Do you ever feel frazzled and unproductive as a Christian homemaker? Do you constantly feel as if you fall short on creating a pleasant home for you, your family, and your guests?
You are not alone.
Homemaking is a neverending job! It seems as soon as the laundry is done and put away, another load has already piled up.
First and foremost, lay down your high standards and self-critical thinking. If you are plugging away at homemaking – putting forth the effort – you are already successful. Even if there are still dirty dishes in your sink!
Honestly, a lot of the pressure we put on ourselves as homemakers is unnecessary. We try to do too much with very little time.
There are ways to simplify homemaking that will help you be more efficient and productive – all while getting and keeping your priorities straight.
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Start every day with God
It is of utmost importance that we start each day in the correct mental and spiritual frame of mind. Begin your day by reading and studying the Bible and in prayer.
Starting the day with God draws you closer to Him, calms your spirit, and your Scripture reading gives you something to ponder throughout the day.
As Christians, time with God must be the priority! This is how we abide in Christ.
Set a schedule
Make a schedule with each task you need to accomplish that day. Devote a set amount of time for each task.
Be realistic about what you can honestly accomplish. Don’t go into schedule making with a grand image of the Wife of Noble Character and think you can get the house spotless, clothe your family, feed everyone you come in contact with, consider a field and buy it, and plant a vineyard all in one day! All while your children follow at your heels calling you blessed!
That is a nice image and example of the cumulative works of a noble wife and mother over many seasons.
We were not made to accomplish all that in one day.
Simplify your thinking and your scheduling.
Purge
The fewer things you have, the fewer things you need to maintain.
Not only does purging a large number of your material possessions simplify your cleaning routine, I firmly believe it cleans your soul.
As difficult as it may be for some people to let go of their material possessions, once those items are gone, there is a nice freeing feeling that follows.
You are no longer a slave to your “stuff”.
Simplify your idea of what you really need and want in your home.
Get off of social media
Social media is both a blessing and a curse. It is a great way to stay in touch with others, but it tends to suck a lot of time out of our lives and it can set unrealistic standards that can negatively affect our minds and hearts.
I’m not suggesting you delete all your accounts. Rather, if you just cannot let go of Facebook and Instagram (and all the others), at least delegate a set time for social media. Maybe a half-hour in the evenings or when the toddler is napping.
Resist the temptation to constantly check your feeds.
Simplify be tuning out of social media. You will gain more time to do the important things.
Meal plan
One of the simplest ways to simplify your daily routine is to meal plan.
Waiting till the last minute to figure out the menu wastes a tremendous amount of time!
Plan your meals weekly and shop according to your plan, so you know you will have everything you need.
Check out how I use meal planning in this post – How I Use Meal Planning to Save Money on Groceries.
Simplify your evenings with careful meal planning. You will be glad you did!
Outsource if need be
If you are juggling homemaking with parenting little ones, homeschooling, caring for an aging parent, and/or an outside the home or at-home job, things can get really hairy, really fast!
If there is just no way to accomplish everything you need to accomplish in a day, consider out-sourcing.
Hire a babysitter one day a week. Ask your sibling to help with an aging parent. Pay your older children to cook meals and do the laundry.
There are as many options for outsourcing as there are reasons.
Simplify by not trying to do it all yourself. Ask for or accept help from others.
Budget your money
Not only are we as homemakers tasked with being good stewards of our time and homes, we also need to be good stewards of our money.
If you are also responsible for maintaining the household budget and paying bills, consider automating your payments.
Spend wisely and “use it up, wear it out, and make it do”, as the saying goes. Since you, as a homemaker, probably spend the most money, set the example for your household and don’t overspend.
Simplify by not letting money become a worry for you and your family.
Set alarms and reminders
Using the reminder function on your phone is a great way to free your time to focus on other tasks at hand.
Instead of always looking to the clock, set the reminder for 5 o’clock to remind you it is time to put the casserole in the oven.
If you have set aside a set amount of time for cleaning, set your timer and get working. When the timer goes off, move on to the next thing on your schedule.
Say no more often
As Christians, our lives are not our own. We need to put others before ourselves and, often, that means sacrificing our time and schedules to do things for others.
That’s Godly and noble.
But… it is still okay to say no to certain things if they take attention away from our priorities – God, family, church, and home.
You do not always need to be the mom that helps raise money for the class, or organizes the homeschool field trips.
Simplify by saying no once in a while. We all go through busy seasons in our lives and, sometimes, we need to ask others to take on those things we might normally do ourselves in less busy seasons.
Take time every day to breathe
Find a quiet place for 5-10 minutes every day to just sit and breathe.
This is a great time to “Be still and know that I am God.”
Get comfortable, take a few deep breaths, and just be still.
Take this time to forget about all the to-do lists and just sit and ponder God’s character and goodness.
Even if taking this time alone means the dishes sit in the sink for 5-10 minutes longer, that is okay.
Simplify by putting God first.
Be sure to check out these posts in Homemaking:
How to Thrive as a Christian Homemaker
10 Ways to Show Hospitality Outside the Home
How to Be a Good Homemaker When You’re Not Very Good at Homemaking
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