Homemaking Tips / FAQ

I’ve been blogging for a LONG time – and I’ve done so many live videos that I sometimes feel like is no possible way I’ve got something to share that I haven’t already told y’all! And yet, one of the most common things you ask me to talk about more is homemaking tips. Well…I’m still a work in progress, but I have learned a few things that I’m happy to share. So…let’s dive in to some things I’m commonly asked about homemaking.

Q: I’m finding it hard to balance homemaking and homeschooling. How can I balance the competing demands as a homemaker, homeschooler, wife, mom, etc.?

A: What I’ve finally come to learn is (and I have to tell myself this every day!) I cannot do everything well at the same time! I have to pick something to focus on, do well at it, and then move on to the next thing. Take homeschooling as an example: when it’s homeschooling time – I don’t worry about the dirty floor or cleaning the toilet. I just can’t worry about that. I used to try to give the kids something to do for school and then I’d go do some chores. I’d get annoyed they needed my help while I was off cleaning the toilet! Now I know that when it’s school time, I do school. When it’s homemaking time, I do that. I have to focus on one thing at a time! The only exception is that I might get a batch of bread going and then focus on working with Annie on her school work. You must prioritize!

I always used to think I was an extremely awesome multi-tasker. Come to find out – I am terrible at it! When I multi-task too many things, I realize I am not doing anything well. I am doing everything halfway. When I try to do it all right at the same time, I end up doing nothing well. Don’t be too hard on yourself, but find a set of routines that work for you, prioritize them, and get ’em done! I talk a lot about this in my online home management course, if you’d like to learn more.

Q: What are your top three suggestions for how to be a biblical homemaker?

A: 1. Bible and quiet time for you.

This is so hard as a mom! More often than not, you don’t think you have the energy for prayer and Bible time – and if you’re like me, you fall asleep if you close your eyes for too long! Right now, if my kids are doing reading time, I have my Bible. I also do Bible journaling, which helps me to focus on Scripture.

2. Bible time for your kids.

We do family reading time together at night before bed. This doesn’t have too be long – even 5 minutes is good! Don’t overdo it. Aim low, don’t stress when you’ve got young kids. Better done than perfect in my book.:)

 3. Surround yourself with the word and music – scripture and hymns.

We have Bible verses all over the house. We have them on our walls in every room. I have covered our home with scripture so it’s always there for us to see. In the same way, surround yourself with good quality hymns and music.

Q: I hate cleaning my bathroom – especially the shower! What do you suggest?

A: One homemaking tip that applies in A LOT of areas is to not over complicate things! The only two cleaning products I use are E-cloth and a plant-based household cleaner. E-cloth has a product called universal stone. It’s literally just a stone of natural soap. It’s hard as a rock. You wet your cloth or brush, get a little soap on it and then scrub. One bar will last me almost a year. I use it to clean the shower and sinks. It works like a charm! The plant-based cleaner I use because it is safe to use on just about every surface (including floors, counters, sinks/tubs, toilets, etc.). It has replaced virtually every other cleaner I ever used to use.

Q: How can I make my house feel more like a home?

A: This isn’t as much one of my homemaking tips as it is a home decor tip. Make your house pretty!  Make it feel like home for YOU. Find things that make you feel happy and take the time to put things in your home that are important to you. That also means to get rid of the things that don’t bring you joy. Just because you have furniture and things hanging on the wall doesn’t mean they should be there. As your budget allows, fill your rooms and your walls with things you love, and get rid of all the other crap! You spend too much time in your home not to make it YOUR space.

I don’t currently live in my dream house. And trust me, I could complain about all the things I don’t like about where we live. Instead, I took the time to make it home for me and my family. I encourage you to do the same with yours!

Q: What gives you energy to get everything done? You always seem like you have lots of energy!

A: This question really has two parts. First, while I may seem like I’ve got tons of energy – I promise you I don’t! I’ve got small kids and like the rest of y’all, I don’t get as much sleep as I should. I do take a couple different supplements that help give me energy. My two favorites are a Super B vitamin and a quick shot of Ningxia Red. But to be completely honest, sometimes that’s not enough! When I really need a boost, I take a BRIEF afternoon nap. I sometimes will lie down on the couch and rest for about 15-20 minutes. There is no shame in the nap game!

And as far as the second part of that question goes, it is no secret that I am goal-driven. I am a productivity junkie. I know I’ve told you that before. One of the things I do to help keep me on track and help me stay focused is make lists of the things that I need to get done each day. To help me stay focused, I never over-do the list and stick to putting three things that I HAVE to get done on it. If you feel confident, you can add a few other small things on your list. When you are first starting out, it’s best if your, “I have to get this done or the walls are going to fall in,” is limited to no more than three.

Q: I struggle with sticking to routines. I seem to be productive one day, then useless the next. Help!

The first answer here is from my “school of hard knocks” homemaking tips – sometimes this is just a discipline issue. Adulting is hard. Sometimes you just need to put your big girl panties on and do it. If you have a job to do and a family to take care of, then you need to be productive and take care of your family whether you feel like it or not.

My second answer is – the gentler answer – is that maybe you ARE being too hard on yourself. Maybe you’re better suited to go hard one day and relax the next. Maybe this is your sweet spot! If you are getting enough done on the first day, I think it’s okay. But if you feel like you are falling behind, you need to revisit your routines (and priorities) and see what else might work so you can operate in your sweet spot.

I could keep going on this topic, but I’ll save that for a future post. Here’s my challenge to you: post your absolute best homemaking tip in the comments so we can all benefit!