If you are feeling discouraged, here are 8 homemaking tips to help you reduce overwhelm in your days!
What is Homemaking?
Homemaking is the art of turning a house into a home. While it does involve tasks like cooking, cleaning, and decorating, I believe it goes much deeper.
Homemaking is an art. It requires intention and skill. Homemakers not only care for the physical aspects of their homes but also for the emotional needs of those who live inside of it. They nurture and work to cultivate connection and create a positive culture within their homes.
While you may think of a homemaker as someone who stays home all day, you can be a homemaker while also working outside of your home. It is more about the effort and intention put into your home than the number of hours you spend there.
Homemaking Tips for the Discouraged Mom
While I don’t believe that you have to be a stay-at-home mom to be a homemaker, I do think this role can feel overwhelming at times. Trying to manage caring for your home while simultaneously caring for little ones is easier said than done.
I have been a stay-at-home mom for nearly five years now. I was surprised by how it was harder than I expected. There is so much joy in being present for every moment with your little ones, and I wouldn’t trade this time with them for anything.
But I have often struggled with feeling like I work hard and have little to show for it at the end of some days. Between the never-ending laundry and lots of cleaning up messes, it can feel discouraging.
Homemaking Tips in the Midst of Motherhood
If you are a mom with little ones, so much of your day may be spent teaching them, nurturing them, and protecting them that you have little time left to tend to the other items on your to-do list. Mothering is hard and holy work, friends.
If you struggle with perfectionism like I do, it can feel as if the work you do is never enough.
While I am still relatively new to homemaking and have much yet to learn from seasoned homemakers, I have learned some homemaking tips over the last few years that have helped me in seasons of overwhelm.
Pray Scripture throughout the Day
As a child, I memorized scripture regularly for both school and church. As an adult, I have fallen out of this habit. While I would like to reclaim it–I still remember many of the verses I learned as a child. In moments of overwhelm or exhaustion, it can be helpful to pray or to pray Scripture when you don’t have the words yourself. Here are a few verses to memorize.
- “And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.” Philippians 4:8
- “For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” 2 Timothy 1:7
- “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7
- “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.” Isaiah 26:3-4
Communicate with your Spouse
If you are married, I encourage you to find a moment of quiet to talk to your partner about your overwhelm. My husband and I try to have weekly times to connect and talk through how we are feeling.
You could share with your spouse about what is making you feel overwhelmed and look for ways to share the load in those areas. Perhaps ask for his insight on how you could reprioritize or make progress on the things on your list that feel the most daunting.
I am very detail oriented and my husband is good at looking at the big picture and prioritizing. You can support one another in your strengths and weaknesses.
Put your Phone Away
When I am overwhelmed, it’s easy for me to scroll social media. This often leads to comparison because I will see the highlights of other people’s days and think that I should be doing those things as well.
The best thing to do when you are struggling with doom scrolling is to put your phone out of reach and focus on the people and tasks in front of you. Clearing your mind of excess media can help you focus on what you need to do in the present moment.
Prioritize Rest
This can be easier said than done, especially if you are a go-getter! But if you are feeling discouraged by homemaking, you may be exhausted and need more rest. Try to read a book and go to bed early instead of binge-watching your favorite show.
Take time throughout the day to rest with a cup of tea or a slow walk. Try to release the guilt of slowing down, and know that taking time to rest can actually help you be more productive in the long run.
Make a List of What’s Most Important
If you have a to-do list that feels never ending, try writing down three important things that you want to accomplish that day. Yes, there may be other items on your to-do list, but prioritizing can help you focus on a task and feel a sense of accomplishment other than floating between tasks and never getting anything done.
Hire Help if You Can (or Ask a Friend About a Trade!)
We are in a season where I have been really sick due to pregnancy. All of my energy has gone to caring for our family and our homestead. Deep cleaning has been a point of stress. So, we looked at our budget and decided to hire help once a month with deep cleaning our home.
This is a big sacrifice financially that we probably will not do long-term. However, it has been such a blessing in this season. I felt a lot of shame about not being able to keep up with the deep cleaning but I also know that this decision to hire help for a season will give me time and energy to invest in other areas of my home.
Perhaps cleaning isn’t a pain point for you or maybe it is not something you can fit into your budget. Talk with your spouse about if you can outsource something that is causing stress. Perhaps you could hire a babysitter occasionally? Or hire a kid in your neighborhood to help you pull weeds once a month?
If you are on a tight budget this may not be an option. But, if you are able to sacrifice financially in some areas, hiring help for a season can really help you get back on your feet. You could also talk with a trusted friend about exchanging free childcare for each other in order to get your projects done.
Implement the 10 Minute Tidy
I first heard about this idea from Angela Braniff on Youtube. She recommended setting a timer for 10 minutes and seeing how much you can tidy in that time.
I recently started doing this for myself and with my kids. It’s amazing how much you can get done when you are on a time crunch! We put on some fun music and the kids loved it!
You could implement this system a few times throughout the day to keep a tidy home so that there isn’t as much to do at night.
Set Aside 10-15 Minutes for Reading
I loved to read as a child! Recently, I started replacing my scroll time with reading and it made a huge difference for my mental health and attitude!
Even if you think you don’t have time, carving out 10-15 minutes while your baby naps or before bed can be a positive way to relieve stress and enjoy something that isn’t media-related.
Focus on your Family
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by homemaking–whether it is in regard to raising your children, meal planning, or keeping up with the house–comparing your situation to someone else’s will not be helpful. I’m preaching to the choir here, friends!
Social media makes it easy to see only the highlights of someone’s life. I you are feeling discouraged, try focusing on your family instead of comparing yours to those around you.
Every family is unique and has different circumstances and needs. Focus on caring for the needs of the precious ones in your care instead of worrying about what everyone else is doing.
More Homemaking Tips
If you’re looking for more homemaking tips for moms, I highly recommend checking out the resources my friend KyAnn Molina provides. She has a podcast and course titled “Simple Rhythms for Busy Moms.”
In her course and podcast, she dives into how to create and stick to consistent homemaking rhythms while raising young kids. She offers practical, realistic advice and breaks it down into manageable chunks.
Homemaking Tips for Busy Moms
Homemaking is important work, but it isn’t always glamorous or easy. Just remember that you are not alone if you feel discouraged. Try to give yourself grace and take it one day at a time.
You’re doing an amazing job, mama! I’m cheering you on.
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