Running a household is stressful. Whether you live in a small home, a medium home, or a large home, there is always something to do. But, unless you’re lucky enough to conjure extra hours in the day, it feels as if you will never get everything done.
Because of this, it’s no wonder that homeowners across the world are stressed out. The amount of stuff you need to do is overwhelming, and it’s enough to make you wonder whether it is even worth it. Any stress you encounter can easily be compounded, and it seems there is no escaping the cooking, cleaning, paying bills, and making sure everyone gets to school and work on time and with everything they need. But does it need to be this way?
No, it doesn’t. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the amount of stuff you have on your ever-expanding to-do list, here are ten simple but effective ways to overcome stress at home.
Be More Organized
The number one way stress-busting solution for any household is to be more organized. Households that embrace the magic of organization will find it easier to plan their days and weeks and know what they need to do to keep things running smoothly.
This can all start with a consistent routine, which should start the night before anything. If you get your clothes out and put everything you need in your bag or backpack, you eliminate the morning rush that starts everyone’s day off on the wrong foot.
This isn’t just something you should embrace. Get your family involved and make sure they have their lunch ready. Make sure they know where they need to go and how they will get home later. It will save everyone a lot of hassle.
Keep the Home Healthy
It is tricky to maintain a happy and stress-free household when you or someone else is feeling under the weather, so keeping your home healthy is another useful idea.
Basic hygiene, such as brushing your teeth and taking showers, as well as doing laundry will prevent passing illnesses. But you can also look at the best ways to keep your home bug-free to prevent those nasty infestations that can wreak havoc on your home.
No one will stay entirely healthy, though, so make sure you have a cabinet full of medicine and make sure you get your seasonal shots to reduce the chances of infections and viruses that could confine everyone to their beds for a week, or even longer.
Get Everyone to Chip In
You should not expect to do everything yourself, and this might be why you feel so overwhelmed. If you are the only person who cooks, cleans, and looks after the kids, it’s no surprise you feel like you don’t have enough time in the day.
Asking for help with chores should not be an unreasonable request. Your partner should offer a helping hand, such as doing the dishes or vacuuming, especially if both of you have work. If your kids are old enough, they can also lend a hand, even if it is keeping their bedroom tidy.
Not only will this drastically reduce your workload, but it will also teach them self-sufficiency. You don’t wash them going off to university not knowing how to look after themselves, so a little household education now will do wonders for them.
Clear Up the Clutter
A cluttered home often leads to a cluttered mind. Still, it can take a while for people to notice that their home is cluttered. You start by leaving something in an empty spot, and eventually, this becomes the de facto space for everything that doesn’t have a proper home in your house.
This clutter makes your home seem disordered and messy, which is no good if you want to keep your home as pristine as possible. So, take some time to clear out your clutter. The size of this activity can vary depending on how much stuff you have and how long you’ve lived in your home.
You will need to be ruthless and say goodbye to some items, burn if you forgot you had them, you aren’t going to miss them anyway, are you?
Stop Putting Things Off
Putting things off is another factor that contributes to household stress. Whether repairs or simply doing the dishes, leaving things for too long will only make things worse.
But why do people put things off, to begin with? They might be too exhausted to do it right then and there, or they get distracted by other issues they encounter around the house. Whatever the reason, it’s important to keep on top of things. Stop leaving them for someone else to do and just do them. It often only takes a few minutes, and it will make you feel more comfortable in your home.
This isn’t just something you can do, either. Remind your family that it doesn’t cost anything to hang their coats up to put their shoes away. Once they get into the habit of doing this, managing your home and your stress will be much easier.
Keep The Repair Costs Down
Speaking of repairs, the longer you leave them, the greater the risk of them becoming more severe. There are many repairs you might encounter around the home, from little fixes to more damaging issues that you should act on immediately.
Bigger repairs will cost more, and this will wreak havoc on your budget, so you need to get them fixed as soon as possible. This can include leaking pipes, dampness in the basement, or ice dam removal services, which can happen during the winter and are not always easy to spot.
Whether you rent or own your home, you should do everything possible to keep it in the best condition possible. You’re only putting your family at risk by ignoring repairs, so if you spot something, make sure you get it fixed.
Always Consider Improvements
At the same time, you should also be aware of what you could do to improve your home. Even if you rent, there are changes you could make to the interior, especially the decor and furniture as long as you get the landlords’ permission.
Staying on top of potential improvements, even if you write a list of what you might want to do later on can avoid a lot of stress. You don’t need to act on these improvements unless they are absolutely necessary, but at least the list gives you a good idea of what you can do when the weather clears up or you have some time.
Of course, your tastes will change as time goes on, so don’t feel restricted by any ideas you have written down. There is always room for adjustment.
Automate Your Payments
Bills and other payments are significant stressors. It feels like you only just paid the water or energy bill, and you are always amazed at how much you managed to use in the last month.
With everything going on in your life, you might also forget to make these payments, and that can affect your credit and cause issues with your supplier. To avoid this, it’s best to automate your payments through a direct debit or similar service.
If you’re on a fixed tariff, the same amount will be paid each month, allowing you to budget twitter. If you have the pay the exact amount, though, set yourself a reminder to keep track of how much it costs.
Find Time for Yourself
You cannot spend your entire day doing things for others. You must grab some moments and take them for yourself. A short meditation session can help balance your mind and ease any stress, while exercise or reading are also excellent ways to beat the stress you feel.
However, many people can feel guilty about finding time for themselves. This is not true, though. Finding time for yourself is one of the most effective ways to be better, both for yourself and for others, too.
While you shouldn’t do whatever you want whenever you want, you can carve out time to unwind. Just let your family know, and hopefully, they respect these boundaries.
Create a Calming Atmosphere
A calming atmosphere will make it much easier for you to relax and beat the stress, so focus on how you can transform your living room and bedroom to make it a calming sanctuary.
Start with comfortable furniture and blankets for you to wrap yourself up in. Once you’ve found these, use lamps, fairy lights, and candles to bring soft lighting into the room.
You can also play your favorite music throughout the day to alleviate stress, as your favorite tunes will always take you to your happy place where things are never as bad as they seem.
Stress Busted
Overcoming stress is not easy, and it is not a one-and-done thing. You will never truly escape the stress, and there will always be something else to do. But, with these tips, you can shave off precious time and make yourself -and your family – more efficient within their home. As long as you get more organized and find little tricks to help manage everything, you can reduce the stress enough to enjoy living in your home.