How We Make It All Happen
One of the most difficult things about part time homesteading while also working and raising a family is keeping up with all the things that need to get done. For example, in your head you’ll plan to get home from work and mix your compost and distribute some into your garden beds. And then in reality, when you were at work, a 40 foot tree fell into your garden and you’re spending the rest of the evening toting around your chainsaw like Leatherface. The big question becomes, how do you find enough time to fulfill this type of lifestyle? This is something we struggled with initially, but as time has passed we found strategies and ways to keep up with the grind outside of the home and the necessities around the homestead. And to be completely honest, we are still learning and figuring out the best ways to keep up with it all.
Here are some strategies we have implemented:
- Create a schedule with regular chores that are done weekly.
- Keep a planner or calendar to keep up with the non regular items on the schedule.
- Save open weekends for the bigger projects (and practice simplifying your commitments so you have more time home on the weekends!)
- Prioritize the most important things and work to make them into habits.
- Make a meal plan and use the meal plan to grocery shop/prep food.
Create a schedule with regular chores
There are many chores that we have to do each week. One of the best things we have implemented is creating a consistent schedule. It is something that is clear and concise and keeps us on track, but is also something that can be adjusted easily should we have a week that is out of the norm. This schedule keeps us on track and accountable. One of our goals this year is to add the kids to our weekly chore chart to make some of their unofficial contributions more official. See an example of our schedule to the right so that you can make your own or get our digital print on Etsy here.
Keep a planner or calendar
In addition to the weekly chore schedule that is hung on our fridge, we also have a planner that we look at daily. On this planner we list:
- dates/appointments/birthdays to remember
- “non-regular chores” that week
- Supplies we may need to order or go out and get (i.e. light bulbs, batteries, cleaning vinegar, etc.).
You can find our weekly/monthly planner here or buy one from Amazon.
The Big Projects
Since moving to our home and working to start a homestead, there have been many big projects. Unfortunately we cannot only focus on the big projects because there are still the regular and non-regular weekly chores that need to be done. It is important, however, that we plan and set aside time for the bigger projects. My most recent large project was fencing off our 1.3 acre property. I had to set aside multiple weekends for this project and indicated them on our regular calendar. Some examples of our other recent big projects that have been marked on the calendar include:
- Building goat structure and pen
- Building chicken coop and chicken run
- Building garden beds
- Preparing and planting garden
- Re-doing our back yard and patio
- Refinishing dining table
We find it super useful to mark these things on the calendar so we already have time set aside and it allows us to mentally prepare for it and get all the supplies beforehand.
Another component of this is working to simplify our commitments. If I planned our weekends we would never leave the house, but Ciera is good at “yes”-ing our way to a packed calendar. We do love getting together with family and friends and attending community events, AND we know we need full days to stay home as often as possible. Not to mention our nervous systems enjoy not having to leave the house everyday!
Prioritize the important things
Monday through Friday I have to wake up early in the morning to head to work. One thing that keeps the mornings less stressful and keeps me on schedule to start the day is prepping some of the small things the night before. Fairly consistently I have my lunch made, the coffee maker set up, items out for breakfast and work clothes set out. Having all of this ready for me in the morning makes the start of my day less stressful. If the mornings can be less stressful the day always goes better and helps my productivity for the rest of the day.
We also each have our tasks that we’ve deemed the most important things we do each week to contribute to our homestead. These things have become habits and instead of feeling like an extra chore, they are accepted as part of our regular routine. You can read Ciera’s top five here. I am writing mine now and will update the blog with that post soon!
Meal Planning
I fully understand that everyone is different in how they process and decision-make, but I have found that I have to have a weekly meal plan. Otherwise it’s suddenly 6:00pm and my anxiety skyrockets thinking we have no food and no plan. Typically on the weekends we will plan out our meals for the week and then grocery shop or do food prep to ensure we have the items we need. I’ve found this predictability helps us all feel more calm and helps us to prepare for the meals ahead of time (like soaking beans or making yogurt). We printed and laminated our copy and keep it on the refrigerator.
If you’d like to check out the meal plan we use, you can see it here!
Remember, there will always be work to do. Even if you worked 24/7, there will ALWAYS be something more. We strive to practice gratitude and grace for ourselves as we learn new habits that work for us in all areas of our life. I know that these things, for us, have made our lives easier and more efficient. Having that regular weekly schedule, a planner and a calendar keeps us efficient and on task with the things that need to get done. It helps to keep our busy lives somewhat less overwhelming. In addition to these things though it is always important to put time for yourselves and your family into that schedule. If you cannot take care of yourself and be happy, what’s the point?
In future posts we will continue to push efficiency and strategies that have helped us improve our overall capacity to keep our family and homestead running while keeping up with the other important things in our lives.
