Help a Work-at-Home Mom!

mummiedearest

Tue, Feb 27 2024, 9:13 pm

Long-term SAHM here. I’m not naturally organized, but I’ve learned. Start with one thing at a time. What’s your top priority? Let’s assume it’s making dinner for the family. What needs to be in place for that to happen? For me to cook, I need the dishes clean first. That’s the minimum. So I created a system in which one of my kids is responsible for unloading the dishwasher after supper every night. That allows me to easily load it in the morning. That means I have clean dishes by the time I need to cook. What else is needed? I need groceries and an idea of what to make. I plan family meals in the beginning of the week before making a grocery list. I do NOT hold myself to the written plan- we often have leftovers for dinner or I decide to make something else with what I have. If I don’t plan, though, I won’t have groceries ready. I have developed a preference for cooking in a clean kitchen, so I tend to clear and wipe down the counters in the morning along with setting up the dishwasher.

This is what it takes to accomplish one basic goal. Cooking for your family is complex. Keeping house is complex. Pick one thing to work on, and start one small habit at a time. You cannot become a magical balabusta through sheer will. You can, however, become a competent housekeeper over time by turning small goals into habit. Once you do that, you may even become efficient.

Don’t beat yourself up, just choose priorities wisely. You will never have all the laundry clean and put away. You can commit to washing a load a day if you want to. Be realistic, make lists, and keep trying when you fail. If it matters to you, you’ll get there.