5 Secrets to Being a Productive Stay-at-Home Mom

A little over a year ago I was still a working mom.  I dreamed of the day I would quit my job to stay at home with my little girl (hard to believe I only had one back then...).  I imagined how clean and organized my house would be when I could stay at home with my sweet little girl and just clean and play all day long.  It would be such a wonderful life!  My house would be so clean!

Boy was I wrong...

If anything my house is messier because we are here all day instead of sending her off to daycare while I went to earn some cash.  To top it off I now have a baby boy adding to the piles of dishes and laundry and toys that need to be taken care of.

In the year I have stayed at home I have had my good days and my bad days.  Some days the house is pretty clean, other days it's a disaster.  I have, however, learned some things about my good days and how to make them happen more frequently. Here are my secrets to being a productive stay-at-home mom.  (you could probably apply some of these to working moms just looking for more order in their homes as well)

#1. Get Dressed.  I'm not going to pretend like you get to shower every morning.  I'm lucky if I can sneak a shower in during nap time or between the kids' bedtime and mine.  However, if you want to be productive as soon as you get out of bed GET DRESSED! I'm not talking throw on your jammies if you sleep naked.  Put on some jeans, throw on a t-shirt, and skip the slippers.  Slippers prevent you from doing things like taking out the garbage or running to the mailbox... anything that you have to go outside for (in my experience at least).  Socks are fine, slippers are a no-no.  If you are dressed and ready to go it is much easier to get up off of your butt after you're done nursing baby or eating breakfast.

#2. Don't turn on the computer/tablet.  Stay off of Facebook, Pinterest, Vine, whatever your technological weakness is.  Once the computer is on it's easy to waste time away... You check one thing, then you remember something else you wanted to look into.  You see a Pin that makes you remember that project you wanted to get done, so you price things.  You see a blog you have to read, then a response to that blog, and you get lost.  Before you know it, it's 4:00 and you have no idea what to make for dinner!

#3. Assign yourself a set of chores each day.  I have a schedule hanging in my kitchen with my designated chores I have to get done each day.  Once my designated chores are done I can do whatever; I can play with the kids, I can read, I can get lost on the Internet, I can get the kids out of the house so they don't make a mess.  I just have to get my chores done.  Do what works for you.  Here's what my schedule is (I did take it from a different blog and tailor it to my needs... unfortunately I can't find the blog to link to it.)  Or, this wonderful lady shares a chore each day to help you get organized on top of things.  Following her may do the trick for you!

#4. Make a meal plan.  Not only will this save you money, but you won't have to sit on Pinterest for hours trying to find a recipe that looks good and you don't have to go to the grocery store for.  You will be able to consolidate shopping trips as well, so you will save time on going to the store every couple of days.  It's an all-around great situation!

#5. Don't be too hard on yourself.  Your house is never going to be spotless... I mean, you do live there!  You can keep it somewhat clean and still give your kids a great childhood by playing with them and giving them good memories.  You're a great mom!  Keep it up!

Last Night I was Bad

Getting married young comes with its own set of challenges.  I am not saying that getting married older is any easier, the challenges are just different.  One challenge that tends to occur more often in young marriages (especially young marriages with children) Is the stress that comes from working your tail of to make ends meet WHILE going to school full-time.  That is where we are right now, and it is not easy for any of us!  I am a stay at home mom, and it is taking its toll out on me as well as my sweet husband who is working full-time and taking 19 (yes.  That's right NINETEEN!) credits trying to graduate so we can move on to the next adventure in our life together.

Since he is at work or school from 7am till 6pm (sometimes later) neither of us really get a break.  He gets home, we eat dinner, we clean up dinner, we get the kids to bed, then we go to bed.  Well.  Last night I was bad.  Instead of going to bed when Hubby did I got in the shower.

It started out innocent.  I was just going to have a quick shower before bed (because you know, being a stay at home mom of a a 3 year old and a newborn means sometimes you don't get to shower unless you do it when they are both asleep).  Then I just didn't get out.  I had the longest most glorious pampering session I have probably allowed myself maybe ever.  I did my nails for the first time since my little man arrived.

After my pampering session I STILL didn't go to bed.  Instead I had a bowl of ice cream while I trolled Facebook and Pinterest.  I looked at cloth diapers for sale and tried to figure out how I am going to afford all of those adorable prints that I just HAVE to have!

I was still in bed by midnight because I am afraid of not getting enough sleep when a moody 3 year old needs me to play with her and take care of her alongside her little brother.

It was a much-needed night of selfish indulgence.  You should try it.

In today's world we are all so busy, and we are trying so hard to be super-mom or super-wife (or maybe super-dad or super-hubby) that we forget to take care of ourselves sometimes.  We are busy trying to make sure our toddlers can read before kindergarten, our families have a home-cooked meal every night; with left-overs for Hubby to take to work the next day, keep our house clean while a tornado is going through it, plus we need to be crafty and creative like *all* the other moms out there.

You deserve to take a night and just have YOU time.  Pamper yourself.  Indulge yourself.  I promise it will be worth it and the next day just might not be so hard.