Finding ways to simplify my life as a stay at home mom has helped me so much. When I became a stay at home mom, I had no idea what to expect. I also didn’t know how to structure my day with a 3 year old child. By the time my husband got home everyday, I was overwhelmed. So after a couple months of being a stay at home mom, I realized that I needed to make some changes. I was a former teacher, so I knew I needed to find simple ways to structure my day. So here are 10 ways to simplify your life as a stay at home mom.
Create a Morning Routine
The start of your day will usually determine how the rest of your day goes. When I became a stay at home mom, I created a morning routine that worked for me. I highly recommend waking up before your kids to allow yourself to mentally prepare for the day. The peace and quiet during my morning routine is the best. I also noticed that I was happier in the morning when I created a morning routine. Check out my blog post 10 Morning Routine Habits.
Declutter your Home
My declutter routine has been one of the best things I’ve done to simplify my life. It will take time to fully declutter your home especially if you have years and years of random stuff in your house. So I suggest creating a monthly declutter routine. Once a month, grab a trash bag and fill it with anything you no longer use or no longer serves a purpose in your home. Then donate everything to your local Goodwill or a shelter. Check out The Home Edit for ways to declutter your home and make it more organized.
Automate Bills
This might seem like a small simple task, but it will definitely help to automate your bills. It might be necessary to create a budget prior to automating your bills. I definitely felt more at peace knowing the family bills would come out of the account automatically and I didn’t have to worry about calling in bills or sending checks in the mail. As a stay at home mom, we already have enough on our plate, so it’s important to find simple tasks to automate. Another tip is to go through your monthly bills and expenses and find ways you can cut costs.
Cleaning Routines
I love having a cleaning routine. When my home is clean, it just puts me in a better mood. I noticed that when I began to declutter and simplify my home, then my cleaning routine was a lot easier. Both of my kids are home with me during the day so of course my house can get a little messy. However, I like to have a midday clean up and an evening clean up routine. I also suggest if you have it in your budget, you can hire someone to come to your house to help with cleaning and/or organizing. Don’t be afraid to budget in ways to get some assistance around your home.
Create a Meal Plan
To be honest, cooking is not my favorite. So I figured out a way to make meal planning work for me. First, I got Sistema Nest it Containers so it was easy for me to store my meals. I also created a google doc with a list of my go to meals. Using my crockpot and air fryer has also made preparing meals a lot easier and quicker for me. Finally, sometimes we budget for different food services like Hello Fresh. This is a great way to try new foods and you can also keep the recipes for the future.
Have “Me Time” Daily
As a stay at home mom, it’s so important to create time during your day to relax. That might be a quick 15 minutes while your little ones are taking a midday nap. Or maybe that’s waking up an hour early before your kids to have some peace and quiet. You’ll feel so much better if you create that time daily. It might also be necessary to communicate with your spouse or family to work out when you can have some me time.
Pray
Praying daily is so important to me. I feel at peace when I pray about my day and it gives me guidance. You can create a prayer routine where you pray in the morning, midday and at night.
Wall Calendars
As a stay at home mom, we have a lot on our plate. So having a calendar on the wall is a good visual way to help. I like to write down kids’ activities, appointments, and any other events so I don’t forget. Here are some of my favorite visual wall calendars HERE
Independent Activities for Kids
Being a stay at home mom and having your kids at home can get overwhelming sometimes. That is why I always prepare independent activities for my kids to do throughout the day. I also schedule various outings that will allow my kids to play and get all their energy out. The Children’s Museum and the park are some of our favorite places to go. I also schedule play dates once a week.
It’s Okay to Say No
This is so important as a stay at home mom. It’s okay to say no to attending events, activities, and anything that might cause you to feel overwhelmed. There was a time when I would say yes to way too much and I started feeling like my days were overbooked and I was overwhelmed. Sometimes I say no to invites on the weekends because the weekends are usually a time when I can relax. Make sure you are a top priority and do what makes you happy.
I hope these tips help you find ways to simplify your life as a stay at home mom. Also, remember to give yourself grace in all seasons of being a stay at home mom. Be sure to check out my blog post How to Make your House Smell Good Naturally
XO,
Ashley
