8 Habits to Simplify Your Life as a Homemaker

These hidden stress traps could be stealing your peace and joy in homemaking—and many are disguised as beautiful, well-meaning concepts.

Today, I’m sharing 8 habits I use to simplify my life as a homemaker and why you might want to adopt them too.

1. Rethink the 1,000 Hours Outside Challenge

The first stress trap to avoid is the 1,000 Hours Outside challenge. Hear me out.

Before having my third baby, my two older kids and I spent hours outside effortlessly. But after welcoming my third, going outside became a stressor. No matter how prepared I was, the outings were chaotic: the baby was hungry, my toddler would fall in the mud, and I felt torn between stress and guilt. I eventually realized: Nobody is loving this right now. So, we snuggled by the fire and read stories instead.

I love the idea of spending time outdoors. But sometimes, certain seasons call for adjusting our expectations. True joy doesn’t depend on sunshine; it can live within the four walls of your home.

Your Turn: Are you in a season where 1,000 hours outside is blessing your family, or is it adding stress and guilt? Let me know in the comments!

2. Empower Your Children

The second stress trap to avoid is doing everything for your children—especially things they’re perfectly capable of doing themselves.

I used to do everything for my eldest, often because it was quicker or I wasn’t aware of his capabilities. Then, I heard this wisdom: Don’t do anything for your children that they can do themselves.

Now, I empower my kids with this family motto: You were made to do hard things. When they prove they can handle something, I let them do it—even if it’s slow or imperfect. With encouragement and practice, they gain confidence, and I lose unnecessary stress.

3. Simplify Kids’ Wardrobes

A major stress trap is keeping too many clothes for your kids.

Here’s my solution: I keep fewer clothes and make sure everything matches. That way, when my kids dress themselves, I know their outfits will work. This not only simplifies the morning routine but also gives them freedom while sparing me unnecessary battles over mismatched outfits.

4. Teach Habit Stacking

It’s exhausting to constantly remind kids of every little task they need to do. The solution? Teach them habit stacking.

Habit stacking connects a new habit to an existing one, making it easier to adopt. For instance, I wanted my eldest to:

1. Get dressed for the day,

2. Make his bed,

3. Fill water bottles,

4. Transfer laundry, and

5. Sit down for breakfast.

We started with getting dressed before the sound machine light turned green. Once that habit was solid, it triggered making the bed, and so on. Now, mornings run smoothly, and I have time to focus on breakfast.

5. Anchor Your Day with Fun

It’s not all business around here. To keep us motivated, I use daily anchors—fun activities we all look forward to.

For us, anchors include meal times, tea time with a snack, or quiet pack-and-play time for the little ones. Each day’s anchor keeps us on track and gives us something to enjoy together.

6. Stop Catering to Picky Eaters

Mealtimes don’t have to be stressful. Here’s the deal: I don’t cater to picky eaters.

My kids eat what we’re having, and they understand that mealtimes are the time to eat. Snacks are minimal in our home, which helps my kids eat better at meals and prevents food from becoming an idol in their lives. Simplifying our food routine has been a game-changer.

7. Streamline Toy Management

Most families would benefit from getting rid of 99% of their toys. But if that’s too extreme, here’s what I do:

I separate toys into bins, each with a manageable amount. Only one bin is out at a time, and noisy toys are reserved for special occasions. Open-ended toys like blocks stay out regularly, encouraging creativity without overwhelming cleanup.

This system also keeps toys fresh and exciting while reducing clutter and stress.

8. Create Systems That Work for Your Home

If you’re overwhelmed trying to create systems like these, my Transformed Homemaker Society course is here to help. It provides step-by-step guidance to help you reclaim your time, reduce stress, and thrive in your homemaking journey.

Take my free 7-day homemaking workshop to start transforming your home today!

Thanks for joining me today—it was such a joy to have you!