My Tips to Staying Sane

Anyone who knows me knows that I am pretty Type A.  Type A isn't terrible when you just have to worry about yourself.  But a Type A mom is a totally different story.  As a Type A mom, I cringe when things get derailed or when the house is a mess. As a result, I created a list ways I have managed to stay sane through it all.  If you are a fellow SAHM, I hope you can relate.  Would love to hear your tips too!

Keeping the house organized

• 1. Make to do-lists and assign tasks appropriately.  I give Brooke the tasks I have no interest in doing like cleaning Blake's water table and emptying the dehumidifier.  Delegating is hard when you are Type A, but its worth it in the end.
• 2. Do laundry every 2 or 3 days regardless of how much laundry has accumulated
• 3. Buy an Oxyclean stick (it is pure magic)
• 4. Stack & unstack dishes while your child is in the high chair eating
• 5. Clean your kitchen the night before so you don't wake up to a mess - there is nothing worse than waking up to a sink full of dirty dishes when you have a toddler and dog to feed.
• 6. Make sure you have at least 2 clean sippy cups before you go to bed.

Miracle stick

Taking care of yourself

• 1. Join a gym that has daycare.  I may not always feel like working out, but I can guarantee I always feel like having 90min of alone time.  Blake loves socializing with the other kids, so for me its a total win-win. 
• 2. Blow-dry your hair at least once a week to feel like your old self again.
• 3. Take up a hobby, even if its something small so you feel like you have something that's yours.

Reality of a blow drying mom

Getting through the long days

• 1. Kill time by FaceTiming a family member.  They love it, and it gives you 10min to mentally check-out while they entertain the baby.
• 2. Have a toy bin in every room, even if its just a small basket with random pieces of other toys thrown in.  I keep a small basket in our master bedroom so Blake can play while I make the bed and put laundry away.
• 3. Embrace and encourage independent play - it's good for them, and us too.
• 4. Try to set a schedule for the week, even if its a loose schedule.  It will give you something to look forward to, even if its as simple as a Tuesday Target run.
• 5. Plan playdates and meet other mommies.  Having recently moved to a new town, this has taken longer than I thought, but I finally feel like I am meeting other moms which is very exciting.

My mom loves to screenshot our FT sessions

If you were to ask my old self 10 years ago, do you see yourself staying home with your child, I would have said absolutely not.  But despite the sometimes unpredictable or long torturous days, I wouldn't have it any other way.