Self-care seems to be the first thing that goes out the window when juggling everything moms have to take care of in a given day. (Someone once said a mom’s mind is like a browser window with a million tabs open – accurate). But it’s one of the most important things for your well-being. It keeps that “Groundhog Day” type feeling at bay, you know the one where it feels like the same thing every day – that cycle of feeding & cleaning up after small people, working, falling asleep while reading the internet, lather, rinse, repeat?
And it’s actually really easy to incorporate little things that make you happy in your everyday routines. It takes a teensy bit of effort for a big payoff – think of it as the lazy girl’s way to more joy. Here are some super easy ways to make the mundane more enjoyable and treat yo’self in the process.
- Real hangers. This has made a huge difference, mainly because clothes actually stay on good hangers! Nothing’s worse than having to re-do the same boring thing you just did and hanging up clothes doesn’t rate high on my bucket list. T.J. Maxx/Marshalls/Homegoods always have packs of inexpensive velvety-covered ones (even better with grippy parts on the shoulders!) We have some sturdy wooden hangers that make our teeny closet look a little cooler. Every month or so I Konmari all the crappy wire hangers my husband brings home from the drycleaner so he’s not tempted to put them back into rotation!
- Pretty candles. I love having a nice-smelling candle lit while I’m working from home, folding laundry, paying bills, etc. It feels like a little treat.
- Dish soap in a glass bottle. Everything looks nicer in a glass bottle (even if you have the eco-friendly clear soap). I like olive oil cruets with a metal spout like these. Not that you would instagram pictures of your kitchen sink, but you could if you wanted to.
- Good sheets. You really only need two sets of sheets, three tops (unless you co-sleep, then all bets are off!) and it’s better to buy the highest quality you can instead of 5 sets of “meh” sheets. You can always find a good bedding sale going on, especially in the summer and in January. Tip: look for the highest thread count and read the reviews.
- Silk pillowcase. While any time spent in bed is a luxury in itself around here, sleeping on a silky pillowcase makes it even nicer. The best thing is that it’s supposed to prevent wrinkles, which is important if you sleep on your face like I do. (Also makes your blow-out last longer, if you’re fancy enough to get your hair did.)
- Water carafe. I’m always thirsty at night in the winter especially and never have a cup of water around. Keep a simple water carafe with a cup next to your bed and refill it nightly. Or get fancy and monogram it, you do you.
Those are my easy tricks when I need a little pick me up. Have any favorite tips that I missed? Let me know!
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Amanda