Happy New Year, Friends! This blog post marks my first of 2021, and I am so ready to post more about what’s on my mind and my heart – and everything in between! 2021 has been off to a good start in our household. While the holidays felt different for most of us, we were determined to make them as happy and fun for the kids as possible! As I’ve mentioned before, I never set New Years goals or resolutions, but rather I focus on ways I can adjust my mindset and shift away from negative habits that hold me back. As a stay-at-home mom, a lot can get thrown in my direction each day. One of the best ways I can keep a handle on what’s happening around me is if I feel like I can control how well I can keep my house clean and organized.
With all that said, I am not Type A. If you’re looking to meet someone who is, let me introduce you to my husband! All kidding aside, staying organized and cleaning regularly isn’t something that comes naturally to me. I don’t have an inner Monica Geller urging me to clean ALL the things! I’d much rather be on my Peloton or going for a walk or shopping. The best way I can keep my household running is by sticking to a routine, because that way it becomes second nature. Nothing strict or regimented, but small little adjustments I choose to do each day that set me up for success. Here are a few examples of things I do each day to help me keep up with the day-to-day:
- MAKE MY BED. If there is one bit of advice I can give, it is to make your bed every morning before you leave your bedroom. Without exceptions. It’s the easiest way to start your day off with a win, and can help make your room feel instantly clean. It’s something I’m trying to instill in my kids as well.
- START THE MORNING WITH ONE LOAD OF LAUNDRY. As soon as I exit my bedroom, I grab any laundry I see and throw it in the washer. I do not have set laundry days, as I usually do one large load per day. The morning load consists of everything from the previous day and pajamas from that morning. It’s a cycle that, when I break it, instantly causes the laundry to compound. Doing this every day helps me not waste hours folding huge clothing mounds (which sometimes does happens because #life, but they are less frequent and easier to manage). Plus, starting your day with the sound of your laundry machines whirling is enough to make you feel productive!
- TURN ON iROBOT ROOMBA. Life is just easier when someone else is doing your cleaning for you! Since I don’t have a housekeeper, the iRobot is the next best thing! We turn on ours every morning to help compliment our daily cleaning. It still amazes me how much dirt and dust it collects (you will be equal parts thrilled and horrified!). The Roomba really helps maintain cleanliness without you having to do anything! This is the version we have!
- PUT MY PHONE DOWN AND TURN ON A PODCAST. Phones are a huge productivity killer, and it’s for this reason I like to put my phone to the side and turn on a podcast to listen while I’m cleaning. I love listening to ones that range from health & wellness podcasts, to politics to the Royal Family. Things just sound way more interesting when you’re cleaning!
- STOCK UP ON CLEANING ESSENTIALS. For every level of my house, I have a cleaning bucket with supplies I need for those specific spaces. I use this organizer from Target to keep everything handy, and it’s easy to carry from room to room. No running up and down searching for cleaning supplies anymore! I also keep a Dyson cordless vacuum on two of my three levels in order to not have to go searching for the vacuum when I need it.
- ORGANIZE ONE SMALL THING. Cleaning is rather simple. Organizing can be a challenge. I mean, they write books about it after all! I have a tendency to take on big projects in my head, and then instantly get overwhelmed and back away from them when they get too messy. If you’re a go-big or go-home type of organizer – amazing! That inspires me! But I need to pick one small organization task at a time. Otherwise I can feel the anxiety start to creep in and take over. I pick one junk drawer, one closet or heck – even something as small as my wallet! I take the win win and move on to the next thing on a fresh, new day!
- PRIORITIZE DAILY, WEEKLY & MONTHLY TASKS. Not all cleaning tasks are created equal. Some require more effort, but need to be done less frequently. I save bathroom deep cleanings for once a month. That works for us since I stay on top of things on a smaller scale each day. Every two weeks, we wet clean our floors. Sheets are every week. And on the daily, I tidy up and do laundry. It seems like a lot, which is made even harder if I don’t prioritize what needs to be done and when!
- CELEBRATE YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS. As any stay-at-home mom can tell you, there is always something left to do. I try to take time for myself and celebrate the wins of the day, unrelated to any task I have accomplished. If I feel positive about what I’ve done, it gives me motiviation to keep on chugging.
I hope this helps you! I know my situation is easier since I am home each day, but whether you’re a stay-at-home mom or working in corporate America, it’s really easy to let things fall by the wayside. I know because that can sometimes be me! I hope this breakdown of my routine helps you as much as it helps me!
