I know I’ve talked about this before Sugar Pies, ( but it is worth repeating over and over because we forget! Or at least I do sometimes…..) Be a friend to yourself! Know what your limits are, plan ahead for things so you don’t get so stressed out. Get a calendar/planner and write down appointments so you don’t miss them or schedule too many things in one week. Talk nice to yourself ( you darlin’ thing you!). Cancel that pity-party… it will steal your joy! Come on now, pull yourself up by your cute cowgirl boot-straps! Try to stay on top of things in your home so cleaning the house won’t become so overwhelming (has your house ever looked like an earthquake happened at Walmart? That is not a pleasant feeling!). It’s really hard for us to think straight (and keep our joy) when our home is in disorder. A messy nest will only bring us unrest! We need to take care of ourselves and our home so we can best care for our family! It’s amazing how our environment affects our emotions! And if Mama ain’t happy…well, you know the rest!
Oh my dear Sugar Pie homemakers, we need God’s help to do the most important job there is! Nothing can match the treasure of a happy home or the heartwarming memories that are made there….for you and your family!
Here are a few Happy Home Tips that have helped me keep a spring in my step and make me feel blessed to be the keeper of my home!
1. Start the day with prayer, praise and thanksgiving!
Let me just tell you, the best thing you can do for yourself is to meet with the Lord each morning. (“Seek first God’s Kingdom and what God wants. Then all of your other needs will be met as well. Matthew 6:33 New Century Bible). The first thing I do right when wake up is to begin thanking and praising God. I think about how He has blessed me and my heart is warmed.
Before I get out of bed I declare these two heart-lifting scriptures:
- “This is the day the Lord has made; I will rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24
- “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house (Presence) of the Lord for ever. Amen” Psalm 23:6
His love for you and I is so extravagant, full of sparkling grace and glowing mercy. He knows our difficulties and wants so much for us to trust Him with them.
“He’s walked in your shoes. He knows it’s hard! He delights to show you mercy and give you grace. He has compassion on you and sees your heart. Your need is not looked down on by Him. You are His beloved child.” ~Mary Grace Birkhead
Spending my first few morning-moments talking to God just feels right. It’s at that time I ask Him to help me, to give me wisdom, joy and strength to accomplish the things that I need to do, to be mindful of my blessings and to bless others. Then I get up, read a scripture and meditate on it while I am showering and getting dressed. Throughout the day I talk to the Lord, He is my constant friend! I love that the Word says “He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him”! I don’t want to miss out on any of God’s rewards!
“Keep company with God. Get in on the best”. Psalm37:4 (The Message Bible)
On most mornings I get up early to spend time reading the Word of God, pray, and write in my journal what I feel He is speaking to my heart. I take time to thank the Lord for His goodness, promises and blessings. I also ask Him to help me with whatever is going on in my life…to guide me, to help me show love like He does and give me wisdom. If for some reason I don’t start the day with devotions, I feel the difference.
2. Getting pretty makes you feel sweet and perky! To start my day off right, I shower, get dressed, put makeup on, and fix my hairdo (unless I’m sick in bed of course). If I don’t, I feel sluggish, sloppy and frumpy. Then, it affects how much I can get accomplished in the day. That’s just me, the way I’m wired. I feel so much more energetic and ready to face the day when put myself together.
3. Tidy the bathroom after you get dressed! After I “paint the barn” (Lol!) I put my brushes, flat iron, dryer and toiletries away. I wipe down the sink and put wet towels in laundry basket. I don’t leave the bathroom until it’s wiped down and picked up. I find that when I tidy up my bathroom each day, when it’s time to do the nitty-gritty cleaning it’s not that big of a deal.
Can I just tell you sisters that I am not always on top of things?! There are days I get behind for one reason or another. I am not a born organized person, I have to work at it! ( Seriously!) But, I’ve figured out that my days go smoother when my house is in order. I’ve adopted this motto…Clean as you go! Girls, it’s a fact, we are happier when we’re surrounded by beauty and order instead of bedlam and chaos. A happy mama makes a happier home. Join me and make “Clean as you go” your new motto….it does take a little extra effort but you’ll be so glad you did!
4. Make the bed! I make my bed and tidy up my bedroom. I want to enjoy sinking into a fresh bed at night in a calm, clean and serene room. This blesses my husband also!
5. Start the laundry! When I leave my bedroom I grab the laundry basket and start a load of wash. I do laundry everyday instead of waiting for a certain day of the week. It’s too overwhelming to tackle mountains of laundry all at once. (Trust me, raising four kids, I know about mountains of laundry!) Doing a little each day makes it so much easier!
6. Create a Happy Home Atmosphere! So after I’ve gotten the laundry started I head into the kitchen. The first thing I do is create what I call My Happy Home Atmosphere…..light a yummy candle, I put on some music ( I’m listening to Christmas already!), and open the windows for some fresh air (unless it’s super hot or freezing outside!). I don’t turn the TV on because then I am tempted to sit and watch…and there goes my day! (We record our favorite shows and watch them at night.)
7. Empty the dishwasher! The kitchen is always cleaned after dinner. In the morning it’s really so helpful to empty the dishwasher right away. That way any dirty dishes or cups can be put straight into the dishwasher instead of loading up the sink. (If you don’t have a dishwasher, fill half of your sink with hot sudsy water, put any dirty morning dishes in the water to soak while you are attending to other things, then in a short while it will be easy to wash them up, rinse, dry and put away!)
Side Note! Now, if you’ve got little ones and you can get these things done before they wake up you will feel amazing! Depending on what time the kids get up, if you can get up a little earlier to get started on the day it will be so worth it! If that’s not possible, then perhaps during their naptime you can get a few things accomplished. Little ones require our full attention so you may not be able to get everything done as you would like…that’s ok! Just do what you can! As they get older you’ll be able to do more. Been there, done that with my four kids!
8. Check your planner or calendar: I like to review my planner/calendar the night before just in case I have an appointment so I’m prepared. You can do a quick review in the morning too. That way you can keep on top of your plans.
9. Grocery shopping day! Mondays are usually my grocery shopping days, so usually Sunday afternoon I sit down and make a list of meals that I want to make for the following week. I’ll go through a couple of my cookbooks (which I love to do) to see if there is something new I want to try. Come Monday I have grocery list in hand with a pen to mark off the items as I find them. I always plan a simple meal on grocery shopping days because by the time I get home, make several trips to the car carrying in the bags then unloading them I’m not feeling like I want to spend two hours cooking dinner. Now that is the ideal scenario! Life often does not go as planned. We get sick, we’re too tired, other things come up. When that happens I don’t sweat it at all. I have my go-to meals that my family loves that I don’t need recipes for like tacos, baked chicken with veggies, fajitas, pot roast, ribs etc. I also have a few recipes on my iphone…(I take a photo of my recipes and keep it in the Note App) for quick reference so if I’m at the store and decide to make my Minestrone Soup or Chili then I’ve got the ingredients list so I won’t forget something. Sometimes we just have to go with the flow and that is OKAY!!
10. Keep a smile on your adorable face! Did you know that smiling activates neural messages in your brain that benefits your health and happiness? Smiling can reduces stress, build your immune system, and puts you in a better mood. When you smile it releases endorphins and serotonin which lifts your mood. Your smile can make others smile and then they feel better…and that’s a beautiful thing!
You know Sugar Pies, every woman is a homemaker. Whether you work outside or inside the home. If we live in a home we are a homemaker. Anything you can do to create that “ahhh…it’s good to be home” feeling is the best gift you can give to your family and yourself! A home that is comforting, safe and happy will do wonders in providing a sense of well being and the sense of belonging your family needs! It’s up to us girls! Fortunately we have the help of the Lord! If you haven’t read it in a while, I want to encourage you to read Proverbs 31: 10-31. It talks about our role as homemakers and how we are worth far more than rubies! I can tell by the comments you leave me that your desire is to create a home-sweet-home, and I want to say how proud I am of you for that! Keep up the good work! The Lord will surely bless you!
Don’t forget Be A Friend to Yourself! There is only one of you and you are loved, valuable and needed!
Blessings to y’all!
Aunt Ruthie
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