HOME SWEET HOME! Ahhh…such wonderful, comforting, words. We all want that safe, cozy, “it’s-good-to-be-home” feeling when we walk in the door. We want to look around and see our rooms, fresh and clean, nice and tidy, filled with beauty and smelling like peach pie baking, right?
Oh but…there’s that pile of laundry that’s been getting bigger by the minute.
- And you’ve looked high and low for a pair of scissors and some tape to wrap that gift for your child’s teacher (knowing you have 7 pairs of scissors in the house somewhere! Oh for goodness sake!)
- The garage really, really, really, needs to be cleaned out, and there doesn’t seem to be a good time to do it. So it weighs heavy on your mind.
- You didn’t sleep very well last night.
- The dishwasher is making a wierd sound. May have to call the repair man.
- There’s a mouse in the house. (eek!)
- The kids are cranky.
- You have to bake 5 dozen cookies for a bake sale.
- You’re worried about a loved one.
- It’s that time of the month or those hot flashes keep coming and you have 5 more years to go with those. :/
- You feel overstretched and worn out.
- You don’t feel understood or appreciated.
- And oh and by the way, you forgot about your dentist appointment yesterday. :/
That’s enough to make a mama a little flustered, crabby and overwhelmed. Been there, done that, got the T-shirt.
We know how that old saying goes “If Mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy”…well that is so true! It’s because we are the nest builder. We set the tone in the home. A happy Mama makes a happy home. A crabby mama makes…well…she makes a home upset. Our little chickies follow our lead. Happy, sad, angry or content. Proverbs 14:1 says, “A wise woman builds her home, but a foolish woman tears it down with her own hands.”
As a Mama of four, I’ve experienced all of the challenges above. But throughout the years I’ve learned that in order to create our “home sweet home” it starts with the Mama. Mama needs to get happy. But the question is, how do we find and keep our joy when each day brings so many challenges?
Here are 5 tips that will help you keep the “Sweet” in Home Sweet Home:
1. Prepare the night before:
- Get things ready for tomorrow. Clothes, papers, homework, backpacks, & lunches. Make a to-do list for the next day. Put a star by the three of the most important things you really need to get done. In the summertime make a to-do list for your kids too, this can include chores, projects, reading and fun things too.
- I review my daily planner each night so I know what appointments I might have. Writing things down goes a long way to relieving stress. Trying to remember everything we need to do in our head is draining, it creates a gnawing feeling that we are forgetting something and sometimes we do! (ugh!)
- Prepare your home for tomorrow’s sweet success by making sure the kitchen is clean (waking up to last nights dirty dinner dishes in the sink will not add sweetness to your day). Start the dishwasher and plan to empty it in the morning, so any dirty dishes throughout the day can go right back into the dishwasher.
- Before bedtime, set your timer for 15 minutes and do a quick tidy-up around your house. If you have kids at home, do this with them. Put on fun music and make it a game of beat the clock!
- Prepare for bedtime an hour before you go to bed. Wash your face, brush teeth, jammies on, dim lights. Once you’re in bed think of one wonderful thing that happened that day to thank the Lord for. Sweet dreams.
2. Start the day in quiet prayer.
- Go to the Lord with a thankful heart.
- Ask Him to give you wisdom and strength for the day.
- Tell your Heavenly Papa all about your worries and cares. “Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully.” 1 Peter 5:7
- Trust God to help you. Rely upon Him.
- My goal is to get up at 5:30 AM to spend time with God (although sometimes, if I didn’t sleep very well the night before, I give myself grace and get a little more rest, then I grab my prayer basket and have my little talk with Jesus).
- During my quiet time I’ll get a tall glass of water then read God’s Word and write in my journal…things God is speaking to my heart.
- I use The Daily Walk Bible (Affiliate) It offers a simple daily reading plan that enables you to read the Bible in a year. I love that it gives a short overview and commentary before you read the scripture passage so you’ll have better understanding and perspective to apply it to your life. I can’t even tell you how much I’ve learned and grown spiritually using this system. The pages are dated and it starts in January, but I don’t pay attention to the dates, because if you skip a day or two you’ll feel like you’re too far behind to catch up. The dates don’t matter. What matters is reading God’s Word. When we put the Lord first, the rest will be blessed. Sweet!
“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Matthew 6:33
3. Live the Golden Rule: “Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you.This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets.” Matthew 7:12.
- Be the kind of Mama you would like to have if you were a little girl again. This takes some purposeful thought. Create the kind of home they feel cherished in. Warm, loving, and safe emotionally and physically.
- We need to speak to our children with words of encouragement. Even when we must dicipline them, we can do so firmly but kindly.
- Take time to have fun with your kids.
- Point out the things you love about them.
- Let them know what talents and gifts God has blessed them with.
- We are creating memories for them…good or bad.
- Think of things you can do as a family to help others.
- Treat your hubby the way you would like to be treated.
- Speak to him with words of appreciation and respect.
- Kiss, hug, and hold hands as often as you can.
- Be sweet to him.
- Be a blessing.
“Where you invest your love, you invest your life.” ~unknown
4. Organize something: Everytime I clean out a closet or a cupboard I always go back and look at it several times that day. It just makes me feel so happy that I finally got it done and it looks so good!
- Even if it’s just one drawer, or one shelf. Set your timer for 15 minutes. You’ll be so surprised what you can do in 15 minutes!
- It will give you a wonderful and sweet sense of accomplishment.
- You’ll be able to find things when you look for them! Now that’s sweet!
- Turn off the TV and put some music on before you get started.
- Sometimes I’ll get my organizing-juices flowing by purchasing something to organize with, like a couple of bins, trays, jars, buckets, new file folders, etc. Then I can’t wait to get home and get started.
- Take everything out of the drawer or off the shelf. Everything. It won’t work well if you just shift things around. Wipe clean the space. Then, only put back what goes there and just what you need.
- Simplify. Get rid of excess stuff. (I’m preaching to the choir here…I’m working on it!)
5. Take care of your body and give yourself grace (favor, approval, blessing):
- Drink plenty of water. Dehydration causes headaches, fatigue, high blood pressure, digestive disorders, weight gain and a bunch of other problems. First thing in the morning drink a tall glass of water, then continue throughout the day.
- Move. Walk. Stretch. Exercise. It makes your brain, muscles, heart, lungs, and bones stronger. Without exercise they become weaker. “Move it or lose it” as they say. Exercise lifts your mood too. Click here and Read this for an eye opening perspective.
- Giving grace to yourself means to be your own best friend (or be you’re own loving and encouraging mama). That means talk to yourself the way a friend would talk to you. Not with words of disgust and disappointment. But with words of encouragement and hope!
- Forgive yourself and forgive others quickly. Don’t hold any grudges. Give grace to others. Remember the Golden Rule!
- Giving yourself grace does not mean you can have a pity-party. Feeling sorry for yourself will only cause you to feel blue and unhappy. Instead, count your blessings. Think about what you’re thankful for. You can’t be grateful and feel sorry for yourself at the same time. Thankful people are happy people.
- Know that no one, and I mean no one, can take your place. You are lovable, beautiful and a blessing. Tell yourself “if I were any peachier I’d be a pie!” :D
- You don’t have to be perfect (who is??).
- Smile! Even if you don’t feel like it. It actually affects you physically in a good way. The simple act of smiling sends a message to your brain that you’re happy. It releases endorphines which give you a feeling of well being. Not to mention that your smile makes others feel good too.
- Make time to do those things that you love! Have something to look forward to. Treat yourself! Be sweet to dear, adorable, you!
“Have courage and be kind” ~ Cinderella’s Mama
These tips are standards to live up to. They are choices that must be made daily. They won’t necessarily happen on their own. We must be intentional. Every. Single. Day. And when things fall apart and we don’t do the things we meant to do, or wanted to do, so what? We have a fresh start tomorrow. No big deal! But we should do our best to live our best life. John Maxwell says, “You will never change your life until you change something you do daily. The secret of your success is found in your daily routine.”
It’s so easy to live in survival mode, haphazardly responding to things that arise throughout the day. It’s “Putting out fires” so to speak, but not really living intentionaly. It’s easy not putting in the effort, but it makes our life much more difficult later, in our home, relationships, emotionally and physically.
Then we wonder why we’re not getting anything accomplished. Why our home-life is not sweet. It’s because we didn’t set a standard for what we want in life. How we want our life to be. How we want our home to look (clean and organized) and feel (cozy and cheerful) when our family walks in the door. We wonder why life feels so chaotic and hard. We need to make a plan (and stick to it) to create the kind of home our family loves to be. When we do, we can be sure that we won’t miss out on the joy and satisfaction of our work well done at the end of the day.
- You know that feeling when your family has gathered around the table for supper for the nutritious meal you prepared and there’s laughter and good converstation.
- Then the kids are bathed, kissed and all snug, safe and sound in their beds.
- The dishwasher hums as you turn off the kitchen light, smiling with sweet contentment that you’ll be greeted in the morning with a fresh, cheery kitchen.
- The things you need for tomorrow are laid out for the next day.
- You take one more gleeful peek at the pantry you organized earlier that day with a happy sigh.
- And as you pitter-patter off to bed with a grateful heart you’re feeling blessed that even with the challenges of the day, some good things happened.
- And Tomorrow is a new day with a fresh start.
- Life is good.
“So let’s not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good. At the right time we will harvest a good crop if we don’t give up, or quit. Right now, therefore, every time we get the chance, let us work for the benefit of all, starting with the people closest to us in the community of faith.” Galatians 6:9
Thank you so much for coming by
for some Home Sweet Home Pie!
I would love to know if this post resonated with you!
It will help me know if I’m providing value for you.
What things do you do to make your home sweeter?
Lots of love and hugs!
Aunt Ruthie
Your message is so very uplifting to this tired mama of a toddler and newborn. Thanks for what you do!
So needed to read this post today. Am a mama of teenagers who have tested the boundaries a lot lately. Some days have been emotionally draining. Then there are sweet moments of hugs and laughter. I need to captalise on these more. Thank you for reminding me xo
I needed every single bit of this post!!! As something quite hurtful happened just before I read it.. and it helped me tremendously… we have had my whole married life one bad thing after another and at times I had felt that no one cared.. but then Jesus with His love would come and help me.. I need to remember that, build my faith instead of letting circumstances tear me down… I may not have a home of my own, and have to do with out so many things.. but I MUST trust in the Lord that He will take care of us in these trying times!!! God bless you and your ministry.. you have definitely confirmed the drawings of my heart in this past month… after almost dying a little over a month ago and getting bad news about my heart… Jesus has been blessing me.. and I feel better than I have my whole life!!! Praise Jesus and I thank you from the bottom of my heart that you share so much and encourage us and love us all and bless us with your time!!!!
Thank you so much for your article, it’s awesome.
I am giving a lesson in Church tomorrow, on ‘Strengthening the Family’ , while cruising Pintrest I came across your website. What a great thing you are doing. I will let all the ladies know tomorrow, about your page. I probably could spend hours on the computer, and get lost in all of the great information you have.
I have subscribed and I can’t wait to read more.
Thank you again!
Sincere Regards,
Laura Weaver
Thank you! Sometimes in times of stress or worries we can’t get it all done, we forget the Lord understands. He will quiet our worries with his love and blessings.
I love your articles and photos. Just seeing that something from “Aunt Ruthie” is in my inbox makes me smile. You always post something uplifting and helpful. Thank you so much for a always touching my heart!
It’s as if you were reading my mind. Down to the very last word. I echo it all. Although as hard as it is to not call my self stupid or a disappointment when the perfectionist in me is upset with the “I’m just human…and I’m doing the very best I can” me.
Seems life has gotten more chaotic with a daddy with Alzheimer’s, work, home, church and although the kids are college age, I still try to hold onto and always try to be the very best wife and mama I can be. Oh the struggle is real to be as kind to myself as I am to everyone else. I am not a worrier. I fret about nothing as He is in control, but I do get upset with myself when I don’t conquer and fall short of all the tasks that the day holds.
Thank you so much as I look forward to your uplifting, encouraging and kind words.
My amazing Father above and you, give me hope!
I always look forward to your encouraging words! You remind us of the value of making a happy, cozy home, and the necessity of connecting with God.
I could read this post a million times and each time it’s a blessing. I love your posts, your heart and your inspiration! Thank you for being a blessing to me ❤️
Love reading all the different ideas. Would lv to see you wright a book or come out with a daily planner with different messages from the bible and just different messages on daily life and of course food and decor
Thanks so much for your great, practical suggestions and kind encouragement.You remind us homemakers that we have value and that our work is truly important! I feel inspired and energized by your words.
This is a post that I want to read regularly!
Great advice.
Thank you!
Laura of Harvest Lane Cottage
I enjoyed this post especially and your wonderful tips, reminders of ways to make my home sweet. I also enjoyed all the comments! You are such a blessing to so many of us! I always love our recipes, beautiful photos, and your ideas! Thank you so much for sharing and encouraging me!
Aunt Ruthie, I followed this rule when my children were young and I was a stay at home moreoften…I was almost OCD. More difficult today when an adult child with family has to move back home. I give it to the Lord every single day and night. My home is no longer mine…long story.
Thank you for the great tips. I am printing them out.
Love to you and yours.
I’m going to print this post and read it daily!
Thank you for this reminder. I’m saving it so I can look at it often. I have allowed myself to down on myself because I have let things slide and don’t seem to be able to get to my happy place. This was just what I needed today to readjust, Blessings!
This blog is one I happened upon, but actually feel God led me here. Oh, did I ever need this post. Bless you.
Very good! I would add one more item to your list. Plan menu’s and have all you need on hand. Start dinner before noon. Chop items, put out ingredients and recipes. Get out the pots or pans you will need. Bowls and utensils too. Then when it’s time put it all together and have it done at a specific time each night. If your children are old enough have then wash their hands and set a pretty table complete with flowers. Something simple will do. Praise them! Praise yourself outloud! My goal is for my children to have their homework done before dinner so we can have most night free of that chore. I brush my hair, change my shirt and put on lipstick before dinner. I feel preetier and better.
Thank you for helping.
You have not idea how much I needed this post today. God must have brought me to you today. I’ve written this post down so I can use this daily in my life. The lord knows I needed this for myself and my family evidentally because this spoke so deeply to my heart. It gave me hope and encouragement. Thank you for that.
Thanks you so much for this article! Even though I am not a mama or a stay at home wife, I currently work 52 hours a week! But I also strive to have a happy and clean home. I want my home to be inviting to my wonderful hard working husband and all of the guests that enter!
Dear Aunt Ruthie,
I’m so glad I found your website. You are a sweet voice of enfouragement and wisdom, so rare in this world these days. I lost my mom a few years back and as I read this post today, I realized God reaches out to us through words spoken in love, a mother’s love- through people like you. Thank you for your simple and timely wise words. God bless you immensely.
I just wanted to say thank you for the sage advise. You are so righr, and it is good to hear this wisdom. Thank you.
You are better than any vitamin!!! Thank U Aunt Ruthie!! Do love all your posts!
Wish I’d read this when my kids were younger and still at home.