What if I told you that, despite your busy schedule, home management can help you manage your hectic life better?
Yup, you read that right!
It is possible to have the best of both worlds: to be a mother while also having some freedom.
All you need are some pretty cool home management tricks (and a cup of espresso for your break).
But first, what exactly is ‘home management’?
It is defined by Law Insider as activities normally performed by a homemaker for the maintenance of a home’s essential services, including but not limited to meal planning, shopping, and bill paying.
This means that how you do anything and everything in your home matters in terms of giving you that extra bit of time and peace of mind.
To get you started, here are five home management hacks that will allow you busy mums to “have your cake and eat it too”!
Bulk-buy, Shop Less
Look around the house and make a list of items that you can buy in bulk.
Stocking up on long-lasting items allows you to save time from frequent shopping.
Some common household items that would be ideal for bulk purchasing include:
- Toiletries with no expiration dates and that can be easily stored, such as toothbrushes, toilet paper, razors, pads/panty liners, and deodorant.
- Cleaning supplies that are always used, like laundry detergent, dish soap, wet wipes, trash bags, kitchen towels, and sponges.
- Groceries that can be stored for a long time or run out quickly, such as coffee, sugar, salt, flour, canned fruits, canned food, grains, and nuts.
- Food storage items like Ziploc bags, aluminium foil, and containers.
Buying food and household items in bulk is also a frugal strategy.
Bulk purchases are usually discounted. However, keep the price per unit in mind.
It also helps to keep track of your expenses and have a sort of home inventory.
Effortless Meal Planning
Meal planning can make your life much easier during the hectic weekday schedule.
You will not only save time and money, but you will also be able to choose a healthier menu and portion size.
So, how do you go about doing this?
Here are some ideas:
- Set aside time each week, preferably on the weekend, to prepare a weekly meal plan.
- Use ingredients you already have on hand and plan to use leftovers.
- Cooking in bulk or batch cooking by combining a few ingredients to make a variety of meals for the week
- Divide food into smaller meal prep portion sizes, which is great for calorie reduction.
- Each week, try at least one new recipe, and don’t forget to include your favourites.
- Look for fast home-cooked meals to save time in the kitchen.
When you plan your meals for the week ahead of time, you won’t have to spend hours cooking every day.
All you have to do is take your prepared meal from the fridge, reheat it, and voilà, the food is ready.
Shared Calendar Apps FTW
With so much going on in the house, at work, and keeping track of everyone’s schedule, it’s easy to get lost in the process.
But thanks to advancements in technology, you can now share your calendar app with anyone in your house who has a mobile phone.
The shared calendar app can serve as your family’s organiser, recording each family member’s schedule.
Include all important dates and times, such as meetings, appointments, deadlines, school events, and even family vacations.
Then, set reminders to ensure that no schedule is missed and that everyone stays on track.
Aside from being able to visualise your schedule, there are fewer things to remember off the top of your head.
Thus, less stress.
Declutter and Donate
Did you know that clutter can be detrimental to your mental health?
According to Psychology Today, clutter causes stress in part due to the abundance of visual stimuli. It also sends a message to our brains that our work is never done, leading to feelings of guilt, anxiety, and overwhelm.
Therefore, making decluttering habits at home, and even in life, can be beneficial.
This means you’ll have more space at home and a more comfortable environment in which to complete tasks efficiently.
If you’re having trouble decluttering, start small.
Choose an item that you haven’t used in over a year but is still in good condition to let go.
You might be surprised to learn that someone actually requires the item.
Other ways to get started with your decluttering routine include:
- Dedicate 10 to 30 minutes at a time to declutter
- Make a list of which spaces to declutter and clear one at a time (i.e., kitchen cabinet, shoe cabinet, wardrobe, and so on).
- Fill an entire trash bag with unwanted or unused items to donate.
- Donate clothes that you and your family haven’t worn in a few months.
- Take before and after pictures for self-satisfaction (be proud of your decluttering progress!)
- Try the four-box decluttering method: Discard Box, Donate Box, Keep Box, and Storage Box.
Do What’s Best for You
If you want to ace as a professional as well as a mum, you must strike a good work-life balance.
What you define as ‘good’ is entirely up to you.
Don’t let other people tell you how to live your life. Or how you should handle your home and family.
Sometimes you simply have to let go of society’s expectations of what and how a good mother ought to function.
What matters is that you are doing your best to navigate the worlds of work and motherhood.
As mums, there are likely times when you don’t want to think about housework and instead want to take the kids out for some fun.
Don’t feel bad or guilty. It’s okay.
Perhaps you are too tired to cook and prefer to order takeout or food delivery for the day? That’s okay, too.
Or you just want to watch a movie marathon and put off doing laundry until next weekend. That’s definitely okay.
If taking a break from routine tasks and prioritising family or personal time can improve your mental clarity and concentration, feel free to do so.
You. Do. Just. That.
Don’t worry about the naysayers. You’ve got this, mummies!
Final Note: Now that you have these hacks to make your life easier and less stressful, it’s time to relax and enjoy some real cake!
For more insightful stories and fun recipes, stay tuned to Motherhood Story!