I stand by the phrase “home sweet home”. But what happens when home doesn’t feel sweet or simple? Here are 7 ways to reclaim your sweet and simple home when you are feeling overwhelmed!
What happens when everything feels out of sorts and you’re so tired of cleaning up the crushed cheerios, tripping on the plastic dinosaurs and never conquering the mountain of laundry?
What happens when home runs you ragged instead of rested?
In these years with young ones, it feels like our home is in a constant state of disarray. Even when my husband and I try to stay on top of things, the next moment, we’ll hear the distant sound of something crashing all over the floor. Sigh.
Maybe you can relate? My husband and I constantly need to give ourselves pep talks about embracing a home that is not always put together. Reminding each other that it is just a house… it is the living that makes our home so sweet!
But…on those days when your insides are screaming and you are desperate to reclaim your home? I’ve got you!
Here are 7 EASY things to do to reclaim your sweet and simple home.
Reclaim Your Sweet And Simple Home
These are my simple tried and true ways to reset our home when it feels far from sweet! Take what you need and leave the rest!
1. Start Small
I really believe the key to beating overwhelm, whether it be at home or in life in general, is to start small.
What is something small that you can do now that will help get you closer to your home feeling sweet and simple again?
This will be totally unique to you. Maybe it will look like throwing the scattered toys into a basket, unloading the dishwasher or organizing your bookshelf.
Pick one small thing. Something you can do in 5 minutes or less.
Don’t worry about everything else there is to do. The hardest part is starting at all!
2. Gather Your Troops
Taking care of a home is not easy! And we were never meant to do it alone. Call on your troops!
I will admit, this is not something I’m very good at. When I’m overwhelmed, I tend to try to do it all on my own (usually without a great attitude).
I always feel better when I ask for help. The phrase many hands make for light work rings true. On top of that, I believe it is valuable for every member of our family to contribute to keeping our home.
Just the other day, my son did an amazing job putting away the laundry. I don’t know why I was surprised by his eagerness to help. I often forget that our children genuinely want to be taught how to help. Putting away the laundry is one of my least favourite tasks that I always dread. Seeing him do it with enthusiasm made my heart swell with pride (and gratitude!).
3. Declutter
It is a buzzword for a reason. I have personally experienced the weight lifted off my shoulders when I get rid of the items that are not serving our family.
There is something to be said about being intentional about our stuff. And even if you like to keep it pretty minimal, things have a way of creeping into your home again.
Decluttering is not a one-time thing, but a daily action that helps make your home feel sweet and simple.
If you are looking for a quick way to reclaim your sweet and simple home, choose one spot to declutter and notice the difference! This goes for doing a visual declutter by simply putting things away, as well.
I don’t know why it always amazes me what a difference it makes to declutter but wow – it does!
An added bonus? When you donate what you’re not using, it makes you feel good! I love donating to Mission Thrift!
4. Set A Deadline
My brain usually turns off right around when the kids go to bed.
This means, I try my hardest to get the kitchen cleaned up and the toys off the floor before the kids go to bed (enlisting their help along the way!) so that I can enjoy the down time when they are asleep.
I’m not always motivated to tidy the house after a full day, but I’m always grateful when I set my deadline for the kids’ bedtime because then I truly enjoy being off the clock and putting my feet up at the end of the day.
That, to me, is the definition of a sweet and simple home!
5. Invite Someone Over
Is there anything more motivating to reset your home than inviting someone over?
This is our favourite way to get some unfinished chores off our to-do list.
But more than that, having community makes a home feel so much sweeter. It’s who we share our home with that makes it feel like a special place to be.
Don’t aim for perfection, but lean into the motivation that having people over brings. It is great fuel to reclaim your sweet and simple home and even better for the soul!
6. Embrace Your Season
If you are in a season of life with little ones, we are in it together!
It is not easy to lay down our expectations of our homes and live in the chaos.
We want our homes to look and feel picture perfect all of the time. Little humans like to rip that expectation to threads!
Our children don’t care about the couch pillows (unless they are tools for building forts), or the piles of craft supplies scattered around the house or the crumbs under their feet.
They are just happy to be home. Our little ones teach us about how to live life to the fullest – regardless of their surroundings.
I try to remember that our homes can feel simple and sweet because of the mess, too. Mess is just proof of living, after all.
7. Embrace YOUR Sweet And Simple Home
A house is only four walls. A home is made because of the people who live inside of it. Anywhere can be home, as long as it is with your people.
This is what makes YOUR home so unique and special. No one can make a home the way that you can.
This simple reminder helps me to feel gratitude for the house that allows us to create a home.
When our house feel complicated and overwhelming I like to remember the sweet and simple truth that wherever I am with my people, I am living a beautiful life.
What do you think of these 7 tried and true ways to reclaim your sweet and simple home?
What number resonated with you the most? As I finish up this post, I am looking around at our home that desperately needs a reset after a FULL week of living. I’m going to start small, enlist help and remember my season!
These simple ways to reclaim your home are small reminders that I believe will make a big impact in fighting off overwhelm and help your home feel like sweet and simple again!
Here’s to you and your beautiful home!
Ps. Looking for more inspiration for creating a sweet and simple home? Check out this post on thrifting!
