A glimpse into the home routines of a pro organizer
Right now in my house we are BUSY. And this is a good problem for a small business owner to have, you know?
I’m lucky because my wife cares to bring intention into planning the week. She enjoys preparing for the week ahead on Sundays and being ready for what’s ahead. I used to have the dreaded Sunday blues, and now the routines we’ve established help us stay focused and in alignment with our goals.
Routines like this help us thrive; they bring order and calm into everyday life. They keep us connected and engaged, and also accountable.
Here’s how we’re making it work—most of the time, when we are on top of our game:
A shared digital calendar hung on the wall in a main living space, color coded. Our phones sync to it, so it helps us when we are not together to know the other person’s plans without having to ask.
Overcommunication. We regularly review the week ahead, any changes, any cancellations, any last-minute additions. Sometimes we literally stand in front of the calendar and talk through the week, noticing where we have gaps and free time and how we can best utilize them. We can gently call each other out when one person is overscheduling (lol, it’s me, I do that).
Divided household tasks based on strengths/preferences. I generally don’t like shopping, and as a minimalist and a person with anxiety, Costco is simply NOT for me. My wife proudly takes it on each week, armed with her grocery list and our little honey eager taste the samples. She is much more confident in the kitchen and enjoys making our meals, so she goes in with a plan of what we’ll eat each night. Me? I’ve learned that doing laundry every day significantly reduces the stress and overwhelm of it, and I enjoy knocking it out and putting things away.
We normalize cleanup as part of the closing of the day. The first step of bedtime has always been to put away toys. We do this at hotels and friends’ homes, too. Even from when he was just a baby, we would include him however developmentally appropriate. The same goes for us, too. We have an informal checklist of end of the day tasks that look like
an empty sink
the dishwasher running
counters wiped
coffee prepped for AM
It makes the morning sooooooooo lovely. (Sometimes you forget how nice it is or you take for granted the beauty of this routine. Then you have a night where you just say #%$& it and the next morning, it’s so regretful.)
Gratitude & check-ins. My love language is words of affirmation, and I love practicing gratitude every day. It’s a sincere “Thank you, Babe,” as we eat dinner together, a delicious meal she’s made for us. Or, “Thank you so much!” as she returns home with groceries and helping put them away. But also, checking in to say, “Do you still enjoy being the primary person who makes our dinner? Is there anything I can do to make that better for you?” (The answer the last time I asked this was to put my phone down and focus more on our son so that she was less distracted while cooking; I mean she was right, it was a typical thing for me to check in with clients and do some follow ups in that time—adjusting that routine has made a difference.)
Oooooh, also adding that there isn’t rigidity to our divided tasks. If we are swamped on a Sunday, I’ll offer to go grocery shopping on Monday. Or if she’s getting something from the basement, she’ll move the clothes to the dryer. Teamwork!
We ask for help or say when we are feeling overwhelmed. This is a big one. With my anxiety and my preference for minimalism, I’m usually the one raising my hand saying “please can we do a reset.” (This just happened last night!) There’s no judgment, we just take necessary action together to get us both back into a better place mentally/emotionally. It’s really powerful how a tidy home can provide calm.
I wish for you a more peaceful home. Do you already follow any of these approaches? Are you inspired to make any changes in your routines for smoother days? If you need help getting started, please book a free discovery call: https://calendly.com/consciouslyclearedandcontainedllc/freecall