The Dailies
We all live incredibly busy lives, especially as parents. It always seems to be one thing after another, go go go, a never ending cycle of chaos. We are pulled in all sorts of directions, distracting us from our task at hand, making our to-do lists seem impossible to accomplish. With all of the “in the moment” things to tackle, a list of additional items can feel tedious. Changing diapers, making bottles, nursing, tending to tantrums and continuous “Velcro baby” holding are so consistent, the rest feel like a distant thought.
It can make our days feel less productive. But correction, it is all needed and necessary. You are accomplishing so much by handling all of this within the day. The rest is extra and bonus accomplishments. Never doubt for one moment that tending to your children’s needs all day is anything less than stellar. I fall guilty of sitting down at the end of the day to a pile of dishes or a the living room covered in toys and think to myself that I have done nothing with my day, which is completely false. Being a Mom is hard work and a full time job. We do a lot. If we paid a Nanny or cleaning person to do all that we do, we wouldn’t be doubting their days work, we are just simply unpaid to do it all.
All of this truth aside, there are some daily tasks we can accomplish to make things feel less cluttered or chaotic. Quick tasks that take far less time to do than the amount of time we spend dreading doing them. Things that disguise the crazy day at home with the kids.
Make the Beds – Making the beds polishes off the look of a bedroom. Things might not be in their places throughout the rest of the room, but a made bed makes things look so much tidier. And this doesn’t have to be with ironed sheets or a hundred throw pillows that have been karate chopped in the center to look like a showroom. This can simply be the blankets pulled up to the end of the bed, that’s it!
Dishes – A pile of dishes in the kitchen can make things look worse than they actually are. Try tidying this up after every meal, even within an hour after every meal to clear the sink and counters and give the kitchen a reset, ready for the next.
Empty the Dishwasher – This always seems so much more daunting than it actually is. But it doesn’t have to be. Remind yourself, how quickly this can be done, or have your kids step in and take care of it. Set a timer to see how fast this can be done. Or throw on some music or a podcast to entertain you while completing this.
Clean the Kitchen Sink – A clean kitchen sink just feels right. It shows your efforts in cleaning your dishes or maintaining a hygienic work space to prepare your families meals.
Clean your Water Bottle – We use these every single day, all day long. For our own health, these should be cleaned regularly. Get right in there, especially in those attached straws.
Countertops – Not only are clear counters an awesome feeling, a wiped down counter is even better! Try this at the end of each day, so you can wake up with a fresh slate.
High Traffic Floors – No one likes walking on crumbs. This doesn’t have the be thorough, but give the floors a quick sweep or vacuum, just to remove the bulk of the mess left behind from a busy day.
While this may seem like a tedious list in itself to add to your already overloaded day, it doesn’t have to be. These are just suggestions, things to work toward. Develop a habit out of them, so they become second nature and don’t feel so daunting. The small details matter, and help you out in the long haul. We do so much already, these things, when done regularly, help us with the bigger cleanups at hand. Even one of these tasks done everyday can make a difference. Daily tasks don’t have to add to your workload, but they can certainly help.
Melanie xoxox