  I always have, so I might as well make it the designated spot.
  • I added a shelf to the playroom and a few boxes to put different toys in, so that it is easy to put them away neatly.
  • I keep a corner of folded blankets and pillows, which can be used for snuggling, reading, or fort-making, but get put away easily.  I try to stick to 3 – 4 blankets only in this pile.
  • I keep my living room cleared out and used only for sewing projects and sometimes folding laundry.  I keep an old, broken laundry basket in here to toss too-small clothing into to be put away later.  (And company, occasionally.)  The kids are not allowed to play in here.
  • We cleared out the kids’ rooms of everything except their beds, dressers, a small table, and a couple books.  Daniel (3.5) also has the train table and toys in his room, because he is good about keeping them picked up off the floor.
  • We added over-the-door hooks to the hallway bathroom, where all the towels and bathrobes get hung.
  • I moved the changing table from Daniel’s room (who doesn’t need it) to Jacob’s room, and used it to organize the cloth diapers.

All in all these small changes are what works for my home but they have made my life easier.  I have less stuff and I have places that “stuff goes.”  Places that work well with my routines and habits specifically.  Go ahead — do whatever makes it easier for you!

Tip #2: Have Less Stuff

What I just said above?  It works better if there is just less stuff.  That is why I spent a good bit of time getting rid of too-small clothes, shoes, coats, etc.  It is why I pared the toy room down to 3 – 4 favorite toy sets.  It is why I soon need to clear out my kitchen of pots, pans, and baking dishes I don’t really use.  It is easier to have places to put stuff if there is not as much of it, and it also easier to find the items you really use often!

Tip #3: Give the Kids a Job

They like to help.  And if they don’t, they should help anyway.  Everyday, my kids are responsible for:

  • Putting shoes and coats in the closet/on the hooks.
  • Putting dirty clothes into their laundry baskets.
  • Taking dirty dishes to the counter near the dishwasher.
  • Picking up all their toys in the playroom after morning playtime.

Basically, they are responsible for self-care.  As they get older they will be responsible for more.  They do also help with other jobs from time to time.  My 5-year-old helps fold laundry and puts her clothes away in her own drawers.  She follows me around while I sweep the kitchen floor and uses a small broom to brush the mess into a dustpan and throw it in the trash (really nice since I am almost 35 weeks pregnant!). All the kids like to use spray bottles of vinegar water and cloths to wipe tables and other surfaces, although they are not very effective at this yet.  They also like to help empty the dishwasher — the older ones can put silverware away; the littlest one will pull out the plates and hand them to me, one by one.  Still, they get so proud when they are my “big helpers” and they try really hard.  It only takes awhile to train them at first, then the occasional reminder.  Soon they are more helpful than a ‘drain’ on your time and energy.

Tip #4: Have Some Sort of Cleaning Schedule

Everyone does this a little bit differently.  Some people like to have 1 – 2 tasks to accomplish per day and spread it out throughout the week.  Others (like me) like to have a “cleaning day” each week when they do the majority of the cleaning.  For me it is too overwhelming to think about having to do a little at a time and have to do something everyday!  I am a really “global” person though and I like to tackle things all at once, then move onto something else.  Choose whatever works best for you.

In my home, I spend most of Monday doing a lot of laundry, vacuuming all the rooms, scrubbing down the kitchen, rearranging items that have been misplaced, etc.  I might change beds, clean bathrooms, etc. depending on what is needed.  I have to admit I don’t clean bathrooms every week…more like every 2 – 3 weeks. :/  Well…that is where we are right now.

Knowing that I will do the majority of my tasks on Monday, I don’t schedule outings that day.  I schedule outings on Wed/Fri. because I know I will have only minor tasks on those days (a load of laundry, the dishes).

I also have a “morning chores” time everyday, where I might fold and put away a load of laundry, empty the dishwasher, refill our water filter, refill ice trays, perhaps sweep the kitchen floor.  This is about 30 minutes of time in the morning where I get the basics done for that day.  It happens around breakfast/morning play time.

Tip #5: Give Yourself A Break

If you are busy — teaching kids, running errands, or living life in general — things will sometimes not get done.  That is okay.  Sometimes there is a choice to make between an activity and cleaning.  Your kids will not remember if the house was always spotless or not.  They will remember the time you spent with them.  It is okay to do just the basics and let everything else go sometimes.  Nobody is perfect and we do not have unlimited time.  It’s okay!  As I said at the beginning, sometimes my house is a mess.  It happens.  We survive, and you will too.

How do you keep your home clean or organized with small children around?

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How to Create and Maintain a Workable Laundry Routine

January 19, 2013 by   Faith Storms

Daily Tip: If something doesn’t work for you, that doesn’t mean you have failed.  It means that method wasn’t right for you – try something new.

By Faith Storms, Contributing Writer

Laundry is easily the number one chore about which I hear fellow stay at home moms complain. I don’t share this sentiment, but start talking about cleaning bathrooms and I will be gladly jump in to voice my complaints! I enjoy doing laundry, but I know that is not the case for everyone. Like with most things in my life, including cleaning bathrooms, I find that I enjoy laundry even more when I have a streamlined, predictable routine in place.

My Tools

In my experience, there are very few items you need in order to do laundry. A washer and a dryer (although I do know families that do just fine with out the latter), certainly, but aside from that what else is there? I keep it simple with three items: soap nuts, wool dryer balls and Calgon for when my cloth diapers need to be stripped.

My husband and I decided to switch to using soap nuts for all of our laundry about one year ago. We lost our supplier of the original cloth diaper detergent we had been using and were struggling to find an affordable option where we were living. I came across this post on soap nuts and was sold. We placed a bulk order in January of last year and split it with two other families. This first order lasted us until December. That is right…two pounds of soap nuts lasted us almost an entire year. Crunch the numbers to see for yourself, but I would venture to guess that, especially for cloth diapering families, soap nuts will be hands down the most frugal option for washing your clothes.

I also have wool dryer balls. I purchased these from our local health food store who gets them from a local sheep farmer, but you could easily make your own. I love that these are a local item, but even more than that I love what they do for our laundry. I rarely have any problems with static cling and our clothes are soft and wrinkle free, provided that I get them out of the dryer as soon as they are done. If you are used to using scented fabric softener sheets, you can easily scent your dryer balls with a few drops of your favorite essential oil. I don’t have experience doing this, but have been told it convinces that skeptical family member who needs the “smell of clean laundry” scent that the laundry is truly clean.

Image by Sean Freese

My System

Since we live in a small apartment, I do not have a traditional laundry room. My washer and dryer are in our kitchen and our laundry baskets along with my laundry tools bin is housed in my husband and my bedroom. Not ideal, of course, but it is what I have to work with.

I have four laundry baskets lined up against one wall of our bedroom. One basket each for coloreds, whites, darks and towels. This keeps the ever mounting pile in check and cuts down on the time I spend sorting clothes. It is an easy system for my husband to participate in and, I think, will be easy for our children to learn as they get older.

I do all of our laundry, with the exception of our bathroom rug and shower curtain, which get washed on Tuesday when I clean the bathroom, on Monday. I do wash our cloth diapers three times a week, but one of those times is on Monday. Although I tried another method, I quickly came back to the all in one day method that has worked for me our entire marriage. I sort the laundry into piles of tops and bottoms separated by color on Sunday evening so as soon as I get up on Monday morning I can get started. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, I get started by six in the morning and am completely finished washing, drying, folding and putting away by the time bedtime rolls around.

Getting the Kids Involved

For many moms, the hardest part of attempting to do all the laundry in one day is finding a way to engage your children in the consuming task. My son is twenty months old and is extremely curious about everything that I do. His job on laundry day is to put the clothes from the washer into the dryer. Now, of course, he can’t complete this task on his own. I hand him the wet clothes from the washer and he throws them into the dryer.

For older children, tasks on laundry day could include sorting the clothes into appropriate piles based on color or style, putting their own folded clothes away or even folding simpler items such as towels or socks. It might be faster to do everything yourself, but I believe it is important to include your children, even toddlers, in the management of the household. You will probably end up re-folding a load of clothes that a well-meaning child dropped or finding mismatched socks halfway through the week, but, in my opinion, it is worth the trouble to include your children in daily tasks.

Note from Kate: My 4-year-old can fold some of the smaller items as well as put away all her own laundry.  She can sometimes even pull laundry out of the dryer into a basket and bring it upstairs, if it isn’t too heavy.  My 3-year-old can pull diapers out of the dryer into a bag and carry it if it isn’t too heavy.  There is a lot the little ones can do!

While this is what works for me and my family, this is certainly not the only way to create a workable laundry routine. The point is that laundry day (or days, if you choose) will go much smoother for everyone involved if there is a routine in place.

Does the never ending laundry pile daunt you? Do you have a routine in place at your house?

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How to Create a Simple Cleaning Routine

January 16, 2013 by   Nina

Image by clogozm

Daily Tip: If you say you will start something in a week it will never happen. Get what you need to make the changes now. Make your commitment and stick to it for a month. I know it is hard. I know it is a lot of work. I know you can do this. (Amanda Klenner-Labrow, Natural Living Mamma)

By Nina Nelson, Contributing Writer and MAP Editor

Until recently, I approached cleaning with a little too much gusto. Ok, maybe gusto’s not the right word, how about over-complication.

Instead of figuring out a reasonable schedule that spread big cleaning jobs out evenly throughout the week, I would try to get everything done in one day. And then I’d be frustrated that the kids wouldn’t help anymore after the first couple of chores.

Or, instead of trying to motivate everyone else, I would just try to do everything myself and end up frustrated, cranky and without any time to do things I really wanted to do.

Finally, after reading a great article about keeping your house clean without a bunch of stress, it hit me: I needed to simplify! 

And so, for the past few months, I’ve been fine-tuning our cleaning schedule, creating one that works for our family with the least amount of complaining (the complaining will end some day, right?).

I want to share a few principles that work for us. Every family is different, so I think these few nuggets will be more helpful than our specific routine.

Image by Evil Erin

Simple Ways to Simplify Your Cleaning Routine

1. Don’t Overdo It

Write down the big, must-do items: toilets, mopping, vacuuming the entire house, cleaning out the fridge, etc. Now, only do one of those per day. If there are a lot, do two at the most (and consider what you can do to declutter or minimize that list).

Focus on getting daily things done right away.

Get up, start laundry, fold it and put it away when it’s done (my biggest challenge). Clean the dishes and wipe down the table immediately after a meal. Pick things up after they’re used. These simple steps are great at preventing overwhelm.

2. Enlist Help

One of the most helpful things I did was to enlist our kids to help with cleaning.

Each week, each child gets two of the following chores: vacuuming, sweeping, dishes, cleaning up the living room, toilets, folding laundry, cooking and cleaning the table. One is a daily chore, the other is weekly.

All of these chores can be modified for various ages. And they actually argue over some of the chores – like cooking.

3. Stick to Strengths

I’ve found through experience that it’s much easier to do something your good at and enjoy doing than it is to force yourself (or your kids) to do something you can’t stand.

In my house, I don’t mind doing dishes, but I strongly dislike mopping. My husband feels the opposite.

Rather than trying to strengthen our weaknesses (which just makes everyone miserable), we stick to our strengths. He mops much faster and more efficiently than I do, and I do the same with the dishes. In the end, we save a lot of time and feel much happier.

The same goes with our kids. Some of my kids love cleaning the toilets. No joke. I think it has something to do with the baking soda and vinegar we use to clean with…. Others like folding laundry.

It’s much easier to have them do the chores they like than cajole them into doing the ones they don’t.

4. Focus

Choose a time, preferably in the morning, when you have the most energy. Now, block out a small chunk of time (1-3 hours) to do chores. If you get done early, don’t move onto something for the next day. Just rest. Then go on about your day.

Creating a time boundary will help you focus on what needs to be done so you can finish quickly. Without one, the chores will take up the entire day. You have better things to do than worry about folding the laundry.

5. Be Flexible

If the first thing you try just doesn’t work for your family, don’t put any more effort into trying to make it work. It won’t. Instead, examine what is working and keep it. Look at what isn’t and figure out ways you could tweak it to make it work better.

Could you switch cleaning days for some things? Have the kid who loves folding laundry be you Master Laundry Folder instead of trying to force the ones who hate it to “strengthen their weaknesses”?

Find the routine that works best for your family. And once your done cleaning for the day, relax for a bit, then move on. You’re simplifying so you can focus on what really matters, right?

How have you simplified your cleaning routine? What works really well for your family?

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