Check off daily tasks to avoid chores piling up

Most of the daily chores around the house fall on me. This isn’t necessarily bad, but letting them pile up removes my ability to carve out time for myself and do things that make me happy.

I have 3 daily habits that I make sure are completed no matter what that, when completed, make being a stay-at-home mom easier. They take less than 20 minutes of my day and relieve so much stress from my shoulders.

I’ve tried dozens of cleaning schedules, from cleaning one room per day to breaking up specific chores each day to cleaning the entire house from top to bottom twice a week. I could never stick to any of them.  I want my entire home cleaned simultaneously, so breaking up chores over a few days never gave me the satisfaction of having my home cleaned thoroughly. Instead, we clean the house from top to bottom on Sundays, clean the bathrooms on Wednesdays, and mop the floors on Thursdays. That way, I can keep up on the house staying clean. My daily chores prevent laundry and clutter from piling up and help me feel like I’m getting these done!

These are the 3 daily tasks I make sure to complete to help make being a stay-at-home mom easier:

Do a load of laundry

Just one load. From start to finish, wash, dry, fold, and put away one load of laundry; you’ll avoid the overwhelming pile of clothes from happening. And I don’t know about you, but the laundry always ends on my bed! So annoying.

Make the bed

I read once that millionaires make their beds. It has to do with creating habits and sticking to them. No, I don’t think making my bed will make me a millionaire, but creating habits and sticking to them helps in every area of your life. It’s nice to walk into my bedroom and see a made bed. I’m less likely to want to climb back into it, and checking something off my daily to-do list always motivates me to keep going.

Clear countertops

Visual noise can be just as overwhelming as physical noise. Clearing countertops, throwing away the trash, putting dishes away, and wiping down surfaces check off some of the more significant tasks from my list, and it relieves so much stress!

That’s it! I know it seems so simple, but it truly does make a difference in my day. If I have more time, I’ll do more chores, but if not, I at least know that I have finished my non-negotiable tasks for the day.

Daily Movement

It’s no secret that exercise is good for you.

As a stay-at-home mom, it’s easy to put your needs last. Not because you don’t care about your health, but when you’re responsible for many different tasks, finding time to do things for yourself is tough.

Instead of hoping for an opening in your schedule, make it! Get up 30 minutes earlier than usual, squeeze in a workout during nap time, or make it part of your even routine. Whatever works best for your schedule, do it!

I like to get it done first thing in the day. I’m less likely to get distracted by my other responsibilities when I’ve gotten my workout done first thing in the morning.

Taking just that 30 minutes to myself helps me feel regulated and in control. On days that I can exercise, I am much less likely to lose my cool because I am able to step away and do something for myself.

I also recently got a walking pad, and it’s incredible. It makes it so easy to stand at my countertop and help my kids with assignments while still getting my steps in! I got mine on Amazon and think it’s worth every penny!

 Early Bedtime

This is an absolute non-negotiable in my routine. My youngest daughters are 4 and 6. They share a room, so putting them to bed simultaneously is easiest. At 6:30 we start our bedtime routine, including brushing our teeth, reading a book, and turning on our sound machine. At 7 pm, it’s lights out, and they know they need to be in bed settling down. The next group of kids are 9 and 12, and their bedtime is 8 pm. They don’t have to go to sleep, but they do need to be in their room reading quietly or entertaining themselves until they are ready to get into bed. Our oldest is 15 and can put himself to sleep, but the latest he is allowed to stay up is 10 pm.

I need time for myself before going to bed, and that will only happen if my children go to bed early. Taking time for myself to decompress (and not answer anyone’s questions!) is a crucial step that helps make being a stay-at-home mom easier.