Getting behind happens because life happens. Don’t be too hard on yourself. Once things are behind it is easy to put things off and get much more behind because it’s so overwhelming. It’s also easy to have this circumstance skew your mindset on homemaking.
Thinking things like you have so much to do all the time it’s exhausting. While that may be true to an extent making a temporary problem a permanent mindset is harmful to you. If you are drowning in stuff to do, you are feeling overwhelmed by your space or life circumstances, or maybe your mindset towards what you do and your home is not where it needs to be click here to learn about cultivating a heart of gratitude.
Write it down
take time to write down everything you want done. Categorize it by things a part of your normal schedule. Projects you need to tackle, and things you can’t do right now or need help on. Seeing what needs done visually and not having it all floating up in your head with help keep your mind at ease.
If it’s a part of your daily routine like cleaning you don’t need to get it all done right now. Continue to follow your normal routine to get it done without burning yourself out. If it’s a project you need to tackle see what you need to do to get the task done. If you have clutter building up making it hard to complete your normal routine in a timely manner you will want to include this in your project category. If you need help or can’t complete something right away take some time to figure out what you need to complete these tasks and an idea of when you can do so. This way you can get it crossed off your list when possible and it doesn’t stay on the list of things to do forever.
Take a day and tackle the big stuff
Spending a day or even a few days doing much more than you usually do will make it so you can get back to your normal schedule much sooner. Seeing the light at the end of the tunnel instead of thinking this is going to be your new reality forever whether it’s a messy home, a cluttered mind, or having a lot more tasks to complete throughout the day to stay afloat.
If you have clutter piling up, chores you got behind on, or projects you need to start or finish take these days to tackle these tasks. Maybe you have all of these and other things you need to do. Try and tackle them.
During these days you don’t have to prioritize your other household duties just focus on the big projects and get back to your routine the next day or the day after you finish your projects. Don’t juggle too many things at once, but do all that you can do to bring your home back together.
For things you can’t complete just yet maybe do the planning so that when you have the time, money, help, etc. you are fully prepared to begin those projects.
Once you get started and begin seeing what a difference your efforts are making it will help you stay motivated to get back on track.
Ask for help
Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Maybe you need or want someone to help you tackle the big stuff. You may need someone to watch your kids while you tackle the projects to get back into your normal routine or make it easier. There are so many things you may need or want help for, ask for it.
Getting help when needed can help lead to less burnout, getting things done more efficiently, etc. If you ever feel like having help would be useful try and find it. You may have to get creative and it may cost some money if you don’t have anyone in your circle that can help. Things like hiring a babysitter, a cleaner, or an organizer may be helpful to you and your family if you need the help and have the funds.
If you want help and don’t want to spend money and you don’t have help from your circle try tackling projects while your kids sleep or at times you don’t normally prioritize getting things done. Get creative on what you could use help on and how you can make it easier for yourself to do.
We all need help, if you never ask the people around you won’t know how they can help you and support you best.
Downsize
Having too many things or too much clutter may be leading you to the never-ending cycle of having too much to do to take care of your home properly. You may go through and organize everything, but if you have too much stuff it’s going to pile up and make clutter visually or mentally.
Get rid of the trash in your home, things you don’t use, things you have too much of, etc. There’s always something in your home you can simplify to reduce the clutter and overwhelm.
There are so many ways you can reduce visual clutter. It may even be the way you’re decorating. Try to take in your space when you are feeling overwhelmed to see what is making the feeling amplified. If you notice anything try and fix the problem.
Be purposeful in what you bring in
Whether you downsized your home or not. If you haven’t been mindful of what you are bringing in is going to be so helpful to do so to not get back to this place of overwhelm.
Take a look around your home to see what you should buy for your home if you are going to buy anything and what you don’t need. When you go shopping keep in mind what you noticed so that you are only bringing in what would be helpful for your home.
If you tend to bring in lots of things throughout your day that is actually trash. Instead of setting it down to go through later, go through it right away. Get rid of the trash and put away everything else. Trash and clutter can build up quickly when you aren’t being intentional about what you are bringing into your home.
Create systems
Take note of what your home struggles with or the functions it has and find a system for it.
I’ve really focused on having the home run much better to make it easier for me and to get rid of the clutter. I now have a wall file organizer for papers and mail we bring in. This has been so helpful in keeping the papers off of my kitchen counter. Having a spot for things that will always be coming into our home is so beneficial. It’s so simple, but those are the things that typically don’t get a home in your space and creates never ending clutter.
Maybe your coats, shoes, and bags are getting places wherever throughout your home. Finding. A spot for these things that are constantly being used and being brought in and out of your home will help you lower your clutter. Find a spot and a system that works for you and your family and stick to it.
Creating systems may take some time to adjust to and take some time getting everyone else in the home on board, but it’s so worth it to have a well-functioning home. Be willing to adjust the systems until it’s a perfect fit if they don’t seem to be working quite right for your home.
Teach others
Sometimes the home doesn’t function well because you either didn’t communicate the way the home is organized, how it runs, or things you have changed. Due to this, it’s easy to become resentful, do everything yourself, pick up the slack of others, etc. It may feel like everything falls on your shoulders because others don’t know they should be doing it.
Take the time to explain to your family everything you need to. Teach them how to do things the way you’d like them to complete tasks and what you expect of them. Communication can go a long way to help everyone do their part in keeping up with taking care of your home.
Just like asking for help, you can’t do it all on your own so teach others in your home how to do things and give them tasks that are their responsibility to keep up with.
How are you going to help your homemaking when overwhelmed and behind?
Have you looked around and taken note of what you can do to help yourself? It’s going to be different for everyone on what it looks like to get to a place you feel good in. You may have to adjust a lot of the household functions, downsize a lot, or just get a good clean in. Whatever it is try and make an effort to do what’s needed for you. Feeling overwhelmed is not a state anyone wants to be in for long. Sometimes all it takes is intentionally looking for the problem and trying your best to change it.
Getting behind and becoming overwhelmed will happen, but having the tools to get out of it is important!
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