5 Important Ways Routines Will Create Balance in Your Home

Here are 5 important ways routines will bring peace and organization to your home, lower stress, and instill responsibility into kids.

Moms Crushing It with Quick Steps

If you would like more quality family time, a little more time for yourself, and a calmer, more organized home, simply establish some solid routines. Today, CanCan Mom shares five reasons routines can ease your daily burdens and up your joy quotient.

1. Routines Provide Solutions
2. Routines Create Organization
3. Routines Create More Time for Self-Care
4. Routines Keep You Healthy
5. Routines Set the Tone in Your Home

Tip 1: Routines Provide Solutions

Routines are my secret weapon. With routines in place, I spend less time taking care of my daily household chores and more time enjoying my family.

For example, if your family struggles to get out the door on time each morning, that might be your starting point.

Get your kids into the habit of emptying their backpacks with you before or after dinner so you can process the important papers like field trip slips or notes about upcoming tests, wash dirty gym clothes or uniforms, etc. At the same time, you can pack what will be needed at school the next day, like gym clothes, an energy bar, money for lunch, a permission slip, etc.

If your kids bring their lunches, whenever needed, take a whole loaf of bread, make the slices into PB&J sandwiches, put them into individual sandwich bags, put all the sandwiches back into the loaf bag, and freeze. Grab as many sandwiches as you need for kids’ lunches in the morning. They will defrost by lunchtime. Add fruit and a snack, and off to school they go.

Dinner Meal Planning is also a great way to lower stress. See also: 4 Great Reasons Meal Planning is a Must for a Happier Family Life

These and other routines you choose will soon become your secret weapons, too!

Tip 2: Routines Create Organization

An organized home is a happy home. If you don’t have systems in place to handle all the kid clutter, you’re going to spend endless hours of your valuable time managing it. 

Have a daily clean-up routine for ages toddlers to teens. Yes, kids can usually follow directions and help clean up their toys, even at two or three. Create systems that keep your family organized, including labeling bins and baskets.

When it comes to cleaning, each child can have an age-appropriate chore in each room—dusting, sweeping, vacuuming, wiping down cupboards and counters, etc. so no one has to do all of any one chore.

Results: Everyone feels better in a clean and organized household, plus you will have more time to enjoy your family and your home as all the housework is now a shared routine.

Tip 3: Routines Create More Time for Self-Care

At first, it might be an extra 15 minutes of breathing room every morning because you’re not scampering out the door forgetting someone’s lunch. Next, it could be an extra half-hour each evening because you now have a homework routine in place, freeing you up to listen to your favorite podcast while you enjoy a cup of coffee.

Once you have your kids helping around the house with a clean-up routine—you can head to the salon, read a book, spend time on hobbies, etc., for some “me time” instead of doing those extra chores yourself on the weekend.

Tip 4: Routines Keep You Healthy

As you build routines into your schedule, don’t forget to make time to incorporate an exercise routine as well. Check with your physician if you haven’t been working out or want to start some new physical activity, and then get ready to kick it up a notch and enjoy a healthy lifestyle.

One of my favorite routines is my early-morning power walk four to five mornings every week. Walk with friends and your dog, or enjoy some solitude. Perhaps listen to music, podcasts, or an audiobook.

Consider this routine sacred and non-negotiable.

If you have young children, put them in a stroller as often as you can throughout the week. They love getting fresh air in the neighborhood, and you get your power walks in at the same time.

Don’t forget to get outside and play with your children. Tag, Simon Says, Hide and Seek, hopscotch, HORSE, kickball, etc., will keep everyone burning off calories and extra energy.

Tip 5: Routines Set the Tone in Your Home

Remember, your kids get tense if you feel impatient and usually follow suit. But when you lighten up, joke around, and find something positive to focus on, it teaches your children to do the same. Kids respond to the tone you set.

All routines help set the tone in your home. Your children know when and what to do to keep things happy and going smoothly for everyone. They know homework and shared chores are balanced with more time for fun.

Set the tone for a calmer evening with an after-dinner ritual of a bath and a bedtime story instead of running around or watching TV or on a screen. The kids know what to expect on a regular basis, plus you could have had a little time to catch your breath and catch up with your partner after the toddlers fall asleep earlier than if you don’t have daily routines.

Reading aloud to your children of all ages or letting them read to you creates a strong bond and wonderful memories as you share your favorite children’s books with them or you discover new characters and adventures together. Let the grandparents join in on the fun when they visit or on Facetime.

Once You Decide You Need Routines…

You get to be creative as you decide how to alleviate chaos and stress in your family’s life once you know when and where more routines would make your life easier.

What routines help your family thrive? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below.