I never imagined myself as a stay-at-home mom. I have always loved working and enjoyed running a successful business. But I can definitely say that being a stay-at-home mom is the most rewarding, amazing, and hardest job I have ever had. When you are home all day, the days can all bleed into each other. Following kids around and picking up never-ending messes can feel like a rat race. But it does not have to be this way. Here are 10 Habits of Happy and Organized Stay-at-Home Moms
1. Have a Calendar and To-Do list that works for you.
First of all, having your days planned out and dates set in the calendar can help keep you on track. It may seem obvious but schedule those doctor appointments, playgroups, and date nights all in one central app or calendar. I am a paper and pencil sort of girl. I need a physical printout of my calendar and to-do list to quickly jot things down. If you are more accustomed to having a phone app, Cozi is an amazing app that will help get everyone in your house on the same page. It is great because Mom, Dad, and the teenagers can see all of the family sports games, appointments, and activities. It also keeps grocery lists and contacts synced up. This Habit alone will make you an organized stay-at-home mom.
2. Have a Flexible Routine
One of the biggest areas of resistance I hear from my Mom friends is the need to fall into a routine. We love the idea of the freedom of being a stay-at-home mom and being able to come and go as we please. But in reality, kids need a routine, and the days can quickly get out of hand and become overly chaotic if you don’t have one. I promise if you have a routine set in place it will free you as a stay-at-home mom. You will gain more time, have happier kids and become way more productive. Routines should be flexible because they have to be. Last-minute things always come up with kids and you have to learn how to roll with it. But having a good routine to always come back to can be a lifesaver.
3. Have a Set Nap and Sleep Routine
I struggled with this as a new mom. Getting your baby on the right sleep schedule is crucial to your happiness as a stay-at-home mom. And babies and kids need enough sleep to be healthy and happy. The last thing you want is to deal with is cranky overtired kids. But us moms need downtime too! We need to shower, reenergize, and just zone out on our phones once in a while. I used to feel guilty some days that I wasted my nap time. No way. We deserve breaks too. And don’t forget to nap with them if you need to! When my kids started to resist the nap, I morphed it into quiet time in their rooms with books or toys. Don’t ever give up the nap or quiet time until school age, you and your kids need a break!
4. Schedule in Mom Time
We just talked about taking advantage of the nap time but take more time to yourself if you need to. My husband works a lot, so I don’t get that much time alone out of the house, but I try my best. I take my “me time” by putting a show on for the kids and making coffee and talking to a friend on the phone, going up into my bedroom and writing, or staying up after hours and watching Netflix. I also make sure to schedule some nights out with friends at least once a month and dates nights with my husband. The most important thing to realize here is that taking time for yourself MAKES YOU A BETTER MOM!!!!!!!!!
5. Clothes You Feel Good In
This one is so hard for me, I am the queen of leggings and sweatshirts. If you are home all day you know what I mean. It is very easy to lose yourself when you spend all day taking care of tiny little humans. Feeling put together will help keep you out of a rut!
Take time to pull yourself together and put some makeup up on or dress up or whatever makes YOU feel beautiful. I always strive to take a nice long shower and step up that outfit a little every day. These 10 Habits of Happy and Organized Stay-at-Home Moms can make a real difference in how you feel about yourself.
6. Schedule in Time for Exercise, Walk Walk Walk !!
I am a New Yorker so I have always walked everywhere. When we moved to the suburbs it didn’t stop me. I still walk my kids to school, the park, the bakery, or just about anywhere I can. I didn’t notice how big of a deal this was until the pandemic hit and we were home all the time. After a few months, I had to get back out and take daily walks. It is good for your health, you get some vitamin D, and it nicely breaks up the day. It is also a great idea to do some workouts at home. Fit on is a great app with free workouts or there is always youtube.
7. Have a Simple Meal Plan, with Fast Go to Meals and Ingredients Always on Hand
Now I am not the biggest fan of meal plans, I prefer to prep two or three proteins, three or four veggies, and starch like pasta, potatoes, and rice at the beginning of each week. I find it more convenient to have them prepped in my fridge to pull together simple meals. When you are a stay-at-home mom you don’t always want to make a full-blown recipe every night or plan a menu for the week. This can be super stressful. I find the simpler the better. Also, a lot of our kids want simple foods so let’s not stress about it.
I was a professional chef for 10 years before my Mom life began. I would love to show you how to prep some amazing food for your family that will free up your time while still putting amazing food on the table every night.
For more info on how to get healthy meals on the table fast… Click here
8. Have Systems in Place to Keep Your House Clean and Organized.
Is your house a mess? A cluttered house is impossible to keep clean regularly. Take the time to look at your home room by room and organize it. Then stick to a weekly cleaning plan to keep it neat and tidy. Let’s be honest, as stay-at-home moms, we are cleaning all the time. But we should strive to have daily tasks, and just as important are weekly tasks so we don’t get swallowed by the workload.
Also, keep in mind that partners and kids should help out with keeping your home clean and organized. They don’t live in a hotel with a maid and room service, they live in a home. Every family member should learn the value of keeping their home clean and respecting the things we own. We are not doing our kids any favors by doing everything for them. One of our main jobs as moms is to teach our children to do things themselves.
9. Make Yourself and Your Marriage a Priority.
Try not to forget who you were before the kids came around. Children should join your world, not the other way around. Play your favorite music, make time to watch your favorite shows, or read your favorite books series. Make sure to schedule date nights for you and your partner. Set the example for your kids from a young age that your marriage is a priority. This is an amazing way to help them learn how to create healthy relationships themselves.
10. Make Mom Friends
And finally, I saved this one for last because honestly, I could never be the mom I am without my Mom tribe. When I first had my son, I did not have any other friends with kids. Playgroups saved me. I was so nervous to go, but having other moms around gave me much clarity. Not only are mom friends great for hanging out with and having playdates but they can be your life raft on days that you are drowning. We are gonna have good days and bad days. No one can help you get through the Mom guilt like other moms. And no one, not even your partner or single friends can understand like another mom that is in the trenches with you.
Savor those friendships. Call them all the time just to check in and say hey. Do you want to fold laundry together? You will be glad that you did!
I hope these 10 Habits of Happy and Organized Stay-at-Home Moms help you enjoy motherhood. I can honestly say that it has been as magical for me as it has for my children!
What are some of the things that keep you happy as a stay at home mom ?
