Are there homemaking secrets we need to know, but aren’t being told?
How often do you look at people and wish you knew the secret sauce as to why they can keep everything at home running without breaking into a sweat?
Well – I’ve put together a list of the 4 main Homemaking secrets I think everyone should know – and they may just make you feel a whole lot better.
Because really – there is NO secret sauce, it’s more your mindset (& a little up front planning) that can make all the difference in the world….
Homemaking Secret #1
The Key Is Creating The Home You Truly Need, Not What You Think You Should Have
How often do you look through Home magazines, Pinterest, TV programmes etc… and feel inadequate when you see how other peoples homes look?
We’re all too quick to judge homes by their looks alone – but we’re missing the point.
The real point is this: –
Your home is YOUR home – and all YOU need to concentrate on is creating one that YOU TRULY NEED rather than one you feel you SHOULD have.
We are fast becoming a nation of cookie-cutter / show home styled homes that may look great, but actually don’t work for us overall.
But – how can you do this? It’s overwhelming to know where to start, so I’ve got a bit of help for you right here.
The first thing I always like to do when sorting out a house is to start by making a plan.
I call it the HOME PLAN (nice and simple, right!).
This plan should be one that works for you and your family’s life – without worrying about what’s ‘right’ or ‘wrong’.
It’s really quite easy when you break it down, but Oh! so effective when it comes to making life easier at home.
When you’ve created your Home Plan you’ll be able to know what goes where, so decluttering and organising, and maintenance, are all simple.
Bliss!
So – if you’re ready to make one of your own – CLICK HERE.
Homemaking Secret #2
Being the Home Boss Rocks!
Your home is something that needs running – just like a business.
And, as with any business that runs well, there’s always a manager that’s leading the way.
It therefore stands to reason that treating your home like it’s own business makes sense to ensure it runs well – and as such I like to think of myself as the HOME BOSS (I may get a T-Shirt made lol!)
Seriously – this can be truly empowering.
I embrace this title happily – and really do love being in charge of my home.
A quick aside here – there’s one important thing to remember – being a HOME BOSS does NOT mean doing it all. It means that you’re the person managing it all, and delegation/outsourcing/automating etc… will be integral to keeping things running smoothly without taking over your life.
And again – just as you would have processes to follow in a business, so too should you have systems in your home that work well.
If you can create systems and routines for those living in your house – to deal with the moving parts of your home – then you will win every time!
It’s all the things like – Chores, Home Maintenance, Meal Planning, Budgeting, Paperwork, Laundry, etc….
Each one needs to work well for your home to run smoothly – and YOU have the power to set up the right systems and routines for that to happen.
One big result of taking charge like this is that you really feel empowered to make decisions, to get things moving, and to enjoy the whole process that bit more.
As time goes on, the energy and work you put in up front will pay dividends overall – and you’ll have more time for other things that you want to do – what could be better than that!
So, embrace the HOME BOSS in you, and see where it takes you….
TIP – Having a Home Management Binder is crucial to running your home more easily. One place for all that info, one place to keep up to date, and one place that everyone can go to for answers. I created my Home File for this very reason, and you can take a look at it here if you want a ready-made solution.
Homemaking Secret #3
Things Get Easier Year After Year
When you have your home looking the way you want it to, and functioning in a way that works for your family, then over time it stands to reason that you’ll have to spend less and less time and energy on maintaining it.
Sounds lovely, doesn’t it!
After all: –
- You know exactly what will work when you need to buy a new item of furniture – because you know your style already
- Your cleaning schedule has been set up, and you just need to check it and tweak as and when things change.
- You have your paperwork system set up and working well so you can find what you need quickly
- Everything has a place in your home – and everyone knows where things go.
- You know that you will be working from home over the next couple of years, and already have space to do it because you’ve set it up that way.
- You’ve stored information for holidays and other specific parts of homemaking so that you know exactly what’s what when you need to look at it.
- You’ve decluttered fully – so each year you just need to do a quick run through of the house to keep on top of it.
It’s true – unless there are any large life changes – things really do get easier year after year.
Homemaking Secret #4
You Only Need To Focus On The Season You’re In Right Now
It’s almost impossible to focus on everything at once when it comes to creating a home life you truly love.
And the good thing is that you really don’t have to do it all at once.
You should only do what your current situation needs.
Let me explain….
Your life has seasons, and with these there will be a natural change in your home life as well.
Depending on your circumstances, you’ll need to focus on different areas of your home life at different times, and some things will be more important than others at each of these times.
HERE ARE SOME EXAMPLES: –
- You’ve recently started a family and have left your job to be a full time homemaker. Embrace becoming the HOME BOSS and setting up new systems and routines that work for your young family. You may well be wanting to concentrate on making the most of the time you (don’t!) have, and streamlining your budget now you have less coming in.
- You’ve started a full time job again now the kids are at school. You will have a home that works pretty well for you, and is styled as you like it, so you’ll probably be focused now on delegating more to others when it comes to chores, and automating things like food shopping and errands etc… because your schedule will have to change around your work hours.
- You’re downsizing now that the kids have left home. At this time you’ll probably be looking to simplify things as much as possible. You’ll be decluttering/curating your stuff – working out what’s most important to you
- You’ve just moved in with your partner, and are bringing 2 homes together. You’ll be concentrating on working out your joint style, and how you want your lives to work together. Creating new systems that work for both of your will be really important.
Each of these seasons has a different priority, and different needs – so you need to understand where you currently are, and be the right homemaker for your home for right now.
It truly IS alright to let some things go, or to deep dive into others, depending on the season you’re currently in.
Give yourself some grace.
Thinking of your home in this way is really freeing, because some things naturally aren’t as important – so you have less overwhelm as a result.
So – thing about where you are in life right now, whether it be a big season or something smaller – and make sure you’re prioritising the things that will make the most difference to you.
I promise you’ll feel great when you get this perspective on things….
There you have it – 4 secrets that I really hope have helped you take stock on your own homemaking, and how to make it easier.
The 4, in summary, are –
#1 – Have a plan for your home that works for YOU
#2 – Embrace being the HOME BOSS
#3 – Know that things get easier each year as you keep going
, and lastly
#4 – Just focus on where you are right now and what needs to be a priority.
So, take a deep breath – you’re doing really well right now – and this perspective should really help you know that!
P.S. Ready to make Homemaking EVEN EASIER? The 10 Essentials every home should have will be the perfect read for you next…
