Homemaking should be a joyful way to care for yourself and your loved ones. But if you’re anything like me, it can feel overwhelming. It’s not the work itself; it’s that we tie so much of our identity to how clean or organized our homes are. When something doesn’t get done, it’s easy to feel like a failure. Sound familiar?
The truth is, we’re all trying to keep up with impossible standards. Those gorgeous Instagram photos of perfect homes? They’re not the whole story. Real life is messy, and it’s okay to prioritize your mental health over perfection. To help you reduce stress and rediscover the joy in homemaking, I’m sharing some of my favorite tips! From easy cleaning methods to meal-planning hacks, you’ll find it all here.
1. A Mindset Shift to Stress-Free Cleaning
Clean homes aren’t about perfection—they’re about comfort and love. When I switch on my cleaning routine, I focus on caring for my space rather than judging myself. Here’s my favorite quick morning cleaning routine that works wonders on busy days. (You can find my blog post on my entire cleaning routine here and my podcast morning cleaning routine episodes you can listen and clean to here.)
Super Simple 30-Minute Cleaning Routine
- Air your bed: Pull back the covers, and crack the window for 15 minutes. This gets rid of dust mites!
- Start a load of laundry: I have assigned loads of laundry Monday-Saturday (you can find my post on my laundry schedule here.) I even use printable basket tags (get them here) that tell me wash settings and add-ins for each load. I just start one first thing in the morning, and fold/put away at night during my evening routine. (Click here for that)
- Dishes: I unload the dishwasher/put away clean dishes first thing in the morning, and load the dishwasher with any breakfast dishes I may have created.
- Pick up Clutter: I just do a quick clutter pick-up for 5-10 minutes.
- Weekly Task: I have a 15 minute task assigned to each day of the week. Today was a Wednesday, and Wednesday’s task is cleaning out the fridge! You can find my post on my weekly cleaning tasks here.
Some Extra Hacks
Sometimes I have a little extra time in the mornings when I’m unloading the dishwasher, or really on top of clutter. Today was one of those days, so I decided to scrub my sink! Here are some of my fave sink cleaning hacks:
- Shine Your Sink: Scrub it with lemon essential oil, baking soda, and a bit of Castile soap or vegetable glycerin. Rinse, and enjoy the shine!
- Unclog Your Sink Drain: Pour baking soda into the drain, add vinegar, and watch it foam. Follow it up with boiling water.
Both of these are quick wins that make your kitchen feel fresh instantly! You can find more of my non-toxic cleaning recipes here.
2. Meal Planning That Works for YOU
Meal planning doesn’t have to feel like a chore. It can make your life so much easier, especially when you do it in manageable steps. Here are some meal-planning ideas that I swear by—they save time and help me keep my calm in the kitchen. (Psst! This is the meal planning printable I use.)
The Recipe Master List
This is a game-changer! Write down all the meals your family loves and keep the list handy. When it’s time to plan your weekly menu, just pick meals from your “hits” list. This way, you’re not starting from scratch every week.
To keep things fun, plan one “free day” each week where you try a new recipe. It’s a great way to test meals and add new favorites to your recipe list.
Weekly Meal Plan Example
For inspiration, here’s what’s on my menu this week:
- Monday: Bean + Sausage soup and homemade flour tortillas
- Tuesday: Classic “Taco Bell-style” tacos
- Wednesday: Bean Tostadas
- Thursday: Nachos
- Friday: Tortilla soup
- Saturday: Sopes
Having a clear plan like this means fewer decisions during the week—and less stress for me! And since we’re just a family of three (one being a 10 month old!), I like to pick one theme for the week so I don’t waste ingredients. This also cuts down my grocery bills. I’ll make a giant pot of beans on day one (I can freeze some to make them stay good until Saturday!). I’ll be using those beans for the Bean Soup, Bean Tostadas, Nachos, and Sopes. I’ll also make extra Taco meat on “Taco Bell” night. This I’ll also use for Nachos. See what I mean? You can find all of the tools I use for meal planning on my Amazon storefront here. (I make a small commission) And my meal planning printable I use here.
3. Kitchen Tips for Busy (or Distracted) Days
If you’re multitasking like a champ or managing ADHD distractions (hi, that’s me!), these tips will help you clean as you cook without losing focus.
Cleaning Hacks While Cooking
- Unload the Dishwasher First: Have all clean dishes put away BEFORE you start cooking. This way, your counters stay clutter-free.
- Hot Soapy Water: Fill one side of your sink, or a collapsable sink tub with hot soapy water, and scrape then soak dishes as you use them. This way they’ll be ready to go into the dishwasher the second you have a moment to load them.
- Use a Trash Bowl: Keep a collapsible bowl next to you while cooking to collect scraps. Empty it all at once when you’re done.
- Store Leftovers Immediately: Use Tupperware or casseroles with lids so leftovers go directly to the fridge, and cleanup is quicker. I’m talking, when you finish dinner you serve it in the Tupperware. I know it sounds crazy, but this hack makes such a difference!
- Visual Timers: Use a visual timer you can see while cooking. Speed-clean while pasta water boils or food bakes!
These small habits make a big difference, especially if you’ve got little ones running around or find yourself getting distracted. You can find all of the products I use for these hacks on my Amazon Storefront here.
4. Meal Prep Shortcuts to Save Your Sanity
Prepping ingredients ahead of time is a lifesaver. My secret weapon? Meal planning bins! These labeled bins help organize dry and wet ingredients by day, almost like DIY meal kits.
How It Works
- Label bins for each day of the week with your meals (you can use my meal-planning printable that has bin stickers in it!).
- Add the dry ingredients you’ll need to the bins—spices, pasta, dry beans, etc.
- Use reusable Ziploc bags for perishable items. Write the day/meal the go to on them with a dry-erase marker. And keep them in one basket in the fridge to keep them safe from snackers.
For example, if tomorrow’s meal is tacos, your bin might include taco shells, seasoning, and canned goods, while the fridge bags have veggies, cheese, I even pre seasoned the taco meat and put it into a bag I was able to just dump in the crockpot day-of.
Veggie Prep Tip
Prep vegetables all at once to save time later. For lettuce, add a paper towel to the bag to absorb moisture and keep it fresh longer. Label multiple bags if you’re using the same veggies for multiple meals.
5. Budget Grocery Shopping Reality Check
This week, my grocery bill came out to $73.94. The biggest expenses? Pantry staples like bouillon ($9.49) and lard for tortillas ($12.99). Once stocked, though, you won’t need to repurchase these items for a while.
Meal planning and shopping on a budget is all about knowing how to stretch ingredients across several meals. For example, making a batch of beans once can cover tostadas, nachos, and soup for the week.
6. Evening Cleaning Routine—1950s Radio Edition
After the day winds down and dinner is cleaned up (thanks to that hot soapy water waiting in the sink), I love to finish with a calming evening routine. My secret? Timed cleaning tasks set to vintage 1950s radio shows! (You can get some free episodes to listen to here)
Here’s my quick routine:
- Load the Dishwasher: Everyone puts their plates in right after dinner.
- Tidy Up Clutter: High-traffic areas like the kitchen and living room.
- Spot Sweep/Mop the Floors: A quick once-over to catch crumbs, especially if you’ve got crawling kiddos.
- Laundry: Fold and put away that morning’s load of laundry.
- Self Care: Take 5 minutes to do some skin care, shower, journal, or read a book you like.
By keeping it simple and fun, this routine feels more like self-care than work.
Final Thoughts
Homemaking doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Whether you’re meal planning, cleaning, or just trying to keep up with a busy schedule, remember to give yourself grace. Even small wins—like an shiny sink, a prepped meal, or a tidy kitchen—can lift your mood.
If you’re looking for more tools to simplify your week, check out my homemaking printable bundle here, my morning cleaning routine radio shows here, and evening cleaning routine shows here. You’ve got this!
Do YOU have a favorite homemaking tip or hack? Share it in the comments—I’d love to hear from you!