As a family, we dedicate Saturday mornings to cleaning and work in a focused sprint until lunchtime. It helps because we get a lot done by working as a team.
But it only keeps things at a basic level of order, not where I’d like them to be.
Hiring help isn’t an option right now, and doing more myself would feel overwhelming. (Both my husband and I are starting new businesses, so our resources are already stretched.)
I want to choose a realistic balance for this season of life and be at peace.
I hear you. When everyone's focused on what's important to them, shared responsibilities can become challenging.
The Saturday morning sprint may not be enough if the result doesn't last past midweek. One suggestion is to pinpoint which areas would bring the most relief, then talk to the family about a mid-week or nightly 5-minute reset.
If deeper organizing feels overwhelming, start with your own belongings first — you have more control there and can block out time without negotiating.
As for your husband and son, either have a conversation and tackle it together, or if it's something they can take on themselves but haven't gotten to it, help them make a plan with dates on the calendar and reminders so they can follow through.
I'd also recommend this post to help reduce that sense of urgency with the work that still needs to be done:
Be sure to leave room for their input. Try out their ideas will lead to more ownership of those responsibilities. Good luck and let me know how it goes.
Here’s something I’ve been thinking about lately.
I struggle with home chores.
As a family, we dedicate Saturday mornings to cleaning and work in a focused sprint until lunchtime. It helps because we get a lot done by working as a team.
But it only keeps things at a basic level of order, not where I’d like them to be.
Hiring help isn’t an option right now, and doing more myself would feel overwhelming. (Both my husband and I are starting new businesses, so our resources are already stretched.)
I want to choose a realistic balance for this season of life and be at peace.
Do you have any advice on how to approach that?
I hear you. When everyone's focused on what's important to them, shared responsibilities can become challenging.
The Saturday morning sprint may not be enough if the result doesn't last past midweek. One suggestion is to pinpoint which areas would bring the most relief, then talk to the family about a mid-week or nightly 5-minute reset.
If deeper organizing feels overwhelming, start with your own belongings first — you have more control there and can block out time without negotiating.
As for your husband and son, either have a conversation and tackle it together, or if it's something they can take on themselves but haven't gotten to it, help them make a plan with dates on the calendar and reminders so they can follow through.
I'd also recommend this post to help reduce that sense of urgency with the work that still needs to be done:
https://thedooleymethod.substack.com/p/when-the-clutter-feels-like-too-much?r=2bs8db&utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web
That makes sense, thank you.
I'll negotiate a midweek sprint today. 🏃♂️
Be sure to leave room for their input. Try out their ideas will lead to more ownership of those responsibilities. Good luck and let me know how it goes.
If the message me button doesn’t work, please message me directly or email me at tidyup@simplejoywithann.com.