Housekeeping is a chore. Actually, it’s 5 million chores piled up into one teeny little word. There’s no avoiding it, ignoring it or neglecting it. Well, at least not for very long. The responsibilities of modern mothers are slightly different than the responsibilities of generations before us. Regardless, housekeeping has always been a topic of interest to a lot of women throughout the decades.
Maybe it’s about the peace that we feel when our house is put together, clean and organized.
Maybe it’s about the sense of comfort we feel when the walls surrounding us reflect our personal style.
Maybe it’s the only place we feel we can still control something amidst the chaos of our daily lives.
Many modern mothers are also in the work force, or are working at home and also keeping their children at home. The role of motherhood has clearly shifted – and we need to catch up at home. I’m not talking about man vs. woman here, or partner vs. partner. That should be a given this day and age – both parties should be equally involved in the delegation of a household regardless of work status. Work status will most certainly play a role in who is able to do what, but it does not solely dictate anyone’s role based on that fact alone. Both parties should have their foot in the door of every category, even if they aren’t the front runner of that particular category. Ever heard the saying “communication is the key to a good marriage?” Well, you can apply it here, too.
“Communication is the key to a functioning, comfortable and peaceful household.”
It may seem controversial to say that modern mothers have more on their plates than their mothers did but I believe it’s true. Likely not physically, as the generations before us often had more physically demanding housekeeping tasks, thank you technology! I do believe the general mental load of modern mothers tends to be more. Whether we bring that on ourselves or not…well, that’s another topic for another post. This seems to be true for all mothers – whether they work outside the home, run companies, sales teams and/or side-hustles within the home, and those who choose to rock the SAHM title alone.
Let’s get down to the nitty-gritty here.
Once you’ve communicated and delegated with your spouse, or roommate or whomever you share a roof with, you need to figure out the best way to tackle your responsibilities. One way NOT to do it, is to try and do it perfectly. Mama, go ahead and give yourself some grace here. Modern mothers are famous for thinking they can fit their chaos into some perfectly curated box. (More on the devil known as perfectionism here).
Start simple. Look at your life or ask a close friend for advice. What is working? What isn’t working? It’s one thing to realize you need to change – it’s another to actually take some action! Start combing through the parts you want to change and work on them slowly. Only focus on ONE at a time until you figure it out. I promise – this is the best way to get the end result you want. Drop the all or nothing attitude and zero in on the most important right now.
Whether you are a list gal or just want a little motivation to get your mind flowing – I’ve created something to get you started. You can wait for next week’s Motherhood Monday post – or subscribe to my email list here and get it in your inbox today!
You can do this.
❤ MA
The Well Mom Collective 
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