How to set the tone in your home for more happiness, less chaos and peaceful moments with your kids. Tools to help you be a happy mom and stay calm. Plus, keep this set of positive affirmation cards for Mom around to remind you to find the silver linings, even on tiring or tough days.
Get Your Home in Order if you want to be a Calm & Happy Mom
Environment is one of the biggest factors that causes strain on your triggers and makes it easier for anger to rise to the surface.
There are many studies which show that your environment affects your mental state.
Researchers at UCLA conducted a study where they explored the relationship between 32 families and the objects in their homes. It turns out clutter has a profound effect on mood and self-esteem.
They found:
- The more stuff we have, the more stress women feel.
- The higher the pile of dishes in the sink, the more anxious women feel.
- Clutter creates feelings of guilt (“I should be more organized”) and embarrassment, especially when others unexpectedly drop by our homes or work spaces.
- Clutter inhibits creativity and productivity by invading the open spaces that allow most people to think, brain storm, and problem solve
When your mind is cluttered, you simply can’t function because you can’t keep things straight, are battling feelings of anxiety, and there’s no way to calm down.
Here are 5 helpful tips for managing your home and putting more order into your life, to be a happier Mom!
1. Keep a Routine to Contain the Chaos of Raising Kids
Kids thrive with consistency and when things are going smoothly for them, there are inevitably less power struggles, tantrums and big emotions you need to navigate like dangerous land mines.
Children love when their day is predictable which means wake-up, bedtime, sleep times and meal times all need to fall at the same time day in, and day out.
Predictability gives children safety and confidence to transition from one activity to the next, without a tantrum or power struggle.
Try this for Easier Routines:
- We use these printable routine cards for boys and girls with all three of my kids and it’s made a complete transformation in our home and with better behavior.
- Print them out, (laminate if you have access), arrange the cards in the order of your day and let your child basically walk themselves through your daily routine without any reminders of what comes next.
- The best part about using printable routine cards?
They help kids learn to follow routine all on their own, so there’s no nagging or reminding them of what comes next and in time, promotes independence and self-management.
Need help mastering your routine? The Routine Bundle has an enormous amount of resources to get you on track and incentivize following a routine, while promoting independent, confident and rested children who naturally flow through their days.
That’s a win-win for parents!
2. Clear Your Mind & Home of Clutter
Need Help with a realistic way to manage and organize your home? My friend Hilary has an insanely helpful class called The Organized Home which will take you room by room with practical organization steps, and the best part? Less cleaning and clutter in the long run!
Minimalism is having a hot moment right now (side note… have you tried the Marie Kondo method yet? I literally got rid of 10 bags of clothes in one day) not only because people realize material objects are not a path to authentic happiness but because being surrounded with less has been shown to reduce stress, create a deeper appreciation for what you already have, and calm the chaos of raising a family.
Now, I’m not suggesting you grab 30 extra-large trash bags and haul your stuff to the nearest thrift store, but you should take proactive steps to streamline many areas of your environment for more peace and calm.
Clutter creates stress and when you’re constantly surrounded by it, it festers and eats away at your good mood and makes insignificant stuff, feel bigger than it is.
Twice a year I like to do a major purge.
This means, I go room-by-room through the house and get rid of everything we don’t use, don’t need, doesn’t fit or is broken. I donate what I can and throw away the rest.
I can feel the weight lifted off my shoulders when there is less in our house which also means less to pick up and less to clean. It’s a win-win, my friend.
Here is a Decluttering checklist and calendar to help you declutter
3. Streamline Your Daily Schedule
Just like overscheduling kids and not having enough free play is bad for their development, so is over scheduling your own time.
Go look at your calendar right now and pick three things to say no to this month. Politely back out of extra obligations you aren’t all in for, or the dinner you would rather have at home in pajamas after the kids are in bed.
Use the mantra, “unless it’s a hell yes, it’s a hell no” to help you narrow down what’s most important.
Go with your gut!
Value your time and say yes for the things you are excited about and want to do, not the things you feel obligated doing.
Related: Make Over Your Mornings for More Calm & a Streamlines Home in 14 Days
4. Make Sure Everyone is on the Same Page to Remove Confusion
If you prefer to use your phone to keep your family in sync, the Cozi Family Planner is my favorite and the best FREE app for family organization and keeps everything organized in one simple place.
You can add kid’s activities, your work meetings and events, personal stuff, date night, even what you’re having for dinner every night of the week – all in one place.
Plus, did I mention it’s free and makes live with little ones way more organized, and less overwhelming.
Sign up to create a free account, upload all your details and download the app to your phone and you’ll see everything synched in one place. Easy, right?
5. Meal Prep on the Weekends for the Entire Week
Meal prepping is a lifesavers at our house!
Every Sunday, I carve out time to figure out what groceries we need for meals during the week, head to the grocery store to stock up and take 30 minutes to make on-the-go snacks and plan lunches for school.
I love to meal prep breakfasts so the mornings are rushed and stressful. Egg cups and waffles that I make and freeze to pop in the toaster and easy and favorites with my kids.
If I know we’re going to be busy during the week, I will also meal prep dinners so I can toss them in a pot to simmer or throw them in a crockpot before heading out the door in the morning.
I like to use snack size bags and create snacks the kids can easily grab after school or throw in their backpacks for the bus ride home. Here are some ideas:
- Peeled cutie oranges
- Sliced grapes or strawberries (I stay away from bananas and apples that brown)
- Carrots
- Celery and peanut butter or cream cheese
- Peanut Butter and crackers
- Dried fruit like banana chips, mango, apricots and berries (I make my own using a dehydrator so there’s no added sugar and the fruit is organic. It also worked great for making your own beef jerky and other dried foods.)
I like to meal prep as much as I can and have healthy snacks on hand so I’m less likely to fall off the bandwagon and turn to unhealthy alternatives or delivery for dinner.
What else do you do to keep your home and mind in order to be a happy Mom?
Need a little extra help to stop yelling or be a happier Mom? Here’s two FREE Courses that will help you turn things around and find more joy!
Happy Mom, Happy Family Resources:
- 6 Positive Parenting Techniques to Use Rather Than Yelling
- 6 Steps to Handle Backtalk & Peacefully Discipline Children
- New Ideas to Help You Practice Calm Parenting & Stop Yelling When You Feel Mad
- Makeover Your Mornings: A Simple Routine to Get More Done In Less Time
- Instant Ways to Stop Being Overwhelmed by Motherhood
- How to Clean a Messy House Fast When You’re Overwhelmed by the Mess
- How to Make Your House Smell Amazing Especially When You Have Kids & Pets
