Since becoming a wife and a mother, I’ve slowly realized that I have to take my job as a homemaker and stay-at-home mom more seriously!
At times I can be so easy to be lazy in my homemaking. I push tasks off to the next day, don’t do things to the best of my ability, or give half-heartedly. And while seasons of life do require rest or are just harder than others, I still need to glorify God each day in the way I take care of my home and family!
Being a homemaker is a full-time job. In fact, it’s more than a full-time job most days! The role is so demanding from meeting everyone’s emotional and physical needs to taking care of your belongings and everything in between.
Right now I am in a season of life where I have two under two! And while it is demanding so much of me, it is such a sanctifying and beautiful journey the Lord is taking me on. The way He refines me through each challenge draws me closer to Him.
As our family has grown over the years, it has only required more and more of me. More food to cook, more children to take care of, more appointments to schedule, etc. On top of that, we live on a homestead, and the tasks of caring for the animals, garden, and orchard all fall on me.
I’ve realized that I need to make hard and fast boundaries and systems for myself so that I can keep up with everything. I want to be the best wife and mother for my family and therefore, I need to take my job seriously every single day!
Here are some boundaries I use in my job as a homemaker…
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No Lazy Mornings
I am not a morning person. Mornings are the most difficult time of day for me because I am so groggy for almost an hour before I fully wake up. I’ve had to change my mindset and how I spend my mornings.
Instead of first going on my phone, my mornings are my chance to connect with the Lord. Every morning I read scripture and pray. It keeps me grounded in truth and is the solid foundation on all of my homemaking rests. If I don’t do what I do for the Lord, then I labor in vain.
One boundary I have for myself is that I cannot look at my phone until I have completed my TAWG time (time alone with God). And, my husband and I keep our phones in the kitchen and out of our bedrooms as well.
In some seasons of life, this looks like getting up before the children to be alone with God. But, if I have a child under one then it usually happens after their first nursing session.
If you can’t fit in time to read the Bible and pray in the morning, then squeeze it in when you can! It is something I am not always perfect at but it is the foundation for my job as a homemaker.
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No Caffeine
I gave up caffeine when I became pregnant with my first child. Before that, I was dependent on caffeine to get me through the day. I would drink at least three cups of coffee a day, sometimes more, just to function properly at my day job and at home at night.
Once I was talking with a friend who was sharing how coffee seems to be so idolized in the world and especially among stay-at-home or working moms. Without coffee, they can’t function and be the best for their children.
I decided that I would never drink caffeine again, at least while my children are in my house. It was so difficult weaning myself from it and I never want to feel that way again. It’s not also not great for our bodies. It’s a slippery slope for me and I would rather not rely on it to be an alert wife and mother.
Instead, I enjoy caffeine-free herbal teas regularly! If you are dependent on coffee or caffeine, consider weaning from it and never going back. I love being caffeine free and feel much more in tune with my body.
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No Sugar Regularly
I’ve realized that I often turn to sweet treats when I am overly stressed or pushed to my limit. If I consume too much sugar I gain weight, become lazy, and have no energy! And I certainly need the energy to keep up with everything ahead of me each day.
This is something I am still working towards but getting better at. I choose to regularly avoid sugar in my diet to be the best version of myself each day.
Every once in a while, a sweet treat is necessary to enjoy life but it shouldn’t be a regular part of my diet. Of course, fruits and naturally occurring sugar are something I consume regularly and get creative within our meal plan.
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No Credit Cards
My husband and I have always been responsible with our money and credit cards, always paying them off on time each month. However, after moving to our homestead land I cut them up and threw them away.
I no longer wanted them to even be an option in our lives. Instead, we use our debit card or cash for every purchase, and how freeing it is! There is no opportunity to overspend and live beyond our means.
As a family, we have worked hard to pay off all our debt and even paid extra on our mortgage so there is no way we want to go back! Living debt free brings freedom to your job as a homemaker.
Related Post: How Do You Quickly Become Debt Free In Your 20’s?
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No Fast Fashion
While I will buy some homestead workwear like shirts and shorts that are on the cheaper end for projects where they will get stained and dirty, I have chosen to no longer purchase fast fashion.
Instead, I purchase high-quality items for my closet that will last me multiple seasons and not go out of style. I’m still learning exactly what this looks like, but I have minimized it down to a capsule wardrobe with only a few timeless pieces that I feel good in!
It boosts my confidence as a mother when I feel good about what I am wearing and know that it will last.
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No Store-Bought Household Products
In this blog post and this one, I share about how I don’t purchase things like paper towels, shampoo, and toothpaste from the store anymore. Instead, I make them myself!
With my job as a homemaker, it is my duty to save money for our family and also keep toxic products out of our home. I can do that by using reusable products and making my own!
I no longer buy these products from the store and instead say, “Could I make that myself with items I already have?” I just consider it as part of my job as a homemaker.
Related Post: 7 Multiuse Reusable Items To Save Money In Your Homemaking
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No Eating Out Or Buying Crappy Food
I should say no eating out due to my lack of energy, motivation, time, etc. A big part of my job as a homemaker is to cook from scratch and make delicious meals for my family. Constantly putting three meals on the table from scratch can be difficult some days and exhausting.
I’m not going to say we never eat convenience meals but they are an anomaly. Instead, we buy our food in bulk and keep it on hand.
We have meat in the freezer, beans in bins, and everything within arm’s reach. It really is quicker for me to throw some ingredients together in the crockpot, instant pot, or oven than running out to get fast food that isn’t good for us!
As a wife and mother, I have made the decision to only buy organic for my family. Yes, it’s more expensive but so are health problems in the future if you don’t. We also raise all our own meat and preserve a good deal of our garden harvest.
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No Media 24/7
This one is challenging for me at times. I want to put my phone down and present with my children and husband as much as possible. I need to limit my time on my phone and social media, keeping to only during nap times after bedtime for the kids.
One specific boundary I have is no notifications on my phone. I want to be in control of the phone, it shouldn’t be controlling me.
I’m not perfect at this and still working on it but having boundaries like this in place helps me be a more present mother to my children!
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No Weeks Without Rest Or Over Scheduled
As a wife, mother, and homemaker, I need to have time to rest. I need to fill my own cup so that I can pour from it to others!
Every Sunday morning, we attend church. I also attend MOPS weekly because it brings me joy and rejuvenizes me. Every other event is considered and weighed heavily.
We also don’t plan events during the day that would interfere with our regular routine. For example, when my children are old enough to be homeschooled, we won’t schedule appointments in the morning during school time.
My husband and I also make it a priority to have a date night one night a week after the kids are in bed. Our relationship needs to be a priority first and remain strong. Instead of allowing other events to happen during the weeks, we say no and schedule date night instead.
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No Cluttered And Messy House Before Bed
I make it a priority to “put the house” to sleep every night before I go to sleep. That means that I don’t leave dirty dishes in the sink, toys laying all over, and the floors full of crumbs.
I’m not perfect at this and some seasons of life require this to happen more than I would like. But, overall, I do my best to have everything clean and ready for a fresh day when we wake up the next morning.
Related Post: 11 Natural Household Items To Make Yourself And Save Money
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No Excuses For Side Hustles
Some of the best advice I got when I was a new mom was that your life shouldn’t stop now that you have kids. Your child is entering your family and will come along for the ride! Your child is not the center of the world and it shouldn’t all suddenly revolve around them.
After I had my children, I still blogged, sold produce at the farmer’s market each week, and still went to hang out with friends. Of course, it wasn’t exactly the same as before, but I didn’t stop working a side hustle or doing things that were important to me!
Of course, this all applies after my main priorities are met: time with God, time with my husband, all my children’s needs, household and homestead needs. When there is extra time, I love to still focus on things that I enjoy doing!
I pray that these examples of boundaries were helpful to you! Being disciplined is not easy but it does make us better wives and mothers!
I Peter 1:13 says, “Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
What priorities can you begin to establish as a mom to take your job as a homemaker seriously? Let me know in the comments below!
Kelsey at GoodPointGrandma
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