I Was Overwhelmed…

Brain fog, always tired, anxious thoughts, cleaning that never gets done and clutter EVERYWHERE...

Isn’t this what mom life is supposed to be like?  

I was a 24 year old full time New York City public school teacher and first time mom just trying to survive!  

I was overwhelmed...

Overwhelmed with all the things I had to accomplish. 

Overwhelmed with all the clutter that filled my home.  

Overwhelmed with all the cleaning that had to be done.  

Overwhelmed with the long hours my husband spent at the office.   

Overwhelmed with the fact that I couldn’t stay consistent with any systems I tried to put in place in my home. 

If your personality is like me, clutter in your physical space is a serious problem, whether you know it or not.  It impacts your ability to focus and really be at peace. Moms often feel defeated.  Endless piles of laundry, dishes, stuff and kids crowd our spaces.  There’s just not enough time in the day for “all the things.”

Researchers in a UCLA study found that there is a direct correlation between clutter and elevated stress hormone levels; This was especially significant in mothers. 

Moms are in a constant state of clutter mentally and physically. We’re juggling a TON of tasks at one time and barely have time or energy to take care of ourselves. 

Our cluttered lives make living a healthier lifestyle extremely hard and cause a lot of guilt. We don’t have any energy left to make healthier meals and truly enjoy our kids. WE’RE CONSTANTLY PICKING UP STUFF!

Our minds are always spinning, we’re multitasking and our to do list is just too long. We are tired of feeling tired.

Is it possible to find a way to live simpler lives and experience peace and true rest inside our homes and lives?  

YES! It is possible. But, it’s not just decluttering that’s going to help us get there...

It’s a mindset change.  
It’s freeing yourself of that nagging mom guilt that’s ever present.   It involves planning your days & weeks with more purposeful tasks.
It involves some simple meal planning. (I know some of you might not like the sound of this!)
It might even mean eliminating some foods that you’re unknowingly sensitive to that are sapping all your energy! 

I wouldn’t call myself an expert on mom life and living simply by any means. I’m a work in progress. This is the key…PROGRESS! I’ve tried and failed so much. Seeing failure as an opportunity to push forward is what’s going to create change. Systems that just aren’t working in your home can be kicked to the curb! You can get out of the continuous cycle of failure!

It’s been over a decade since I was a new mom experiencing the realization that my life will never be the same...I’ll never sleep again.  Seriously.  I haven’t slept in 12 years!  The ability to just get up and go when I please and perform simple daily tasks is now thwarted by these little people in my home that I love with all my heart. These little people with big emotions and dreams.  These little people who are amazing, funny, and oh so frustrating all at the same time.  The best lawyers and manipulators around!

Today, I’m a work from home, homeschool mom of 4 girls. We are pretty health conscious but also realistic about how difficult and expensive this can be as a growing family. We have massively decluttered just about every inch of our home. It was a long and hard process with a baby and a toddler thwarting all efforts along the way! ;-)

There are still a lot of things on my to do list but my anxieties have decreased. My perspective has changed. I can’t help but share what I’ve learned with others.

Being a mom is one of the hardest jobs in the world!  

You can experience more joy in your life by simplifying your family’s schedule and prioritizing what matters.

You can make small changes to reach goals you never even knew you needed! 

You absolutely can find joy and peace in your family in the midst of being a busy wife and mom!